Q: What games are MSNBC.com developing right now?
A: We have a game on carbon trading that has been out there for a couple of months actually. We want to do dome more development on it because we’ve had some first feedback and need to improve it. But, carbon trading and getting people to understand what that system is about and how it works is really important. It is a complex topic that when reading about makes people’s eyes glaze, but if they can actually manipulate it and understand how it works it will teach them a lot more.
The latest thing we have out is a candidate issue matrix. It allows you to rate your agreement with candidates and get a heat map back red or green on how hot or cold you are towards candidates. You can submit your ratings and see how you compare to other people and what the distribution is. It is not really a game but other people call it a game. Games have a rather wide definition.
Q: How important is having a competitive element to games to attracting users?
A: Competition is inherent. Competition is a part of life and work so if you have a competition you are going to be able to draw a lot more people, especially if they can come back over and over to improve their score and compare themselves to people they know and then people that they don’t know. So, it is definitely important.
Q: Is the use of games changing the role of journalists from informing people to educating them?
A: I would argue that journalism is education. So I don’t think it’s changing we’re just changing the format of how people get their information. It’s a technological ability we now have that the printing press didn’t have and I think it is way cooler because for a long time all people could do was consume and it was a one way thing and now they are able to interact and give back and I think it simulates people and hopefully will make a better educated population because they don’t just sit there and absorb.
Q: Do you ever try to disguise games as something other to attract users who have never been gamers to get them hooked?
A: No, I’m not going to force a game on anyone that doesn’t want it. If, they prefer to read then read if they prefer to interact in a game then give them a game.
Q: If these games are educating people have you got feed back from users who have applied what they learned in the interactive word and in the real world?
A: We got a lot of feedback about the baggage handler game. It’s more about understanding the difficulty of the job so when you’re in line your not hassled and annoyed with the person who is trying not to get you blown up or hurt.
