In https://chat.meatspac.es, it’s obvious that realtime messaging and animated GIFs can contribute a lot to a fun web interaction. But I am not convinced these elements in themselves are all one needs to create the right user experience to enable constant participation, a positive community and creative motivation.
GIFs connected to a video stream from WebRTC enable someone to make a funny face or show what they are currently doing. Having a feedback loop of responses based on your current situation generates a conversational interaction - just like a real face-to-face interaction.