[WikiEN-l] Game-playing on Wikipedia

[SJ]

On 7/2/05, Erik Moeller <erik_moeller at gmx.de> wrote:

> The issue is that games can exist entirely in parallel to
> encyclopedia-building. 

If users are spending twenty minutes a day on Wikipedia, *editing*,
and learning to use MediaWiki's arcane template and table syntax, that
cannot be 'entirely in parallel' to encyclopedia building.  They have
already overcome the greatest barrier to contribution.

> For example, the user who created the
> "Wikipedia:Wikigames" project (since redirected) has never made a single
> edit to a Wikipedia article. When the fun activity becomes the primary
> focus and the encyclopedia becomes incidental, a line has to be drawn.

This is a user who was just introduced to wikis...
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia_talk%3ASandbox%2FChess&diff=12671363&oldid=12638158

...and is feeling addicted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Undelete/Wikitine

It seems likely that once s/he tires of on-wiki games (which is
admittedly difficiult, considering what an adrenaline rush our new
gaming platform is), with a positive view of the local community, this
will be a natural outlet for other notes and work...  Which is what
we're here for, right?  One minor edit and a dozen friendly user:talk
comments far outweigh any negative aspects of playing out four games
of wikichess.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template%3AMTGsets&diff=14496451&oldid=13573452

> If games have to be started in the Wikipedia: namespace, instead of the Sandbox...

Well, we both want to see this happen.

-- 
++SJ