ace usability slides avoid kobayashi maru: 10 xeodesign secrets

www.xeodesign.com© 2008 XEODesign, Inc.

XEODesignPutting Emotion into Play

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Ace Usability Avoid Kobayashi MaruA Pre-Flight Check List

Nicole Lazzaro

XEODesign, Inc.

Austin Game Conference

September 18, 2008

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™

Follow my research on Twitter: @NicoleLazzaro

Twitter: #AGDC

Kobayashi Maru

No Win ScenarioTest of Character

Putting Emotion into Play ™

XEODesign


XEODesign, Inc.

The 4 Fun Keys

Winner Best Game 2007

Tilt the first iPhone accelerometer game

Massively Social Online Gameuse fun to drive social distribution

Imagine

CuriosityFiero

ExcitementRelaxation

Amusement

The 4 Fun KeysPaint Engagement w/ Verbs

Naches

Schadenfreude

Generosity

Coordinate Action

Inside/Outside Social GroupingTwitter

FacebookFlickr WikipediaBrain Age

Wonder

Surprise

FrustrationFocus Attention

Reward Accomplishment

Challenge and Mastery

Imagination

Express Values

Adventure

Discovery

Figure Out

Bejeweled

The Sims

Create Value

Basketball

Halo

Myst

Mob Wars

Who Has theBiggest Brain?

Farmville

Grand Theft Auto

Personalize

GrowNiche Interests

Hard Fun Easy Fun

Serious FunPeople Fun

Putting Emotion into PlayXEODesign


XEODesign


Fiero Curiosity

Relaxation3. Serious Fun: Creating Value

Amusement4. People Fun: Socialize

1. Hard Fun: Accomplishment 2. Easy Fun: Imagination


XEODesign


iPhone - Emotion ProfilePX Profile

The iPhone experience is the emotions from actions

• Stroke• Share• Tap• Talk • Hold• Music

Emotions•Wonder•Curiosity•Friendship•Amusement

Player Experiences

<-- UX Controls Player Experiences PX Choice -->


XEODesign


UX Core TasksMissions

Inventory

Combat

Loot

Abilities

Equip

Character Stats

PX Activity Loops

XEODesign’s Secret Ace Usability Checklist

Part 1 UXUX Reduce Complexity

1 Reduce Complexity

1 Simplify


XEODesign


People Fun: Photo Tag

AmusementPersonalizeTeaseSocial Tokens

http://apps.facebook.com/supertagphotos/


XEODesign


Visual Simplicity: 1 + 1 = 3

Edward Tufte, Visual Design of Quantitative Information

Match 3D, PlayScreen

Simplify the UI First Attempt > Tilt

Simplify the UI Second Attempt > Tilt

Simplify the UI Third Attempt > Tilt

1 Simplify

Just push the button!

2 Buttons


XEODesign


Keep Buttons Clickable

Have Fun Now

Have Fun Later


XEODesign


2 Buttons

3 TextPlayers don’t read


XEODesign


Players Don’t Read


XEODesign


abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklm

One and a half alphabets wide

Nexon text examples

3 TextPlayers don’t read

We’ll fix it in the tutorial!

They will like it once we teach them how

4 TutorialsPlayers Skip Tutorials

Simple + Small = ViralKoi Pond

Textless Help “Looks like a puzzle” Tilt

Textless Help “Oh! I Tilt!” Tilt

4 TutorialsPlayers Skip Tutorials

5 Feedback

Now this is feedback! Peggle by Pop Cap

QuickTime™ and aMotion JPEG A decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

5 Feedback

Part 2 PXChallenge and Social UI

CuriosityFiero

ExcitementRelaxation

Amusement

The 4 Fun KeysPaint Engagement w/ Verbs

Naches

Schadenfreude

Generosity

Coordinate Action

Inside/Outside Social GroupingTwitter

FacebookFlickr WikipediaBrain Age

Wonder

Surprise

FrustrationFocus Attention

Reward Accomplishment

Challenge and Mastery

Imagination

Express Values

Adventure

Discovery

Figure Out

Bejeweled

The Sims

Create Value

Basketball

Halo

Myst

Mob Wars

Who Has theBiggest Brain?

