The Player's Journey: drive sustained engagement with Onboarding, Habit-Building and Mastery

Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. - Co-founder, Shufflebrain Private & Confidential – Do Not Distribute

The Player’s Journeybuild sustained engagement with Onboarding, Habit-Building & Mastery

Amy Jo Kim - Social Game Designer

formal competition destroyed my love of music

playing with others re-ignited my passion

Game: a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that

results in a quantifiable outcome** Source: Rules of Play

We are opponents

I Win You Lose

Zero-Sum Game

Head-to-Head Battles War Simulations

Rank-Ordered Competitions Gambling

a structured experience with rules and goals that’s fun to play together*

* Source: The Player’s Journey (forthcoming)

We are partners

Non-Zero-Sum Game

Win-WinLose-Lose

Double-Dutch Pictionary

Charity WalkPortal 2

How can we create game-like experiences for a particular audience?

1. Understand your Microvertical

Who are your (early-adopter) players?

What are their motivations & pain points?

How do they interact AKA play together?

Know their habits, desires, paint points, interaction style

Which activities do they find intrinsically motivating?

Extrinsic Rewards often Backfire

can impair creative thinking and intrinsic motivation

Effective for completing simple tasks and guiding players towards system mastery

Extrinsic Rewards Sometimes Work

Tap Intrinsic Motivation FIRSTaddress a NEED/PAIN POINT

CONNECT via shared glimpses of everyday life, EVESDROP on other people’s lives

Autonomy – the desire to direct our own lives.

Mastery — the urge to get better at something that matters.

Purpose — AKA belonging to something bigger than ourselves

Self-Determination Theory

Autonomy & Choice

Competence, Mastery & Learning

Purpose, Relatedness & Belonging

Motivation & Game Elements

Autonomy& Choice

Purpose& Belonging

Mastery& Learning

BackStory & Mission

Real-world Impact

Group Quests

Group Stats

Connect w/Friends

Join a Teams, Guilds or Faction

Progress Markers

Skill Systems

Reputation Systems

Mission Trees

Real-time Feedback

Collections

Unlocks

Choose Your Role

Customize Your Character

Customize Your Background

Explore a World, Map or Taxonomy

Purchase Items

Killers Achievers

SocializersExplorers

Bartles 4 Player Types (1996)

Jane McGonigalRichard Bartle

Points, Badges, Levels, Leaderboards… appeal primarily to Achievers

Compete

CollaborateContent People

Kim’s Social Action Matrix

Explore

Interacting

Acting

Create

Explore content, levels & worlds todiscover what’s new, interesting & valuable

Create and customize digital presenceto showcase taste, skills & affiliations

Compete to test & develop skills & crush opponents

Collaborate to win together & accomplish something greater than ourselves

What are you Product-Defining Social Actions?

Content Players

Create

Compete

CollaborateHelp

Comment Like

Share

Greet

Win Challenge

ShowoffCompare

Taunt

ExpressDesign

CustomizeChoose

Decorate

Build

Contribute

ExploreCollect

RateView

Review

Vote

Curate

Purchase

Interacting

Acting

How can we create game-like experiences for a particular audience?

1. Understand your Microvertical

2. Create a compelling Core Loop

Short, Engaging ActivityTask / Mission / Game / Quiz / Gift

Short, Engaging Activities Fuel the Loop

Short, Engaging ActivityTask / Mission / Game / Quiz / Gift

Feedback & Progress Messages / Stats / Challenges / Awards / Artifacts

Feedback & Progress Build Skill + Motivation

Engaging ActivityTask / Mission / Game / Quiz / Gift

Trigger

Investment & CTACustomize / Earn / Share / Help / Follow

Feedback & Progress Messages / Stats / Challenges / Awards / Artifacts

Triggers & Investment Pull Players Back

Engaging ActivityTask / Mission / Game / Quiz / Gift

Trigger

Investment & CTACustomize / Earn / Share / Help / Follow

Feedback & Progress Messages / Stats / Challenges / Awards / Artifacts

Job Stories clarify the interaction & value prop

When _________ I want to ________________ so I can _____________activity + goal outcometrigger

Complete Next Lesson

Got a few min. to spare

Come Back Tomorrow - Don’t Break Your Streak

Earn XP, LevelUp, Unlock Next Lesson

Duolingo Core Loop

When _________ I want to ________________ so I can _____________Have a few min. to spare

get email notification

complete a lesson or two in Duolingo

speak a foreign language

Spend Ingots, Customize Your Look

Engaging Activities Fuel the Loop

Feedback & Progress Light the Way

Triggers & Investment Pull Players Back

How can we create game-like experiences for a particular audience?

