Thoughts about the Gamicon21v line-up and the topics.

I've been wrapping my head around the idea of a 24 hour, 2 day experience gamification event, as trying to figure out what I want to attend is a real choice in its own. I know between work and sleep, I will have to choose the ones I will want to attend right on the spot, but it's been a titanic endeavour. So I decided, for my own sake, to write my thoughts on each of the conferences, so here it is if it might help you as well.

Of course, everyone here has merit and if I say I won't be attending one it's only based on my own motivations and what I can deduce from the descriptions. There are many speakers I don't actually know, so there can be a lot of speculation here. I just think that if you read me, maybe you have a similar understanding on what you'd wish to find in the event, but feel free (even encouraged) to disagree.

1:00-2:00 GMT - Yu-kai Chou

If you are relatively new to gamification this would be a must-see. Octalysis has paved the way for many frameworks, including my own, and has a nice clear approach to motivation and human based design. I might go to this one to see if there are updates to the framework I might not know about, but being a presentation ON the framework, I think it would be a little to introductorial for me. Maybe just to hear Yu-kai life, and it will be 9pm here so I can still catch it easily.

2:00-3:00 GMT - Susan Peahl

I do believe this can be a really fun playshop. I have attended improvisor workshops before and they tend to be really fun. But creativity and thinking about what I can't do is not my issue really, so I might have to pass on this one for the sake of my limited attentional resources. I don't know Susan, but anyone that works as an improvisor is usually a really interesting person, so I will miss the idea of learning about her work.

3:00-4:00 GMT - Kevin Bell

Kevin's lecture description includes Intrinsic Motivators, which means that it aligns well with my interests, and if you are not knowledgable around this topic, you should go and learn about this. For a topic I have read and studied much about, I'm not sure the time frame would help me be a part of this one (I'm not sure the depth with which he'll treat the topic), but I would encourage newcomers to meaningful gamification to check it out.

4:00-5:00 GMT - Eric Nelson

I think the best merge of Design Thinking and Game Design is Amy Jo Kim's Game Thinking framework, but a new approach to this topic would be interesting to check. Still, I think the time frame is not ideal for me, and the idea of calling the framework "The Habbit" takes me to closely to a Fogg's kind of framework that I'm not sure if it's my kind of deal (not that is wrong, it's an important topic, just not one I'm interested in right now). I might be wrong about it, and the description does have some compelling things I like, like framing it as an adventure... if that is not just wordplay, that might push me, if I'm not too sleepy, to make the effort.

5:30-6:30 GMT - James Bishop

I love James' work and escape rooms are amazing! If I'm not there it would be because of the time, but this is one that must be lived, not viewed after, so if I'm up at 1am, I would not doubt to play with him. Well, I know about escape rooms and training so it will not be for the learning but for the fun, but is that not reason enough? Again, James do amazing stuff, so I would recommend it without second thought.

6:30-7:30 GMT - Abhilash Purohit

The description does not give a clear idea of what this one would be about. I think it has something to do with learning tools, so it might explore going beyond LMS's, and I understand that his work intersects learning and technology, so I think this should be one to attend if your are searching for tools for gamified learning. As my job tends to be more "boutique" and "custom-made" apps, I'm not sure if this is a fit for me, but his bio is really interesting, so if you are into tech based lectures, this might be interesting for you.

7:00-7:30 GMT - Kerstin Oberprieler

I love Kerstin's work! She is a really academic/designer type that is not easy to find. It will be 2am for me and is a case study so I'm not sure I will be able to attend (she is on the other side of the globe from me, really unfortunate!), but if you can, please do! I might actually try to be awake, but if not, this is one I will surely view afterwards in video. Her case studies are really clever, so keep an eye on her work! (only 30 mins? I would give more time to that brain).

8:00-8:30 GMT - Ansub Khan

There is no description of Ansub's lecture. I have spoken with him and he has some great ideas, but will wait to know more before I make a comment.

8:30-10:00 GMT - Mohsin Memon

From the description of the lecture I would have little comment, but I have checked the philosophy around Evvive (even downloaded the app, but missed the last game session), and that is something I would like to learn more about: MMO (massive multiplayer online) learning experiences. It's a bit early for me, and I hope to be learning form Mohsin in other settings, but I would recommend it. Mohsin, if you are reading this, I would improve the description, I don't think it shows the value of what it could be.

