1) EteRNA (Science)

The video game, called EteRNA, was designed by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Carnegie Mellon University. EteRNA taps gamers’ skills to accelerate biochemists’ understanding of DNA’s once-unsung chemical cousin, RNA. Gamers — no experience is necessary — design molecules composed of RNA, which is now “the emerging superstar in the field of biochemistry,” according to Rhiju Das, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry at Stanford.

2) Groundcrew (Community)

Using our web interface, worthy projects, organizations, and businesses can build “squads” of real-world helpers/participants. Organizers can view data from their squad in real-time, using text messaging and GPS; they can see who’s available at any moment; and they can give assignments, either mass assignments or systems of individual assignments, to help people work together.

3) Nike+ (Health)

This year Nike is bringing you a whole new batch of Nike+ Challenges to keep your miles up and your motivation sky high! Keep an eye out for a new Featured Challenge from Nike on the first day of every month, and join up for your chance to score some of the latest Nike Running gear.

Wildcard) Find the Future: The Game (Libraries)

On May 20, 2011, a very big game with the New York Public Library will launch. It’s called Find the Future: the Game… and if you between the ages of 15 and 29, and are anywhere near New York City, you will want to save the night of May 20 (all night — 8 PM to 6 AM) to have an incredible, once-in-the-lifetime experience.

Fiero indeed!

A talk by Jane McGonigal given at The School of Life in London, England.

It is worth while checking out The School of Life if you are a librarian, as it might spark ideas for a few interesting programs at your own library.

The School of Life is a new social enterprise offering good ideas for everyday living.

We are based in a small shop in Central London where we offer a variety of programmes and services concerned with how to live wisely and well.

We address such questions as why work is often unfulfilling, why relationships can be so challenging, why it’s ever harder to stay calm and what one could do to try to change the world for the better.

The School of Life is a place to step back and think intelligently about these and other concerns. You will not be cornered by any dogma, but directed towards a variety of ideas – from philosophy to literature, psychology to the visual arts – that tickle, exercise and expand your mind. You’ll meet other curious, sociable and open-minded people in an atmosphere of exploration and enjoyment.

They even offer bibliotheraphy and do an excellent job of explaining why you might like to give it a try!

Oh, and do go join Jane’s Gameful. You might even find some librarians there…

“Instead of providing gamers with better and more immersive alternatives to reality, I want all of us to be become responsible for providing the world with a better and more immersive reality.” Jane McGonigal

Just in case you think that alternate reality games have no place in the library, check out The Secret City  taking place this month at the Braddock Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.

Creator Allen Hahn developed Secret City in order to have a “mash-up of story, expanded theater, and technology facilitated work” in an involving way to see amazing buildings. Players get text messages and voicemails with clues, puzzles and riddles telling them where to go within the huge library. When the puzzle is completed, gamers get a new clue and a new piece of the story.

There are discoveries strewn all along the way: dark hallways, windy corridors and the endless tomes in the expansive building. Wandering around the library conjures images as you pass by books on your search for the next clue. (from PopCity Media)

And do check out Jane McGonigal’s latest alternate reality game EVOKE. You might even find some librarians there!

I was very excited when I first discovered geocaching and location-based gaming a few months ago, and now everything seems to be about “where”.

What is geocaching?

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called “geocaches” or “caches”) anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and “treasure,” usually toys or trinkets of little value. Today, well over 800,000 geocaches are registered on various websites devoted to the pastime.

And location-based gaming?

A location-based game (or location-enabled game) is one in which the game play somehow evolves and progresses via a player’s location. Thus, location-based games almost always support some kind of localization technology, for example by using satellite positioning like GPS. “Urban gaming” or “Street Games” are typically multi-player location-based games played out on city streets and built up urban environments.

To my mind, these forms of games and libraries seem to be made for each other. First, and I believe most importantly, they create a means of uniting the virtual and the real worlds, allowing people to explore both the library building and its resources. Second, they engage people and create community through story telling (which I have posted about before), and encourage those ephemeral real life experiences, the sudden discovery of a new idea or place, that can be transformative. Third, they seem to have a wider appeal across age groups than traditional console games, and allow for family or team co-operation and interaction.

A few libraries have already taken up the idea. The most interesting example is the location based game Scoot from Australia, which in the past has involved the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, State Library of Victoria, National Gallery of Victoria, the Arts Centre and the Melbourne Museum. The Shifted Librarian also had a recent post that gives a great example of using geocaching in libraries.

For those who are interested, two events have taken place recently that featured some wonderful information. The first is Where 2.0, that had a great presentation by the founder of Geocaching.com, Jeremy Irish, covering the basics of game design. He mentions the new platform he has developed, Wherigo, that seems to have a lot of potential for creative uses of the technology with minimal expense and knowledge, while avoiding some of the legal issues associated with geocaching. The second is Come Out & Play, which focuses on location-based gaming. The recent SXSW Festival included a panel on location based gaming which featured Catherine Herdlick, one of the organizers of the festival.

So, grab your cellphone or GPS and get out there!