Can gamification mechanics help rescued marine animals at the Marine Mammal Center? This project proposal is an assignment as part of the certification process for Gamification Design, Level 2, with Engagement Alliance.

1. GAMIFICATION PROPOSAL:
MARINE MAMMAL CENTER
Can Gamification Mechanics Help Rescued Marine Mammals?

2. DISCLAIMER
• The following presentation was developed to obtain Gamification
Design Level 2 Certification from Engagement Alliance. All ideas
and opinions in the presentation are owned by and those of the
author.
• This presentation does not constitute or represent any official
policy or endorsement by the Marine Mammal Center. It is simply
an illustration of how game mechanics might potentially be
applied in this scenario.

3. PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS
• Choose a non-profit organization, caused-based group or startup
for social good.
• Figure out how gamification can help them, using at least 3 game
mechanics and 2 player types.
• Create a presentation that lays out your idea for how to help. You
can illustrate it, or simply describe your ideas.
• Remember to clearly state the problem you’re trying to help
them solve and how you’re proposing gamification can solve it.
• Submit this presentation to Slideshare.net and to the
Engagement Alliance, with application.

4. THE ORGANIZATION:
The Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit veterinary research hospital and educational center dedicated to the rescue and
rehabilitation of ill and injured marine mammals – primarily elephant seals, harbor seals, and California sea lions. Since
1975, they’ve been headquartered in Sausalito, CA in the Marin Headlands within the Golden Gate National Parks, and have
rescued and treated more than 18,000 marine mammals.

5. GAMIFICATION OBJECTIVES
INCREASED AWARENESS/EDUCATION
Expand awareness and educational literacy of
the need for environmental stewardship of
earth’s marine environments.
INCREASED DONATIONS
Approximately 85% of the center’s revenue is
derived from private sources; only a small portion
of funding derives from public sources, and the
majority of those funds are designated for scientific
research projects.

6. IDEA 1 DESCRIPTION
IDEA I: “Beached”
Idea 1, “Beached”, is a fun time-limited simulation game of a sea lion on beach. User can
name their sea lion. User can choose to bring their sea lion back up on the beach at any
time or go back in the water. The user steers how and where the sea lion swims. Different
points are collected for eating herring, anchovies, sardines, and salmon as they can be
found. Natural obstacles like rocks and kelp forests have to be navigated. Other players
navigating their sea lions may also be obstacles. The more fish eaten before the clock runs
out, the more points are collected. The speed at which the sea lion swims and the
complexity of his environment increases as the game levels up. Things like plastic, other
garbage, and pollution clouds, patrolling sharks or getting back up on the beach to avoid
sharks, slow progress down. The more realistic the environments, the more educational for
users to learn about the marine environments sea lions live in. Players can see how they are
doing compared to other players.
Bartle’s Player Types: Achievers, Explorers
Game Mechanics: XP, Levels, Leaderboards
Goal: Expand awareness and environmental literacy of earth’s marine environments.

7. IDEA 2 DESCRIPTION
IDEA 2: “Sea Lion Tracker”
Idea 2, “Sea Lion Tracker”, allows users to log into a dashboard that includes webcams of
current “patients” at the Marine Mammal Center. Each “patient” is listed by name. Users
can micro-donate money via text or the website and each micro-donation of $5 is
represented by a fish that gets added to the bucket for that “patient”. A total bucket goal is
next to each patient and progress bar is shown. If one level of the donation goal is reached,
groups can crowd-source and vote on a name that patient. If the total donation goal for that
patient is reached, a tracker is added to the animal and when released, where the animal
goes can be tracked and followed on an online map. On the same page is a chat window so
everyone watching the cam and the GPS map at the same time can chat with each other.
Bartle’s Player Types: Socializers, Achievers
Game Mechanics: XP, Levels, Gifting
Goal: Increase donations and increase connection users feel with marine animals, inspiring
wanting to help them and conserve their environment.

8. PRESENTATION BY
Kathleen McMahon, KTMOmedia.com
September 20, 2014