1.
Superhuman

2.
The Product-Market Fit Engine

3.
Background

4.
Game Design
≠
Gamification

5.
Percentage of time spent drawing
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
No reward Expected reward
Lepper, M. R., Greene, D., & Nisbett, R. E. (1973). Undermining children's intrinsic interest with extrinsic reward:
A test of the "overjustification" hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28(1), 129-137.

6.
Self-determination Theory
Intrinsic
Motivation
Inherent
drive
I do it for its
own sake
Extrinsic Motivation
Integrated
drive
Because this
is who I am
Identified
drive
Because it
matters to me
Introjected
drive
Because I said
I would
External
drive
Because you
reward me
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behaviour. New York: Plenum.

7.
What is a game?

8.
What is a game?
• A game is something you play
• A toy is something you play with
• A toy is an object you play with
• A good toy is an object that is fun to play with
• Fun is pleasant surprise

9.
How do you make a good game?
1. Emotion
2. Theme
3. Surprise
4. Curiosity
5. Resonance
6. Inspiration
7. Toys
8. Flow
9. Needs
10. Judgement
11. Goals
12. Skills
13. Chance
14. Reward
15. Character
16. Physical Interface
17. Virtual Interface
18. Avatar
19. Expression
20. Pleasure
21. Interest curves
22. The Hero’s Journey

10.
Emotion

11.
Theme

12.
Theme
1. Story
2. Aesthetics
3. Mechanics
4. Technology

13.
Theme: Mechanics
100 ms
macOS
65 ms
Superhuman

14.
Theme
4. Technology

15.
Surprise

16.
Curiosity

17.
Resonance

18.
fantasy ; truth

19.
Love is more
important than life,
and stronger than
death.

20.
I am what I do.

21.
I deserve to succeed.

22.
If I work hard enough,
I can achieve anything.

23.
Inspiration

24.
Inspiration

25.
Toy

26.
Never

27.
Flow

28.
What is flow?
1. Intense and focused concentration on the present
2. Merging of action and awareness
3. Loss of reflective self-consciousness
4. Sense of personal control
5. Distortion of temporal experience
6. Activity becomes intrinsically motivating
Nakamura, J.; Csikszentmihályi, M. (20 December 2001). "Flow Theory and Research". In C. R. Snyder Erik Wright, and Shane J. Lopez
(ed.). Handbook of Positive Psychology. Oxford University Press. pp. 195–206. ISBN 978-0-19-803094-2.

29.
Conditions for flow
1. Knowing what to do next
2. Knowing how to do it
3. Freedom from distractions
4. Clear and immediate feedback
5. High perceived challenges and high perceived skills
Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura, J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A. (ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation, New
York: The Guilford Press, pp. 598–698

30.
FlowAnxiety
Arousal
ControlWorry
RelaxationApathy
Boredom
Skill HighLow
ChallengeHighLow

31.
Conditions for flow
1. Knowing what to do next
Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura, J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A. (ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation, New
York: The Guilford Press, pp. 598–698

32.
Conditions for flow
2. Knowing how to do it
Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura, J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A. (ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation, New
York: The Guilford Press, pp. 598–698

33.
Conditions for flow
3. Freedom from distractions
Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura, J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A. (ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation, New
York: The Guilford Press, pp. 598–698

34.
Conditions for flow
4. Clear and immediate feedback
Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura, J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A. (ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation, New
York: The Guilford Press, pp. 598–698

35.
Conditions for flow
5. High perceived challenges and high perceived skills
Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura, J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A. (ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation, New
York: The Guilford Press, pp. 598–698

