the 4 most important emotions for social games, nicole lazzaro 100311

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XEODesignPutting Emotion into Play

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The 4 Most Important Emotions for Social Games Nicole LazzaroXEODesign, Inc.Game Developer’s Conference March 11, 2010

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Putting Emotion into Play ™

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XEODesign, Inc.The 4 Fun Keys

“Every designer should learn to read this language.” - Will Wright

Winner Best Game 2007

Tilt the first iPhone accelerometer game

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Social EmotionsSocial Tokens are better than spamming high scores to the friend feed

> QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Putting Emotion into Play ™

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Mango = 100M DAU on FB

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Separated at Birth?

Vision: Gaming Together Bring people together

Games in 2020

Egypt: Mankala

Player Experiences

<-- UX Controls ------------------ PX Choice -->

CuriosityFiero

ExcitementRelaxation

Amusement

The 4 Keys to FunPaint Engagement w/ Verbs

Emotions Make Games More Fun

Naches

Schadenfreude

Generosity

Coordinate Action

Inside/Outside Social GroupingTwitter

FacebookFlickr WikipediaBrain Age

Wonder

Surprise

FrustrationFocus Attention

Reward Accomplishment

Challenge and Mastery

Imagination

Express Values

Adventure

Discovery

Figure Out

Bejeweled

The Sims

Create Value

Basketball

Halo

Myst

Mob Wars

Who Has theBiggest Brain?

Farmville

Grand Theft Auto

Personalize

GrowNiche Interests

Hard Fun Easy Fun

Serious FunPeople Fun

Putting Emotion into PlayXEODesign

Putting Emotion into Play ™

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The 4 Keys to Fun30 emotions from gameplay

Hard FunFiero

People FunAmusement

Easy FunCuriosity

SeriousFunRelaxation

emotion < choice < mechanic > choice > emotion

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4 Keys to Farmville’s SuccessHard Fun: Score• Goals

People Fun: Friendship

• Social interaction

Easy Fun: Feedback• Imagination

Serious Fun: Reward• Collection

Completion

Social Emotions are ImportantWhy They are Fun adds to A/B Testing

• People Fun = More emotions• Require two people • Hard to A/B test• Drive viral distribution• Drive all of Web 2.0

Massively Social Online GameMSOs use fun to drive social distribution

MSO Viral Design Principles

4 EmotionsMake Games Social

[iPen]

What Emotions Make Players Share?

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Mango = Social Token symbolic in nature that increases in value with use

Amusement+ Grouping

Amidar+ Ranking

Amici+ Grooming

Amiero+ Reciprocity

Amusementlaughter

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Amusement Grouping Mechanics

Amusement MechanicsGrouping

Teasing Friends Increases Social Bonds

Language Chat & Jokes Dancing Teasing …

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AmusementGrouping Mechanics

AmiciChumminess

People FunTiltWorld.com

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Cute Characters Change How it Feels to Play

Caretaking Emotions ~ Tilt: Flip’s adventure in 1.5 dimensions

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AmiciEasy to Start Social Grooming Mechanics

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Amici Make Friends or Die vs.. Make Friends or Buy

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Real Friends = More EmotionCreate Stronger Social Emotions

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Likes and Interests Feeling of being closer creates social fabric between people

TattleTalz.com

Winner Best Game 2008

Amici MechanicsSocial Grooming

People Pets Plants Real friends Pet, like, caretaking Visit, be neighborly …

Make it Easy to Start Friendly Interaction

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AmiciSocial Grooming Mechanics

Farmville

AmidarAdmiration

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AmidarRanking Mechanics

=

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=

AmidarEpic Armor = Horse Stable

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AmidarFriends as Important as Tools

Tilt the Real World: MightyOrBlighty.com

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Personal Hype Quotient

Do you play “follow the leader” to increase your personal hype quotient? What would encourage idea exchange?

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Players Pay for Admidar

Amidar Mechanics

Inspiration to Play More and Compete

Compare Rank Check in with friends See what others do …

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AmidarRanking Mechanics

Farmville

AmieroSocial bonding

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Amiero Reciprocity Mechanics

Healing in WOW

Amiero Mechanics

Inspire and Reward Repeat Interaction

Gifting Reciprocity Offer risk to build trust …

Putting Emotion into Play ™

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AmieroReciprocity Mechanics

How Will Your Game Go Viral? Amusement

Grouping

AmiciGrooming

AmidarRanking

AmieroReciprocity

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How Will You Make Money? Keys to Viral Distribution4 Steps to Create Social Emotions that Drive MSO Viral Distribution

3. Tilt Factor Increase # of Players

* Simple* Mobile * Frictionless

4. Monetization Connect the dots

* Reward gameplay * Social goods + services* Max installs MTX 10% pay

PX

Features to build now

1. Gameplay Everyone

* Simple* Appealing* Participation

2. Social Features People Fun

* Social Emotions* People Fun * Social Tokens

How Will You Connect Friends?Tilt the Real World: MightyOrBlighty.com

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The Power of Play: Design Viral Distribution

First Bay Area public XEOPlayShop

• Why Viral Fails• Social Emotions• Design a game like

PacMan to Go ViralSaturday March 27XEODesign.com

Tag! You’re it!Contact Us With Questions

Nicole LazzaroEmail: nlazzaro@xeodesign.comTwitter: @NicoleLazzaro

White papers and slides: xeodesign.comSlideshare.com/NicoleLazzaro

Sign Up for our Beta!!! > TiltWorld.com

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Resources• TiltWorld.com• The Wonder Woman ~ Fast Company http://bit.ly/5w7ASW

How The iPhone Accelerometer Game Tilt Taps Into Users' Emotions• White Papers XEODesign.com/WhyWePlayGames.html• Slides http://slideshare.net/NicoleLazzaro • Choices in Games: http://blog.ihobo.com/2010/02/lazzaro-on-choices-in-games.html

Book Chapters• The Four Keys to Fun, Beyond Game Design Ed. Bateman C • The Four Fun Keys, Game Usability: Advancing the Player Experience, Eds

Isbister K. & Schaffer, N.• Why We Play: Affect and the Fun of Games: Designing Emotions for Games,

Entertainment Interfaces and Interactive Products, Human Computer Interaction Handbook, Eds. Jako, J. & Sears

• Are Boy Games Even Necessary?, Beyond Barbie ｮ and Mortal Kombat, Eds. Kafai,Y., Heeter, C., Denner, J., Sun, J.,

Follow my research on Twitter: @NicoleLazzaro