Category Archives: Psychology of Games

Gamification Course

Have you heard of gamification yet? If not, you will surely run across it at some point. Gamification is one of the hottest topics at the intersection of game design and business. Many companies are incorporating game design elements in … Continue reading

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Balancing Act

Game design is a balancing act. Literally. Not only do you have to balance the various tasks that fall under the umbrella of game design, but, more importantly, you’re responsible for balancing the gameplay experience. At the core of every … Continue reading

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Pop & Dodge Rookie Mode

A new version of Pop & Dodge is now available on the App Store. This version includes new powerups, new achievements, and a new tap mode. …wait a second. Tap mode? Aren’t our games supposed to be about physical activity? … Continue reading

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Games Make Kids Smarter

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Give me a break

Growing up, I was tasked with practicing the piano a solid hour a day. Didn’t matter what I did within that hour, as long as I sat on that bench for 60 minutes. My parents figured that more practice time … Continue reading

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The Importance of Feedback

People are often surprised when I tell them I came to game design through teaching. “Wow, that’s a huge switch!” they’ll say. But if you examine the core of teaching and game design, they’re really not all that different. Sure, … Continue reading

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Game Insults

Wow, look at you reading my blog. And here I didn’t even know you could read. I guess that big head of yours is good for something after all. Or maybe not. As it turns out, trash-talking is almost as … Continue reading

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The Opposite of Play

We’ve always been taught that the opposite of play is work. Play is fun. Work is not. However, positive psychologists have found that work and play can be one and the same. In fact, people tend to be happiest when … Continue reading

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