Gamer Types

Killers: harass, hack, cheat, heckle, troll Killers can be a disruptive force in a game. They’ll try every underhanded trick in the book just to get ahead of their competitors. In the world of gaming, this can range from playful teasing to all-out name-calling. On the whole, Killers see only one goal –victory at all costs– and they don’t care who they have to trample to get there. There aren’t many positive things you can say about Killers, but you need to admire the ingenious hacks and workarounds they come up with.  Thinking outside the box  in this way is something to be encouraged. The question is how do you hack the hackers and turn their cutthroat compulsions into a force for good? Gamified Learning For Killers Training managers can, on this occasion, breathe a sigh of relief. Due to the corporate nature of eLearning Management System, nobody would risk an encounter with HR just for the sake of another badge. In my experience with gamified learning, I’ve yet ...

Socializers: help, share, comment, gift, greet Achievers and Explorers mainly play games for their own pleasure, but social interaction plays a huge part gaming culture. From the earliest team sports to today’s thriving online multiplayer games market, it’s clear that gaming isn’t supposed to be a solitary affair. Gamers will persevere for hours, until their thumbs cramp up, trying to complete a puzzle or beat a tricky boss. When they’ve tried everything they can think of, they turn to their fellow gamers for help. In this case, Socializers are happy to come to the rescue. Meanwhile, when they have nobody to help, Socializers will happily congratulate other gamers on their successes, share their opinions, and perhaps even spark the odd heated discussion. Gamified Learning For Socializers The internet has offered countless ways to collaborate and share ideas.  Social functionality  is so ubiquitous that you can’t afford not to include it in your training. Social f...

Explorers: explore, rate, review, vote, curate Where Achievers have a results-oriented mindset, Explorers prefer the process. They are naturally curious people, and this  curiosity  is your secret weapon when it comes to engaging them. They arrive in the uncharted territory of the learning platform with the desire to turn over every stone and discover every secret. For explorers, there is no such thing as 'failure' but only discovery. Every time they stumble on their journey, they make a mental note to avoid the same mistake in the future. Many explorers will also assume the role of a cartographer, mapping the land for anyone who follows in their footsteps. Gamified Learning For Explorers Most of the Explorers using your Learning Management System will be happy to privately browse the content at their own pace. It’s up to you to build an exciting journey for them, full of twists and turns. This is why it’s important to  create an overarching narrative  ...

Achievers: win, challenge, create, show off, compare The most defining feature of a game is arguably the ability to win or lose. We may play games for the simple enjoyment of the experience, but in our heart of hearts, we want to win! Achievers feel this urge more keenly than others. They want to rise to the challenge and beat the game. It’s not enough to simply win, however. Achievers want to share their successes with everyone. If other people can’t gape with awe at their vast collection of trophies, Achievers might just lose the motivation to continue. Gamified Learning For Achievers The thirst for challenge is the main driver for Achievers. You need to ensure that there are enough challenges to satisfy them, and that they get more difficult as the player progresses. In this case, a  microlearning  approach is ideal, as it lets you break your content down into smaller, bite-sized pieces. On a gamified Learning Management System, more content can mean only one ...