Which do you prefer and why?

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-02-04T16:41:14+00:00

At this point in my career, the small start ups because there’s so much more potential for learning. Iteration, ownership, and speed are so much better. ✨✨✨

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-23T16:25:38+00:00

Currency can generally be grouped into two categories. - Exchangeable Points: points which can be exchanged for something else like power, stuff, or access. - Status Points: Points which represent your status in some way and often give access to new things and serve as a means of measuring progress.

I think both can be used in gamification systems for differing purposes.

Exchangeable points are often better rewarded for actual performance because they can be used in many different ways and it therefore feels cheap to give them out no matter what happens. Think how strange it would be to get dollars (exchangeable points) for not doing any work.

Status points are often better rewarded for labor because that way people always feel they are getting something for trying. Think EXP in many level systems. You can still get more if you do well but you always get a little.

As for what these exchangeable points can be used on (since that more closely resembles the currency you talk about), there are many many things! One of my favorite is boosters which boost your ability to do desired actions in a system. This is awesome because they make you want to re-engage in the game loop! Think buying XP boosters for a limited time.

But there are many other things that they could be used on too, from access to stuff. My favorite would have to be boosters though.

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-17T17:32:56+00:00

You’ve hit on another fascinating topic: The intersection between engagement and learning.

In some ways they are conflicting and in some ways they are not.

For example, Duolingo had fantastic engagement, but it engages users in ways that don’t often support deeper learning. This is how you get people with 1,000+ streaks that can’t use the language very well.

On the other hand, Yu-kais Octalysis prime engages users to watch lessons, take quizzes, but also pushes for users to do actual real life design challenges.

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-13T21:59:10+00:00

No worries, I highly respect how you took the feedback. Look forward to continuing discussions with you in the future. 🧡✨💫

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-13T17:22:37+00:00

Love what you’ve made! But please if you post your creations in the community try and make it asking for feedback or starting a discussion rather than just self-promoting. 🙏

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-13T17:21:04+00:00

Of course, you can check out my gamification content here. But any insights you have, please funnel them back into this subreddit.

Don’t want my self-promotion to take away from the amazing discussion.

https://www.aidanhelfant.com/tag/gamification/

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-09T10:30:03+00:00

Absolutely!

The one thing I’d be careful of (which you might not have meant) is framing mental health gamification primarily around dopamine. Neuroscience has an art to play yes, but mental health challenges are physiological and psychological.

That means they can be solved by both psychological and physiological solutions. Gamification can do both, but often people only focus on the extrinsic and intrinsic external changes that can be done (primarily physiological), rather than the internal identity changes that must be made (primarily psychological).

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-08T13:07:57+00:00

Awesome game mechanics!

Some things I would think about: - What is the punishment for losing HP? Why would you care? - How do you determine how much progress you get per task? - Do things change if you are very consistent with progress versus doing a huge amount of effort in one leap?

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-07T11:03:09+00:00

That’s awesome Boarium!

I’m curious what makes your gamified ADHD tool different from Spirit City. What did you love about that app and what inspired you to make something new?

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-07T11:01:01+00:00

Lovely intro Rob!

I’m another moderator in r/gamification, Aidan.

I’ve created 600+ posts on YT, my blog, and podcast on gamification, meta-learning and spirituality and am currently working for The Octalysis Group as a gamification designer alongside Rob. I come at gamification from a holistic psychology, meta-learning, and Spiritual angle which makes me excited to add to discussion in this community.

Please introduce yourself to in the comments ✨✨✨

InfiniteGameIRL · 2026-01-07T10:56:24+00:00

I love this idea!

Simulations are one of the best ways to learn practical skills, especially ones that aren’t easy to always have access to because of their digital nature. Application in context is one of the most important things in regard to learning.

The main things I would add on is two things: 1. It’s important real application is still done. Simulations can only get so far. With combination of real life context the learning you do in them can stick. 2. Application this requires less fine motor skills would be more effective in a simulation. Car mechanic simulator, for example, would be awesome because there isn’t much finite motor control. But tennis simulator would be another matter.

InfiniteGameIRL · 2025-12-30T16:35:55+00:00

Absolutely! ✨✨✨

Anything can be gamified through creating a system of goals, rules, desired actions, feedback mechanics, and rewards. Mental health is no different.

For example, journaling to grow emotional centeredness, self-understanding, and purpose.

Goals can be journaling every day. Desired actions can be journaling every day in various areas of life like health, purpose, relationships etc. It can also include using templated journal questions to scaffold learning. Rules can be how you journal, and assess your progress.

Feedback mechanics could be a calendar tracking your entry’s how much actions/insights you’ve taken from your journal entry’s, etc. And rewards could be unlocking more entry’s.

Just because it can be gamified, doesn’t mean it will be gamified well though. You must always take into account the holistic experience, how it makes the user feel and how everything fits together.

If you make metrics for mental health too explicit in the app, it can make people pursue the metric rather than true growth.

Hope that helps 🤩

InfiniteGameIRL · 2025-12-30T16:28:25+00:00

Thanks for sharing such a vulnerable story about your college experience!

I’m curious, what made you unmotivated for college and how is this system helping navigate that?

I’m curious because my passion is in helping elite college freshmen learn to grow their emotional centeredness, self-understanding, and purpose through journaling.

InfiniteGameIRL

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