Nebula, een mooi speelbare motiverende ‘muur’

Authors Zichermann and Cunningham guide readers into the ceoplmx realm of game design in this work. Just as the title suggests, the content of the book is geared toward electronic device applications. However, these same themes are applicable in almost any situation involving the alteration of a person’s mindset. As an introduction, the premise and basic requirements of gamification are presented to the reader. Gamification is described as “the process of game-thinking and game mechanics to engage users and solve problems”. The text continues on to discuss the things that inspire various types of players. Next, game mechanics is discussed at length. “Mechanics make up the functioning components of the game they allow designer ultimate control…”. The discussion of mechanics ranges from player attitude assessment to specific design element explanations. In ending the book, the authors include examples gaming case studies. The studies serve as a demonstration of real world implications of such themes. Also, lessons in coding and platform use are included. The layout of the book allows for easy navigation. As new themes were introduced, the language used was concise and very understandable. Gaming novices would have no problem reading and applying ideas. The illustrations provided also add to the ease of navigation. Each chapter includes a generous selection of colorful artwork. For example, when a game or application is mentioned, a screen shot will often times accompany the description. The glossy page texture and relatively slender size make the book more comfortable and appealing to hold and read. I must admit, the subject matter of this book was not of any interest to me at all at first. I did not grow up playing video games and have never quite understood the allure of them. The arrangements of the book’s themes helped me to gain some understanding of gaming’s depth. After reading the text, I now know that designers must have a grasp of psychology, business, and several other disciples in order to be successful. What I enjoyed most about the topics in the book, were that they are so far reaching. The examination of human behavior is really useful, especially in a field like wellness. Just as designers must relate each game design to player needs; healthcare professionals must relate programs to the needs of clients. This book is useful, but the reader’s interests will determine to which degree this is true. If a simple, straight forward exploration of gaming is desired, then I would recommend this book. And if behavior patterns and psychology are of interest, this may also be a good reference. However, this may not be as informative for experienced gaming designers. There is also only one section regarding coding and technological instructions. Overall, reading this has been enlightening regarding gaming and wellness.