| Session Name: | Meta-Game Design: Reward Systems that Drive Engagement |
| Speaker(s): | Amy Jo Kim |
| Company Name(s): | Shufflebrain |
| Track / Format: | Social & Online Games Summit |
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| Overview: |
One of the hottest topics in the Web-meets-Gaming world is metagame design -- the practice of applying game-like reward and feedback systems to non-game applications for the purpose of driving loyalty and engagement. In the physical world, we're surrounded by metagames: Karate belts, scout badges, employee incentive plans, and frequent flyer miles are all reward systems, layered onto an existing activity to drive loyalty and communicate social status. On the Web, metagames peform a similar function. Social networks like MyYearBook and Hi5 let players earn redeemable points by logging in and engaging in various social activities. Foursquare uses points, badges and leaderboards to turn club-hopping into a game-like social experience. And ''serious'' sites like Hunch and eduFire use badges and leaderboards to drive engagement and reward their most valued members. In this design-focused talk, you'll learn about the three levels of metagame design -- points tables, feedback and rewards, and viral outreach -- and the key questions to answer at each level. Amy Jo Kim will review the pros and cons of metagame reward systems like levels, badges, leaderboards, spotlights, and quality ratings. Kim will finish with a case study of Metagame design for Ning, a platform and toolkit for network creators. |
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