Project G10N Top Secret Protocol
PROJECT G10N
Gamification Project Sheet
TOP SECRET PROTOCOL
Overall Mission
To provide a list of possible gamification (g10n) mechanics for one of these
course scenarios:
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U.S. History
Pedagogy
Weather Forecasting
Choose your own scenario!
The sections below will include information that will help your team make
decisions.
You don’t have to use every element, but your course design should try to
include at least two elements.
Gamification Elements
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Badges
Missions/Quests
Levels
Leaderboards & Non-Academic Rewards
Gaming “Candy”
Professor P has a top secret mission for you!
Presented at Game Day 2012 by Elizabeth J. Pyatt
© The Pennsylvania State University
Project G10N Top Secret Protocol
Mission Element: Badges
Definition
Badges are awarded to recognize certain achievements. Badges can be
posted in a gamer (student’s) profile or within a leader board. Badges can
also be tied to points which can be used to increase a player’s score
Typical Game Badge Types
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Achievement/Merit – Awarded for mastering a task
o Pass quiz with minimum score
o Voted best blog
o ….
Experience – Awarded for completing a task, but does not indicate how
well it was done. Can increase motivation for students who want to
achieve some level of recognition, but can also be seen as an empty
reward. Can come with XP (experience points).
o Submit Assignment 1
o Extra credit blog entry
o ….
Fail (“Oops!”) Badge – “Awarded” for failing at a task. When used
humorously, it can lessen anxiety, but remind students about what NOT
to do. Should be used with some caution.
o Typo Badge
o Sleeping & Drooling Badge
o ….
Trading Badges – In some games, badges are handed out and student
trade for additional badges. This could be a way to increase student
interaction.
Team Badges – Can only be earned in teams.
Skill Badges – Tied to certain key skills/topics within your course. This
can help students understand the context of what they are learning.
Common vs. Rare – Rare badges are generally worth more points and
represent badges which are harder to acquire.
Presented at Game Day 2012 by Elizabeth J. Pyatt
© The Pennsylvania State University
Project G10N Top Secret Protocol
Mission Element: Quests/Mission/Challenges
Definition
A mission, quest or challenge is a task that a student must complete to
advance in the course. Unlike traditional assignments, a “mission” may add a
narrative, graphic or humorous element to increase a sense of
“adventure.”
Note: Most assignments can be framed as missions.
In a gamification scenario, completing quests are often linked to earning
badges in addition to academic credit.
Advanced “Mega Mission”
You can choose to make your entire course a long mission with multiple
subquests or milestones.
Example: A microeconomics course built as a mission to build a planetary
economy post space ship crash.
Traditional Games
FYI – Traditional gaming activities can be missions within a course, or a
complex game can form the basis of a course-long mission.
Presented at Game Day 2012 by Elizabeth J. Pyatt
© The Pennsylvania State University
Project G10N Top Secret Protocol
Mission Element: Levels
Definition
In games, a player progresses through levels gaining more skills and
experiences with missions. As each level is completed, a player earns extra
status (and often points and badges). In addition, going to the next level
implies slightly increased difficulty and often “unlocking” a new tool or
option.
What can be Unlocked?
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Additional lessons?
o Additional content
o Additional skills
o Additional assignments/missions
A new equation or technique? – can these be treated as rewards
instead of additional work?
Additional badge options?
Scaffolding vs. Change in Mission
Ideally, each level should be slightly more difficult than the previous level and
build on skills learned in previous levels.
On the other hand, some courses are built around topics so a change in level
may be a change in topic or “location” in the game.
Advancing the Overall Mission
In some games, each level corresponds to a task within a larger mission. Can
this be replicated in a course?
Level Title
♟ (1) Junior Agent
♟♟ (2) Senior Agent
Abilities
Complete g10n missions
Complete g10n advanced missions
♟♟♟
(3) Mission Commander
Create basic g10n missions
☗ (4) HQ Mission Coordinator Create all g10n mission types
Presented at Game Day 2012 by Elizabeth J. Pyatt
© The Pennsylvania State University
Project G10N Top Secret Protocol
Presented at Game Day 2012 by Elizabeth J. Pyatt
© The Pennsylvania State University
Project G10N Top Secret Protocol
Mission Element: Leaderboard and Rewards
Definition of Leaderboard
A leaderboard is a list of high scorers. For low stakes activities, many
students enjoy leaderboards as a way to measure achievement and to
compete with other students.
Note: We do NOT recommend posting grades on a leader board. That would
be a violation of Penn State policy.
Examples Leaderboards
Leaderboards could be used to post:
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Scores of in-class games
Badges earned (plus game points)
Point Scales
Points can be posted in terms of
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Points
Virtual money earned
Miles travelled
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Low Stakes Rewards
Can badges/points/position on a leader board be tied to a meaningful
reward?
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Extra credit?
Extra time to submit a final project?
First choice of presentation slot?
Candy?
Presented at Game Day 2012 by Elizabeth J. Pyatt
© The Pennsylvania State University
Project G10N Top Secret Protocol
Mission Element: Gaming Candy
A successful game may not need every element listed below, but 1-2 can add
interest to the activity.
Gaming Avatars
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Can students use gaming avatars/game names
(tied to PSU Userid)?
Team names?
Can instructors be “avatarized”?
Avatar Generators
 http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2011/09/1avatar-generators-for-pupil-profile-pictures/
 http://studiowhiz.com/2009/02/24/top-5-avatargenerators/
Intriguing Consequences for Failure
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Say Hello to Professor P
Death from dysentery (Oregon Trail Game)
A machine explodes
Angry customers
Quirky Metaphors, Narratives
Graphics, Audio, etc
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Can you use a YouTube video to introduce the mission?
Can you borrow graphic, music legally?
http://mediacommons.psu.edu/instruction/freemedia
Presented at Game Day 2012 by Elizabeth J. Pyatt
© The Pennsylvania State University