Principles of conservative gamification

Zsombor Fekete – Andrea Buzás

Gamification is…

… the use of game thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts to engage users and increase users' self contributions.

Conservative gamification is…

… reinventing and reframing non-game activities in a form of a game.

Results that make a difference...

Gamification boosting activitiy with game mechanics

Conservative gamification transforming activity to a game

How do you transform it to a game?

• Question: what is a game?• Challange: games have become „corrupted”

Roger Caillois: „Man, Play and Games”, 1961

Johan Huizinga: Homo Ludens (1938)

• Huizinga puts games in the context of history and culture.

• His definition is often considered over rigid.

Huizinga’s definition of play

1. Play is a free activity2. It stands quite consciously outside “ordinary” life as being “not serious,”3. But at the same time it absorbs the player intensely and utterly.4. It is an activity connected with no material interest. 5. It proceeds within its own proper boundaries of time and space.6. It is played according to fixed rules in an orderly manner.

The conservative approach...

Huiziga’s definition cannot be applied to many current games.If so, game experience is corrupted.

The driver of the conservative approach is Huizinga’s definition applied as a guideline towards pure game experience.

Basics of conservative game design

1. Never force the player to play.2. Never mix reality with games.3. Eliminate negative stress and push player to flow.4. Never involve external interests. 5. Define the boundaries of time and space.6. Create fixed and clear rules.

Never force the player to playSome typical questions from HR:

“Why not make the content obligatory if we have paid so much for it?”

Once it is obligatory it will not work.A game is never obligatory, if so, it’s called work or learning. But with proper communication, the target group’s interest can be attracted, they can be involved in a game.

Never mix reality with games“Why not put some real tasks in the game?”

Careful! Games are safe, reality is not!Games can be corrupted by real anxiety, frustration (e.g. scoring a goal to the boss) and financial differences.The rules should not interfere with our lives. Family, health and finances should not be directly gamified – though related information could be.

Eliminate negative stress and push to flow

“Why not penalize him if he makes mistakes?”

No one likes to play with Damocles’ sword hanging above his head. Chance and motivation should be granted if player fails. He must be ensured that goal can be achieved.

Never involve external interests

“We use gamification instead of e-learning…”

Games do not substitute work and learning. With games we have fun and let steam off. Games can be designed to efficiently produce useful knowledge, work and money, but these should never be the immediate goals of the player.

Define boundaries of time and space

“We need an open-ended gamification system.”

Open-ended gamification is an urban legend.Even the largest MMO’s have a number of campaigns, scenarios or mini-games and they are presented as campaigns.

Clear goals, structure and boundaries are essential.

Create fixed and clear rules“We’ll figure it out as we go along…”

No way, rules are created beforehand and apply to everybody. Any personal disadvantage stemming from altered game-rules is unacceptable.

Modifications should be kept to a minimum, communicated openly, and if needed, players should be compensated based on principles of fair play.

Frequently asked questions“Isn’t this method too rigid?”

“Sure it is, but it is also effective.”

“Are the other gamification approaches less efficient?”“We can’t tell. They probably are.”

“Can you guarantee that conservative gamification works?”“There are no guarantees, but we have various

successful,measureable projects behind.”

How to set up a conservative gamification project?

In 3+1 steps, based on Huizinga’s principles

• Explain why to play – internal marketing• Design easy to digest process – ergonomic optimization• Eliminate frustration, create challenge – flow support• Transfer usable knowledge to reality – conversion

Internal marketing

Why is it important?• Even the best videogames need it.• Many great games are not played at all.• Gamification is voluntary, so users must be

convinced that they are going to experience something worthwhile.

How to do it?• Take two kids arguing what to play with.• Give them reasons to convince the other.

Ergonomic optimizationFeatures of pure game Mistakes at work

Sexy Must

Voluntary rules Obligatory rules

Adaptive progress Difficult or unchallenging

Boundaries of time and space

Badly structured, endless

Regular feedback No positive feedback

Free from everyday stress Mistakes effect real life

Why is it important?• Work is rarely ergonomic and it decreases

motivation.• Ergonomics can be easily adapted from

videogames.

How to do it?• Find out how our work would work if it

wasn’t work…• ... and put it into practice!

Why is it important?• Game design can contribute to players

reaching the state of flow.

How to do it?• Challenge must be clear and achievable.• Stress must be eliminated: to err is human,

retry is good.• Player’s inner motivation should be built on

(competitiveness, curiosity, collecting, power).

Flow support

ConversionWhy is it important?• „One thing we can learn from Tetris is to play Tetris

well.” – László Mérő• We all learn something from every game, but it is

important what we make use of.

How to do it?• Enhance best practices and schemes.• Reframe acquired knowledge as a part of reality.

How to measure gamification?

Process Message KPI

Internal marketing Put it on colorful plate! Number of players

Ergonomic optimization Slice it up! Ratio of players finishing

Flow support Reassure after every bite! Ratio of hardcore gamers

Conversion Make him love it! KPI of defined goals

Case studyTarget: training of sales staffMessage: DISC based sales techniquesDate: 2014Audience: Hungarian, Czech and Slovak subsidiaries of GrandVision optical retail chain

Software used

GéMeS - gamification framework

AdvEngine – HTML5 based adventure game engine

Workflow of implementation

Running multiple interviews about the aims and motivation of the company.

Acquiring all the knowledge that the employees are supposed to learn during the traditional training.

Drafting the concept and the script of the game.

Producing graphic design and media content. The game’s beta version is made.

Testing by the company, list of required corrections and modifications is put together. Corrections and modifications are made.

Designing the launch of the game. Plan on channels and resources of internal marketing. Game is launched at a store managers’ meeting.

Monitoring the number of players and various achievements with GéMeS Light software.

Bottom line

of all employees End of week 1

End of month 1

number of players (internal marketing index)

90,1 % 100 %

ratio of players finishing(game ergonomic index)

54 % 95 %

ratio of hardcore gamers(flow support index)

18 % 65 %

YTD results (conversion index*):

Orders have grown by 34 %Sales have increased by 20 %

* Sales increase can be attributed to various factors. The game and the training is only one of those.

„I would have never imagined that I could talk my colleagues into going through an elearning module more than once – many of them have done so, over a hundred times.”

Katalin Hámori– sales director at Ofotért

BUZÁS ANDREA - BUZAS@ABAGIL.HUZSOMBOR FEKETE - FEKETE@ABAGIL.HU

Abagil Kft. 2015