Blogs

AEX Design

Are you (not) engaged?

Albert van der Meer 10th September 2021 No Comments

This post is essentially a press release on what has been happening with aeStranger and what can be expected in the future.

Are you (not) amused? An explorative series on how & what engages people

Albert van der Meer 3rd September 2021 1 Comment

In this piece I look at what questions and criteria would be used when analysing how a person or company engage their audience.

Audience engagement and audience experience

Albert van der Meer 23rd April 2021 No Comments

In this piece, I explore what audience engagement and audience experience design is, and why it is important for your company to have.

Design exploration, why it’s important to start a project with it

Albert van der Meer 3rd July 2020 No Comments

In this short piece, we look at what design exploration is, the reason to do it, it’s benefits and outcomes you gain from using its tools.

Building and maintaining communities

Albert van der Meer 22nd May 2020 No Comments

A perspective on the psychology and requirements of growing, building and maintaining a thriving community, either online or offline.

Customer Experience & Gamification: what you need to know

Albert van der Meer 1st February 2020 No Comments

In this piece we explore how to develop a customer experience strategy and how to go about gamifying the experience.

User Engagement & Gamification: A brief overview

Albert van der Meer 24th January 2020 No Comments

In this piece, we look at a brief overview & explore the required elements for effective user engagement in a gamified process & experience.

Belonging and why it’s important for your players

Albert van der Meer 29th November 2019 No Comments

In this piece, we look at why the motivational lever of belonging is important you and your company and what interactions can strengthen it.

Active interactions & visualizations to aid in learning and retention

Albert van der Meer 7th September 2019 No Comments

You’ve likely heard of visualisation from self-help guru’s but it is a strong and proven tool and it can aid you to achieve a certain goal or outcome.

Why active group learning is good & team-building exercises often aren’t

Albert van der Meer 29th March 2019 No Comments

Team-building experiences can be extremely useful tools to motivate & empower your participants but you need to know how to do it the right or it wont work.

Behavioural Psych

Engaging your audience through loss aversion

Albert van der Meer 13th May 2021 No Comments

In this piece I look at the technique of loss aversion, sunk cost and FOMO, and how these can be used to engage your audiences.

An exploration of the Generalist versus the Specialist

Albert van der Meer 19th June 2020 No Comments

In this piece we look the differences between the generalist and the specialist and how to develop a skill tree to represent both concepts.

How to deal with imposter syndrome using Gamification

Albert van der Meer 4th May 2020 No Comments

In this weeks piece we explore how concepts in gamfiication, such as intrinsic motivation mechanics can help with overcoming imposter syndrome

Setting the right mood in your gamified experiences

Albert van der Meer 18th January 2020 No Comments

In this piece, we explore the features that you can utilise to set the right mood and promote immersion for your gamified experiences.

Using feedback effectively in game-based learning

Albert van der Meer 2nd November 2019 1 Comment

In this piece we explore what kinds of feedback there, how to set it up, giving feedback effectively and why it is important to always include it.

The immersive power of semiotic domains

Albert van der Meer 4th October 2019 No Comments

The piece explore the immersive power of semiotic domains and how they engage players that enter them. Looking at the language and groups inherent to them.

Suspension of disbelief in game-based experiences

Albert van der Meer 23rd August 2019 No Comments

Ever been in an experience and believed everything? That’s suspension of disbelief, buying into something so completely that all else is ignored.

How role-playing games can be used as therapeutic tools

Albert van der Meer 17th August 2018 No Comments

Looking at how role-playing games and experiences can be used as therapeutic tools, to help develop and practice social skills and communication.

Game Tools: The power of purpose & narrative to engage players

Albert van der Meer 23rd April 2018 No Comments

This week’s game tools; we come to our final set, those that revolve around purpose & the use of narrative to create context for your players.

Game tools: Belonging and its need for successfully engaging players

Albert van der Meer 16th April 2018 No Comments

Belonging and being part of something is one of the strongest motivators that you can use to engage your players in your game or the gamified environment.

gamification

Congratulations! You’ve Won a Badge!

Albert van der Meer 12th April 2021 No Comments

In this piece on gamification, I explore what badges are, what effect they have and how to use them correctly in your gamified projects.

Why Purpose is important for your gamified project

Albert van der Meer 2nd October 2020 No Comments

Purpose is one of the most important aspects of any gamified project. It gives drive and reason to your players and the actions they take.

A brief look at resource determination for gamified projects

Albert van der Meer 25th September 2020 No Comments

In this piece we quickly look at what questions to ask to determine what resources are availablie to you for your gamified project.

Why key stakeholders are important for your gamified project

Albert van der Meer 28th August 2020 1 Comment

In the next piece in our design series, we look at why it is important to identify your key stakeholders when starting a gamified project.

Why your business needs to consider using gamification

Albert van der Meer 17th July 2020 No Comments

In this piece we look at the reasons why gamification & gameful design are already some of the most engaging tools in business today.

