In what can only be a good thing for gamers, technology writer Clive Thompson has made an interesting connection: namely, that the Weight Watchers online tool has essentially turned into the equivalent of a Dungeons 'n' Dragons-style role-playing game (RPG).
Users roll a virtual character, manage their inventory and resources, and try to achieve a goal. Says Thompson: "Weight Watchers' points function precisely like hit points; each bite of food does damage until you've used up your daily amount, so you sleep and start all over again. Play well and you level up -- by losing weight! And the more you play it, the more you discover interesting combinations of the rules that aren't apparent at first. Hey, if I eat a fruit-granola breakfast and an egg-and-romaine lunch, I'll have enough points to survive a greasy hamburger dinner for a treat!"
He goes on to point out how the Weight Watchers Web application is totally gamelike, ripe for experimentation. Want to see what happens when you add a candy bar or a bag of chips to your meal plan? Do it, and see what the ripple effects are. Oh, and you get an 35 extra points you get every week -- like a last-minute save when you're on the snacking ropes.
Think small: save your waistline, not the world.
[From: boingboing]
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