One of the things that I have been thinking about a lot lately is the way that the current Web world (particularly the Web 2.0 stuff) and games seems to be ships passing in the night. It’s led me to say a lot lately that the two groups have a lot to learn from one another. Right now, with big dot-com folks like Joi Ito calling WoW “the new golf,” there’s a bit more awareness crossing the gap, but sometimes I wonder if the right lessons are bring learned.

So I thought I’d post my quick off-the-top-of-my-head list of stuff that each side should learn from the other.

Things that the Web folks can learn from games:

Interface. Games bring a lot of interface knowledge to the table; consider that most games offer far more complex environments to navigate, with far subtler information, than the typical webpage. And yet, the current trend towards simpler interfaces in webpages has mostly meant simplifying actual capability.

Games bring a lot of interface knowledge to the table; consider that most games offer far more complex environments to navigate, with far subtler information, than the typical webpage. And yet, the current trend towards simpler interfaces in webpages has mostly meant simplifying actual capability. It’s the content, stupid. Far too many web services are features, not systems, and far too many of them are intended to grow via user content without being seeded with actual content. The most robust user content communities are those built by fandoms, accreting like pearls around initial ideas.

Far too many web services are features, not systems, and far too many of them are intended to grow via user content without being seeded with actual content. The most robust user content communities are those built by fandoms, accreting like pearls around initial ideas. Entertainment. Games are about fun; far too many web services are simply not fun. All activities can be improved by adding some fun factor: game-like qualities like collecting, ranking, and so on.

Games are about fun; far too many web services are simply not fun. All activities can be improved by adding some fun factor: game-like qualities like collecting, ranking, and so on. Feedback. Games understand that everything is about feedback. Websites often seem to forget, and I don’t know why. This is getting better with AJAX, but there’s still a heck of a lot of forms of feedback that are missing, particularly persistent feedback.

Games understand that everything is about feedback. Websites often seem to forget, and I don’t know why. This is getting better with AJAX, but there’s still a heck of a lot of forms of feedback that are missing, particularly persistent feedback. Identity. One thing games typically do well is provide identity and context. I am not referring solely to avatars and characters, but also to themes. Avatars and profiles, obviously, rock. Puzzle games don’t have avatars, and yet the context of Bookworm is memorable, and nobody is going to forget Zuma ‘s weirdo frog. Context matters.

One thing games typically do well is provide identity and context. I am not referring solely to avatars and characters, but also to themes. Avatars and profiles, obviously, rock. Puzzle games don’t have avatars, and yet the context of is memorable, and nobody is going to forget ‘s weirdo frog. Context matters. Depth. Games often provide something that is simple on the face of it, yet reveals hidden unexpected depths. It’s implicit in the models games provide. Yet often, a given web service (or even a new application or tool) has no hidden depths. It is what it is on the surface. There’s more enthusiasm for continuing to interact with software when it keeps revealing cool stuff to you.

Things that the game guys can learn from the Web:

Digital distribution. There aren’t any websites that you buy in a store. That’s because stores are an outmoded way to distribute digital data. The prime reason to do it is because you want to retain control of the entire process from generation of data through distribution and onto the playback mechanism. But bits, by and large, do want to be free.

There aren’t any websites that you buy in a store. That’s because stores are an outmoded way to distribute digital data. The prime reason to do it is because you want to retain control of the entire process from generation of data through distribution and onto the playback mechanism. But bits, by and large, do want to be free. Platforms. Web services are full of APIs that connect services and apps, magnify utility, and allow mashups and greater user content. Games, even those which are designed for modding, don’t really embrace openness. The industry is pretty determined to be a content creation industry, but games are not content, they are systems content lives in.

Web services are full of APIs that connect services and apps, magnify utility, and allow mashups and greater user content. Games, even those which are designed for modding, don’t really embrace openness. The industry is pretty determined to be a content creation industry, but Everything is a database. The web is built on databases; games aren’t databases, they are models, but they are typically models that interact with databases. Embracing your databaseness opens up all sorts of possibilities for how you interact with the data.

The web is built on databases; games aren’t databases, they are models, but they are typically models that interact with databases. Embracing your databaseness opens up all sorts of possibilities for how you interact with the data. Small pieces loosely joined. The web has figured out that bite-size chunks are what make sense for the largest amount of people. Sure, lots of bite-sized chunks aggregated into a site like Amazon or eBay makes something that’s big overall, but it’s got some advantages over linear structures: easy to jump in anywhere, easy to do things in different orders, easy to search and index, and easy to add to.

The web has figured out that bite-size chunks are what make sense for the largest amount of people. Sure, lots of bite-sized chunks aggregated into a site like Amazon or eBay makes something that’s big overall, but it’s got some advantages over linear structures: easy to jump in anywhere, easy to do things in different orders, easy to search and index, and easy to add to. KISS. Games are in love with overcomplication (particularly the “mainstream” games industry, which is anything but, targeted as it is at mostly hardcore gamers and hobbyists). Most websites do something highly targeted and simple, and do it well. Crazy game budgets are a symptom of a problem, not something to emulate.

Games are in love with overcomplication (particularly the “mainstream” games industry, which is anything but, targeted as it is at mostly hardcore gamers and hobbyists). Most websites do something highly targeted and simple, and do it well. Crazy game budgets are a symptom of a problem, not something to emulate. Client agnostic. Web guys rely on standards and assume that any damn browser might interact with their content. They provide alternate versions for differing client platforms. Us, we often design completely new games for different platforms, then release them under the same name.