Farmville

Grand Theft Auto

Personalize

GrowNiche Interests

Hard Fun Easy Fun

Serious FunPeople Fun

Putting Emotion into PlayXEODesign

QuickTime™ and aDV/DVCPRO - NTSC decompressor


1. Hard Fun = Fiero \o/

2. Easy Fun = Curiosity

Easy Fun

Tilt: an adventure in 1.5 dimensions


XEODesign


Serious Fun: Brain Baths, Tap Tap RevolutionChange how you think, feel, and behave


XEODesign


Serious Fun: Motion X PokerCompletion Collection and Matching Mechanics

More Monsters

Less TimeWe’re done!

6 ChallengeHard Fun


XEODesign


choices• goals • challenge• obstacles• strategy• power ups• puzzles• score• levels• monsters

feelings • fiero• frustration• boredom

modified from “Flow” Csikszentmihalyi

player choice rewards effort

Hard Fun: Mastery, FieroEasy Fun: Novelty>Curiosity

6 ChallengeHard Fun

7 FriendsPeople Fun

Connect Friends

4. People Fun = Amusement + Social Bonding

Wonder and ConnectionOcarina: Easy Fun and People Fun

People Fun

QuickTime™ and a decompressor


Simple + MobileOver the Shoulder Play

• 10 sprites• 2 web pages• 1 YouTube video• 1.5 dimensions• No buttons

• 250,000 visits

MSO: 3 Laws of Social Playfor viral social games (this is what we do know) this is what the play will look like

Friends Messages Actions

1. ConnectIt Takes 2

2. FeedbackDraw Circles

3. Social Tokens symbolic in nature that increases in value with use

stupid

shutup

dope

hotness

sloth

poke

pwn

share

link

frag

compare

Lazzaro GDC 2008

MSO Viral Design Principles


XEODesign


Personal Hype Quotient

Do you play “follow the leader” to increase your personal hype quotient? What would encourage idea exchange?


XEODesign


People Fun: Pet SocietyGratitude, Schadenfreude, Naches

Rich choicesbetween players

CompetitionCooperationGiftingMentorship


XEODesign


People Fun Feeling of being closer creates social fabric between people

TattleTalz.com

Winner Best Game 2008

7 FriendsPeople Fun

Connect Friends

Chat, Avatar, Profile

We’re done!

8 ChatMessages Social Tokens

Cue next action

9 StoreMicrotransactions


XEODesign


Keys to Viral Distribution4 Steps to Create Social Emotions that Drive MSO Viral Distribution

3. Tilt Factor Increase # of Players

* Simple* Mobile * Frictionless

4. Monetization Connect the dots

* Reward gameplay * Social goods + services* Max installs MTX 10% pay

PX

Features to build now

1. Gameplay Everyone

* Simple* Appealing* Participation

2. Social Features People Fun

* Social Emotions* People Fun * Social Tokens


XEODesign


9 StoreMicrotransactions

10 Cheat!A time honored tradition

Player Experiences

<-- UX Controls Player Experiences PX Choice -->

Ace Usability with Our Secret Checklist1 Simplify

2 Buttons

3 Text

4 Tutorials

5 Feedback

6 Challenge

7 Friends

8 Chat

9 Store

10 Cheat!


XEODesign


UX Core TasksAnd a Plea… solve this

Missions

Inventory

Combat

Loot

Abilities

Equip

Character Stats

PX Activity Loops

Massively Social Online GameMSOs use fun to drive social distribution


XEODesign


World at night

QuickTime™ and a decompressor


Tag! You’re it!Make your next game Massively Social and Online!

Nicole LazzaroEmail: [email protected]

Twitter: @NicoleLazzaro

White papers and slides:

xeodesign.comSlideshare.com/NicoleLazzaro

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