Urban Gamification

1. Urban Gamification
Dr. Mennatullah Hendawy

2. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-32828-2_2#ref-CR21
Gamification is different than gaming,
gamification uses game technology and
elements in real-context environments to
achieve goals by learning new concepts,
whereas gaming has the only purpose of fun
and is not focused on encouraging the users to
achieve real-context goals

3. What is Gamification?
● Process of integrating game design elements, mechanics and principles into non game contexts
to achieve specific goals.
● The core idea is to make tasks easier and fun, increase user engagement and consider the target
audience and objectives which also increases productivity.
● Some important elements (there are much more) :
○ Rewards
○ Progression
○ Challenges
○ FEEDBACK
○ And others
● Gamification can be applied to various contexts, including employee training, customer
engagement, health and fitness, educational programs, and even urban city planning.
Input by Akshat Sachan at UCSC course CMPM 179 in summer 2023

4. Gamification in Urban Cities
● Gamification involves integrating game mechanics and elements into non-game
contexts, such as urban city planning.
● By leveraging the principles of games designing, we can create more interactive and
immersive experiences for citizens and planners.
● This approach can lead to
- better-informed decisions,
- increased citizen engagement,
- and ultimately, improved urban living.
Input by Akshat Sachan at UCSC course CMPM 179 in summer 2023

5. Urban gamification
Gamification, a term coined in 2002 by the
British software developer Nick Pelling,
refers to adding gaming elements into
non-game environments for different
purposes, such as encouraging
participation and making an activity more
enjoyable.
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/

6. Urban gamification
● Gamification describes the application of elements of game-playing to other areas of
activity.
● When applied to the urban context, it presents itself as nodes for playful interaction that create
transformative ways of experiencing the city.
● Urban gamification uses attributes like point scoring, competitions, and rules of play in many
domains to encourage participation between people and the built environment.
● Games provide an even playing field for community members to meet and interact, each subject
to the same conditions regardless of their social background.
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/ and

7. Urban gamification
● Gamification describes the application of elements of game-playing to other areas of
activity.
● When applied to the urban context, it presents itself as nodes for playful interaction that create
transformative ways of experiencing the city.
● Urban gamification uses attributes like point scoring, competitions, and rules of play in many
domains to encourage participation between people and the built environment.
● Games provide an even playing field for community members to meet and interact, each subject
to the same conditions regardless of their social background.
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/
Socio-technical
interaction

8. Urban gamification for sustainability
https://www.yout
ube.com/watch?
v=ZqK1VBOy19I
(around 11 mins)

9. GAMIFICATION AS SMART CITY TOOL
Implementing game mechanisms such as ranking, scores, badges, levels, awards, and virtual
currencies in applications and websites that are not directly related to playing fields, the
developers seek to stimulate public participation and acceptable social behaviour of society
in various issues and areas of city life.
The concept of gamification, appeared in the last years, means the use of typical game
elements in the context of another activity to motivate engagement and achieve certain goals.
Currently, there are many apps and projects that try to apply gamification principles in
different spheres;
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/

10. Key Game Elements for Urban Cities
● Resource Management
○ Urban planners must allocate budgets, manage infrastructure, and ensure
efficient resource distribution.
● Decision Making
○ Games provide players with choices that impact the game's outcome. Urban
planners make decisions regarding zoning, transportation, and public services
that affect the development and functioning of cities.
● Citizen Engagement
○ Games often incorporate feedback mechanisms to engage players actively. In
urban planning, gathering citizen feedback through surveys, community
meetings, or digital platforms can lead to more inclusive and citizen-centric
designs.
● Progression and Achievements:
○ Games use achievements and milestones to track progress. Similarly, setting
specific urban development goals and celebrating milestones can motivate
city planners and engage citizens.
Input by Akshat Sachan

11. Real World Gamification Examples
● The City of Helsinki, Finland:
○ The city used an interactive digital platform to gather citizens' ideas and suggestions for
urban development projects. This approach fostered transparency and encouraged active
participation in decision-making.
● Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA):
○ URA implemented a virtual planning sandbox that allows citizens and stakeholders to
explore and visualize different urban planning scenarios, fostering public engagement and
collaboration.
Sandbox gaming :Sandbox gaming, also known as open-world or free-roaming gaming, refers to a genre of video games that provide players with
a vast, immersive virtual world to explore and interact with. In sandbox games, players have significant freedom and agency to shape the game
world and the progression of their gameplay according to their preferences and choices. Ex, Minecraft, GTA(non linear gameplay)
Input by Akshat Sachan

12. Benefits
● Increased Citizen Engagement
○ Gamification encourages active involvement and feedback from citizens,
resulting in more inclusive decision-making.
● Improved Decision-Making
○ Game mechanics provide data-driven insights, enabling better-informed
urban planning choices.
Input by Akshat Sachan

