Making citizens do science embedded in video games. [Page 3] ::: Mobile View

Quote from: BoogieMonster on March 25, 2015, 17:16:41 PM

To carry that metaphor... in this case you get to count the real pollens in a virtual world filled with virtual killer bees.

Yah, but now you're just sexing it up! Why must the pursuit of knowledge be any more than it already is?

Rigil

(Still carrying the metaphor...)

Perhaps you're looking at it from the wrong angle.

So, you assemble all the people you know who like to count pollen under a microscope. All 10 of them.

Then you assemble everyone who log into a killer bee game every night, regardless of it's scientific merit. All 1 million of them.

Now you change the killer bee game so that, as part of playing the game the 1m people are already going to be playing anyway, you end up with the total pollen count.

IOW: You've just increased the number of people counting pollen by orders of magnitude. The fact is, those people would rather play a killer bee game than go outside and collect pollen samples.

Quote from: BoogieMonster on March 25, 2015, 17:33:49 PM

You've just increased the number of people counting pollen by orders of magnitude. The fact is, those people would rather play a killer bee game than go outside and collect pollen samples.

I must admit that I just don't see the point in spending hours ferreting out the detailed workings of a virtual world.* But clearly there is a market for everything.

Rigil

* Besides, hasn't theology beaten you to it by several centuries? :P

Time enjoyed wasted, is not wasted time - unknown

Some of us collect butterflies, some of us watch TV, some of us work on our bikes, some of us conquer galaxies. Poetayto Poetaato.

Quote from: BoogieMonster on March 25, 2015, 17:51:56 PM

... some of us conquer galaxies.

No you're not. You're typing in your cubicle. :P ;)

No doubt games have their place as a source of entertainment, and clearly some are more popular than others. I expect a science video game to be a bit like those card or domino games that come free with your new computer: quite possible to do, very realistic, but of dubious entertainment value simply because the real thing is so easily accessible.

Rigil
(International phantacy slayer)