Akoha – it’s about missions and being social, but it’s also about cards, a game, and an online component. It’s not like other games though, and it’s not one you play by dealing the cards setting around the table. Unlike Pokemon, it’s not a video game either.

Akoha, www.akoha.com, is guided by a few simple rules.

1. Do the action on the card and claim your karma points.

2. Share photos, recordings, and videos about the action.

3. Pass on or forward the card to someone else.

Cards I recevied included a good mix of actions such as buying someone coffee and making someone smile.  None of the actions is extravagant, requires lots of money, nor an excessive amount of effort.  Likewise none of the actions needs to be done online.

The focus is on practical and in person time with another human being.

I’m quite pleased with the action cards I received. Many of these things are ones I do routinely, have done recently, or would love to do.  Just reading them made me smile.

Heck, as recent as last week I gave flowers, gave a book and made someone smile. Woot! I’m on my way.

Another aspect to this game is the part I’m not sure I care about, leveling up.   As you complete actions and register them on the site you receive karma points.  Accumulating certain amounts of karma points causes your level to go up.

From the site:

Levels

There are 15 levels in all and you’ll need to earn a increasing level of karma to reach the next higher level. As you reach higher levels you’ll also need confirmations from others before you’ll be able to level-up.

You get a card, take the action, register it on the site. Now what? Now you give the card to someone unsuspecting victim, um, friend, and get them involved.  Heck, give one to a perfect stranger.

Each card has it’s own unique identifier and is tracked on the site. Once I pass a card on, I’ll be able to see when it gets completed again.  Now this is a bigger reward for me than seeing myself level up like a wizard in a role playing game.

What are your thoughts on this sort of game? Would you play?  Would you feel comfortable telling someone you were playing? Would you pass on a card or horde them for yourself?

Be warned; you might be receiving one of these goodies in the mail.

Akoha VIP Starter Deck Christmas Giveaway | Gypsy Bandito: “So since everyone is giving away all kinds of schwagg this time of year, I thought that I would jump on the bandwagon. I’m giving away an Akoha VIP Sarter Deck to one lucky commentor. The deck is a Fall 2008 Edition, and includes 24 Real-World Mission Cards.

For those of you who don’t know what Akoha is, it’s a web-based game with reality-based play (very cool), and it’s designed to make the world a better place by changing the way people think about acts of kindness. But you can find out more about that by watching the video interview below with Akoha founder, Austin Hill.”

And so Gypsy Bandito kicks off his give away of the Akoha VIP starter Deck. I’ve already registered. He’s drawing the name on Christmas morning. It’s easy, leave a comment telling why you deserve the deck, a dirty holiday joke, or tell him why’s he’s Canada’s most influential person.

Akoha is a social game that takes place on and offline. It’s about making the world a better place. Check out Akoha.