The benefits of Gamification and mental health

The benefits of Gamification for mental health

Albert van der Meer 5th June 2020 1 Comment

As many may feel isolated in lockdown for an extended period, gaming and gamification may be able to offer benefits for mental health.

Increasing your learner’s engagement in eLearning

Albert van der Meer 30th May 2020 No Comments

Online learning has come to the forefront & for a lot of traditional educational models need to be re-examined in this new world order.

The need for soft skills training and gamification

Albert van der Meer 18th May 2020 No Comments

As our lives become more unpredictable, the business world has a need for soft skills training and gamification, so that people stay creative

The shadow of gamification

Albert van der Meer 8th May 2020 No Comments

There have been articles on the dark side of gamification, why it’s a bad idea and so on. But we need to consider what good it can do.

How to deal with imposter syndrome using Gamification

Albert van der Meer 4th May 2020 No Comments

In this weeks piece we explore how concepts in gamfiication, such as intrinsic motivation mechanics can help with overcoming imposter syndrome

Marketing

Are you (not) engaged?

Albert van der Meer 10th September 2021 No Comments

This post is essentially a press release on what has been happening with aeStranger and what can be expected in the future.

What is Marketing Gamification exactly?

Albert van der Meer 20th December 2019 1 Comment

With the release of our marketing gamification book Press Start, we felt it might be useful for people to know what the book is about.

Gamifying your networking experience

Albert van der Meer 6th December 2019 No Comments

As with any conference, it’s an opportunity to learn from specialists and to meet new people, in other words, it’s time to network.

Event Gamification: A guide to what to consider

Albert van der Meer 24th May 2019 1 Comment

If you are thinking about organising an event for your company or a general topic then it may be worth considering gamifying it for greater engagement.

Gamification in 2019 – What you should look out for!

Albert van der Meer 5th January 2019 1 Comment

For the first post of 2019 for æStranger, I’ll be joining in the look to see what trends and possibilities we should be looking out for in the coming year.

A look back at the year 2018 for æStranger

Albert van der Meer 28th December 2018 No Comments

As we near the end of 2018, it may be worth doing a reflection on what 2018 was like before we start looking at what 2019 may hold for us.

Reflections on the Gamification Europe Conference 2018

Albert van der Meer 7th December 2018 1 Comment

On the 26th and 27th of November, I was fortunate enough to attend the 2018 edition of the Gamification Europe Conference in Amsterdam.

gamification-masterclass-2018-reflection

Gamification Europe Masterclass June 2018 – a reflection

Albert van der Meer 22nd June 2018 No Comments

In this piece I relate and recount some things I experienced and learned at Gamification Europe’s 2018 Masterclasses in London.

Gamification in 2018 – What do you need to look out for?

Albert van der Meer 5th January 2018 No Comments

Let’s look at the year ahead to see what you should looking out for in the field of Gamification, and how it can improve your business.

Reflections on Gamification Europe Conference 2017

Albert van der Meer 5th December 2017 No Comments

At the end of November 2017, there was a gathering of like-minded individuals in the UK town of Brighton. All to discuss Gamification and what it can do.

story production

Suspension of disbelief in game-based experiences

Albert van der Meer 23rd August 2019 No Comments

Ever been in an experience and believed everything? That’s suspension of disbelief, buying into something so completely that all else is ignored.

Structures of choice in narratives in Gamification and games

Albert van der Meer 27th July 2019 No Comments

The piece explores the various structures that can be used within gamification experiences and games, and how to use them and recognise them.

Organic player narrative and experience narratives

Albert van der Meer 20th May 2019 No Comments

Knowing when to direct players and when to leave them alone is always tricky. In this piece we explore how using both is possibly the best overall method.

Why games should be difficult – Through the lens of Sekiro

Albert van der Meer 5th April 2019 No Comments

Games should have a level of difficulty to allow for meaninful choices. In this piece we look at difficulty in games through the lens of the game Sekiro.

Mystery & Narrative: Keeping your players motivated

Albert van der Meer 6th August 2018 No Comments

In this piece, I explore some of the concepts used when creating narratives in ARG’s to keep players motivated when they immerse themselves in the experience

environmental-storytelling-its-important-for-you

What is Environmental Storytelling & why it’s important for you

Albert van der Meer 15th June 2018 1 Comment

Environmental storytelling is extremely subtle and requires that the player be constantly aware and work for their own understanding.

Weaving narratives together — engaging yourself and your group

Weaving narratives together – engaging yourself & your group

Albert van der Meer 11th May 2018 No Comments

The question of narrative & how to use it has been long-standing in the gaming and gamification community. How we create, remember & weave narratives.

Storytelling: The strength of metaphors when gamifying

Albert van der Meer 3rd November 2017 No Comments

Metaphors are amazingly efficient storytelling tools to bring across abstract concepts in an original and unique way. Learn how to use them effectively.

Player Archetypes – Using the “Hero’s Journey” as a Framework

Albert van der Meer 22nd August 2017 No Comments

Using Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey”, Jung’s Archetypes and Bartle’s Player Types, we explore how to better expand the framework for a gamified environment.

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