1. Games & Gamification
How and Where
Gaming & Gamification
Intersect;
Putting Gamification to Work
#
Carolyn Handler Miller
2. Gamification: What It Is
n How?: The
application of
gaming techniques
n To what? To non-
gaming endeavors
n Why? To make
them more
engaging and
successful
7. Games contain the basic elements
of drama
n Conflict: 2 sides fighting
n Obstacles & challenges
n Both sides seek a highly
desirable goal (winning)
n Both sides seek to
avoid an undesirable
ending (losing)
8. Games Are By Nature
Interactive
n Impossible to be
passive while
playing a game
n Must interact with
other player and
do things to
overcome
challenges
9. Games also have:
n Clear cut rules
n A structure (beginning,
middle, end)
n A defined playing
space with boundaries
(field, court, track)
n Systems of rewards
and penalties
10. Games Contain Elements
Of Storytelling
n Stories provide:
Ø A context for the game
(otherwise, would not
make sense)
Ø A plot
Ø A setting
Ø Tension: what happens
next
Ø A beginning, middle and
ending (structural frame)
12. Stories Also Provide a Clear Cut
Goal
n It’s what main
character or player
wants most
n But: obstacles and
challenges must be
overcome -- making
it difficult to achieve
the goal
14. It Provides
The Game World and Gameplay
n Inserts player into
fictional, immersive
environment
n Gives player things to
do there and ways to
interact
n Provides opposition so
player is challenged
n Opposition can be:
Ø Non player characters
(NPCs)
Ø Physical challenges
Ø Puzzles
15. Gameplay:
A Very General Definition:
n It is what makes a
game FUN and
EXCITING…
n And… it is how
players play a game
16. Gameplay – Boiled Down
n It consists of the
challenges you offer
the player
n And the actions players
can take to overcome
the challenges
n Also involves:
Ø Victory conditions (how
you win)
Ø Loss Conditions (how
you lose)
18. Physical challenges
n Tests players’ physical
abilities (virtually or in
real life)
n True physical
challenges: typical of
action games, (“twitch
games”)
Ø Calls for quick
reflexes, physical
coordination, speed,
timing
Ø Also calls for
accuracy and
precision
19. Mental Challenges
n Internal: must acquire
particular info during
gameplay (visual clues;
pieces of information)
n External: may require
knowledge of things
outside game (trivia facts,
physics; how things work)
n Intellectual: May require
solving of puzzles, pattern
recognition, etc.
20. Exploration as a challenge
Exploration can be its own
reward; a form of
sightseeing
But as a form of
gameplay, requires:
Ø Navigation and spatial
awareness – not getting
lost
Ø Finding ways to get past
barriers
Ø Avoiding falling into traps
21. Stress as a Factor
in Overcoming Challenges
n Stress can add
excitement, make game
more challenging
n Ways to increase
stress:
Ø Time pressure: make
player to overcome
challenge within specific
time frame
Ø Multitasking: make player
deal with several
challenges at once
Ø Maximum stress:
combine time pressure
and multitasking
23. Actions:
How Player Response to Challenges
n The actions are the
player’s “verb set”
Ø Specifically, what
player can DO (walk,
run, shoot)
Ø Game must offer
player sufficient
actions to overcome
each type of
challenge in game
25. Rewards and Penalties
n Act as incentives,
motivators
n Provide feedback on
player’s success
n Best when sprinkled
throughout game
n Should be in keeping
with fictional gameworld!
26. Rewards Include:
Ø Material objects
Ø Money
Ø Receiving praise
Ø Unlocking a barrier
Ø Moving up in rank or
status
Ø Increased powers
Ø Rise in score
Ø Moving up a level
27. In Essence, Games Are
Experienced as PLAY
For the player,
games are…
n Fun!
n Participatory
n Deeply Immersive
n Highly personal
28. In Sum, To Be A Game,
What is Needed:
n An experience that is perceived as PLAY – fun,
exciting
n Requires active participation on part of player
(interactive)
n Offers a meaningful role for player
n Contains an overall, highly desirable goal
n Contains obstacles and challenges that make the
goal difficult to achieve
n A structure and rules
n Contains vivid characters
n Offers rewards along the way (incentives)
29. Which of These Elements
Applies to Gamification?
n Basically, all of them!
Ø Though obstacles and
challenges might not be
as intense
Ø Though characters may
not play as large a role
n In addition:
Ø Often heavy use of the
Internet, mobile devices
Ø And may be played out in
real life environments
34. Website: Central Role
n Had to register to play
n Received virtual
passport
n People played as “Blu”
– character from movie
in search of love
n As Blu, you interacted
with activities on
website to advance
towards sweepstakes
n Web activities for whole
family: recipes, coloring
pages, games
35. Many Rewards Along Way
n Badges
n Coupons
n DVDs
n Ringtones
n A
year’s supply of
bananas
36. Also, Promoted Through
“Mommy” Websites
n Recruited mothers with
websites, blogs about
child raising
n Given promotional
package to write about
campaign: tickets to
movie, Chiquita foods,
stickers for kids, banana
recipes for Mom
n Big role in spreading
word
37. Thus, The Campaign Used:
n Strong goal
n Rewards
n Must actively participate (interactivity)
n A vivid character
n Heavy use of Internet
n Rules (had to register, etc.)
40. Built Around Famous Outlaw
Billy the Kid
n Real person but long
dead
n Lived in New Mexico
(strong tie in to
campaign)
n Conceit: Billy still
alive, and you are a
lawman and have to
find his hideout
n If you find him, you
win $10,000
41. Website: Played a Major Role
n Families registered on
site as “sheriff's
posse” (lawmen)
n Got clues from website
about locations to visit
n Locations: places
important in Billy’s story
n Be following clues,
visiting sites, earned
rewards
Ø Travel deals
Ø Meals
Ø Vacation giveaways
42. Mobile Phones Also
Played Important Role
You collect clues
by snapping
photos of posters
in game locations
43. Thus, The Campaign Used:
n A vivid character
n Strong goal
n A meaningful role for players (posse)
n Interactivity – needed to use smart
phone to collect clues
n Exploration as a challenge – had to find
real places
n Rewards
n Heavy use of Internet; also mobile
n Rules (had to register, etc.)
49. Role of the Internet
n Zone maps
showing
where eggs
are located
n Clues on
Twitter,
Facebook
50. Smartphones Also Important
n Each egg has a
code
n When find egg, text
in code to special
phone number
n Win an entry for
each egg found
n Person with most
entries equal the
winner
51. Thus, The Campaign Used:
n Strong goal: winning the egg
n A vivid character (sort of): the Jubilee egg
n Rewards along the way (win an “entry” with
each egg found – nearer to grand prize)
n Interactivity – must use smart phone to collect
clues
n Exploration as a challenge – have to find
eggs
n Use of Internet and smart phones – critical
components
n Clear structure: start and ending times,
specific tasks
52. Thus, Concepts of Gaming & Gamification
Tightly Interwoven
Tn Experienced as play
n Strong goal
n Challenges in obtaining
goal
n Rewards as you play
n Interactive
n Vivid characters
n Rules and structure
n Use of digital media
