Create a Player Journey of Actions and Consequences

Monica Cornetti, MS-EDE
President

When designing gamified or game-based learning for adult learners, your create a blueprint or player journey of actions and consequences. For each behavior that you want your player to do within your program, it is now time to think about how you will use mechanics to trigger, or to give feedback (recognition, reinforcement, or reward) to the player for taking that action. 

The main elements to consider in planning your player journey are the rules, the in-game economy, and the engagement loop because your gamification system needs to engage the player continuously as part of a sustainable strategy.

We give feedback to players to create the feedback loop. The feedback loop gives them information about their performance or things that are going on within the program.

You can use feedback when the player has performed a desired behavior or achieved some sort of level up. Feedback can also be given as encouragement to let the player know they need to complete just 2 (or 1, 5, 20%, etc.) more actions to earn their next reward, unlock, or level up.

Feedback can be given in a variety of formats:

• Behavior hints: short descriptions of what the player needs to do – (e.g. Please login and create your user profile)
• Mission hints: explain what the player needs to do to complete the mission, quest, or level. (e.g. You’ve got two quests in this level… Let’s get started!)
• Achievement hints: short description of what the player needs to do to achieve the reward, level up, badge, etc. (e.g. Read two articles and share at least three insights to the Facebook group.)
• Achievement messages: fun, quick, and engaging recognition of their achievement and a word of encouragement (e.g. Way to go, you’ve received your 2nd badge. We can see that someone has been studying!)
• Level messages: you can remind the player how many points were needed or earned to reach this level. (e.g. You earned 3000 points and earned the Captain Nathaniel Wilson Badge! You are ready to level up to Dead Men Tell No Tales Cove!)

Game mechanics are the most visible aspect of gamification. To be successful, mechanics need to be selected based on the objective (the outcome you want or need), and a thorough understanding of the player.

And that's the foundation for designing a player journey - they come in all shapes, sizes, and formats - and help you, the designer to understand how users feel and what they need most.

Below is a draft example of the feedback loop written for an early GamiCon (The International Conference for the Gamification of Learning). 

GamiCon is 100% gamified through BLUErabbit. 

You can experience a gamified player journey for yourself at GamiCon48V on February 26-28, 2023. At GamiCon48V we’re pairing legends and leaders from different industries at the only online event exclusively for the design and delivery of gamified and game-based learning for corporate training, adult learning, employee engagement, and behavior change. 

Learn more about our speakers and topics here and SAVE $100 on GamiCon48V with Promo Code 3FRENCHHENS. (But hurry the $100 discount expires when the 12 Days of Christmas conclude on January 5th.)