Mechanics of Magic: Lessons from Game Design
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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 thing they wish users to do. As users tire of everything looking like a game, "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 work. Come and hear how mastery, irregular reward schedules and meaningful choices can make your site a pleasure for your users.
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Mechanics of Magic: Lessons from Game Design
- 1. The Mechanics of Magic 7 lessons from game design
- 3. I do not have New Year’s Resolutions
- 4. I have New Year’s projects. One year it was games These are the wise people I learned from Some I interviewed, some I read their books, some I watched their videos, some reviewed this talk…
- 5. What is the first game you can remember?
- 6. Every project needs a goal that everyone agrees is worth doing. FIND YOUR NORTH STAR
- 7. FUN
- 8. Go here to watch full talk: http://youtu.be/VWu4Nu0F4eg Brenda Romero nee Braithwaite at TEDx Phoenix
- 9. Conversion is a crap north star DESIGN FOR AN EMOTION
- 11. AFFECTIONATE compassionate friendly loving open hearted sympathetic tender warm ENGAGED absorbed alert curious engrossed enchanted entranced fascinated interested intrigued involved spellbound stimulated CONFIDENT empowered open proud safe secure EXCITED amazed animated ardent aroused astonished dazzled eager energetic enthusiastic giddy invigorated lively passionate surprised vibrant HOPEFUL expectant encouraged optimistic (c) 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication Website: www.cnvc.org GRATEFUL appreciative moved thankful touched INSPIRED amazed awed wonder JOYFUL amused delighted glad happy jubilant pleased tickled EXHILARATED blissful ecstatic elated enthralled exuberant radiant rapturous thrilled PEACEFUL calm clear headed comfortable centered content equanimous fulfilled mellow quiet relaxed relieved satisfied serene still tranquil trusting REFRESHED enlivened rejuvenated renewed rested restored revived AFFECTIONATE compassionate friendly loving open hearted sympathetic tender warm
- 12. PEACE beauty communion ease harmony order
- 14. There is no shortage of “organization porn” on the web. We have a deep seated dream of a place of tidy harmony. There is big business in selling peace and order
- 16. Frustration
- 17. AFRAID apprehensive dread foreboding frightened mistrustful panicked petrified scared suspicious terrified wary worried ANNOYED aggravated dismayed disgruntled displeased exasperated frustrated impatient irritated irked CONFUSED ambivalent baffled bewildered dazed hesitant lost mystified perplexed puzzled torn DISQUIET agitated alarmed discombobulated disconcerted disturbed DISCONNECTED perturbed alienated rattled aloof restless apathetic shocked bored startled cold surprised detached troubled distant turbulent distracted turmoil indifferent uncomfortable numb uneasy removed unnerved uninterested unsettled withdrawn upset EMBARRASSED ashamed chagrined flustered guilty mortified self-conscious YEARNING envious jealous longing nostalgic pining wistful PAIN agony anguished bereaved devastated grief heartbroken hurt lonely miserable regretful remorseful SAD depressed dejected despair despondent disappointed discouraged disheartened forlorn gloomy heavy hearted hopeless melancholy unhappy wretched TENSE anxious cranky distressed distraught edgy fidgety frazzled irritable jittery nervous overwhelmed restless stressed out VULNERABLE fragile guarded helpless insecure leery reserved sensitive shaky (c) 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication Website: www.cnvc.org AVERSION animosity appalled contempt disgusted dislike hate horrified hostile repulsed FATIGUE beat burnt out depleted exhausted lethargic listless tired weary worn out ANGRY enraged furious incensed indignant irate livid outraged resentful
- 18. Should we avoid negative emotions? Can negative emotions be fun?
- 21. • More pleasure and excitement in active failure than in success • However: passive experience of failure makes players disengage. • Attaining a goal DECREASES player arousal and interest. Ravaja, Niklas, et al. The Psychophysiology of Video Gaming: Phasic Emotional Responses to Game Events. Digital Games Research Association International Conference 2005. Read it:
- 22. Obviously Mr. Right Could Coffee meets bagel play up the anguish of missing a match in a fun way that engages you more deeply?
- 23. “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
- 24. Until my players feel _____, I will not ship PICK YOUR NORTHSTAR
- 26. 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 2001 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.
- 27. Richard Bartle http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm Drawing: Frank Caron http://frankcaron.com
- 28. 4 Key Engagement Styles in Social Gaming Express Explore Compete Collaborate Amy Jo Kim amyjokim.com @amyjokim
- 29. What if Amazon was a Game? Satisficers Socializers Optimizers Self-discovery
- 30. WHO ARE THE PLAYER TYPES?
