Evoking Your Inner Gamer

 

Farmville, FourSquare and games in general get the 'sit inside with the curtains closed all day' people and small children excited. I'm not much of a gamer so I tend to watch with a low level of interest (so I don't feel left out) but generally don't really care. This extends to those of you that spam updates through your Twitter and Facebook streams..you know who you are.

 

Until now.

 

http://www.urgentevoke.com/

 

Urgent Evoke- A crash course in changing the world.

 

This is not a simulation. You are about to tackle real problems.

Food security. Energy. Water security. Disaster relief. Poverty. Pandemic. Education. Global conflict. Human rights.

Welcome to the Evoke Network. Welcome to your crash course in changing the world.

 

 

Manga Saves The World

Developed by the World Bank Institute, I was immediately hooked by manga graphics that claimed to 'solve real world problems in Africa'..really…with manga?

 

So I signed up as an 'agent' and accepted my first mission. I had to 'Google a social innovator and add a blog or video entry with one thing I learnt'.

 

It was getting too hard already. But I courageously persevered, wrote my blog, submitted my ‘evidence’...and got to give myself super powers! I gave myself a 'courage' reward (for courageous perseverance and Googling) and a brightly coloured lolly thing went on my profile. Pretty.

 

"Would you like to accept your next mission?"

 

I was hooked. Yes! Give me another mission! I want another cyber lolly!

 

The useability is insanely good and runs on a fully pimped out Ning platform. The tone of the community is positive and encouraging. The art work is wicked.

 

Keeping it real

The true genius is how the game translates in real world, so there's actually a point to it. I don't see the point of having a virtual cow empire on FaceBook...maybe that's just me. You have to get to a real deadline so you (10 missions by May 12 2010) and you get a real certification 'Certified World Bank Institute Social Innovator – Class of 2010'. Awesome...this I have to have. And if you are a super-agent you get flown to the Evoke Summit in Washington. A bit better than cyber milk from cyber cows.

 

I'm guessing the children in Africa will get first call on the trip to Washington but in the meantime..a little girl waits. And Evokes.

 

 

Urgent Evoke

Launched March 17 2010

World Bank Institute

Directed by Jane McGonigal

Story by Kiyash Monsef

Art by Jacob Glaser

 

 

 

 

Posted via email from cjlambert's posterous