Have you ever had an Idea for an app, or a game, that on paper or in your mind sounds awesome, but when you start to polish it or try explaining it to someone else, you start to ask yourself "Is this actually enjoyable?".
These types of questions are one of the main causes of creative block, but thankfully, there's a process in which any questions like this can be answered, and you can start asking yourself "How do I make it more enjoyable?"
Gamification
What is Gamification?
Gamification is the process of adding game mechanics and/or elements to a non-game, or something that you would usually not find as a game. These include but are not limited to places such as websites,
school/business intranets, forums and more.
Gamification can also include finished products/games, with a concept not used commonly, as it is not overly viewed as 'entertaining' or 'game worthy'. Such examples include the fitness app 'PlayFitt', the language app 'Duolingo' and 'Codecademy Go' for programming.
Gamification is truely important in design, whether it be app or game, as it influeces users to become players, and Players will be more encouraged to continue dedicating their time, effort and sometimes money, to something that is consistently engaging them.
Observe this image, detailing the most popular categories of apps in early 2022.
Aside from Games, each category has the ability to surpass one another through the effective use of Gamification.
How do apps currently 'Gamify'?
As a little exercise, maybe pick one of the lower ranking categories, and brainstorm ways you as a player, would feel better downloading and using an app from it.
My personal favourite example, is through the use of mascots. Many great apps have mascots to interact with the user, offering advice or giving them rewards.
An article by Marina Yalanska states that mascots help players feel familiar, and incenctivised to visit reguarly. Other benefits include enhanced communication, opportunities for marketting as well as emotional appeal/building healthy connections.
How To Gamify?
It might sound hard, but just think of what you generally like from videogames, and think of ways you can implement that into a different environment. This can be stuff like:
-In Game Currencies: A gateway to allowing you to 'upgrade' your experience, making it yours.
-Badges: A method of celebrating progression
-Levels: A way of measuring your progression or overall skill.
-Performance Charts: A form of measuring your progress, taking all factors into consideration
-Scoreboard/Leaderboard: A way of comparing your ability to that of other users.
The importance is having a healthy balance, and making sure the overall point of your app is not lost.
Gaps In Market
Everything I have said up to this point is mainly for apps that want to be more engaging. As for games with a concept not usually seen, it's a different story.
As previously mentioned, these are games made out of activites that people dont usually find engaging or entertaining. These can include house renovation, gardening, cooking, cleaning and more.
Many games have been successfull in making these menial, mundane tasks into great, enaging games. Most are in the form of 'Simulators'
Papers Please - A Unique Example
Ask any parent, bookkeeper, accountant, ANYONE. They will say paperwork can be one of the most boring tasks to ever. So when I saw Papers Please, a game about doing that exact thing, I wasnt expecting much.
I won't be giving this game a whole review, but it makes the paperwork aspect FUN by succeded in a few key areas.
-It has a peculiar artstyle I had never seen before.
-It explains it's (simple) mechanics and story in a simple way.
-It often tests the players moral compass.
-It's added realism adds layers to the gameplay.
In conclusion, this game is a great example of effective gamification stragies to make a standard task entertaining.
What is the LIMIT of Gamification?
There are games for MANY obscene or super specific subjects and tasks, one of the more popular being those made for the Adult Content and erotica categories. Others include 'The Longing' which involves waiting 400 real days, existing for pure satire 'just because' in the creators words.
The limit to Gamification truly stems from the creativity of its designers, however there are definetly SOME things that will never be gamified, or at least popularised.
These include realistic acts of terrorism or abuse of children and/or animals, simulations of historical events such as the holocaust or 9/11, as well as games containing graphic instances of self harm.
Games can of course touch these topics, however this is a 'walking on egg shells' type area, high risk high reward. Making a game purely for these topics, and employing the gamification strategies would likely come off as very offensive.
Gamify-ing Reading
One of the main reasons I wanted to write this post was because I wanted to raise an interesting opinion I have.
Reading is made easier when gamified.
I don't overly like reading, as I am more of a visual learner. This includes both phsycial and digital copies.
However, this is the crazy part.
I would 100% read a gamified version of the bible, one of the best selling, least read and least understood books of all time.
Now I should also say that I am not a relgious person, so I would be reading this for no personal gain.
Now when I say this, I don't mean a 'Telltale' style of storytelling, I mean a word for word copy of The New Testament, all displayed on a screen for my viewing. All it would take is occasianal rewards, sound effects and maybe a cartoon Jesus giving me quotes to get me hooked.
Something similar can be seen in the previously mentioned game 'The Longing', in which the player can find and read the entirety of famous books such as 'Moby Dick'. If I ever were to read Moby Dick, it would be through this. And only now have I found out why.
I don't consider playing videogames a waste of time, therefore when something is 'Gamified', no matter what it is, I will see just as much of a point playing it than I would playing anything else. Similarly, I enjoy spending time in the digital world way too much. If there is something to be done in the real world, I will look for ways to substitutue it or recreate it online, an environment in which I feel more comfortable.
Conclusion
Because of Gamification, anything can be fun, but not everything should be. Gamifying elements of your app can turn users into players, which lead to more of an incentive to play, espeically when paired with the popular mascot trope seen in apps such as Duolingo.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, hopefully you're more informed about how to make your unique idea fun.
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