secrets of game thinking

Secrets of Game Thinking harness the power of games to drive long-term engagement

Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. co-founder, Shufflebrain

As a

child

I loved

to play

As a

child

I loved

to play

But I

didn’t

love to

compete

one night

on a beach

in Greece

my creativity

was re-ignighted

I found another way to play

I developed my coop design skills

then one day, I got THE CALL

we created a breakthrough hit

which led to more breakthrough hits

and insights

about Game

Thinking

What is Game Thinking?

Three Key Components

• Social Actions: Find the Fun

• Skill-building Core Loop

• 4-stage Customer Narrative

Social Actions: Find the Fun1

Fun is just another word for learning

Raph Koster MMO designer & author, A Theory of Fun

Fun means different things to different people

What is a game?

a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that

results in a quantifiable outcome* * Source: Rules of Play

Zero-Sum Game

We are opponents

I Win You Lose

Head-to-Head Battles War Simulations

Rank-Ordered Competitions Gambling

a structured experience with rules and goals that’s fun to play together*

* Source: The Player’s Journey (forthcoming)

We are partners

Non-Zero-Sum Game

Win-Win Lose-Lose

Martial Arts Charity Walk

Double Dutch Pictionary

Who are your customers?

How do they like to interact?

Killers Achievers

Socializers

Explorers

Bartles 4 Player Types (1996)

Jane McGonigalRichard Bartle

Points, Badges, Levels, Leaderboards… appeal primarily to Achievers

Compete

CollaborateExplore

Express

Content People

Social Actions Focus on Motivation

Express

Explore

Compete

Collaborate

Social Action Matrix

Content Players

Explore

Express Compete

Collaborate

Content Players

Explore

Express Compete

CollaborateHelp

Comment Like

Share

GreetCollect RateView

Review

Vote

Curate

Win Challenge

ShowoffCompare Taunt

CreateDesign

Customize Choose

Purchase

Decorate

Build

Contribute


Content Players

Explore

Express Compete

CollaborateHelp

Comment

Share

GreetCollect

Showoff

Create

Customize

Build

Contribute


Jane McGonigalRichard Bartle

If you’re building a social app, instead of asking “who are my player types?” ask

“what social actions motivate my players?”

Skill-building Core Loop2

In a loop, you’re learning a skill and updating your mental model. That’s what leads to player delight.

Dan Cook Game Designer

Fake landing page?

Fake landing page? X

Operant Conditioning AKA Skinner Box?

Operant Conditioning AKA Skinner Box? X

Skill-building =

making customers more awesome

Core Loop = skill-building habit loop

Skill-Building Core Loop

Check Updates urge to connect with your team

Read & Respond to

Updates

No More Updates Need

Attention

Customize your channel &

expressions

Activity Chain

Feedback & Progress

Investment Path

Internal Trigger

Core Loop


Read & Respond to

Updates


Attention

Customize your experience

Activity Chain

Feedback & Progress

Investment Path

Internal Trigger

When I need to check on my team’s progressI want to see everything in one place So I can stay on top of what’s happening with less friction & more pleasure

Core LoopJob Story


Read & Respond to

Updates


Attention


Trigger

Activity

Engaging activity satisfies an urge or need

Internal Trigger

Core Loop

Feedback & progress promote learning & mastery

EscapeTime! urge to dive into an escapist world

Read & Respond to

Updates


Attention


Feedback & Progress

Core Loop

EscapeTime! urge to dive into an escapist world

Read & Respond to Updates

No More Updates Need Attention


Investment Path

Investment & triggers pull people back

Engaged Trigger

Check Notifications

Core Loop

BreakTime! urge for a quick

social “hit”

Read & Respond to

Updates

Check Notifications

& Stats

Collect faves, RTs & followers


social “hit”

Read & Respond to

Updates

Check Notifications

& Stats


Activity

TriggerEngaging activity satisfies an urge or need

Internal Trigger

Feedback & progress promote learning & mastery


social “hit”

Read & Respond to

Updates

Check Notifications

& Stats


Feedback & Progress

Investment & triggers pull people back


social “hit”

Read & Respond to

Updates

Get Notifications,

Check Stats

Investment Path

Engaged Trigger

Check your Stats


PartyTime! urge for a fun social activity

Play a Song Together

Get your Score, Accolades, $$

get better, play harder songs & bigger venues

Core Loop

Feedback & Progress

Investment Path

Activity

Internal Trigger

Beat the Song

Engaged Trigger

Skill-building =

making customers more awesome

Core Loop =

making customers more skillful

4-stage Customer Narrative3

Design is not just what it looks like & feels like. Design is how it works.

Steve Jobs

is for Enthusiastsend-to-end customer experience

Discovery

Onboarding

Habit-Building

Mastery

is for Enthusiasts

Discovery

Stage 1: Discovery is for Visitors

What is this? Is it right for me?What’s the value proposition?

is for EnthusiastsStage 2: Onboarding is for Newbies

Discovery

Onboarding

How do I learn the ropes? How do I start giving & getting value?

is for EnthusiastsStage 3: Habit-building is for Regulars

Discovery

Onboarding

Habit-Building

What urge pulls me back?

What am I getting better at?

is for EnthusiastsStage 4: Mastery is for Enthusiasts

Discovery

Onboarding

Habit-Building

Mastery

What skills & knowledge have I mastered?

How can I leverage that?

is for Enthusiasts

Discovery

Onboarding

Habit-Building

Mastery

Customer Narrative

conversational environment

built around friendly, helpful bots

extensible environment

built to enable UGC & player creativity

is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Discovery is for Visitors

Social Discovery via Friends & Colleagues

is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Onboarding is for Newbies

Learn the ropes with a friendly bot

is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Habit-building is for Regulars

Customized group chat with emojis, bots & integrations

is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Mastery is for Enthusiasts

Launch a channel, program a bot, integrate your app

skill-building makes your customers more awesome

game thinking helps them leverage their skills

.. and helps YOU

bring products

to life with

gaming smarts

How can you benefit from Game Thinking?

Accelerate your design & development process

+

Identify & leverage the right early customers

+

Validate your ideas with a simple, compelling MVP

What We Do

accelerate your path to

product/market fit with

gaming smarts

Just Launched

Getting2Alpha Podcast

listen in as we explore how successful creative people bring their ideas to life

Lightning-Fast Customer Insights

Secrets of Game Thinking

5 Rules for Co-op Game Design

Getting2Alpha Flipped Workshops

Thank You Let’s stay in touch

@amyjokim

http://amyjokim.com

http://amyjokim.com