Halo vs. Facebook: Emotion and the Fun of Games

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XEODesign


Putting Emotion into Play
Halo vs. Facebook Emotion and the Fun of Games
Nicole Lazzaro XEODesign, Inc. February - March,
2008
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XEODesign, Inc.
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New Undiscovered

• X

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Iconic Simplicity
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Emotional Feedback
O

• 200,000 visits

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PX Profile Choices Over Time
People Fun Emotions From Friends
Why no Fiero?
emotion intensity
Players win level
time
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How Does Emotion Drive Play?

• Facebook social utility

• Halo multiplayer game

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The 4 Fun Keys30 emotions from gameplay
Hard Fun Fiero
Easy Fun Curiosity
emotion lt choice lt mechanic gt choice gt emotion
People Fun Amusement

• Serious
• Fun
• Relaxation

whitepapers xeodesign.com
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Hard Fun Fiero
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• Its easy to tell what games my husband enjoys
  the most...
• - Wife of a Hard Core PC Gamer

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1. Hard Fun Mastery Creates Fiero

• choices
• goals
• challenge
• obstacles
• strategy
• power ups
• puzzles
• score
• levels
• monsters
• feelings
• fiero
• frustration
• boredom

player choice rewards effort
modified from Flow Csikszentmihalyi
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Easy Fun Curiosity
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Wii offers Next Gen PX Easy Fun

• Sheer joy of novel interaction captivates
  attention
• 1/10 graphics speed

Nintendo Wii and DS
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2. Easy Fun Imagination Creates Curiosity
choices novelty fills attention

• choices
• iconic situations
• explore
• experiment
• fool around
• role play
• ambiguity
• detail
• fantasy
• uniqueness
• feelings
• curiosity
• surprise
• wonder
• awe

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Serious Fun Relaxation
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3. Serious Fun Players Value Play

• choices
• repetition
• rhythm
• completion
• collection
• meditation
• work out
• simulation
• study
• feelings
• relax / excite
• self change
• do real work
• esteem boost

purposeful play changes self and real world
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People Fun Amusement
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• Its the people that are addictive, not the
  game.
• - Bob a Hard Core Sports Player

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Competition People Fun
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4. People Fun Friends Create Amusement
choices with others increase emotions and social
bonds

• choices
• cooperate
• compete
• communicate
• perform
• spectacle
• characters
• personalize
• feelings
• amusement
• shadenfreude
• naches

• generosity
• gratitude
• elevation

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People Fun Emotionshow do bonds form during
player experience PX)?
PX Profile

• Choices
• cooperate
• compete
• communicate
• mentor
• lead
• perform
• spectacle
• characters
• personalize

• Emotions
• schadenfreude
• envy
• love
• gratitude
• generosity
• elevation
• inspire
• excite
• ridicule
• embarrass

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The Black HoleEmotion from Friends Super Smash
Bros. Melee, GameCube
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Facebook vs. Halo
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People Fun the Friend Flavor

• Umami
• Choices that open the pipe
• Make friends
• Mock Apple Pie

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Backyard Stonehenge

• Backyard Stonehenge Dont Wait for Permission
• Wally Wallington, Flint MI

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30x40x16 6 ft/hr
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(No Transcript)
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1. There is no Web in Web 2.0

• Libraries
• Television
• People

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Web 2.0 It Takes 2Emotion between people is the
passion that drives web 2.0

• Flickr
• My Space
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Wikipedia
• Social Text
• Google
• Bar Camp

• Crowd sourcing
• DIY
• Ajax
• Mash-up
• User generated content
• Microblogging
• RSS
• Social Networking
• Wikinomics
• Tags
• Tag clouds
• The Long Tail
• Folksonomies
• Wisdom of crowds

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How did technology made you feel closer to
someone today?

• Technology actually doesn't really make me feel
  closer to someone...it makes things A LOT easier,
  but an actual face to face meeting makes me feel
  closer than technology. - Ed

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1. It Takes 2
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• Facebook
• Social media
• It Takes 2

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Friends Facebook MySpacesocial value

• Reconnect w/old or far away friends
• Meet up in person
• Track in background

friends
close friends
acquaintances
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How did technology make you feel closer to
someone today?

• Even though we have hectic/busy lives, we are
  still able to make each other laugh and bond over
  stupid inside jokes. Barb

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The Relationship is the Messagesocial tokens and
shared experiences bring us closer

• Shared interests
• Express values
• Explore identities
• Create bonds
• Inside jokes
• Amusement

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• Halo
• Multiplayer game
• It Takes 2

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Messages Voice for Strategy

• I could use some help right side! Ed

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Trash Talk Amusement or Anger?

