how to use gamification for non-fiction storytelling

ulfgruener.de | 20151

Storytelling & Gamification

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http://ulfgruener.de

http://ulfgruener.com/edu


look into

the engine

room

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what could we learn

from Gamification to

improve our storytelling?

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1. introduction

2. example & analysis

3. how to: a thesis

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1 introduction

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Storytelling

sbrains only light up

when they detect a story

–- particularly if it evokes

emotion. http://www.reachstoryu.com/about/ ulfgruener.com/edu




that's why we need

to intensify storytelling

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not an entirely new way to do so:

use games &

learn from games: • newsgames • editorial games • persuasive games • immersive storytelling

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2013

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the first book on newsgames: MIT Press, 2010

& "How to Do Things with Videogames"

2011

bogost.com



http://bogost.com


journalism conference discussing newsgames:

London, 2011

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ulfgruener.de | 201511 ulfgruener.com/edu

a reader should

“develop a deeper sense of

the underlying themes

of a story” by playing a game

journalism conference discussing newsgames:

London, 2011




http://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2014/piratefishingdoc/



... but:

in real life?

How to use Gamification

in everyday storytelling?

For non-fiction storys?

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How to use

the techniques

of Gamification in

our newsroom for

immersive storytelling?ulfgruener.com/edu




2 example

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. bushfires in Australia

. family escapes

by jumping into a lake

and waiting under the

landing stageulfgruener.com/edu




. onepage storytelling

parallax

. linear

. multimedia

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ulfgruener.de | 2015http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/may/26/firestorm-bushfire-dunalley-holmes-family


http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/may/26/firestorm-bushfire-dunalley-holmes-family

ulfgruener.de | 2015ulfgruener.com/eduhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/may/26/firestorm-bushfire-dunalley-holmes-family




ulfgruener.de | 2015http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/may/26/firestorm-bushfire-dunalley-holmes-family



ulfgruener.de | 2015ulfgruener.com/eduhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/may/26/firestorm-bushfire-dunalley-holmes-family





... analyze with

SRF "story bulding kit"

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1. the elements of a story

2. the storyline

3. the structure

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Storytelling: basic elements of a story

a story needs

a main character

(hero)ulfgruener.com/edu




Storytelling

main character

(hero)

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Storytelling

main character

(hero)…

with intentionulfgruener.com/edu




Storytelling

main character

(hero)…

with intention

wants to rescue his grandchildren

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Storytelling

main character

(hero)

…

with intention

and

quality

fearless, persistent

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Storytelling

a goal

sth to aim for

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a story needs:




Storytelling

xgoal

survive & rebuild their home

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Storytelling

obstacle (or enemy)

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a story needs:



ulfgruener.de | 2015ulfgruener.com/edu




Storytelling: basic elements of a story





2. the storyline

3. the structure

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http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/11/a-wonderful-visual-outlining-7-steps-of.html


http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/11/a-wonderful-visual-outlining-7-steps-of.html


http://visual.ly/kurt-vonnegut-shapes-stories-0




htt

p://

visu

al.l

y/ku

rt-v

onn

egu

t-sh

apes

-sto

ries

-0







2. the storyline

3. the structure

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http://de.slideshare.net/ulghh/onepageparallax-storytelling-a-quick-guide





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58

Plot-Points > scenes pushing the story

Magic Moments > adding emotion

& experience




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what could we learn

from Gamification to

improve longform stories

like this one?

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... and in real life:

How to use Gamification

in everyday storytelling?

For non-fiction storys?

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3 thesis

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StorytellingThe perfect story creates different effects simultaneously:

• organizes and simplifies

• provides context and relevance

• creates emotions

• visualizes, creates images and improves memory

• creates trust between author and audience

• leads to action (for example: commenting, sharing ...)

http://www.reachstoryu.com/about/ ulfgruener.com/edu




... it's a story because

I'm involved

I've learned sth

& use it immediately

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Storytelling... that's quite similar

to the mechanics of games.

But we still have to add sth:

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key features of games: (quotes from MasterClass eSports & Gamification, Berlin, March 2016,

Eurovision Academy & Institut für Ludologie;

slide from the presentation by Dr. Maximilian Schenk, biu-online.de)



http://biu-online.de


StorytellingWhat we have to add to our stories

by learning from Gamification:

• interactive elements

• instant feedback (!)

• collaboration ("User Generated Content")

• motivation

• concentration

• intuitive storyline

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StorytellingHow to apply this to storytelling? • interactive elements: quizzes, quick games ... and ?

• instant feedback: discuss with author ... and?

• collaboration: "User Generated Content", crowdsourcing ... and?*

• motivation: by explaining things, by background, relevance ... and?

• concentration: clear focus, hero, strong dramaturgy ... and?

• intuitive storyline: easy to follow ... and?

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* Dan Gillmor, 2009: "We would invite our audience to participate in the journalism process ..."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/oct/02/dan-gillmor-22-rules-news







slide from the presentation by Roman Rackwitz, engaginglab.com)



http://engaginglab.com


StorytellingHow to apply this to storytelling? • novelty: that's our job to deliver news

• challenge our audience: with new angles of a story, unknown heroes ... and?

• think creatively: "surprise your readers" - one of the oldest rules in journalism

• do things the hard way: as journalists we're focused on telling stories the most comfortable way

• - is it Gamification to urge our readers out of their "comfort zone"?

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slide from the presentation by Roman Rackwitz, engaginglab.com)



http://engaginglab.com


StorytellingHow to apply this to storytelling? • clear goals, milestones: a good story has a clear goal, every paragraph is a clear milestone

• well known rules: how to read this story?

• room for maneuver: let your reader find his/her own way through the story - or at least give some options

• transparency: be transparent on what do we know, what we don't know *

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* Dan Gillmor, 2009: "Transparency would be a core element of our journalism. One example of many: every print

article would have an accompanying box called "Things We Don't Know," a list of questions our journalists

couldn't answer in their reporting. TV and radio stories would mention the key unknowns. Whatever the medium,

the organisation's website would include an invitation to the audience to help fill in the holes, which exist in every

story." http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/oct/02/dan-gillmor-22-rules-news





more key features of games: (quotes from MasterClass eSports & Gamification, Berlin, March 2016,

Eurovision Academy & Institut für Ludologie)

• "personal path to mastery": how could a story be a path to mastery? by making sense, explaining sth, telling new angles of a topic ... and what else?

• level up - more, better, increasing complexity: challenge your audience, don't hesitate to tell complex stories ... and what else?

• overview: help navigating through the story at any time and any place, this is also indispensable to give room for maneuver ... and what else?

• shop: offer individual add-ons to your story ... and what else?




StorytellingIf journalists use Gamification in their storytelling –

these 3 features are the most challenging:

• instant feedback for our audience while reading a story • challenge our audience and don't make it too easy, too simple

• do things the hard way and therefore urge our readers out of their "comfort zone"

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let's go, play! adapt the the techniques of

Gamification for

your TV/Radio/Online

immersive storytelling

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see all my presentations at http://de.slideshare.net/ulghh/



http://de.slideshare.net/ulghh/

how to use gamification for non-fiction storytelling

Education