Building immersive ux in games
Building immersive ux in games
• UI Artist/UI Designer/Interaction Designer/UX Designer/Senior UX Designer • NHL 2003-2005 (EA) • NBA 2006 (EA) • March Madness 2007 (EA) • FIFA PC and Fifa Online 2 (EA) • Ghost Recon Phantoms (Ubisoft) Competitive/Tactical/F2P/RPG/MMO/FPS/
TPS • Undisclosed project (Ubisoft) • Various failed or unreleased projects
Who am I?
Michael Thompson
Immersion is not just being emotionally involved. It is to temporarily experience a mental ‘space’ as real, and the real world as, in some way, virtual. If this impacts human behaviour in a visible way, then it is measurable. Therefore it can be something any designer, of any discipline or area of expertise, can strive for.
Immersa-what?
What is immersion, anyway?
GET ARMED
• Acquisition • Retention • Monetization
a.r.m
Acquisition
Acquisition 1 image
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs. It is key to driving sales in the AAA game market.
• More immersive = more fun = more better!
• I paid X and I received Xx10 fun! #winning
metacritic
Acquisition
Acquisition
RETENTIon
• Retention means the user, which we call players, wants to play again and again and again.
• Very important in a Free to Play (F2P) micro-transaction model.
Keep them coming back!
RETENTIon
Destiny central city image
Making that money
• Boxed package purchase – Call of Duty • Boxed package with subscription – Guild Wars • Subscription - Wow • Free to play micro-transaction – Ghost Recon Phantoms • Freemium – various mobile • DLC – various console games
monetization
Ghost Recon Phantoms store image
Making that money
SO HOW DO WE DO IT?
Linear paths Single destination
Super mario bros.- 1985
Metal gear solid - 1987
tomb raider - 1996
Tomb raider image
It looks open, but…
Many paths one destination
halo- 2001
Ac brotherhood - 2010
Open world
Do what you want When you want A game or an experience(s)
World of warcraft – 1994 - 2014
Elder scrolls v: skyrim - 2011
Combo power!
Many games today are using an integrated system that is sometimes: • Fully Scripted • Open World • Linear • Systemic • PvE • PvP • Competitive • Co-op • Social • Casual or hardcore
• Released August 1, 2007
• Racing MMORPG
• 4 large cities
• Hundreds of side quests
• Highly customizable
DRIFT CITY
Drift city
• 200+ PvE missions • Large and complex back story • Constant audio and visual feedback
You vs the machine
Battle Zones • Multiplayer PvP, Coop competition • Showing off
Conclaves • 4 cities x 40 maps per city • Up to 9v9 battles • Level restrictions on battle participation • Created matches or matchmaking
Clans/Guilds/Crews • Social/competitive groups • Member’s GC and Crew Points increase rank • 4 Crew Ranks
Big pimpin’
I own my experience
Self ownership • Not just a car, but my car
• Not just my character, it’s me
What now?
The player needs somewhere to play
Best practices
#1 – be diegetic as much as possible
Best practices
#2 – be spacial when you can
#3 – be meta when you have to
Best practices
#4 – AVOID Non-diegetic mostly
Best practices
Question time