10:30-11:00 GMT - Pete Jenkins

Well, Pete is a well known gamification master, so what is there to say. I know more about Octalysis than about Gamification+, and I might be up, so I will try to attend. He is the mind behind Gamification Europe and a guru for that matter, so if you can and are interested in gamification frameworks, this should be a must see. (Mmm, should I do one around my framework in the future? I like to focus on particular problems and no around the framework per se, but it seems to be a thing).

11:00-11:30 GMT - Loredana Zaharescu

I might check this one out. I haven't follow Loredana's work so it might be interesting to see a new face, but the whole idea of working beyond PBLs and saying that this has been widely covered theoretically, but not been well implemented is something I can vouch for. And helping people get better on that skill is not easy, really, so there might be a few things I can learn from this one. Might see me there.

11:30-12:00 GMT - Rob Alvarez

Professor Game itself will be here, so I might check it out! The description is a bit open to give me an idea of what it will be about (as well as the title), but this guy has heard first hand from the main gamification guru's so his knowledge base must be amazing. I would go blind into this one and hope for the best.

12:30-13:30 GMT - Ashley Parker

This one is a must see for me. Ashley seems to bring to the table some interesting ideas on branching narrative games. The idea of resulting im-balances seems really interesting to me. I will not say much more, this is one I will surely attend.

13:30-14:00 GMT - Ahmed Hossam

Coming soon. No comments right now.

14:00-14:30 GMT - Jan Bidner

Jan's work is really interesting, so if you are up for a case study, this might really be interesting. I have a more academic profile, and are more interested in game design technics, so, if I had to attend to work or something I might not attend, but if I have an open schedule, learning about gamification for tourists can be interesting.

14:30-15:00 GMT - Adam Palmquist

Wow, is this and academic approach! The whole description shows the hand of a person more used to write abstracts than lecture descriptions, so yes, I will check this one out! I except this one to be filled with hard data, and I would not expect it to be so much sexy as really insightful! Also, the results give opposite outcomes! This kind of gray areas shows me that it is an impartial study that is not trying to sell something. My kind of deal.

15:30-16:30 GMT - Alyea Sandovar

I must first say that I would give her the award for best bio picture! Someone that can laugh like that in their photo must really enjoy her job, and that, I think is good news! Her description talks about 5 myths and completion rate improvement. I think this might be great for people that are new to gamification or that have the completion rate problem as a regular topic, but for me it would be a gamble, as I might already know about those 5 myths. Still, I'm all for demythifying gamification so I might check it out and think that newcomers should too.

16:30-17:30 GMT - Dennis Glenn

I'm not sure I will be attending this one, the idea of creating micro-learning apps in under an hour seems like a bit of a clickbait for me, and probably will revolve around templates and quick decision making, which is not my style. I think this is a lecture for people seeking for efficiency, which I'm not, I like taking my time in my design process, and it uses provided software, which is again not my jam, but I can see how this could have an audience around people that has to teach a lot of micro-topics.

18:00-19:00 GMT - Javier Velásquez

This is must see, of course. No more comments :)

19:00-19:30 GMT - Jim Egan, Naomi Pariseault, Dave Eng

I'm so happy that this one follows my own, because I will not miss it! It's an open topic around the ethics of gamification, which I love, and I have the pleasure to know Naomi and Dave (will be looking forward to meet Jim), and know how serious they are in the field. I'm bummed it will only be 30 minutes, I know they could have engaged us for much more time.

19:30-20:00 GMT - Dr. Ginger Malin

This one has a strong focus on the business side, around the topic of micro-credentials. The idea of understanding micro-credentials and its relationship with badges could be interesting, and I think it might be valuable for people working on gamification for certified programs, so I think I will check it out.

20:30-21:30 GMT - Kevin Miklasz

This is another one that includes the topic of intrinsic motivation (well, it says rewards, actually). This topic is interesting because the very definition of intrinsic motivation can create heated discussions on things like if a badge is intrinsic or extrinsic, or if gamification can even declare to be able to move intrinsic motivation, so I would like to hear his approach. You will probably get a lot on mastery, autonomy, relatedness and purpose in this one, so if you prefer a meaningful approach to gamification as opposed to a behavioral one, I would definitely check this one out.

22:00-23:00 GMT - Alex Galloway

This one is a bit of a mystery to me, because Alex seems to work on Wells Fargo, but his lecture is about text adventure games and their evolution, so I will never stop being amazed by people! This one might be fun just for the topic. How it will relate with gamification for learning, not sure, at least not from the description, so I'm not sure what to expect from that domain, but the history of text adventure games is fun and can teach a lot about how to design narrative based systems.

