101 Game Design Principles for Social Media
posted by Anna Mar, June 27, 2016Game design principles are often incorporated into social media (gamification). The reason is that games are downright addictive. Game-like features can increase user engagement — encouraging desired behaviour from customers, partners and employees.
Game design is a well developed field. After all, games have been around for thousands of years. The following 101 game design elements are commonly incorporated into social media and software (usually in small amounts).
Game Mechanics
1. AppointmentsPlayers must join the game at predefined intervals (e.g. once a day) for positive effect.
2. Achievements
Players seek to achieve goals — successful players are rewarded with points, status etc..
3. Bonuses
Players receive bonus rewards for exceptional achievements.
4. Combos
Players are rewarded for achieving multiple things concurrently.
5. Concentration Scaling
Ensuring that the game is playable when the player is only passively engaged. However, the game should also reward players for more intense concentration.
6. Cascading Information
Revealing information gradually.
7. Countdown
Game tasks are often time-bound.
8. Turns
Turn based games allow players time to consider strategy and tactics.
9. Discovery
Allowing players to explore and discover virtual universes.
10. Scoring
Most games are scored to determine a winner.
11. Infinite Game
Games that can be played indefinitely.
12. Chance
Randomness — to avoid predictability.
13. Skill
The longer you play a game, the better you get. Many games take years to master.
14. Strategy
Games that allow players to plan and direct resources to achieve a goal.
15. Puzzles
Games that test ingenuity.
16. Structure Building
Players are asked to build things.
17. Resource Management
Players manage resources such as power etc...
18. Reaction Time
Demanding the player's attention by testing their reaction time to real-time events.
19. Cooldown
When the player needs to wait after using an ability (before they can use it again).
20. Grinding
Repetitive tasks that reward the player.
21. Mini Games
Embedded sub-games.
22. Longevity
Allowing players to bounce back from failure — so that they will keep playing.
23. Catch-up
Making the final challenge difficult so that players who are behind can catch up.
24. Levels
Game play is divided into levels that become progressively more difficult. Difficulty is often curved so that the gap between levels grows in a non-linear fashion.
25. Experience point
A milestone achievement — frequent milestones give players a sense of achievement.
26. Magic
Anything is possible in games — they are not restricted by the laws of the physical universe.
27. Invisibility
Allowing players to be invisible to others in the game.
28. Risk and Reward
Rewarding players for pushing their luck and succeeding.
29. Punishment
Punishing players for taking risks and failing.
30. Health (and healing)
The health of game characters — often represented as a number.
31. Game Balance
The laws of virtual universes should be balanced.
32. Cheat Detection
Games should be difficult to cheat.
33. Cheats
Minor cheats are sometimes intentionally included in games .
34. Easter Eggs
Oddities and quirks intentionally included in games.
35. Lottery
When game outcomes are decided purely by chance.
36. Vocabulary
Games often have their own language that only game insiders can understand.
37. Creation
Allowing players to extend the game with their own creations (e.g. levels, avatars etc..)
38. Difficulty Levels
Difficulty levels make games more accessible to players of different skill levels. In the past difficulty levels were manually selected — more advanced games scale difficulty based on performance.
39. Modes
Support for multiple modes of game play (e.g. single vs multiplayer).
40. Artificial Intelligence
Intelligence of bots and the game itself.
41. Virtual Universe
A virtual universe where the laws of physics, society etc.. may be different.
42. Area of Control
Allowing players to control geographical areas in the game universe (such as plots of land).
Motivations
43. Euphoric ProductivityGames may make players feel productive.
44. Loss Aversion
Games that satisfy a player's risk adverse instincts.
45. Lucky Day
Games that make players feel lucky.
46. Ownership
Allowing players to own virtual things.
47. Status
Allowing players to achieve status within the game.
48. Optimism
Feeding a player's sense of optimism.
49. Urgency
Creating a sense of urgency within a game.
50. Karma
Allowing players to perform good deeds.
51. Vanity
Feeding the player's self-pride.
52. Achieving the Impossible
Games that allow players to achieve the unachievable.
53. Feedback
Providing the player with continuous performance feedback.
54. Envy
Creating a sense of envy amongst players for status, ability, or virtual possessions.
