This document provides an introduction to gamification and discusses key concepts. It covers topics like what is playing, gamification, and how it has been used to improve engagement, loyalty, and virality. Standard gamification methods are outlined, such as visualizing progress through points and achievements. Examples like Eurovision, Taskrabbit, and Foursquare demonstrate how mechanics like competition, public leaderboards, and feedback loops can increase user engagement. Community building is also addressed, noting the role of shared goals, events, and symbols.

1. Intro to (psychology of) gamification
Edvin Aedma
Playtest Games & Marketing

2. Topics covered
• What is playing (in evolutional/psy sense)
• What is gamification
• How to use it
• How it has been used (success stories)
• Engagement
• Loyalty
• Virality

3. Background
• Semiotics/anthropology/art
• 10+ indie game projects
• University of Tartu
“Commercial Videogames
Design & Development”
• Game design, gamification
& marketing
• Interests: games, creativity, neurology,
psychology, sociology, systems theory

4. What is a game?
What is playing?

5. What is playing?
• Game = simplified model of a situation or a
problem
• Playing = pleasant learning/problem solving,
using models (games)
• If learning/problemsolving is done publicly or
with others, it becomes competition

6. Why playing is good for you
http://www.mdhilwan.com/2012/01/we-can-never-be-sure-of-anything-the-fickle-minded-syndrome/

7. Why playing is good for you
• When you are using models, it’s okay to take
risks
• Taking risks allows you to be creative
• Using creativity = individuality + FUN
• If learning/problemsolving is done publicly or
with others, it becomes competition
• Competition is a motivation method

8. What is Gamification
http://lithosphere.lithium.com/t5/Lithium-s-View/My-Chapter-on-Gamification-From-Behavior-Model-to-Business/ba-p/33995

9. What is Gamification
• Using game psychology to improve the quality
on nongame products, services or activities.
• Strongly related to User Experience (UX), User
Interface (UI), marketing.

10. • Qualities to be improved:
1. General likeability & aesthetics
2. Engagement (the “sucking in” effect)
3. Loyalty
4. Virality
5. Why not addiction

11. Eurovision?
http://www.pictures19.com/wp-content/pictures/2012/05/eurovision-2012-stage.jpg

12. And twelve points go to…
http://www.euronews.com/2012/05/21/eurovision-the-great-voting-conspiracy/

13. Game mechanics of Eurovision
• Eurovision = Gamified Song Contest
• Competition
• Progress visualized by points
• Status visualized by position in the score table
• Possibility to predict

14. Overview of standard gamification
methods
• (Clearly) visualized progress
• Instant/fast feedback
• Progress factors are quantified and listed
• Points (units of progress)
• Achievements (levels of progress)

15. What is behind these methods?
• Progress as the core program of life
• Competition
• “Instinct” to gather
(progress of
quantity )
http://1funny.com/squirrel-stash/

16. Engagement
• Interactivity= engagement
• Wish to participate
• Is a wish to make choises
• Is a wish to express individuality
• Is the wish to be oneself.

17. optimal engagement intensity
for more info see Csikszentmihalyi & flow

18. What is Taskrabbit?
www.taskrabbit.com

19. Engagement methods:
•Scoretable
•Points
•Level system
www.taskrabbit.com

20. Additional motivational
Methods:
•Fast feedback
•Motivational gifts
www.taskrabbit.com

21. What Taskrabbit profile is
about?
•Progress is clearly visible
•Achievements are saved
•Reputation in the community
and for clients

22. Community
http://www.abjecthubris.com/images/blizzconneogaf01.jpg

23. Why do you need it? What is it good for?
http://eu.media1.battle.net/cms/gallery/JZOQU3LQABTI1338481743427.jpg

24. Methods of creating/building communities:
(in addition to basics like shared goals etc)
•Competitions
•Teams
•Events
•Shared benefits
•Symbols
•Intra-community
gifts
http://www.wallpapergate.com/data/media/246/

25. Foursquare
•Engaging
•Viral
•Useful
•Social
http://www.yodisphere.com/2010/06/multi-level-marketing-mlm-pyramiding.html

26. Gamifying Altruism:

27. Achievements
•Over 100 biomedical research papers published thanks to the calculations
(relevant to cancer, Alzheimer, etc)
•Helped the cloud computing revolution
• Currently areound 500’000 users
•2007 the cloudsystem speed reached 1petaflops/second (the fastest super
computer was ~4x slower)
Comparison: For 1Petaflops you would need 2 million IPads , which would
be a 18 800 meters high tower with a total cost of 1 billiard USD

28. Community= Virality

29. Pyramid marketing: the dark side of virality
Is it possible to use
It ethically?
What about these?
•Oriflame
•Tupperware
•AmWay
http://regolish.blogspot.com/2012/03/cashing-in.html

30. Nondigital gamification

31. Consumer games
http://www.mrsbingo.com/mecca-bingo-launch-online-bingo-bonus-points-program/
http://www.mydiscountdirect.co.uk
Buy two vibrators and get the 3rd free!

32. Traditional Martial Arts
Color-coded belts
• Visualised progress
• Visualised achievement
• Visualised status
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Obi-goky%C5%AB.jpg

34. Summary: Engagement
• Visualised progress
• Fast feedback
• Progress factors are quantified and listed
• Points for desired behavior
• Progress middle and final goals are
achievements
• Status & competition
• Collecting
• Chance, prediction and challenge

35. Summary: Loyalty
• Quality (includes continuous engagement)
• Community (me > us)
• Individual competition
• Team competition (metacompetition)
• Gifts
• Community events
• Community symbols

36. Summary: Virality
• Quality (incl engagement and loyalty)
• Easyness of sharing (note: sample texts)
• Motivation for sharing - in addition to other
motivational methods (eg Cialdini):
A) Emotional connection
B) Practical value

37. Questions?

38. Contact
• Edvin.aedma@gmail.com
• Google, Facebook, linkedIn etc