1. Understand your Mvicrovertical

2. Create a compelling Core Loop

3. Design for Onboarding, Habit-Building & Mastery

Onboarding

Habit-Building

Mastery

Think through your Player’s Journey

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesNewbies need Onboardingwelcome + goals + progress + achievable rewards

Regulars Build Habits ongoing source of fresh content/activities/challenges

Enthusiasts Seek Mastery expertise rewarded with exclusivity, recognition, impact

Duolingo Player’s Journey

Mastery

Onboarding

Habit-Building

Onboarding Phase 1

Onboarding Phase 2

Habit-Building

Mastery

Case Study: Kickstarter

Kickstarter Onboarding

Kickstarter Habit-Building

Kickstarter Mastery

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesExplore up-and-coming projects

Constant stream of quirky, interesting content

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesExpress + Collaborateby backing or running projects

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesCompete with the system to get your project funded

Funding goals + time constraints drive urgency

View Kickstarter Campaign

See donation social update

Donate to Campaign

Kickstarter Core Loop

When _________ I want to ________________ so I can _____________see a great campaign

bored, wanna browse

donate to the campaign

feel connected - like I’m making a difference

Share Your Donation Story

Engaging Activities Fuel the Loop

Feedback & Progress Light the Way

Triggers & Investment Pull Players Back

Case Study: Minecraft

Habit-Building

Onboarding

Build a Shelter to Survive the Night

Habit-Building

Play Minecraft → Watch Videos → Play Again

Mastery

Install MODs / Create MODs / Run Shared Server

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesExplore randomly-generated landscapes

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesCreate anything you can imagine

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesCollaborate to survive, create, share

Bigger challenges inspire teamwork

Regulars need fresh content/activities/challengesCompete with the system to survive the night

Explore & Build in a simulation sandbox

get an urge to build

Create Your House/Farm/City

Minecraft Core Loop

When _________ I want to ________________ so I can _____________want some escapist play

see video, get idea

build something new in Minecraft

express my creativity & share my kids’ hobby

Showoff Your Creations

Teach Others to Build

watch Minecraft videos

Engaging Activities Fuel the Loop

Feedback & Progress Light the Way

Triggers & Investment Pull Players Back

Case Study: Twitter

Onboarding

Find People to Follow

Habit-Building

Read & Respond to Updates / Post Update / Check Feedback

Mastery

Create something using the Twitter API

Explore People, Topics, Trends

Create Tweets & ReTweets

Collaborate by Retweeting, Faving

Compete to gain followers

Read & Reply to Updates & Messages

urge for a quick break

Edit My Follow List

Check my Replies, Faves, Retweets, Follower Count

Twitter Core Loop

When _________ I want to ________________ so I can _____________I need a work break

get email Notification

read updates from people I admire & like

feel connected & stimulated w/short time investment

Engaging Activities Fuel the Loop

Feedback & Progress Light the Way

Triggers & Investment Pull Players Back

How can we create game-like experiences for a particular audience?

1. Understand your Mvicrovertical

2. Create a compelling Core Loop

3. Design for Onboarding, Habit-Building & Mastery

People respond to different styles of interactive play

don’t assume zero-sum mechanics will work for everyone

a compelling Core Loop can make your experience more game-like

feedback & meaningful progress light the path

Thank You@amyjokim on Twitter

http://amyjokim.com

amyjokim@gmail.com

Achievements Considered Harmfulby Chris Hecker

Drive by Dan Pink

Punished by Rewards by Alfie Cohen

A Game Designer’s View of Gamification

by Richard Bartle

Resources