36.
FlowAnxiety
Arousal
ControlWorry
RelaxationApathy
Boredom
Skill HighLow
ChallengeHighLow

37.
FlowAnxiety
Arousal
ControlWorry
RelaxationApathy
Boredom
Skill HighLow
ChallengeHighLow

38.
FlowAnxiety
Arousal
ControlWorry
RelaxationApathy
Boredom
Skill HighLow
ChallengeHighLow

39.
FlowAnxiety
Arousal
ControlWorry
RelaxationApathy
Boredom
Skill HighLow
ChallengeHighLow

40.
Needs

41.
Self-Esteem
Achievement • Mastery
Respect • Recognition
Belonging
Friendship • Family • Physical intimacy
Safety
Security • Stability
Physiological
Food • Water • Shelter • Sleep • Warmth
Self-
Actualization
Creativity •
Purpose • Meaning

42.
Self-Esteem
Achievement • Mastery
Respect • Recognition
Belonging
Friendship • Family • Physical intimacy
Safety
Security • Stability
Physiological
Food • Water • Shelter • Sleep • Warmth
Self-
Actualization
Creativity •
Purpose • Meaning

43.
Self-Esteem
Achievement • Mastery
Respect • Recognition
Belonging
Friendship • Family • Physical intimacy
Safety
Security • Stability
Physiological
Food • Water • Shelter • Sleep • Warmth
Self-
Actualization
Creativity •
Purpose • Meaning

44.
Judgement

45.
What judgement do we crave?
1. Fair
2. Useful
3. Motivating

46.
Goals

47.
What are good goals?
1. Concrete
2. Achievable
3. Reinforced
4. Rewarding

48.
What are good goals?
1. Concrete

49.
What are good goals?
2. Achievable

50.
What are good goals?
3. Reinforced

51.
What are good goals?
4. Rewarding

52.
Skill

53.
Types of Skill
1. Physical [Dexterity, Coordination]
2. Mental [Memory, Decision Making]
3. Social [Cooperation, Competition]

54.
Skills required by Superhuman
1. Triage [Mental]
2. Shortcuts [Mental, Physical]
3. Typing [Physical]
4. Focus [Mental]
5. Brevity [Mental, Social]
6. Empathy [Social]
7. Persuasion [Social]
8. …

55.
Chance

56.
Reward

57.
Reward
1. Praise
2. Points
3. Spectacle
4. Expression
5. Powers
6. Status
7. Completion

58.
Character

59.
rahul@superhuman.com
rahul@superhuman.com
rahul@superhuman.com
rahul@superhuman.com
rahul@superhuman.com
rahul@superhuman.com
Character

60.
Physical Interface

61.
Virtual Interface

62.
Avatar

63.
The Rules of Focus
1. There should always be precisely one focus
2. It should always be obvious where your focus is
3. You should be able to move your focus with the arrow keys
4. You should be able to move your focus anywhere
5. You should never be able to lose your focus

64.
Expression

65.
Pleasure

66.
Types of Pleasure
1. Sensation
2. Fantasy
3. Narrative
4. Challenge
5. Fellowship
6. Discovery
7. Expression
8. Submission
"MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research". Robin Hunicke, Marc LeBlanc, Robert Zubek.

67.
Other Types of Pleasure
1. Anticipation
2. Completion
3. Schadenfreude
4. Gifting
5. Humor
6. Possibility
7. Naches
8. Thrill
9. Fiero
10.Wonder

68.
Interest Curves

69.
Interest Curves
Time
Interest
Hook Rising Interest
Grand Finale

70.
The Hero’s Journey

71.
The Hero’s Journey
The Ordinary World
(e.g. running a startup)
The Special World
(e.g. the pits of my inbox)
1. Ordinary World
2. Call to Adventure
3. Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting the Mentor
5. Crossing the Threshold
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
7. Approach
8. The Ordeal
9. The Reward
10. The Road Back
11. The Resurrection
12. Return with Elixir

72.
How do you make a good game?
1. Emotion
2. Theme
3. Surprise
4. Curiosity
5. Resonance
6. Inspiration
7. Toys
8. Flow
9. Needs
10. Judgement
11. Goals
12. Skills
13. Chance
14. Reward
15. Character
16. Physical Interface
17. Virtual Interface
18. Avatar
19. Expression
20. Pleasure
21. Interest curves
22. The Hero’s Journey

73.
rahul@superhuman.com
@rahulvohra