Way of the future or just the latest fad?
Introduction
 Who I am
 James Patten. A postgrad with the Biocomputing and
Developmental Systems Research Group in UL
 What I’m researching
 Game Design and Evolutionary Algorithms
 Why I’m here today
 To talk about Gamification
What is Gamification?
Definition:
“Gamification is the integration of game mechanics or
game dynamics into a website, service, community,
campaign, or application in order to drive participation
and engagement.”
Game Mechanics Definition
 “Game mechanics are a construct of rules intended to
produce an enjoyable game or gameplay”.1
 “Game mechanics are rule based systems / simulations
that facilitate and encourage a user to explore and learn
the properties of their possibility space through the use
of feedback mechanisms”.2
 “…what the players are able to do in the game-world,
how they do it and how that leads to a compelling
gameplay experience”.3
 “…primarily refers to the rules but can also refer to the
equipment, the venue or anything else, necessary to play
the game”. 4
Game Dynamics Definition
 Dynamics refer to what might be called the
“behaviour“ of the game, the actual events and
phenomena that occur as the game is played4
Traditional Game Spaces
 What spaces come to mind when you think about
game mechanics and dynamics?
 Digital Video Game?
Traditional Game Spaces
 Non-Digital Games?
Non-Traditional Gamespaces
 If we accept the “Traditional Gamespaces” that means
that anything outside of this could be considered as
“non-traditional”?
(Recap)
“Gamification is the integration of game mechanics or
game dynamics into a website, service, community,
campaign, or application in order to drive participation and
engagement.”
Who’s Talking about Gamification?
Jesse Schell
Carnegie Mellon University
Seth Priebatsch
One of the founders of SCVNGR
A Game Layer on Top of the World
 See Talk at the following link:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/seth_priebatsch_th
e_game_layer_on_top_of_the_world.html
Recap of Dynamics Seth mentioned
 Appointment Dynamic
 Influence and Status Dynamic
 Progression Dynamic
 Communal Discovery Dynamic
Sounds Convincing?
 Just add game mechanics and we will increase
engagement?
 Sebastian Deterding (UX Designer) delivered an
insightful presentation at Playful 2010 conference in
London last month (September 24th)
 He seems to be a bit more cautious about Gamification
Deterding’s Main Points
Gamification Vendors Confusions:
 Games are not necessarily fun
 Rewards are not achievements
 Feedback is not a game mechanic
 Novelty is not engagement
 Competition is not for everyone
Unintended Consequences of
Poorly Applied Mechanics
 Unintended Behaviours
 Gaming the system
 Hitting the Target but missing the point
 Messing with implicit social norms
Conclusion
 Gamification could be powerful but remember that
“90% of everything is crud!”
 Need the convergence of things to succeed
Smart People
Bad Intentions
Non-Smart People
Good Intentions
Smart People
Good Intentions
References
 http://g4tv.com/videos/44277/dice-2010-design-outside-the-box-presentation/
 http://www.slideshare.net/chrismcclelland/engagement-through-gamification
 http://www.slideshare.net/dings/pawned-gamification-and-its-discontents
 http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/seth_priebatsch_the_game_layer_on_top_of_the_w
orld.html
 http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/25/scvngr-game-mechanics/