Applying Game Element on Web or Mobile Based Service

Game element is nothing new in internet, both applied on web/mobile based service and applied on application accessible through web or mobile device. Several services from Indonesia also applied various game elements in one of features on service offered.

Based service such as Foursquare, Gowalla are using game element to their service, and other local (Indonesia) services like Bouncity or Tasterous will also applied game element on their service. This game element application is not only apply on location based service, but social recommendation like Rockto and shirt design competition service GantiBaju also provide badges for their users.

There could be many detail explanations on game element jargons, but what I meant in a simple way in this article is as a certain part of service/application or feature inviting users to ‘play’ or do certain activity (which usually is fun) and get ‘prizes’ from the activity. So the feature can make users use the service longer, have fun element, persuasive and addicting (in a positive way) over a certain service.

Game is not only functioning as fun seeking in a narrow way, but also in a wider way. Education world often adopts game element as teaching method to make lessons can be absorbed easily. One of the article in Wired magazine, March 2011 edition, wrote one opinion from Jane McGonigal (game designer and writer), that when we play a game, our method of thinking will be more positive, we’ll be able to collaborate, and build ourselves sustainability towards certain activities.

Jane also added that this game element addition is applicable on almost everything. The relation with web/mobile based application is that the element is applicable not only on location based service but also to other applications such as, for Indonesia, Rockto and GantiBaju which have proven that badge service can be applied on social recommendation services and building community in shirt design competition service, and adjusted to the service’s character.

So will game element be applicable to other service/applications related to productivity like financial management service, photo sharing, or others? Well, it depends on the service itself, but basically I think it is possible.

Even for financial management service, I think it will be more fun with game element, as long as game mechanics applied still supports the service’s objective. For example, game mechanics which applied to the users who can get bagde after saving money as much as Rp 500.000. Users can get more badges if they can save more money. Users with certain saving badge will get special title and additional facility, like advice giving for other users on how to save better.

Game element is not only in form of badges. Like Endomondo, the game can also appear as competition in sports activity, take one example, bike1000km. This independent program from Indonesia, use Endomondo as activity’s application, and can make users who join the challenge become very active in biking, race to be the first who reach 1.000 km.

As fun element, game element addition can be one of strategies for service providers to make users stay longer in their application/service. Adding other element such as social element on game element can make users more active using their service and features available.

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Translated by Nita Sellya.