Player Experience

Player Experience:

Phase 3: What is our intended Player Experience?

PLAN

My plan is to establish a basic Player Experience before proceeding with Ideation. A simple player experience can be made up of what I already know from my Project Goals and Essential Experience.

Considering my Target Audience, I can map out an experience for players involving how they feel before, during and after the game. This will show my intentions for this project and document the game purpose.

WEEK 6 - Combining Links & Project Goals

On this page I will be summarising my intended Player Experience by being direct with what I want players to feel throughout the gameplay experience.

I briefly researched Player Experience beforehand which can be found here:

Extra Research > Player Agency & UX

WHERE DO I BEGIN?

What is Player Experience?

Player Experience can be broken down into 5 areas which I established in my Extra Research section.

1. Motivation

2. Meaningful Choices

3. Balance

4. Usability

5. Aesthetics

5. Fun

These areas can address why the player is playing the game, what they're doing in terms of interactions and how their interactions/choices can influence gameplay. Using the term 'Player Experience' I can think about the game from the perspective of the User, and identify what experience I'd like them to have.

THE FOUNDATIONS

Who are we proposing this game towards? How will we achieve our Project Goals?

THE ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE

I have now established a clear and direct Essential Experience. This involves using the impact of Music and Sound to promote well-being and encourage emotional regulation. In addition to this, the experience must be as Immersive as possible, taking into account immersive technologies and game components that will increase player engagement.

THE TARGET AUDIENCE

After a thorough amount of User Research, I have identified my Target Audience to be students around the ages 16-21. This essentially refers to students and adults in education who might be experiencing an unmanageable workload and symptoms of stress. It is in mine and Kiera's hands to provide them with an accessible experience to regulate these emotions, and result in feeling calmer, more positive and settled.

THE REQUIREMENTS

What must the game do?

How will Users feel before, during and after gameplay?

GAME REQUIREMENTS

Promote well-being
Be Immersive
Use Music to evoke feelings of calm and relaxation to help players feel this way
Provide engaging visuals
Highly accessible
Provide Users with the opporunity to escape and reflect

THE EXPERIENCE - HOW SHOULD PLAYERS FEEL?

Before, During, After.

HOW DO PLAYERS FEEL?

BEFORE

Before the experience, players might feel overwhelmed by the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety and stress. I established these symptoms from my research in Phase 2. These may include the following:

Weakness/fatigue
Increased heart rate
Heavy/fast breathing - hyperventilation
Struggle breathing
Increased blood pressure
Sweating
Trembling
Trouble concetrating or thinking

HOW DO PLAYERS FEEL?

DURING

During the experience, these feelings/sensations can be supported and impacted through different coping mechanisms and techniques, as well as immersive components to help this. During the experience players should feel:

Engaged
Immersed
Safe
Captivated
Interested
Curious
Calm
Relaxed
At peace
Stable
Comfortable

HOW DO PLAYERS FEEL?

AFTER

After the experience, players should feel as though they have been given a space to reflect upon their options and be in control of how they feel. The game elements of the experience should result in the following feelings:

Refreshed
Calm
At ease
Optimistic
Happier
Peaceful
Balanced
Relaxed
Satisfied
Settled

HOW CAN WE DO THIS?

Using my knowledge from Phase 2 into self-care techniques and methods, I am aware of certain coping mechanisms which could be implemented into our experience to help User's manage these feelings better. I plan to expand my knowledge of this here: Regulation Research.

Self-Care Techniques Mood-board

HOW CAN WE MANAGE THESE FEELINGS?

Self-soothing techniques, Grounding exercises and distraction methods.

Grounding techniques to assist breathing - steady breathing.
Quiet time - Comfy and relaxing environment.
Nature sounds - rain or storms or sunny days
Nature scenes or ambient noise
Change in temperature
Guided meditations
Binaural Beats
Soft or low lighting
Weighted blankets
Engage senses
Observe surroundings
Write and discard
54321 technique
Connect with nature
Journalling, doodle, art
Listen to music

GAMIFY

Using 'Miro', I created a mind-map for these self-care techniques and mechanisms and branched off into ways of applying 'Gamification' to these exercises.

This describes how these techniques could be applied to a Game World - involving how players might interact this way.

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVOWC3MBw=/

GAMIFICATION

Using the method of 'Gamification' (adding game-like elements to non-game environments) I was able to think of ways these methods and exercises could be implemented into a game-like scenario.

Steady Breathing - this could be visually integrated into the environment and require players to physically respond to a beating pulse, and match their breathing with the shape/colour/beat they can see displayed.

Music/Sound - It's evident that this is a main element of our game already but ways to implement this into our game could be through a soundtrack and sound effects. The soundtrack will be composed to evoke feelings of calm in the listener. Another option could be guided meditation, players could follow narration of a calming voice - I experienced something similar to this during my visit to the Lux Exhibition.

Lighting - Lighting can be altered in the environment. We can provide soft/low lighting and calming environments similar to a sunset or starry night.

Observe Surroundings - To encourage players to observe their surroundings we must give them a space to explore! This might consist of simple interactions which help players progress. Players can also reflect upon their surroundings maybe through noting this down? This will also encourage physical activity which benefits both physical and mental health.

Journalling - This method of reflection could be made into an application/game where you are required to note down your senses e.g. what you can see and hear. Recognise and observe the environment around you. Provide players with a detailed environment so they can point out different elements and take note - or take images? or draw them?

Engage Senses - Provide players with soft lighting, calming noise, an engaging environment and interactions to get involved in. Environment can consist of soothing colours and engaging visuals. Encourage players to focus on their senses, make them aware of them. Maybe an objective is to consider all 5 senses throughout.

Physical Activity - Being physical can help players from reliving disturbing or challenging emotions. We could provide players with the space to explore and observe with an objective to do so. This could potentially take place in a VR environment where players are fully immersed in their surroundings. Or get involved in simple tasks to distract - similar to the game 'Task Master'!.

HOW DO I TAKE THIS FURTHER?

Ideation

Now I have established the kind of experience I aim to create, I can begin ideation with these in mind and implement these across multiple ideas. My ideas could consist of a few different methods which will result in reducing these negative feelings and overall benefit the player. I do not want to make it too complex and require too much from players yet still design a playful experience. I feel it's essential to implement basic interactions and make the most of the sound and visual design.

HOW DO I ENSURE I MEET MY REQUIREMENTS?

To ensure the gameplay experience does exactly what I intend, it'll be necessary to test prototypes and gather feedback/suggestions from potential users regarding how they feel. It's important to evaluate how their feelings change over time and make sure gameplay is having it's desired effect on players.

My next steps will be documented here: Project Ideation.