23:00-24:00 GMT - Betty Dannewitz, Destery Hildebrand

I have yet to find AR projects that I feel are more than dressings to things that could go 2D on a screen, and how can you transform Scavenger Hunts into learning experience without resorting to the "find the hidden information" mechanic is also something I'm not so sure about. But, if you are esceptic, you should go and check it out, or you might miss something cool. I will attend this one with a grain of salt, because it says it can be applied to any core curricula and I think that could be overselling it... if a tool works everywhere, it tends to be generic and abstract. But they might surprise me, so I think I will give it a chance.

Feb 23rd

0:15-1:00 GMT - Dr. Larysa Nadolny

This one is a must go for me! Again, I love the academic approach, and I have seen first hand the perpetuation of ineffective designs, so I think there is a lot to learn from this lecture. I think this will be like reading a meta-analysis, but in a more dynamic and palatable presentation, so I hope to learn lots from it.

1:00-2:00 GMT - Chuck Sigmund

I think these topics around dark patterns and manipulation techniques in gamification are a must check. Not only Chuck has important knowledge on gamification, but has a heavy topic on his plate that everyone working on the field should know about, so even though is on a difficult schedule for me, I will do my best to attend this one. I would encourage you to avoid missing this one!

2:30-3:30 GMT - Christian Gossan

This one is not in my alley, as it seems to business oriented, and not that much around Gamification. It must have something in its plate to be in the speaker line-up, and maybe it's the description what is misleading, but I'm not excited by this one as it is presented. Don't know Christian so my comment is based only on the description, maybe I'm missing something.

3:30-5:00 GMT - Jimbo Clark

I'm really unhappy by the time frame of this one, but, well, Jimbo is in the other side of the world as well. I participated on his experience back in 2018 and found it fun and insightful: how can anyone could do so much with just a cardboard box! And the challenge of getting a really analogue experience into the digital realm is not a small feat. To get to know how he tackled this problem is worth the time, but I will have to be up late to check it, so it will depend on the energy I have left from the day. If you are into anything playful, check this one out.

5:30-6:00 GMT - Vaughan O'Leary

You should know by now that case studies expositions must have something special to engage me (which is ironic, because in my first contact with Gamicon I was there giving a case study). This one is a little vague on the description for me to make an opinion, but I think it can be more valuable for organizations trying to create virtual learning programs as a strategy, than for gamification designers as myself.

6:00-6:30 GMT - Rakshith Bhagavath

These seem to be another case study, but the title has two things that I find appealing: that it will focus on specific techniques (3 keys), and that it is focused on managements games, which I find really interesting for learning. The description is too based on the contextual problem, but it does not give me information enough around those 3 keys, so this one is kind of a gamble for me, especially at 1am, but the premises are all there, so you might to want to check it out.

6:30-7:30 GMT - Wesley Ball

I would love to check this one! It has tabletop adventure games on its title, that's enough to grab my attention. Also, I would love to hear what Wesley has to say, because I've only had the pleasure to talk to him on logistic matters. This is one of those that I hate they are so late in my time zone, but I might put an alarm to hear him out.

8:00-8:30 GMT - Ehab Abu Dayeh

I have worked in a couple of MOOCs in the past and I know first hand that Gamification can have a real impact in this courses. I also know that creating interactive gamification modules on this platforms can be a real pain, and that they can be restrictive, so the idea Ehab brings to the table seems interesting, and something he has figured out in some way. I'm not working that much in MOOCs right now so I will probably skip it, but it got my attention.

8:30-10:00 GMT - Mohamed Reda

This one is for those interested in storytelling. I studied literature and have a Magister on Literary studies, which is not the same as taking storytelling workshops, but I think that I can sleep through this one. But I do encourage instructional designers to check everything they can around this topic. Now, I'm not sure what will be Mohamed's focus, so I will not vouch for its content, but a least the tile is intriguing: "The Oracle".

Edit: Mohamed shared with me a little bit more about his presentation. Actually he will direct this game called "The Oracle" where he shows how he can capitalize storytelling mechanics for learning. Sounds really fun, actually, and you will learn through demonstration. I don't think the hour will let me be in this one, but I will try to nudge Mohamed to let me know more about his game.

