Special offer

We Are All At Risk!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with New Paradigm Partners LLC EB #1326335

Friends, I stand before you today as an object lesson, a broken shell of a man driven to the brink of ruin, consumed by an uncontrollable lust for immaterial wealth. It's too late to save myself, but I thought some good may yet come of this terrible state of affairs if I were to share my sad and frightening story with you.

 

For the last week or so, I have been completely obsessed with a game I ran across on the internet. It's called Geoguessr - some of you may know it, since it's been around for a couple of years. It's a simple game, available for free on-line, and it's fun, challenging, entertaining, even educational, and very addictive.

 

The idea behind Geoguessr is that you are placed in a semi-random Google street-view scene somewhere on the planet - it could be a taiga forest in Russia, a lonely highway in Montana, a walking path in Taiwan, or even a hardware store in Germany. By navigating around in street-view and paying close attention to what you're seeing, you gather clues that will let you make a guess as to where you are - you mark the game map as close to your initial starting point as possible. There are no rules, really, and a lot of different ways to play the game. If you want, you can use Google, Google Maps or anything else to do research - I even once used my keyboard character utility to copy Cyrillic letters from a sign and Googled them for a translation. Digging around on the internet can help you make a good guess, and the better your guess, the more the game rewards you.

 

Each game consists of five rounds, and each round is worth 5,000 points, leading to a maximum possible score of 25,000 points. I love this game, and I found myself wondering how it had seized my attention so compellingly.

 

 Geoguessr

 

I'm going to stop here and ask you, my fellow AR member:  Did you spot the clue? Do you see the problem?

 

It's the damn POINTS!! This stupid game gives you points for doing stuff.

 

Apparently, 5 years on ActiveRain has turned me into some kind of salivating lab animal. I have been conditioned to react positively to any incentive involving points. Any incentive - not just on AR, where the amassing of points has serious meaning and social and professional consequence, but anywhere, regardless of the true worth of the endeavor.

 

I'll ignore my obligations, squander my time and wealth, and engage in meaningless point-seeking behavior at the slightest opportunity to increase a point total. I am addicted to points. I eat, sleep and dream points. I'll do anything for points. And it's all AR's fault.

 

And what about you, dear friend? You could be at risk too. Look inside yourself. Ask yourself some hard questions. And seek help before it's too late for you. As for me, as soon as I finish my current game of Geoguessr, I'm meeting with my attorney to find out if I may be entitled to compensation.

Posted by
Mary & Dick

Mary & Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC
2601 S. Lemay Ave. #41
Fort Collins, CO 80525
970-689-4663
www.maryanddick.com

 

Data Source: IRES MLS

Comments (79)

Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Dick, I totally get it Active Rain was built on this same addiction, just reach out to the original owners and they will confirm it... now with that said, I felt guilty last night going to bed early because I left 20 comments on the table... 20x25 well you know I do not have to tell you... :)))Endre

May 17, 2016 04:20 PM
Kelly Turbeville
Keller Williams - Lake Forest, CA
Turning Real Estate Dreams into Reality

Loved this.. Darn I probably need to stop thinking I will be #1 someday on A/R in my area...

May 18, 2016 03:51 AM
Susan Isaacs | DC Real Estate Consultant
Compass | 1313 14th St NW DC 20005 - Washington, DC
Partnering with: DOMOofCompass

Hilarious!!! I'm not even thinking about clicking on that game link! ; O

May 19, 2016 09:36 AM
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

LOL!!!  I can definitely see how the point system there can be addicting.  Do they have a leaderboard?  That's what really does me in here!  Getting to that #1 spot.

May 20, 2016 03:26 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Thanks for the warning Dick, I love geography and have been known to take a day or so virtual trip.

This game could prove to be far too addictive for me.

May 21, 2016 07:20 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Ok, so I couldnt help myself had to play a round, got 5 miles away, will have to fine tune the placement of the cursor next time.

May 21, 2016 07:32 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

No more additions for me. AR is enough. Enjoy your games and your points.

May 21, 2016 10:59 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Oh I hate you for sharing this. I LOVE points and travel. Yikes...I might be right behind you in the downfall. You're an enabler....not nice. :)

May 22, 2016 01:37 AM
Rene Fabre
ARFCO Media - Renton, WA
Practicing Philosophical Eclectic of the Arts

Well done Dick Greenberg and a fun read! Geoguessr sounds intriguing and fun. I feel a new group coming on, Points Anonymous perhaps? ;O) Humor aside, I'd bet you'd develop some savvy search skills playing the game.

May 22, 2016 01:52 AM
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

I am not much a gamer. When I go to Vegas I take wall on the street. Computerized games is never my thing.  I have to admit I used to write code in games years ago.

May 22, 2016 02:07 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Ok...hooked! Just tried on and it set me in the middle of Colorado...I was only 42 miles off. Love this game. Damn you and your little dog too!! :)

May 22, 2016 02:10 AM
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Hi Dick Greenberg we are lab rats and very easy to condition....positive reinforcement with points.... Pavlov's Dog... fun though....

May 22, 2016 02:54 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

I have a question...so when we guess, is it from the spot we are right then? or the original spot it sent me to? 

May 22, 2016 03:39 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Dick, you have become Pavlov's dog. I try to stay away from point based games because I too get hooked really quickly. AR is my one point addiction (for now).

May 22, 2016 06:36 AM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Dick, I'll admit I also was once point obsessed. I'm happy to say I'm over that addiction. I post for business--plain and simple. I'm not participating in contests or writing stupid "what I did today" posts to accumulate points. I have to admit, it's a better way to live.

May 22, 2016 06:51 AM
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

Hi my name is mike Perry and I'm an Active Rain Point Junkie !

May 22, 2016 08:09 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Hey, Dick!  I included this post in today's Last Week's Favorites!

May 22, 2016 11:57 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

I won't be tempted. Games use up too much of my "data" and I'm not willing to keep buying more than my 5 megs per month. 

May 22, 2016 02:29 PM
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

I recently was exposed to this game and found it captivating too. I'm about a 6/10 on my guessing and when off, 50% of the time only by hundreds of miles not thousands. Fun!

May 22, 2016 11:26 PM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

The game sounds very educational to me and is sure to be a big hit with people who are generally interested and good at geography.

May 22, 2016 11:40 PM