games

Progress: Central to Gamification

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Progress bar 3 Progress Central to Gamification

When we look at the 5 Ps of gamification, it is very easy to overlook all of the meanings of Progress. Just as a reminder, the 5 Ps are; Purpose, Progress, Proficiency, Pride and People.

Progress can mean different things to different people. If you ask the great and powerful Google, it tells you

  1. forward or onward movement towards a destination.
    “the darkness did not stop my progress”
  2. development towards an improved or more advanced condition.
    “we are making progress towards equal rights”

The first definition is what most people think about when they think about progress. Heading towards a defined destination. When people hear progress and gamification in the same sentence, they usually think of this. Read More ...

An Interview With Dr David Chandross

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Interview with 1 An Interview With Dr David Chandross

I have been pleased to call David Chandross a friend for a couple of years now. We “met” through our shared love of games and gamification over Twitter and Facebook. Since then I have come to know him as a fierce proponent of using games to help people learn and gain a deeper understanding of topics in the healthcare industry. Not a man who backs down from a fight, I have had my share of arguments with him, but his intelligence and depth of knowledge always impress me. I wanted to learn a little bit more about him, so asked him if I could put out a short interview with him. Please read and enjoy! If you want to get in touch with him to find out more, drop him an email [email protected].  Read More ...

Gamification: What’s Play Got to do, (Got to do) with it?

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Gamification def Gamification What 8217 s Play Got to do Got to do with it

When I was researching my definition of gamification, I had a few major dilemmas. One of the main ones was the use of Game-Like over Play-Like.

Just as a reminder, I define gamification in the following way:

The use of game design metaphors to create more game-like and engaging experiences

However, it was very nearly:

The use of game design metaphors to create more play-like and engaging experiences

I have spent time previously explaining how I see the differences between play and games, you can read loads more here. At it’s most basic, the difference revolves around rules and goals. Games have extrinsically imposed rules and goals, where play doesn’t (or, at least, has far less). It is free form in its nature and from the outside looks like it has no purpose (but of course it does!). Read More ...

Why Games Are So Important – and other news

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Games 1424086420 Why Games Are So Important 8211 and other news

It’s 2016 and what a lot has gone on already!

The biggest change is that I am now no longer part of Capgemini. I am now at G2G3 working on gamification – so a dream come true for me! I want to take a moment to thank everyone at Capgemini that supported me over the last 5 or so years.

Loads more to come, but you will see more content coming from me around work and from the G2G3 blog with luck.

In the mean time I have spent a while going back to the start of what gamification is and why I find it so important and interesting. Read More ...

Grinding to Mastery and Flow

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Grind to Flow Grinding to Mastery and Flow

One of the things that I noticed at gamification world congress this year, was a few people mentioning Flow in their talks. As most of my readers know by now, I love the idea of Flow, not just as a pure idea of “in the moment balance and being in the zone” but as a guide to how we should design experiences. The logic of keeping the difficulty of challenges in line with the users relative skill is faultless in my mind.

In game design and gamification design we are also used to the idea that you “zig-zag” the users skill with the challenge levels to keep users engaged and in the Flow “zone”. Read More ...