Download - Power to the Players
Putting the Fun in Functional II
Power to the Players
Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. CEO, ShuffleBrain Inc.
ShuffleBrainSmart games for social networks (details soon to come…)
First, some terminology…
What is Social Media?
player-created content
player-created content
+ social infrastructure
player-created content
+ social infrastructure
+ sharing tools
What is a Game?
Formal Definition
a system in which players engage in an artificial
conflict,
defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable
outcome*
*from Rules of Play by Eric Zimmerman and Katie Salen
Informal Definition
a structured experience with rules and goals
that’s fun
Games tap into our primal response patterns
Games engage us in flow
What are Game Mechanics?
the systems and features that make games fun, compelling and addictive
Game Mechanics for Social Media
1. Collecting
Show me your stuff!
Game Mechanics for Social Media
1. Collecting
2. Points
Social Points are given by other players
Game Mechanics for Social Media
1. Collecting
2. Points
3. Feedback
Feedback accelerates mastery and adds fun
Game Mechanics for Social Media
1. Collecting
2. Points
3. Feedback
4. Exchanges
Exchanges are structured social interactions
basic, primal form of social engagement
comments are implicit
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
“Add Friend” is explicit
Implicit vs Explicit Exchanges
Game Mechanics for Social Media
1. Collecting
2. Points
3. Feedback
4. Exchanges
5. Customization
Character Customization
Interface Customization
Game Mechanics + Social Media =
the future of networked entertainment???
Power to the Players
key trends in networked entertainment
Key Trends in Networked Entertainment
Social Game Mechanics
Key Trends in Networked Entertainment
Social Game Mechanics
Accessible Tech
Key Trends in Networked Entertainment
Social Game Mechanics
Accessible Tech
Syndication*
* the supply of material for reuse and integration with other material
Case Study: YouTube
Game Mechanics: Collecting
Game Mechanics: Points
Game Mechanics: Feedback
video response to a posted video
video response to a video response
Game Mechanics: Exchanges
Game Mechanics: Customization
Accessible Tech
easy to upload videos using a variety of formats and devices
Syndication
Case Study: Twitter
Game Mechanics: Collecting
Game Mechanics: Points
Differentiate between friends and followers
Game Mechanics: Exchanges
Accessible Tech
Can send and receive messages via SMS, IM, or website
Syndication
Case Study: FaceBook
Game Mechanics: Collecting
Game Mechanics: Points
Game Mechanics: Exchanges
Game Mechanics: Exchanges
Game Mechanics: Customization
Accessible Tech
Internal Syndication*
* the supply of material for reuse and integration with other material
if
game mechanics + social media =
the future of networked entertainment…
if
game mechanics + social media =
the future of networked entertainment…
…how can we prepare?
How to Prepare for the FutureUse game mechanics as appropriate
Start small: co-evolve your game in partnership with your players
Build content-sharing networks Make it easy for players to create, share, rate and discuss content
Leverage standard data formatsBuild around widely accessible formats - XML, SMS, voting, etc.
Design cross-platform services Meet your players where they are; put your data ON THE NETWORK
Prepare for syndication enable Widgets; open your API; encourage third-party clients