Gamification is not just points and badges

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Target Gamification V1 Gamification is not just points and badges

Ok, quick rant, move along if you don’t care about the future of our industry.

I recently read an article, that said the following

… gamification, the concept of points or rewards through the completion of tasks …

It is 2018, gamification has been maturing for several years now and most of the respected leaders in the industry have been trying to dispell this concept for some time now.

So why does it persist?

Because the industry does not speak openly about what it is actually doing. Case studies I am using now are the same ones I was using in 2011. This either means that people are so successful that they don’t want to share the goods, or they are failing so badly they are embarrassed to share. Read More ...

Defining Game Mechanics in a Gamification Context

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Ok. I’ve approached game mechanics a few times, but the conversation still persists and the misuse of terms gets worse and worse! I wanted to put together a little glossary with contextual examples, based on my research – so feel free to disagree.

Mechanic: A distinct set of rules that dictate the outcome of specific interactions within the game.

  • Game Example: Digging blocks is the core mechanic. Crafting is another mechanic.
  • Gamification Example: The drag and drop mechanism in timeline sort challenge. The timer is also a mechanic as is the act of turning over cards in the memory match game.

Dynamic. The emergent outcomes of player and system interactions with game mechanics.

  • Game Example: Building a fortress in Minecraft with friends.
  • Gamification Example: Pooling knowledge in the social chat area to help each other complete the challenges.

Aesthetic/Immersion: The feelings and emotions the game evokes in the player. Read More ...

Honest Work: Outcome Based Goals and Feedback

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We recently moved office, which has offered me the chance to bring to mind a concept my Mum would refer to as “Honest Work”. What is honest work? In this case manual labour involved in building flat pack chairs and setting up networks, but in Mum’s definition, it is anything that has a physical or visible outcome. For instance, stacking shelves in a warehouse, putting up some shelves, creating a routine in a bit of software. Anything where you can quickly see results and even better, results you can be proud of. Read More ...

Moving from iPhone (iOS) to Android (Samsung S8)

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Like many, I have been a happy iPhone user for many years now. My first was an iPhone 4. I have had several since then, up until the 6S, I have even had 3 iPads. I will be honest and say that I really have always liked iOS and the iPhones. To an extent, I still do.

However, the release of the iPhone X and iPhone 8 made me see a few cracks I had been ignoring with the iPhone. It showed me some issues with Apple’s business model as well. I was reminded that, just like all other major corporates, they just want my money no matter what it takes. Read More ...

A New Year for Gamification

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As we usher in a New Year, I wanted to make a few New Year wishes for gamification in 2018.

The industry finally matures and stops acting like a petulant teenager!
  • 2017 saw a lot of advances in gamification, but the industry still has a way to go. Misogyny, pettiness, immature attitudes towards research and evidence are just some of the problems we still face.
  • And don’t get me started on the concept of 1-week courses producing gurus and specialists!
We stop using words like “addictive” and “addicting” (goes for the games industry as well)

  • We do not want to create addictive products. Engaging, yes. Compelling, yes, but not addictive. Addiction is very bad, yet I keep hearing people talk about creating “Addictive products” or “Addictive experiences” and seeing it in product descriptions and platform description. Again, addiction is bad, we don’t want it! If you can’t make a product that is engaging without relying on behaviour loops that create addiction, you need to get out of the industry.
    • Read More ...
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