Monday, May 30, 2011

How Gamification Works

How Stuff Works


"Gamification" describes turning real-world situations into games. Gamification is a neologism -- a newly invented term that's becoming commonly used. The word gamification was likely born in the realm of casual conversation to convey the idea of turning something into a game. People like entrepreneur and author Gabe Zichermann, though, have given gamification its own unique definition. Zichermann, a respected authority on gamification and its applications, defines the term as "the process of using game thinking and mechanics to engage audiences and solve problems." In short, he describes gamification as "non-fiction gaming."

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Ribbon Hero 2

Clippy is back!

Ribbon Hero 2 uses game mechanics to teach players how to use Office.

Download here

CNN coverage is here

The storyline with Clippy keeps a theme across levels of learning.

"In Ribbon Hero 2, you'll hop on board Clippy's stolen time machine and explore different time periods. With each time period, you get to explore a new game board with challenges you must complete to get to the next level."


YouTube video here