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The web world is agog over game design as the next silver bullet, slapping badges and progress bars over every annoying things they wish users to do. As user hit progress fatigue, "gamification" has come under fire. But why throw the baby out with the bathwater? Game design is to web design what rocket science is to car mechanics, and just like Tang and Velcro, there is plenty in game design we can use in our every day life. Come and hear how mastery, irregular reward schedules and meaningful choices can make your site a pleasure for your users.
Citation preview
When badges ain’t enough
7 Lessons from Game Design
See notes: http://www.eleganthack.com/?p=3233
These are the wise people I learned from
Some I interviewed, some I read their books, some I watched their videos…
7 Lessons from game design
1.Find your North Star2.Player Types
3.Player Journey4.Know your mechanics
5.Aesthetics 6.Learn to Teach
7.Measure the f*ck out of everything
Find your North StarEvery project needs a goal that everyone agrees is worth doing.
What is a north star? It is the goal, the thing you are aiming for, and when you arrive, you can launch.http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/building_a_vision_of_design_success,
FUNGame designers have an inherent North Star because they are building a game. It’s FUN. Game designers constantly ask “Is it fun yet” and if the answer is no, they don’t launch. And their team doesn’t launch. Even when it’s late late late. Because there is no point in launching an un-fun game.
The Player Should Have The Fun, Not
The Designer Or The Computer
From a Gamasutra Article “Analysis: Sid Meier's Key Design Lessons”
The algorithms were, of course, very fun to construct and interesting to discuss outside of the game. The players, however, felt left behind -- the computer was having all the fun -- so we cut the feature.
Game designers are very user centered. They have to be.
EmotionYour northstar is for the heart, not the head
So when you are working on your project, your northstar should be a strong emotion.
Brenda Braithwaite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Z-3mz3j6U&feature=BFa&list=PL8E8E672C0031DC3AWarning: this video will make you cry. It’s awesome. Watch 4:30-7:20
Design for An Emotion
Conversion is a crap north star
We have been designing in Black and White. There is a world of amazing emotions in technicolor just waiting
CONNECTIONacceptanceaffectionappreciationbelongingcooperationcommunicationclosenesscommunitycompanionshipcompassionconsiderationconsistencyempathyinclusionintimacylovemutualitynurturingrespect/self-respect
CONNECTION continuedsafetysecuritystabilitysupportto know and be knownto see and be seento understand and be understoodtrustwarmthPHYSICAL WELL-BEINGairfoodmovement/exerciserest/sleepsexual expressionsafetysheltertouchwater
HONESTYauthenticityintegritypresencePLAYjoyhumorPEACEbeautycommunioneaseequalityharmonyinspirationorderAUTONOMYchoicefreedomindependencespacespontaneity
MEANINGawarenesscelebration of lifechallengeclaritycompetenceconsciousnesscontributioncreativitydiscoveryefficacyeffectivenessgrowthhopelearningmourningparticipationpurposeself-expressionstimulationto matterunderstanding
Needs
(c) 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication Website: www.cnvc.org
We are often facile when discussing needs in wed design. If we tap deeper into basic needs, we can get moresatisfying products.
