Game Design Principles Usable in Gamification

Abstract

This chapter presents focuses on a few principles of game design used in gamification. Game design is the process of applying the design and its aesthetics to develop a game for either educational, entertainment, experimental, or exercise purposes. Game design bears significance to develop rules, challenges, and goals applicable to various kinds of gamification settings. We will discuss game design as a concept, game as a tree, dynamics, game theory, game thinking, and game design elements, success criteria development, and types of games interaction. In addition, it highlights the game design and its application in non-game-based settings involving engagement and decision-making. It also included the game flow model, goal-setting theory in gamified settings, constraints and rewards, and incentives. The last part of the chapter bears important implications for the designers by highlighting what is not gamification and the considerations to make for differentiating between the two for determining design principles truly usable in gamification.