Now a version of this that could verify if you did something, either automatically or with some user involvement would be even cooler.
One idea: take a before and after picture as proof that you did it (maybe do some image processing if possible) Another idea: use a GPS signal to verify you're actually at the laundromat when you say that you did the laundry.
On top of that, by instituting your "prove it" functionality, you are only incentivizing people to cheat. In this case, trust is the best way to prevent cheating.
You were saying...?
People will always be interested in winning. Doesn't matter if the software is for self-fulfillment.
I toy with the idea of verifiable quests. For example, Take a picture a day (I can verify that they have from flickr). Blog once a week (I can verify this from their RSS feed)... although each one of those requires custom programming.
Maybe give more XP for those things that can be verified.
It depends on how well the "Do not cheat" and "Do your chores" imperatives are internalized. There is also the fact that (at least for me) it is much harder to do something than to not do something.
In http://kuwest.com you get 3XP for adding a task, 5XP for commenting on it and 7XP for uploading a picture.
I'm also thinking you wouldn't want to flood your social network with lies about what you're doing.
In http://kuwest.com you have more quantifiable tasks, so you can complete a quest when you, say, run 100 miles or read 1000 pages.
As a disclaimer, I'm somewhat of a Luddite when it comes to this stuff so the fact that I'm not enthused should in no way count as a strike against it; I'm not a fan of foursquare et. al. but they seem to be going very well.