10:30-11:00 GMT - Karen Sikkema

I think I can wake at 5:30 am in the morning for this one! I love this kind of escape room / ARG initiatives and I think it can be real fun and I could learn a lot from a designer stand point. I find no reason for anyone not to attend this one.

11:00-12:00 GMT - Carlo Fabricatore, PhD.

So, academic type, intrinsic motivation, overcoming the limits of badges and leaderboards, what is there not to like? Of course, I like this nerdy things, and I think it might be more directed to a more specialized audience, but I'm so happy that this is the case. I think this is the kind of content that can move the discipline forward and needs a space in this kind of events, and I'm really happy to find several academic lectures in this installment. This one I will surely attend!

12:30-14:00 GMT - An Coppens

This one can be fun to just move the designer muscles. I'm sure I would enjoy this playshop more in a less virtual setting, but I think it will still be fun, and An knows her stuff. I would only miss it if I have something really important to do (I design for a living, so I would be there more for the fun of it), but will try to attend.

14:00-14:30 GMT - Arcan Altug Yilmaz

I like the title, but the description is not enough for me to be sure about the content. Arcan seems to have a scientific approach to gamification, but I'm not sure which perspective he will bring to the table, and I'm not familiar with his work. Will try to be there, because it seems to be on my alley, but I would hope for a more academic description in these kind of presentations, and a less "I will reveal the secret" approach, but that is my pet peeve. Still, the guy has an impressive bio so I would think this one is a safe gamble, and I will try to check more about his work.

14:30-15:00 GMT - Dr. Phillip Busch

This one is another case study. I like the context of the problem and it seem like a project with some profound impact, so this tips my curiosity, so, if I have the time, I will check it out! I think learning about how to train in topics of reforestation, specially with a storytelling component can give interesting design keys.

15:30-16:30 GMT - Valary Oleinik

Upcycling is a complex design concept and I would love to see how Valary tackles this problem and shows, not only its benefits but a design method that make it approachable. I like the game design approach, and I believe this can be a really useful tool for gamification and instructional designers. I will be there!

16:30-17:30 GMT - Yuan-Ting Chui, Matt Taillon

Emotional design is a big topic on game design, and I'm happy to see someone touching this theme head on! I know about emotional design and I apply it on my work, but I think this is one field I have much to learn about and I hope this one can give me better tools to approach this really complex subject matter. I can't figure the perspective they will use from the description of the lecture, so there is room for uncertainty in the way they will lead the session, but I'm hoping for the best.

18:00-19:00 GMT - David Chandross, PhD.

This one is a don't miss for me. David's work is serious and pushes boundaries. As a matter of fact, I know he has a deep frustration because people keep doing the same obsolete practices in education and it seems like, no matter how much some are creating disruption and improvement, most seem to still be doing template courses. I also know he is not shy about saying the things he disagrees with and, although this might push some people away, I find this reassuring in a field that requires to be shaken from within. Don't miss on this one, it will surely take you out of your comfort zone!

19:00-20:00 GMT - Jeffrey Riley

This one is not for me. I actually create my SCORM courses using my own gamification engine to save game states and manage triggers and feedbacks, so the xAPI discussion is something I have bypassed almost entirely. But this is, of course, because I am a developer, so I can resolve this technical issues from under the hood. But this can be interesting for people that want to adopt this technology without having to have development knowledge. I would have hoped for a more gamification-based approach, as storing information is key to create more complex game engines, but the description seems to be more based on showing the tool. Will skip it surely.

20:30-21:30 GMT - Prageeth Sandakalum

I can't put my finger on this one, as it starts by stating the problems of using stand-alone platforms with PBLs (nothing new to experts on the field, but still a real problem), but then it seem to be about the lists of things needed to make a complete gamification project. It seems to me it can be about using a different platform, but that is just speculation. Not sure if I'll attend this one.

21:30-23:00 GMT - Robin Kreiglstein

This is the only lecture to have a base on Behavioral Sciences, and I do believe that this is a key aspect to take into account to create behavior change. I don't know how the Hero Design Framework works, and I think gamification designers can learn a lot from other frameworks, as they help to give order, but also variations in emphasis within the field, I wouldn't miss this one.

23:00-24:00 GMT - Bernardo Letayf

It is the wrap up, so I would not like to miss this one. Also, Bernardo gives his soul creating a great experience in his BLUErabbit app, and to check how he will create the closing ceremony in this virtual environment can give great insight into designing non-conventional experiences.