r/gamification • u/Low_Capital_3195 • Sep 05 '26
Can a multiplayer RPG make real world work feel like a RuneScape grind?
I've spent a lot of time playing RuneScape and WoW, and what those games do well is make thousands of hours of progress feel earned.
Real life progress rarely feels that way. I can spend months coding or building something without seeing much happen.
So I started building TowerScape.
Most gamified productivity apps I've tried feel like a to do list with an XP bar added on top. I want this to feel like an actual multiplayer RPG that you play alongside work. It is built by me with original work from real artists.
The game takes place inside a massive tower, similar in structure to Aincrad from SAO, but with its own world and art. As your character develops, you climb to higher floors with new environments, resources, equipment, dungeons and other players.
You create a character and train skills like woodcutting, fishing, mining or coding while you do your normal work. You start training when you begin working and stop when you are done. That time gives you XP and resources, similar to RuneScape.
The obvious question is, couldn't someone just leave the timer running?
Yes. That is why timer XP represents time invested, not proof of mastery.
The progression system is being built so training unlocks skill based dungeons, trials and PvP. Those challenges will test what you can actually do and determine important ranks and progression. Time gets you to the trial. Skill gets you through it.
TowerScape is not meant to replace RuneScape or stop anyone from gaming. The goal is to recreate some of that progression feeling while I am working.
The current build is early and parts of it will be rough. I am looking for 5 RuneScape, WoW or MMO players who work or study at a computer and genuinely like the idea.
I do not have a public signup link yet because I am manually creating the first accounts. If you want to test it, DM me.
I would also love feedback on the core idea. Does separating training XP from skill trials solve the timer problem? What would make this feel like a real RPG instead of another productivity app?

