Having somehow missed out on the “fun” gene that keeps me, unlike many of my friends, from seeking out satisfaction from playing games, I’ve sometimes thought, “if only gamers would invest as much time, energy, and intelligence in solving real-world problems as in playing games, the world would be a better place.” Having been involved in technology & education, I’ve thought along with many others, “if only there were a way to harness the natural inclination to play games to teach real-world skills, to harness the flow provided by gaming to engage students in learning, the world would be a better place”. With Superstruct, the Institute for the Future (never heard of them before) fulfills both wishes in one massively multi-player on-line game! Of course, given the dismal fate of most “educational” games, I withhold judgment.
Now, if only I would invest as much time, energy, intelligence in solving real-world problems instead of reading & blogging about RSS feeds …