AFFECTIONATEcompassionatefriendlylovingopen heartedsympathetictenderwarm
ENGAGEDabsorbedalertcuriousengrossedenchantedentrancedfascinatedinterestedintriguedinvolvedspellboundstimulated
HOPEFULexpectantencouragedoptimistic
CONFIDENTempoweredopenproudsafesecure
EXCITEDamazedanimatedardentarousedastonisheddazzledeagerenergeticenthusiasticgiddyinvigoratedlivelypassionatesurprisedvibrant
GRATEFULappreciativemovedthankfultouched
INSPIREDamazedawedwonder
JOYFULamuseddelightedgladhappyjubilantpleasedtickled
EXHILARATEDblissfulecstaticelatedenthralledexuberantradiantrapturousthrilled
PEACEFULcalmclear headedcomfortablecenteredcontentequanimousfulfilledmellowquietrelaxedrelievedsatisfiedserenestilltranquiltrusting
REFRESHEDenlivenedrejuvenatedrenewedrestedrestoredrevived
(c) 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication Website: www.cnvc.org
We are limited in how we talk about emotion in Wed Design. We talk about delight, and frustration. But there are many more words we could be designing for…
AFRAIDapprehensivedreadforebodingfrightenedmistrustfulpanickedpetrifiedscaredsuspiciousterrifiedwaryworried
ANNOYEDaggravateddismayeddisgruntleddispleasedexasperatedfrustratedimpatientirritatedirkedCONFUSEDambivalentbaffledbewildereddazedhesitant
lostmystifiedperplexedpuzzledtorn
DISCONNECTEDalienatedaloofapatheticboredcolddetacheddistantdistractedindifferentnumbremoveduninterestedwithdrawn
EMBARRASSEDashamedchagrinedflusteredguiltymortifiedself-conscious
DISQUIETagitatedalarmeddiscombobulateddisconcerteddisturbedperturbedrattledrestlessshockedstartledsurprisedtroubledturbulentturmoiluncomfortableuneasyunnervedunsettledupset
YEARNINGenviousjealouslongingnostalgicpiningwistful
PAINagonyanguishedbereaveddevastatedgriefheartbrokenhurtlonelymiserableregretfulremorsefulSADdepresseddejecteddespairdespondentdisappointeddiscourageddisheartenedforlorngloomyheavy heartedhopelessmelancholyunhappywretched
TENSEanxiouscrankydistresseddistraughtedgyfidgetyfrazzledirritablejitterynervousoverwhelmedrestlessstressed out
VULNERABLEfragileguardedhelplessinsecureleeryreservedsensitiveshaky
AVERSIONanimosityappalledcontemptdisgusteddislikehatehorrifiedhostilerepulsed
FATIGUEbeatburnt outdepletedexhaustedlethargiclistlesstiredwearyworn out
ANGRYenragedfuriousincensedindignantiratelividoutragedresentful
(c) 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication Website: www.cnvc.org
As well, Game designers are much more comfortable with creating negative emotions than wed designers, whoMostly aim for “happy.” But as part of a sequence, a slight negative can increase a positive.
People find role playing cheesy, makes them self conscious. The game forces you into uncomfortable situations.
You take a situation and a pattern and match them up.. It might be a pattern you avoid because you aren’t good at it. And it creates much more teachable scenarios.
Dan Brown’s Communicating Design Game. Sometimes stress can teach.
aggravated
discouraged
incensed
perplexed
burnt out
invigorated
encouraged
serene
empowered
giddy
Design exercise: what could be made to create these emotions?
Well, I didn’t expect that.
Types vs Personas
Grace (62/ female/ widowed/ Little Rock, AR.)“I like playing my favorite games online, but if I can play with friends, well that’s even better!” Personal Background: Her husband has passed on. She has two grown kids, both of whom live far away. She misses the kids, but has a fairly large circle of friends that she spends time with. Technical Proficiency: Limited. Can use her browser and her email. MS Word confuses her, and she doesn’t like using it. Doesn’t know what an OS is. Tends to click yes if the browser prompts her to do anything, and will click wildly until things work.History with games: Plays crossword puzzles daily and saves them. Plays card games, PhotoJam, but is offended by South Park cartoons
Game’s opportunity: If Grace can be convinced to participate in community activities, she will become a loyal user of the site. She needs to be sheltered from the sick and twisted content, however.
2001
This is a classic persona my old company CarbonIQ made for a casual gaming site. It was useful. But….
Richard Bartle http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm Drawing: Frank Caron http://frankcaron.com
Understanding behavioral patterns in player types, and what features support the behavior desired is also useful.Maybe more useful.
4 Key Engagement Styles in Social GamingCompete
CollaborateExplore
Express
Copyright Amy Jo Kim
Amy Jo Kim has developed different player types that you find in Social Games. Each one has his or her own play style. Knowing these needs shapes the feature set and core loop.
The Core LoopAnd the Mechanics
This is a core loop for a very simple game. I’m actually shocked we don’t map this on other projects. Amazon’s is Seek, evaluate, buy.
Will Wright on Game Design: http://youtu.be/CdgQyq3hEPo Watch 30:27-33:27
Backyard Monsters takes the classic tower defense loop (build defense, get attacked, redo) and adds complexity by letting you also attack and build offensive as well as defensive tools.
