Discover more from Metavert Meditations

The next-generation of the internet, driven by creativity, connection and real-time interaction: immersive experience, games, AI, virtual worlds and the metaverse.

Over 1,000 subscribers

42 Fun Things

Are you making a game? Or crafting an experience for the metaverse? You’re going to need to make it fun.

Jon Radoff

Sep 12, 2021

Are you making a game? Or crafting an experience for the metaverse? You’re going to need to make it fun.

The original version of this appeared in my book, Game On.

Here are a few feelings and motivators that are fun: power, curiosity, independence, acceptance, order, saving, honor, idealism, social contact, family status, vengeance, romance, physical activity, tranquility.

But what exactly can you put into an experience to actually make it act on any of these?

Finding the Fun

Here are some specific things that you can include in a game to make it fun. You can also use this list to identify the unexpected thing that’s fun in your game — and consider whether pivoting more of your gameplay to it might make sense. And if you aren’t building a game, then scanning through this list might uncover something you could add to an experience to make it more enjoyable and engaging.

The 42 Things

#1: Recognizing Patterns

#2: Collecting

#3: Finding Unexpected Treasure

#4: Achieving a Sense of Completion

#5: Gaining Recognition for Achievements

#6: Creating Order Out of Chaos

#7: Customizing Virtual Worlds

#8: Gathering Knowledge

#9 Organizing Groups of People

#10: Noting Insider References

#11: Being the Center of Attention

#12: Experiencing Beauty and Culture

#13: Romance

#14: Exchanging Gifts

#15: Being a Hero

#16: Being a Villain

#17: Being a Wise Old Being

#18: Being a rebel

#19: Being the ruler

#20: Pretending to Live in a Magical Place

#21: Listening to a Story

#22: Telling Stories

#23: Predicting the Future

#24: Competition

#25: Psychoanalyzing

#26: Mystery

#27: Mastering a Skill

#28: Exacting Justice and Revenge

#29: Nurturing

#30: Excitement

#31: Triumph Over Conflict

#32: Relaxing

#33: Experiencing the Freakish or Bizarre

#34: Being Silly

#35: Laughing

#36: Being Scared

#37: Strengthening a Family Relationship

#38: Improving One’s Health

#39: Imagining a Connection with the Past

#40: Exploring a World

#41: Improving Society

#42: Enlightenment