Have you ever downloaded a running application on your smartphone to get motivation ? Well, we did. Probably the 1st of January for annual resolution, we guess…
Anyway, you know this app could be benefit for you, but motivation does not seem to come. Thus, you let it aside on you home screen, noticeable enough so your friend can see it, hide enough to not feel guilty… Beside that, you may be proficient with what is best on stores in terms of games (Clash of Clans, Candy Crush, and others).
The enthusiasm of users concerning those games comes from the addictive component(s) they gather: a well written scenario, a well integrated social component, or even a well thought design are the reasons why people use (and reuse!) apps .
Six to Start, a mobile application studio located in London, has perfectly manage to implement the addictive component of a game into a running application, with a simple idea: “Run for your life”. The story takes place in a zombified post-apocalyptic world, where action starts at the first step. You arrive in Abel Township, a survivor camp where people survive (obviously). Your goals is to collect ammo, food, drugs, etc to upgrade the town… All that by running of course!
You are driven by fictive characters who give you the missions, and you complete them by running.
For instance:
You go for a run and you launch the app with headphones. Your mission is to collect medical kits in a hospital and bring them back to the camp, alive. You decide where to run, and the app create the atmosphere by hearing the radio guiding you through the mission, fictive zombie groans (running after your muscles), and more!
Afterwards, you can have access to your run stats (distance, speed, progress).
The more you run, the more you collect articles for upgrading your basement.
Your progress can be shared on social networks, and you can challenge your friends as well.
Running becomes a really addictive game, and we are already fond of it.
Here is the website link of Zombies, Run! for you in case : https://www.zombiesrungame.com
This is a good exemple of what represents the “gamification” of apps today. Integrate a game component with a story or rewards for exemple allows a complete new user experience: it has become a relevant way to keep your users.
