Really? Lists? a list is a game mechanic? Well... a list is a series of elements. We can use a list in whatever context we want so when we connect it to our design, it can become a game mechanic. All we have to do is give the list a context within the narrative. "This is the list of ingredients to create the ultimate cake. You must go find all of them so we can greet our guests with this delicacy" And now the list has value. If you lose the list its an issue. If you don't get all the items the cake won't be real and then the story can't flow. :) That's it. When we give the right context, the tool becomes a game mechanic :)

This mechanic ties very well when I explain the concepts of Cool Monsters, Friends and Punches. The idea is to design a threat to the user. Something that won't allow them to stay idle. If there is a threat, there must be action. Usually we tie this to the story but it's not required. It can simply be a timed challenge but the timer isn't a countdown clock but the room filling with water. The point is to add pressure and guidance. The users learn they are at risk and not doing something will result in progress loss.

Who did that? Where was it? What should we do? How do we solve this? Why is this happening? All valid questions that allow you to create Mystery. The goal is to reward the users with ACCESS. The Mystery mechanic isn't about the object they receive but what happens because of it. The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have a core narrative technique often referred to as the "But, Therefore" model. Instead of only adding to a story, learning why things keep happening build engagement. It allows us to kind-of reverse engineer a story as we play through it discovering more and more to it without weak or invented justifications. Think of this as avoiding using Aliens as the obvious next step in the story. Mystery is really powerful and works wonders when tied with a storyline.

For quite some time, I believed that purpose was the most powerful motivator from the R.A.M.P. model. I designed this card with that idea and it's not a lie. I know today that PROGRESS and MASTERY are far more powerful because they drive purpose (there are many psychological terms involved in this, let me know if you need me to elaborate). Epic meaning is a a pretty great tool. Not all designs will allow it but when it can be present, don't hesitate to use it.

So... aside from a narrative that is a more global story or flow we use with our users, a story line does tells a tale that leads the users into action. It's especially effective in younger audiences, however if you design a complex story that is clearly researched as favorable towards your audience, then you will have great success. Don't be afraid to use a story to drive the users into action, just, as we talked about in our Q&A this morning, avoid excessive "explicit" gamification that will take the user away from the goal. Remember the words of Andrea Kuszewski: "If you are not spending the majority of your time, 🔥at the beginning of your project🔥, identifying what motivates your audience, 🔥you are doing it wrong🔥".