XEODesign: Putting Emotion
in Play
The Four Keys to Fun
The Psychology of Engagement
www.xeodesign.com
©2013 XEODesign Inc.
1
Nicole Lazzaro
XEODesign, Inc.
IBM September 25, 2013
@NicoleLazzaro
nlazzaro@xeodesign.com
#4K2F

www.xeodesign.com
© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
20 Years of Player Experience
Research and Design
2
100 Million Player Experiences
XEODesign

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
3
Player Experience Consulting
Player TestingDesign Reviews
PlayShopsGamificationMobile Apps

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
How Can Fun Increase
Motivation?
4
Work
80%
Fun
20%
Reality
Work
20%
Fun
80%
Want
If This Is What We Want, Why Is This What We Get?

www.xeodesign.com
© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Create Natural Engagement
5
The 4 Keys to Engagement: What we want is more fun
Work
30%
Fun
Work
50%
Fun
20%

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Dopamine Enhances Focus
It Rewards and Feels Good Too
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Positive Brain States Focus Attention
DOPAMINE
• Reward System
• Focus increases focus
(addiction is an over focus)
• Love brain centers activate
Many Emotions Focus Attention
Instead of aiming for
addiction, let’s use dopamine for
good! Help people focus on what
they need to unlock their
potential and improve their
quality of life.

www.xeodesign.com
© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Positive Engaged Brains
Boost Productivity 50%
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If You Want People to Think Fear Is Not A Great Motivator
Positive Mental States Increase:
• 50% more productive
• 237% generated new leads
• Up to 50% closed sales faster
• 210% increased profits
• 67–100% more emotionally
engaged
Fear State Happy State
AMA Survey 2013

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
People Require Emotion to Decide

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
9Emotion as a Design Tool

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Workplace Example
Design Emotion into the Tools and the Work

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Design Emotion into the Tools and the Work

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Deep Engagement = Fun
The Good News is that Happiest Moments are in
the Zone
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Work Also Requires a Balance of Difficulty and Skill
• In Flow engaged and happy
• Balance difficulty and skill
• Fiero requires frustration o/
Modified from “Flow” Csikszentmnihalyi

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Emotion During Play
CuriosityFiero
Watched Player Emotions to Measure Kinds of Engagement
RelaxationAmusement

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How many smiles? [Ekman/Duchenne]

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Orbicularis Oculi
<---

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Categorized Most Engaging
Moments by Player Emotion
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Player’s Favorite Moments Created Many Kinds of Emotions
Wonder
Surprise
Curiosity
Relax
Desire
Excite
Schadenfreude
Amusement
Naches
Frustration
Fiero
Relief
Positive Engagement

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Identified Engagement
Mechanics
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Player Choices Create Many Kinds of Emotions
Wonder
Surprise
Curiosity
Relax
Desire
Excite
Schadenfreude
Amusement
Naches
Frustration
Fiero
Relief
Positive Engagement
CHOICES
CHOICES
CHOICES
CHOICES

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Created Map for Designing
Engagement
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Identified Systems to Create Engagement
Wonder
Surprise
Curiosity
Relax
Desire
Excite
Schadenfreude
Amusement
Naches
Frustration
Fiero
Relief
Positive Engagement
CHOICES
CHOICES
CHOICES
CHOICES

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
This Model Increases
Engagement Metrics 20-40%
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We are More Engaged When Emotion Surrounds Choice

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
4 Keys To Engagement
Novelty, Challenge, Friendship, Meaning
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• Most Engaging
Moments created
emotion
• Best Selling Games
have 3-4 keys
Easy Fun> Hard Fun> People Fun> Serious Fun

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
21Free to Download at: www.4K2F.com

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Gamification Can Kill

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Gamification Can Kill

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Challenge
You can’t just push a button to win
24Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Hard Fun
You can’t just push a button to win
25Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
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Goal
Obstacle
Strategy
Hard Fun

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
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Hard Fun: Reward From
Challenge
Increases Engagement
Challenge> Strategy> Progress

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Hard Fun: Challenge and
Mastery
www.xeodesign.com 28Goals > Obstacles > Strategy

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Points Change Behavior

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
30Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning
1. Goal
2. Obstacle
3. Strategy
Hard Fun
You can’t just push a button to win

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Novelty
The bubble wrap of game design
31Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Easy Fun
The bubble wrap of game design
32Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

Player Choice and Curiosity from Easy Fun

Player Choice and Curiosity from Easy Fun

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Easy Fun
35Easy Fun: Controls, Creativity, Exploration, Fantasy

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
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Easy Fun: Emotion from Novelty
is Enjoyed and Remembered
More
Input> Output> Result

2. Easy Fun: Netter’s Neuroscience: Better if Explore

2. Easy Fun: Explore Your Own Brain

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Easy Fun
The bubble wrap of game design
39Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning
1. Controls
2. Creativity
3. Exploration
4. Fantasy

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Friendship
People are addictive
40Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
People Fun
People are addictive
41Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
42
People Fun
People Fun: Communicate, Cooperate, Compete

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
43Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning
1. Communicate
2. Cooperate
3. Compete
People Fun
People are addictive

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Meaning
Play creates value through learning and meaning
44Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Serious Fun
Play creates value through learning and meaning
45Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

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Serious Fun
Systems Create: Excitement, Relaxation, Learning, Enhance Sense of Value
Goal:
collect all you can
• Enhance progress
• Aspire and acquire
10. Serious Fun: Collection

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
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Serious Fun
Serious Fun: Collection, Learning, Rhythm

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Serious Fun: Collection Create Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Meaning: Diner Dash Trophy = New Strategy

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
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Serious Fun: Meaningful
Experiences are More Engaging
Serious Fun: Values and Meaning

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
51Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning
1. Collection
2. Learning
3. Rhythm
Serious Fun
Play creates value through learning and meaning

www.xeodesign.com
© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
Increase Motivation with Games:
Here’s what you can do
52
• Take players through all
4 engagement loops
• Design strong emotional
brain state required for
the desired action
• Design systems to create
brain states with your
brand’s emotions
The Four Keys> Emotion> Engagement

Tag You’re It!
Nicole Lazzaro
• Email: nlazzaro@xeodesign.com
• Twitter: @NicoleLazzaro
• Blog: NicoleLazzaro.com
• Game: TiltWorld.com
The 4 Keys to Fun Poster
Free Download
• xeodesign.com
• slideshare.com/NicoleLazzaro
• 4k2f.com <- Downloads
www.xeodesign.com
Download Tilt World
An iOS game that
plants trees!

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
XEOPlay
Tilt World iOS
The Four Keys of Fun in
Action!
• Top Rated Kids Game in 10 Countries
• 8 Million Tilt Points
• 8k Trees Planted
Awards:
• Winner Best Game iPhoneDevCamp 2007
• Wired Magazine’s Top 9 Hacks for the
iPhone 2007
• CNET Top 10 Apps from iPhoneDevCamp
2007
• #1 Kids game in China
• #6 Kids game in the U.S.
www.xeodesign.com 54

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© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.
XEOPlay
LUX iOS
LUX is an unique interactive experience that revolves around player
emotions, exploration, and curiosity. A genre bending cross platform adventure/puzzle
game about the origin of the sun, LUX is set against an epic science fiction backdrop
that answers the ultimate question: Who am I?
www.xeodesign.com 55