55. Fun
Above all, games should be fun.
56. Self Expression
Feeding the player's desire for self-expression (e.g. by allowing them to design things).
57. Escapism
Allowing players to escape from reality.
58. Curiosity
Fostering a sense of curiosity in players.
59. Points
Players may be motivated by the desire to score points.
Social Dynamics
60. Collaborative StrategyGames that reward collaborative behaviour — encouraging players to come out of their shell and socialize.
61. Parties
Players are organized into teams (parties) and assigned missions.
62. Collaboration Tools
Allowing users to collaborate with voice, text chat, video etc..
63. Social Networking
Social networking features such as user profiles.
64. Intelligent Matching
Matching players based on location, interests etc...
65. Meet Ups
Facilitating events that allow players to meet in the real world.
Character Development
66. AvatarsAllowing users to customize and control game characters.
67. Character Classes
Categories of characters (e.g. wizards).
68. Character Sketch
Character profiles.
69. Protagonist
Most games have a focal character.
70. Antagonist
Villains are an important element of many games.
71. Stock Character
A character type that appears repeatedly (often comical in appearance).
72. Secret Character
Secret characters appear only after a milestone is reached in the game. Secret characters may be playable or non-playable.
73. Ghost Character
A ghost character is mentioned in the game but never appears.
Narrative
74. PlotMost successful games have an intriguing storyline.
75. Metaplot
An overarching story that may span many games.
76. Epic Meaning
When players feel that they are achieving something truly significant in the game (e.g. saving the universe).
77. Shared Universe
When different games take place in the same fictional universe.
78. Alternate Reality Game
Games that mimic the real world (e.g. life simulation).
79. Symbolism
Games that use symbols to represent ideas.
80. Culture
Games that draw on myth, arts, humanities and popular culture.
81. Humor
Humor is a very common element of games.
Technology
82. Massively Multiplayer Online GameAllowing millions of players to engage in the same game concurrently.
83. Dynamic Music
Music that matches events in the game.
84. Emergent Gameplay
Games that define relatively simple game mechanics and let the game evolve.
Economics
Game economics are of particular interest to businesses looking to gamify social media and enterprise software.85. Currency
Game currency that can be used to buy and sell virtual goods and services. Game currency may be earned for game performance or purchased with real money.
86. Pay to Achieve
Allowing players to pay real money in exchange for benefits in a game.
87. Virtual Labour
Players perform game tasks in exchange for virtual currency.
88. Virtual Land
Virtual real estate that can be owned and controlled by players.
89. Virtual Goods
Virtual goods that can be created, bought and sold.
90. Collectables
Virtual goods produced in limited supply that can be collected by players.
91. Virtual Fashion
Virtual fashion is emerging as a popular virtual good in many games.
92. Scarcity
Imposing scarcity on virtual goods in order to drive up their value.
93. Influence
Simulating influence and political capital in the game environment.
94. Markets
In-game markets that facilitate the game economy.
95. Gold Sink
In many games a player's money goes down with time.
Visuals
96. AnalyticsGame analytics and dashboards that provide players with up-to-date game statistics.
97. Progress Bar
Progress bars that visually represent the status of game-task completion.
98. Dazzle
Visually stunning user interfaces are a big attraction for many games.
99. Cuteness
Cute games sell.
100. Darkness
Dark, dystopian games sell.
101. Themes
The same game may be released in different themed versions (e.g. hello kitty monopoly)
|
Understanding your vulnerabilities is the first step to managing risk. |
|
Back-to-basics ITIL definitions that may serve as a useful executive overview. |
|
The following template captures your high level enterprise architecture. |
|
Should EA report to the CIO? COO? CFO? CEO? How about the Board of Directors? |
Recently on Simplicable
| The 20 People In Your Organization Who Need Enterprise Architectureposted by Anna MarEnterprise architects are leaders. They're near the top of the technical food chain in any organization. As leaders, there are a lot of people in the organization EAs can help. |
| The 4 Contenders to be Your Next CIOposted by Anna MarWhen your organization looks internally for a new CIO there are four usual suspects. |
| Enterprise Software Guideposted by John SpaceyA guide to enterprise software that covers a wide variety of critical enterprise tools. |
|