Mechanics
Some of the more sleezy gamification gurus use this term as mind-control tricks. But really they are just what makes games tick.
Sometimes they are rules
Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper. The game of rock paper scissors lizard spock addsIn two more elements for added complexity. And nerdity.
Just in case you need it
http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/generic/b597/
Sometimes they are constraints
A constraint is usually about resource management. How much energy/money/stuff you need.
Pinch
The pinch is the place where you run out of something. I.e. You run out of lives in the arcade, and you reach inyour pocked for a quarter. Or twelve.
Energy is a typical social game pinch. You can solve with money or with being “social” i.e. begging from friends.
In cityville, real estate is an excellent pinch. You could just buy more land, but you could also upgrade to better buildings, rearrange your items, or store something. More options + more fun play.
In Castleville the pinch is also part of the play. New land is shrouded in shadow, so you may discover new mysteries as you look to expand.
Sometimes they are manipulations
But it’s ok because I feel something?
Manipulation is tough. We go to the theater to be manipulated. We like a certain amount of orchestration of ourfeelings. But we sure don’t like being taken advantage of.
6 key principles of persuasion by Robert CialdiniReciprocity Social ProofCommitment and Consistency AuthorityLiking Scarcity
Name the persuasion techniques being used by these social games. Trust me, a little time on Facebook andyou can collect all six. And find a few new ones.
Progress
All game designers I’ve met talk about FTUE (first time user experience) and elder game at a minimum. Almostno web/app developer I speak with discusses these much if at all. Is a tutorial enough?
AcheivementsReward me
Short term:Actions taken successfully create mini-rewards in the form of doobers.
Zynga invented the “doobers” which is when something good happens you see an outflowing of stars or coins. It’s the equivalent of the slot machine flowing out, and very satisfying.
Leaderboards
There is a certain satisfaction in kicking a friends bum. However, if you have a place where not much social is happening, be sure to motivate me by making me beat my own high score. Not feel lonely.
Mastery
Moving from a novice to a master is why we play tennis, chess or even do things like knitting or woodworking. We humans love to know we are getting better at something.
Crafting in Castleville, and many other games is all about repetition. Is the user really feeling mastery here?
In Bubblewich saga, like many match-three games, it’s all about beating your own score as well as others. You can see and feel your improvement.
Stop, drop and rollYour own game
Chance
Narrative,
mechanics
Chits(characters)
Emotionsappreciativemovedthankfultouchedamazedawedwonderamuseddelightedgladhappyjubilantpleasedtickledblissfulecstaticelatedenthralledexuberant
This slide was up for the Design exercise. Everyone got dice, five index cards and a token.
Process
Classic waterfall. Even web people don’t like this anymore.
From Art of Game Design, by Jesse Schell. This his process diagram, and looks accurate to me. Game people often talk about “wandering in the wilderness”: the time while you are trying to achieve fun.
AestheticsThis ain’t flip this house
Make it pretty, make a profit. Often web and app design just slaps some pretty on it at the end.
Grace and Glory enemy concept designs by Yusuke Hashimoto. From the upcoming video game Bayonetta.
Concept design by Min Zhouhttp://minzhouportfolio.blogspot.com/
However, in game design the aesthetics are considered as much a part of the game as the mechanics and loop, and work is begun on exploring direction on day one… and this inspires the mechanics.
MeasurePretend you have OCD.
Playtestlike you mean it
Again, game designers seem way more user centered than most others. They don’t say “we’ll do two rounds of testing.” They’ll test over and over until fun arrives.
Sid Meir, Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong. Watch 18:40-23:53 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY7aRJE-oOY&feature=BFa&list=PL8E8E672C0031DC3A
Learn how to teach
Most web app designers through learning into a quickie tutorial in the beginning. But game designers, focusedon mastery and that satisfaction weave it through the game.
Dance Central: you have to do the moves along with the dancer to earn points
Dance Central made learning the moves a key part of the game, not just a simple add on. You feel like you are really learning to dance.
AfterRelease the hounds of project management
Optimize, optimize, optimize. Determine key metrics, and watch them like a hawk. Measure everything, but knowwhat key metrics are your life blood. Test all assumptions.
Now Playtest!
This was the last design exercise. Users taught each other how to play their game.