Google's Hidden Feature Turns Habits into an Addictive RPG

A little-known Google feature called Build has turned the writer's life into a playable RPG. The feature allows users to create entire spreadsheets, including formulas, from a prompt in just minutes.

The writer discovered this after trying several habit-tracking apps and finding them too tedious. To set up their RPG system, they used Build to create a daily habit tracker with 12 habits grouped into six categories, each with an XP value and checkbox for every day of the week.

They also asked Build to include formulas to calculate total XP, XP per category, XP per habit, and overall progress percentage. The tool created the entire system in minutes.

The writer then used another feature called Canvas to turn the existing sheet into an interactive RPG character dashboard with a dark, glowing video-game character screen. This included a card for each of the six categories with their levels and progress bars.

The system has been surprisingly effective at motivating the writer to complete tasks, especially smaller ones like doing push-ups or reading five pages. However, it does require a paid Google AI Pro or AI Ultra plan, which only works on desktop devices.