13. Challenges
● Balancing Creativity and Realism
○ Striking a balance between creative freedom and adhering to real-world
constraints is crucial in gamified urban planning.
● Digital Divide
○ Ensuring equitable access to gamification platforms and technology is
essential to avoid excluding certain demographics.
Input by Akshat Sachan

14. The Future
● Augmented Reality
○ Can offer immersive experiences like no other and make visualization super
convenient end efficient
● Artificial Intelligence
○ Useful for analyzing large datasets and predict urban trends based on
previous data
○ Evidence based decision making
Input by Akshat Sachan

15. Reading exercise (in groups of 3)
Group A
Gaming for More Sustainable Cities
Group B
What is Urban Gamification? | ArchDaily
Group C
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-02/central-park-
among-sites-nyc-is-considering-for-housing-migrants

16. Further links on urban gamification
● Games and Learning Alliance Conference (GALA 2014) Bucharest
GAMIFICATION IN A SMART CITY CONTEXT. AN ANALYSIS AND A
PROPOSA
● Gamification of Smart Cities

17. Examples of gamification in the energy sector:
JouleBug mobile application
the energy field is one of them. As one example of group of tools for individuals, the JouleBug mobile application
[https://joulebug.com/] aims to encourage citizens to be more aware and involved in city life, offering users a
solution to a number of everyday tasks in a “green” way, such as turning off light bulbs, properly saving your
computer, and so on. Users earn points by acting in a proper way by joining monthly calls and sharing energy-
saving behaviour using the app. You can also get bonuses and extra points by sharing “great photos” (as defined
by the app), comments, ideas, and information about sustainable behaviour.
The results are transformed into maps, virtual trophies, badges and medals, which are constantly updated and
shown through various social networks, such as Facebook and Google Plus, as well as a public rating of the
leaders of the application. Users are invited to compete with each other in an effort to be recognized as a
“sustainable citizen” of a smart city. There are both global and local rankings; therefore, community-based
initiatives are encouraged. According to the app’s website, “JouleBug Challenges can work for your organization:
cities, schools, enterprises”. By clicking on the “cities”, the website states: “Increase the sustainability of your city
with the help of JouleBug Challenges. Show how you care, motivate and participate in fun competition and make a
big impact!” [Alberto Vanolo, “Cities and the politics of gamification”,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.12.021].
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/

18. Examples of gamification in the energy sector: The
Age of Energy, an award winning game, designed by
City-zen partners
Another example of smart application working in the smart energy field is The Age of Energy, an award winning
game, designed by City-zen partners [http://www.cityzen-smartcity.eu/home/games/the-age-of-energy/]. The
purpose of this application is to implement the game to engage peoples to save energy. The great idea of such
kind of gamification applications allows to create the easy approach and motivation of people in such important
and necessary in every city processes as energy transition towards clean energy in cities – by the consequences
of individual decisions and different strategies to ‘go to zero’ carbon emissions. By experiencing this in a game
setting, you will be able to take better decisions in real life.
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/

19. Examples of gamification in the energy sector:
Ecogator
In turn, smartphone application Ecogator [http://www.myeconavigator.eu/mobile-app/the-mobile-app-ecogator/]
focused on efficient energy consumption. It provides two operation modes: the shopping mode, helping to identify
the most efficient appliances, and day-to-day mode that aims at increasing awareness of sustainable and efficient
use of products and helping to save money and energy. The gamification concept consists in awarding points to
the users for actions such as scanning appliances labels, using the comparison or calculation functions, reading
tips and execute social media actions as sharing tips. The application evaluation in real life indicated that
EcoGator was perceived as a good shopping assistant but less powerful as a tool for raising awareness. The
application EcoGator is winner of the European Sustainable Energy Award 2015.
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/

20. Examples of gamification in the energy sector:
Ecogator
Social Power Game [De Luca, V.; Castri, R. The social power game: A smart application for sharing energy-saving
behaviours in the city. In Proceedings of the AVI 2014 International Working Conference on Advanced Visual
Interfaces Workshop on Fostering Smart Energy Applications through Advanced Visual Interfaces (FSEA 2014),
Como, Italy, 27 May 2014; Volume 27] is the representative of another group of gamification tools, aimed at
exploring the potential of social interactions and game mechanics in driving people towards long term behaviour
changes in the field of sustainable energy consumption. This approach seeks to provide a collaborative, action-
oriented model for social learning in the context of a challenging neighbourhood-based energy-saving contest.
https://blog.dormakaba.com/virtual-playgrounds-how-gamification-can-help/

21. Game to understand the industrial revolution
(class exercise)
https://www.slideserve.com/sjoan/the-urban-game-powerpoint-
ppt-presentation