- 31. LOOP DE LOOP
- 32. This is a core loop for a very simple game. Start with fish eggs, that you grow into fish that you sell to buy more valuable fish eggs
- 33. Will Wright on Game Design: full talk: http://youtu.be/CdgQyq3hEPo
- 35. SHOP REVIEW BUY
- 37. I get knocked down You ain't ever gonna keep me down. But I get up again WHAT IS YOUR CORE LOOP?
- 38. MECHANICS Some of the more sleezy gamification gurus use this term as mind-control tricks. But really they are just what makes games tick.
- 40. Just in case you need it http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/generic/b597/
- 42. 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 in your pocked for a quarter. Or twelve.
- 46. But it’s ok because I feel something? SOMETIMES MECHANICS ARE MANIPULATIONS
- 47. 6 key principles of persuasion by Robert Cialdini Reciprocity Social Proof Commitment and Consistency Authority Liking Scarcity
- 50. Celebrate microwins! Actions taken successfully create mini-rewards in the form of doobers (stars and slot-machine sounds).
- 51. Celebrating
- 53. 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.
- 54. Leaderboards are used extensively to motivate behavior
- 55. But it can lead to abuse
- 56. Amazon handles it by retiring players. Digg got rid of their leaderboards
- 60. We treat designer like flip this house: give them wireframes and tell them to make it pretty ITE E B$ W
- 61. Concept design by Min Zhou http://minzhouportfolio.blogspot.com/ Grace and Glory enemy concept designs by Yusuke Hashimoto. From the upcoming video game Bayonetta.
- 63. In Bubble Witch Saga, they give you only a couple instructions in the first level
- 64. And in the next level they teach you a few more game elemnts, slowly revealing the play.
- 65. In Tiny Wings, the first level has your finger light up when you should touch the screen
- 66. To play Dance Central, you have to learn the moves
- 67. They make the learning into a game too– if you can decode the picture, you can get a diamond and skip the practice
- 69. SO YOU THINK YOU ARE USER CENTERED? Playtest like you mean it
- 71. Sid Meir, Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong. Full talk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY7aRJEoOY&feature=BFa&list=PL8E8E672C0031DC3A
- 72. HOMEWORK Play Bastion http://supergiantgames.com/index.php/ media/ How do these principles apply? 1.What was the North Star? 2.What Emotion(s) do you feel? 3.Who are the Player Types? 4.What’s the core loop? 5.How did you learn to play? 6. How does the art/music shape the game?
- 73. CHRISTINA WODTKE www.eleganthack.com www.boxesandarrows.com @cwodtke I can’t be bought, but I can be rented. Image form Baston: great game! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/basti
Editor's Notes
- See notes: http://www.eleganthack.com/?p=3233
- Notes on the new Year’S project http://www.eleganthack.com/give-up-your-resolutions/
- What is the first game you every played? What were the rules? Children playing ring around a rosie in one of the better neighborhoods of the Black Belt, Chicago, Illinois, 1941 Edwin Rosskam http://historyinphotos.blogspot.com/2012/05/edwin-rosskam.html
- 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,
- Game 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.
- We are limited in how we talk about emotion in Web Design. We talk about delight, and frustration. But there are many more words we could be designing for…
- This is the power of farmville; a place to hide from life’s madness http://www.eleganthack.com/farming-and-knitting/
- Boys seek peace and control also
- So much missed opportunity here!
- As well, Game designers are much more comfortable with creating negative emotions than wed designers, who Mostly aim for “happy.” But as part of a sequence, a slight negative can increase a positive.
- • More pleasure and excitement in active failure than in success • However: passive experience of failure makes players disengage. • Attaining a goal DECREASES player arousal and interest.
- Dan Brown’s Communicating Design Game. Sometimes stress can teach.
- This is a classic persona my old company CarbonIQ made for a casual gaming site. It was useful. But….
- Understanding behavioral patterns in player types, and what features support the behavior desired is also useful. Maybe more useful.
- 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.
- Will Wright on Game Design: http://youtu.be/CdgQyq3hEPo Watch 30:27-33:27 http://www.tubechop.com/watch/1003252
- 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.
- Chumbawamba's, "Tubthumping"
- Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper. The game of rock paper scissors lizard spock adds In two more elements for added complexity. And nerdity.
- A constraint is usually about resource management. How much energy/money/stuff you need.
- 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. When you run out of energy, you have to Spend money for more energy Ask friends for help (virals) Go away and come back later
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Make it pretty, make a profit. Often web and app design just slaps some pretty on it at the end.
- 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.
- You goal? You too can replace your help site with a joke.
- 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.
- Watch 18:40-23:53 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY7aRJE-oOY&feature=BFa&list=PL8E8E672C0031DC3A