The 4 Keys to Fun: Increasing Engagement with Games

XEODesign: Putting Emotion in Play

The Four Keys to FunThe Psychology of Engagement

www.xeodesign.com ©2013 XEODesign Inc.

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Nicole LazzaroXEODesign, Inc.

IBM September 25, 2013

@[email protected]

#4K2F

http://www.xeodesign.com/

www.xeodesign.com© 2013 XEODesign, Inc.

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20 Years of Player ExperienceResearch and Design

100 Million Player Experiences

XEODesign


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Player Experience Consulting

Player TestingDesign Reviews

PlayShopsGamificationMobile Apps


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How Can Fun Increase Motivation?

Work80%

Fun20%

Reality

Work20%

Fun80%

Want

If This Is What We Want, Why Is This What We Get?


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Create Natural Engagement

The 4 Keys to Engagement: What we want is more fun

Work30%

Fun Work50%

Fun20%


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Dopamine Enhances FocusIt Rewards and Feels Good Too

Positive Brain States Focus Attention

DOPAMINE

• Reward System• Focus increases focus

(addiction is an over focus)

• Love brain centers activate

Many Emotions Focus Attention Instead of aiming for addiction, let’s use dopamine for good! Help people focus on what they need to unlock their potential and improve their quality of life.


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Positive Engaged BrainsBoost Productivity 50%

If You Want People to Think Fear Is Not A Great Motivator

Positive Mental States Increase:• 50% more productive• 237% generated new

leads• Up to 50% closed sales

faster• 210% increased profits• 67–100% more

emotionally engagedFear State

Happy State

AMA Survey 2013


People Require Emotion to Decide


9Emotion as a Design Tool


Workplace Example

Design Emotion into the Tools and the Work


Design Emotion into the Tools and the Work


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Deep Engagement = FunThe Good News is that Happiest Moments are in the Zone

Work Also Requires a Balance of Difficulty and Skill

• In Flow engaged and happy

• Balance difficulty and skill• Fiero requires frustration \

o/

Modified from “Flow” Csikszentmnihalyi


Emotion During Play

CuriosityFiero

Watched Player Emotions to Measure Kinds of Engagement

Relaxation

Amusement

How many smiles? [Ekman/Duchenne]

Orbicularis Oculi

<---


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Categorized Most Engaging Moments by Player Emotion

Player’s Favorite Moments Created Many Kinds of Emotions

WonderSurpriseCuriosity

RelaxDesireExcite

SchadenfreudeAmusementNaches

FrustrationFieroRelief

Positive Engagement


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Identified Engagement Mechanics

Player Choices Create Many Kinds of Emotions


RelaxDesireExcite



Positive Engagement

CHOICES

CHOICES

CHOICES

CHOICES


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Created Map for Designing Engagement

Identified Systems to Create Engagement


RelaxDesireExcite



Positive Engagement

CHOICES

CHOICES

CHOICES

CHOICES


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This Model Increases Engagement Metrics 20-40%

We are More Engaged When Emotion Surrounds Choice


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4 Keys To EngagementNovelty, Challenge, Friendship, Meaning

• Most Engaging Moments created emotion

• Best Selling Games have 3-4 keys

Easy Fun> Hard Fun> People Fun> Serious Fun


21Free to Download at: www.4K2F.com


Gamification Can Kill


Gamification Can Kill


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ChallengeYou can’t just push a button to win

Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning


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Hard FunYou can’t just push a button to win



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Goal

Obstacle

Strategy

Hard Fun


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Hard Fun: Reward From ChallengeIncreases Engagement

Challenge> Strategy> Progress


www.xeodesign.com 28

Hard Fun: Challenge and Mastery

Goals > Obstacles > Strategy


Points Change Behavior


30Challenge> Novelty> Friendship> Meaning

1. Goal2. Obstacle3. Strategy

Hard FunYou can’t just push a button to win


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NoveltyThe bubble wrap of game design



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Easy FunThe bubble wrap of game design


Player Choice and Curiosity from Easy Fun

Player Choice and Curiosity from Easy Fun


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Easy Fun

Easy Fun: Controls, Creativity, Exploration, Fantasy

Tilt!


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Easy Fun: Emotion from Novelty is Enjoyed and Remembered More

Input> Output> Result

2. Easy Fun: Netter’s Neuroscience: Better if Explore

2. Easy Fun: Explore Your Own Brain


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Easy FunThe bubble wrap of game design


1. Controls2. Creativity3. Exploration 4. Fantasy


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FriendshipPeople are addictive



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People FunPeople are addictive



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People Fun

People Fun: Communicate, Cooperate, Compete



1. Communicate2. Cooperate3. Compete

People FunPeople are addictive


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MeaningPlay creates value through learning and meaning



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Serious FunPlay creates value through learning and meaning


Serious FunSystems Create: Excitement, Relaxation, Learning, Enhance Sense of Value

Goal: collect all you can

• Enhance progress• Aspire and acquire

10. Serious Fun: Collection


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Serious Fun

Serious Fun: Collection, Learning, Rhythm


Serious Fun: Collection Create Meaning


Meaning: Diner Dash Trophy = New Strategy


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Serious Fun: Meaningful Experiences are More Engaging

Serious Fun: Values and Meaning



1. Collection2. Learning3. Rhythm

Serious FunPlay creates value through learning and meaning


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Increase Motivation with Games:Here’s what you can do

• Take players through all 4 engagement loops

• Design strong emotional brain state required for the desired action

• Design systems to create brain states with your brand’s emotions

The Four Keys> Emotion> Engagement

Tag You’re It!

Nicole Lazzaro• Email:

[email protected]• Twitter: @NicoleLazzaro• Blog: NicoleLazzaro.com• Game: TiltWorld.com

The 4 Keys to Fun PosterFree Download• xeodesign.com• slideshare.com/

NicoleLazzaro• 4k2f.com <- Downloads

www.xeodesign.com

Download Tilt WorldAn iOS game that plants trees!


XEOPlayTilt World iOS

The Four Keys of Fun in Action!

• Top Rated Kids Game in 10 Countries

• 8 Million Tilt Points• 8k Trees Planted Awards:• Winner Best Game iPhoneDevCamp

2007• Wired Magazine’s Top 9 Hacks for

the iPhone 2007• CNET Top 10 Apps from

iPhoneDevCamp 2007• #1 Kids game in China• #6 Kids game in the U.S.



XEOPlayLUX iOS

LUX is an unique interactive experience that revolves around player emotions, exploration, and curiosity. A genre bending cross platform adventure/puzzle game about the origin of the sun, LUX is set against an epic science fiction backdrop that answers the ultimate question: Who am I?


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The 4 Keys to Fun: Increasing Engagement with Games