GAMIFICATION PROPOSAL: MARINE MAMMAL CENTER

Can Gamification Mechanics Help Rescued Marine Mammals?

DISCLAIMER

• The following presentation was developed to obtain Gamification Design Level 2 Certification from Engagement Alliance. All ideas and opinions in the presentation are owned by and those of the author.

• This presentation does not constitute or represent any official policy or endorsement by the Marine Mammal Center. It is simply an illustration of how game mechanics might potentially be applied in this scenario.

PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS

• Choose a non-profit organization, caused-based group or startup for social good.

• Figure out how gamification can help them, using at least 3 game mechanics and 2 player types.

• Create a presentation that lays out your idea for how to help. You can illustrate it, or simply describe your ideas.

• Remember to clearly state the problem you’re trying to help them solve and how you’re proposing gamification can solve it.

• Submit this presentation to Slideshare.net and to the Engagement Alliance, with application.

THE ORGANIZATION:The Marine Mammal Center

The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit veterinary research hospital and educational center dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of ill and injured marine mammals – primarily elephant seals, harbor seals, and California sea lions. Since 1975, they’ve been headquartered in Sausalito, CA in the Marin Headlands within the Golden Gate National Parks, and have rescued and treated more than 18,000 marine mammals.

GAMIFICATION OBJECTIVES

INCREASED AWARENESS/EDUCATION

Expand awareness and educational literacy of the need for environmental stewardship of earth’s marine environments.

INCREASED DONATIONS

Approximately 85% of the center’s revenue is derived from private sources; only a small portion of funding derives from public sources, and the majority of those funds are designated for scientific research projects.

IDEA 1 DESCRIPTION

IDEA I: “Beached”

Idea 1, “Beached”, is a fun time-limited simulation game of a sea lion on beach. User can name their sea lion. User can choose to bring their sea lion back up on the beach at any time or go back in the water. The user steers how and where the sea lion swims. Different points are collected for eating herring, anchovies, sardines, and salmon as they can be found. Natural obstacles like rocks and kelp forests have to be navigated. Other players navigating their sea lions may also be obstacles. The more fish eaten before the clock runs out, the more points are collected. The speed at which the sea lion swims and the complexity of his environment increases as the game levels up. Things like plastic, other garbage, and pollution clouds, patrolling sharks or getting back up on the beach to avoid sharks, slow progress down. The more realistic the environments, the more educational for users to learn about the marine environments sea lions live in. Players can see how they are doing compared to other players.

Bartle’s Player Types: Achievers, ExplorersGame Mechanics: XP, Levels, LeaderboardsGoal: Expand awareness and environmental literacy of earth’s marine environments.

IDEA 2 DESCRIPTION

IDEA 2: “Sea Lion Tracker”

Idea 2, “Sea Lion Tracker”, allows users to log into a dashboard that includes webcams of current “patients” at the Marine Mammal Center. Each “patient” is listed by name. Users can micro-donate money via text or the website and each micro-donation of $5 is represented by a fish that gets added to the bucket for that “patient”. A total bucket goal is next to each patient and progress bar is shown. If one level of the donation goal is reached, groups can crowd-source and vote on a name that patient. If the total donation goal for that patient is reached, a tracker is added to the animal and when released, where the animal goes can be tracked and followed on an online map. On the same page is a chat window so everyone watching the cam and the GPS map at the same time can chat with each other.

Bartle’s Player Types: Socializers, AchieversGame Mechanics: XP, Levels, GiftingGoal: Increase donations and increase connection users feel with marine animals, inspiring wanting to help them and conserve their environment.

PRESENTATION BY

Kathleen McMahon, KTMOmedia.com

September 20, 2014