Two Noteworthy Game News Items

Here are three game related news items that I think are of interest.

1) Using a crowdsourcing game called FoldIt, players have unlocked a protein mystery that had baffled AIDS researchers. As the linked article states:

“Following the failure of a wide range of attempts to solve the crystal structure of M-PMV retroviral protease by molecular replacement, we challenged players of the protein folding game Foldit to produce accurate models of the protein,” the study reads. “Remarkably, Foldit players were able to generate models of sufficient quality for successful molecular replacement and subsequent structure determination. The refined structure provides new insights for the design of antiretroviral drugs.”… it took players a matter of days to come up with models that were solid enough for researchers to translate into scientific rendering of the protein.

2) Forbes published an article about the “Gamification of SAP” the large software program used to run all types of organizations from university systems (like mine) to manufacturing to healthcare. The article states:

One method that has worked is for SAP to create experimental applications designed to enhance everyday SAP functions. “Lead-in-One” is a good example of this. Since most Sales Managers dread the somewhat cumbersome task of assigning incoming sales leads to their account executives, Gorsht and his team put a golf-themed iPad application on top of the process. Golf balls are leads, and holes represent the sales reps.

“As you drive the balls into the holes, you’re actually performing a business task,” said Gorsht. “We’ve taken a painful process and deployed a game-like interface to make it fun.”…At the end of the day, gamification isn’t always about fun, shooting things or collecting points. It’s about providing balance, according to Mario Herger who works in Technology and Strategy Innovation for SAP and moderates SAP communities like “Gamification at SAP” and “Innovation Steampunk.”