• I do more trash talking against someone I know.
  I guess it is not as funny with a stranger.
  George

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Action Emotions from Challenge Hard Fun
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Friends What they think
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Actions Maple Storysocial interaction creates
value
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It Takes 2 The Relationship is the Message PX
Potential Score
Social Media (5) Multiplayer Games (2)
Adding Friends Zero barrier to entry Browsing warm fuzzies Friends - Adding Friends High barrier to entry, no fuzzies, (Miis friends)
Messaging Open. Friend relevant (mostly exhaust data) Structure Casual more open. (not shared) Messages Messaging Closed Voice, text, and links. Game relevant Structure Immersive (limits interaction friends)
Actions and States Open API infinite emotions Asynchronous Low coordination, no permission required, on PC already Actions Actions and States Closed API (shoot/chat, alive/dead/ emote) Synchronous Highly interactive (coordination, permission required, special hardware)
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2. Draw Circles Not Lines
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2. Draw Circles not Lines
poke
pwn
link
share
frag
compare
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Metcalfes Law Maximize Spread

• More connections increases the value of the
  network
• The more people install the more valuable the
  application
• Or is it?

Wikipedia.org
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Document a Social Network

• I felt comfortable and loved. My boyfriend came
  to see me at school and I wanted to show that I
  was taken. Barb

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• Facebook
• Social media
• Draw Circles Not Lines

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Friends Send Hotness

• Send Hotness 5MM installs in 5 weeks
• Friends already there
• Invitation a compliment
• Compare
• Bump/Grind friends

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Action Pings Law of Emotion

• Circles escalate

ping
pong
Ø dead ends
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PokegtSuper PokegtQuizgtGame
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• Halo
• Multiplayer game
• Draw Circles Not Lines

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Action Rayman
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Circles Not Lines Keeping the Ball in Play PX
Potential Score
Social Media (1) Multiplayer Games (3)
Spread High viral adoption Instant social value, matches the PX Friends - Spread Slow, anti-social themes dont match PX (new games)
- Feedback Lag between messages, dead ends. (Vote, Fave, Tag, Comment, Respond coming New between actions Messages Feedback In person play. Hard Fun strategy, obstacles, goals. Conversation topics. (no interests. Pause btwn games)
- Replay Low outside of email, no in person play, long cycles Actions Replay each game unique. Few details between games. Excuse to spend time w/friend
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3. Secrets Lies and Videotapes
shutup
stupid
hotness
dope
sloth
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Personalizewhat makes people feel closer

• Social Media
• Photos of real people
• What people like and dont like
• Testimonials of friends
• News feed of updates from friends
• Status updates fun to read
• Histories and secrets shared over time

• Multiplayer
• Dress up character Halo/Mii
• Choices are conversation starters
• Games are like appetizers

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Secrets Lies Videotapes

• I like looking at pictures on Facebook. It's a
  bit voyeuristic and maybe taboo--but I like
  looking at other people's pictures. Carl

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• Facebook
• Social media
• Secrets Lies Videotapes

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Secrets Lies Videotapes

• My Space is more for single people. We are
  getting married. - Harry

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Messages Secrets Lies Videotapes

• Social Tokens
• Fashion, music,fooling around
• Heavy metal
• Creepy browsing

• Never mind the gross fingers, meet your new
  love! Amy

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• Halo
• Multiplayer game
• Secrets Lies Videotapes

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PersonalizeIn front of your friends

• I LOVE Rock Band! It tells me Im fabulous!
• - stranger excited by my RockBand sweatshirt

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Friends Personalize the RulesScouts and Knives,
Counter Strike Halo Taxi

• Replay Value
• Changes strategy
• Rewards different skill
• Creates amusement

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Secrets Lies and VideotapesPX Potential Score
Social Media (2) Multiplayer Games (0)
Social Calculus Friend centric, about me content, friends always there. Friends - Social Calculus Game centric, customize limits, friends not there.
Personalize High Open APIs, public and private, MySpace, risk free browsing, fun status updates, real-self issues, preferences, opinions. Messages - Personalize Low Gamer Tag icon, short bio, list of games. Closed messages, (public and private channels)
Deepen Ties Less than real life interaction. Potential high number of player actions and states. Actions Deepen Ties Social tools encourage shallow interaction (Wii,RockBand Halo Taxi) Few player actions and states.
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Social Calculus
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Final Score Emotions that Drive Play PX
Potential Score
Social Media (8) Multiplayer Games (5)
Adding Friends Spread viral Social Calculus Friends Adding Friends Low - Spread Low - Social Calculus Low
Messaging Open Structure Casual Feedback Personalize Messages - Messaging Closed Structure Immersive Feedback - Personalize
Actions and States Unlimited Open Asynchronous - Replay (except email) - Deepening Ties Actions Actions and States Limited Closed Synchronous Replay - Deepening Ties
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(No Transcript)
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Choices for People Fun
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Be BraveEmotions Drive Play

• Massively Social Online Games (MSO)
• Connect Friends
• Offer Social Tokens
• Draw Circles
• Share Secrets

Keep it Simple
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Poke! Youre It!
XEOs Hiring!
Nicole Lazzaronlazz _at_ xeodesign.comwhitepapers
www.xeodesign.com