When looking at gamification, the Pyramid of Elements is a pyramid diagram that explains what is necessary for gamification to motivate and encourage players to participate. For the designer, the pyramid of elements explains what needs more emphasis and detail when using gamification. The bottom contains more elements versus the top of the pyramid. The pyramid that is most popular for gamification is Kevin Werbach's Pyramid of Elements. Werbach is a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania and a businessman. He teaches how to use gamification and designed the Pyramid of Elements with three categories, which are the Dynamics, Mechanics, and Components of gamification. Below are the details of each category and why they are important.
Dynamics
When you are designing the big picture of gamification, dynamics is the category that is being designed, which at the top of the pyramid. The player may not understand the dynamics until they have completed the game because it involves the narrative, emotions, and relationships of the game.
- The narrative is the story that the player goes through as they progress from one level to the next. The hope is that the narrative should lead the players from a newbie state to one who has mastered the goal of the game.
- Emotions can be indirectly planned within the dynamics of the game, which are the mind-sets the designer wants the players to experience.
- Lastly, if there are many players, the designer can develop the relationships or how each player is connected to one another. Either the players are competing against each other or working towards a certain goal.
The dynamics of gamification are important when designing because it gives purpose to the actions of the game. Just as teachers have a reason for students to complete a project or assignment, the dynamics helps motivate the student to achieve a certain goal. When teachers use gamification within their classroom, they should make sure the dynamics follow the goals and objectives of their subject or classroom behaviors.
Mechanics
In the middle of the pyramid is the mechanics category, which explains how the dynamics of the game will be accomplished. Often, mechanics is known as the ''action'' of the game. It contains the challenges, points and feedback, and cooperation. Also, the mechanics of the game includes how chance occurs and turns are made within a game.
- The challenges are the steps that the player needs to complete to acquire the level or goal of the game.
- Points and feedback are helpful elements that give motivation to the students as well as quick information on how to improve for the next challenge.
- Cooperation explains how the players should play against one other, either as a group or individually competing for the goal. In some games, the players make transactions by sharing or trading points to win the game. If there are resources or collectible items in the game, players can compete or trade for those items to win the game.
- Chance and turns help with the flow of the game. Chance brings unpredictable moments to the game that give students various situations to deal with. Turns allow the players to have even time to play so they can compete.
The mechanics of the game are important because they help get the game ''rolling. '' The players need an idea on how to accomplish the goal of the game through the challenges, chances, and turns. Knowing how players are cooperating in a game may change the way players help one another or play against each other. Also, the points allow the player to have a reason to play as well as correct mistakes from the instant feedback.
Components
Lastly, gamification contains components which are details of the mechanics and dynamics of the game. When it comes to games, the aesthetics or how the game presents itself often attracts and keeps the players engaged. Without these fine details, the game may seem cheesy to the player. Although there are many components of a board game, video game, or any game, here are just a few that may be important for gamification, especially within the classroom:
- Awards are anything from achievements, badges, collections, and points. They give value to the objectives that need to be accomplished for the player to win.
- Characters allows the student to take on a personality and gain points to improve themselves in the game.
- Levels These are the stages the player needs to go through to accomplish the bigger goal of the game. Most levels start out easy and progress to a difficult level. The most difficult level is known as the boss fight or boss level.
- Depending on the game, some players may participate on teams and compete against one another, or combat. No matter if it is a single player or team, there is a Leaderboard that shows how many points you have in comparison to others. This may help by making it an incentive to earn more points because you are behind.
