Gamification

Gamification

What is gamification?

  • Gamification: Applying game-like elements to a non-game (usually web) service.
  • Aims for increased and continuous user interaction
  • Achieved by adding a “game layer” on top of a service
  • Can make the user experience more engaging

  • Can enhance activities where a continuous engagement is beneficial for the user, for example learning a language

  • Errant Signal: Gamification

Gamification is bullshit

  • Ian Bogost: Gamification is bullshit
  • Criticism
    • At worst, the gamified elements are thin and tacked-on
    • Can be seen as an artificial means to boost engagement, or even as exploitation
    • Is usually created to benefit corporate interests, rather than users
    • Provide simulated satisfaction instead of concrete rewards

Gamification elements

  • EXP bars & leveling
    • Do stuff and you get rewarded with number going up
  • Badges & Achievements
  • Leaderboards
  • Performance graphs
  • Narrative
  • Teammates
  • Streaks
    • Do stuff every day so number doesn’t go back to 0
  • Tutorials
    • Using a service starts with a tutorial where different UI elements and their functions are highlighted
  • Juice
    • The preferred interaction feels good to do: it’s juiced with animations and/or sound effects
  • Limited features
    • When you start using a service, you only get access to a limited set of features
    • Access is granted only after doing X
    • This makes starting up more straightforward. The user has less options to get confused by when only the essentials are exposed at first.
  • Easter eggs
    • Do an obscure interaction and you find a secret!

Examples

  • Duolingo
    • don’t break your streak!
  • Google maps
    • gain levels by contributing images & descriptions
  • Linkedin
    • start-up: add info about yourself to advance a progress bar of your “Profile strength”
  • Github
    • the green contribution chart
    • get achievements based on events you’ve attended
  • Kahoot
    • Time-based scoring
    • Leaderboards for top three
  • Twitter
    • Likes & retweets
    • Juiced like button
    • Number of likes & retweets is shown, and you get notified for likes & retweets
    • If you have more followers, you see less ads

Twitch

  • Twitch.tv, being a video game oriented streaming service, uses gamification A LOT.
  • I’d go as far as to claim it has weaponized gamification
  • Bits & channel points
  • Subscription tiers
  • Hype train
    • An exp bar in chat window that goes up when someone supports the streamer in some way
    • There’s a countdown!
    • Participants earn emote rewards

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