(photo by Urgent Evoke)

Is facebook a game? Is eBay? YouTube?

Amy Jo Kim makes a case that they are in her Google TechTalk on Putting the Fun in Functional: Applying Game Mechanics to Functional Software.

On the other side Urgent Evoke, one of the new genre of serious games, presents itself as a game.

But really game or not is not the question. The quesiton is, is the experience fun?

Game mechanics can make life more fun. Games reinformce your behavior and keep you in Flow.

 Amy's talk gives some examples.

• Points - remember, variable reinforement is more effective)
• Collecting - for instance friends.
• Completeing a set - badges or in Urgent Evoke's case you get to complete missions
• Leaderboards
• Feedback, both from the system and from other players, graphic presentation of it
• Structured social exchange - leaving comments, giving points for each other
• Customization - create your secret identity!

Life should be fun. I think even the most serious of sites should look at these elements.  Engagement is important in everything.

P.S. Friend me on Evoke and lets save the world together! http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/CarolineMeeks