From door handles to coffee mugs to fighter jet cockpits, User Experience shows up in everything you interact with.
Every human-made object has been designed, based on either what will be
easier for the user or what was easiest for the manufacturer. (Whenever
using something feels frustrating or confusing, you can be sure it was
the latter!)
But what about the concept of User Experience in the world of video games?
When our brains process something as complex as a video game, there's a
lot going on. Understanding the role that psychology plays within the
science of game development is crucial to creating memorable and
engaging games.
In this article, we'll summarize the importance of understanding psychology while crafting the user experience of a video game.
We'll touch on subjects such as the importance of play-testing,
employing affordance in your games, how to use psychology to create
usability and engageability, and the role of the "Gestalt" theory in
game design.
Why Design Should Always Focus On The User
When the design is focused on the perspective of the user, a product becomes much more practical, desirable, and useful.
A great example of this dates back to fighter pilots during WWII.
Exhausted and under pressure, these pilots had a high rate of human
error and were at risk of accidentally pushing the wrong button on the
dashboard of their aircraft.
WWII Spitfire Cockpit
Unfortunately for them, dashboards were not consistent between aircraft.
This meant the pilots had to learn a new set-up every time they
switched planes.
This made it even more likely that they would press the wrong button.
Therefore, standardized cockpits needed to be developed which would
improve the user experience for these pilots.
This type of thinking can also be applied to video games, ensuring that
the design of the game is centered around the user experience.
Therefore, by understanding the psychology of the user, you'll be better
able to make design decisions tailored to their needs.
It's also important to remember that there is no such thing as a neutral
design. Everything we design will influence people to use it in one
way or another . This is an important ethical issue to consider,
especially when certain retention mechanics can create addictive
behaviors and punish disengagement .
The Importance of Play-Testing
Every user is different and our perspective depends on our experience ,
our history and what is important to us. When designing video games for
different types of users, it's not possible to know in advance what
every user will bring to the experience. That's why it's essential to
have a diverse team of designers with different backgrounds.
That's also why video game designers "play test" their games. This tests
how the game is perceived by the people who will actually be playing
it. With this method designing a game becomes a cycle of action and
iteration .
Designers create a game, then test it to see if it is accomplishing what
they wanted to achieve. If insight from audience testing finds the game
lacking, it's back to the drawing board to refine with more
information. Then the game is tested again, and the cycle continues.
The design team may have certain goals that they are trying to achieve
within the game. However, they will need to iterate on all aspects of
the gameplay, from dialogue to visuals to mechanics and more, in order
to achieve those goals.
When it comes to play testing, heres an important tip: The developer
shouldn't be in the room with the play testers . Not only will it make
the players feel somewhat awkward and intimidated, it will also make the
test less accurate.
Players tend to make more effort to understand a game when
the developer is watching than they would if they were playing it at
home (perhaps out of politeness to the person who has put their heart
and soul into crafting the game). To get an accurate measure of how many
players would simply give up on a game, play testers should be free to
play the game by themselves.
