Week 26 Update

Essay Preparing

Currently I am preparing my innovation essay. My final topic is how to create an immersive UI effectively and  efficiently? This is similar to the original topic, however the literature review had been changed hugely from the last semester's submission. 

Week 25 Update

Industry News
Apple breaks sales records with new iPad launch 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/166463/Apple_breaks_sales_records_with_new_iPad_launch.php
When ex-BioWare devs make their own strategy RPG
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/165823/When_exBioWare_devs_make_their_own_strategy_RPG.php
Top iPhone game apps: Modern Combat 3, Draw Something dominate paid charts 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/166439/Top_iPhone_game_apps_Modern_Combat_3_Draw_Something_dominate_paid_charts.php
Inafune: Japanese games industry needs to take more chances on 'the young guys' 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/167173/Inafune_Japanese_games_industry_needs_to_take_more_chances_on_the_young_guys.php

Week 24 Update

Industry News
Report: Obsidian missed Fallout: New Vegas bonus by one Metacritic point 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/165900/Report_Obsidian_missed_Fallout_New_Vegas_bonus_by_one_Metacritic_point.php
Ex-Zynga, Sony Online boss heads to Amalur house 38 Studios 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/165935/ExZynga_Sony_Online_boss_heads_to_Amalur_house_38_Studios.php
Diablo III will sell 5M in first year - analyst 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/165936/Diablo_III_will_sell_5M_in_first_year__analyst.php
Amazon's Android Appstore reaches 31K apps, sells 'millions'
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/165952/Amazons_Android_Appstore_reaches_31K_apps_sells_millions.php

Week 23 Update

Semiotics Study
This is a perfect website for semiotics study, which has detailed description of semiotic, including history.

http://carbon.ucdenver.edu/~mryder/itc/semiotics.html

Week 22 Update

HCI Studies
The Study of Computer Games as a Second-Order Cybernetic System
http://www.digra.org/dl/db/05164.33512.pdf

Video Games HCI

http://usab-symposium.uni-klu.ac.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=66

Video Game Values: Play as Human-Computer Interaction

http://www.pippinbarr.com/academic/Pippin_Barr_PhD_Thesis.pdf

Week 21 Update

The Cybernetics of HCI: A Pragmatic Approach

 Paul Pangaro, Sun Microsystems

Seminar on People, Computers, and Design
Stanford University February 15, 2001

A discussion of cybernetics for HCI is pragmatic by nature because cybernetics is a "science of interactions" for which human-computer interaction is a subset. The ability of cybernetics to model the progression and limitations of human communications holds insight for difficult problems such as HCI design.

As we all know, semantic information processing by machine hasn't yet been achieved and today's technology is incapable of conversing with humans. Human-computer interaction is a means to the end of human-to-human exchange (messaging), human-to-team (collaborative work), or human-to-self (learning). One could paraphrase the goal of HCI therefore as supporting effective human-through-computer interaction. Interactions of hands and eyes to input and screen are necessary but unfortunate intermediations. What we want are our wants to be manifest. With its practical tools for modeling purpose, feedback, and autonomy, cybernetics has something to offer.

Early cybernetics was responsible for the now-common but once startling and revolutionary word "feedback", along with the first electronic "turtles", and the first "learning machines." From the 1940s it held an even-handed consideration for either organic or machine embodiments of intelligence. Neural nets arose here. In the 1950s, with the ascendancy of the programmable computer and its theoretical equivalencies to the nervous system, the fathers of cybernetics begat the fathers of artificial intelligence. Then cybernetics turned inward to consider the purpose, feedback functions, and limitations of cybernetics itself -- that is, to observe human observing. With the 1960s it grew into an applied epistemology, a discipline whose modeling tools would crack the conundrum of subjectivity in a scientific frame.

With a sketch of theory and a smattering of screenshots, this talk will position cybernetics as a means to sharpen understanding of human-through-computer interactions in terms of:

• conversation, defined as the rise and evolution of distinctions in a semantic space; and its dual,
• intelligence, defined as a property of a system that can assert, achieve, and modify its goals.

Today's technology isn't doing much talking, but there is no a priori reason why conversations with an artifact cannot be achieved. The key is a prescriptive model for innovation, which is possible in today's cybernetics at least at an architectural level. At the implementation level, it is a matter of when, not if.

Week 20 Update

User interface design in video games

Written in Mar 2010 by Anthony Stonehouse
Tags: Design, Games, Interactive, Opinions, Research, Technology, Theories, UI

User interface design in games differs from other UI design because it involves an additional element — fiction. The fiction involves an avatar of the actual user, or in this case, player. The player becomes an invisible, but key element to the story, much like a narrator in a novel or film.

This fiction can either be linked directly to the UI, partly, or not at all. There seems to be a growing debate with which is more immersive for the player. One side of the debate is that UI elements that sit within the game world, and therefore ‘viewable’ by both the player and avatar, are the more immersive and provide a more seem-less experience. However these elements are often clunky and inherit many restrictions. They need to strictly adhere to to the fictional narrative and adopt the visual design of the game’s art direction. They also sit within the geometry of the game’s perspective, often rendered on a 3D plane that can reduce their legibility.

Erik Fagerholt and Magnus Lorentzon explore these theories in their thesis for Chalmers University of Technology titled: Beyond the HUD — User Interfaces for Increased Player Immersion in FPS Games. They introduce the term diegetic interfaces for UI elements that exist within the game world that the player and avatar can interact with through visual, audible or haptic means.

I believe well executed diegetic UI elements do benefit the player by enhancing their experience of the narrative. However, they are more difficult to implement because the inherit restrictions.

Metro 2033 uses a complete diegetic UI with no HUD elements to help to support the game’s narrative. It does seem to run the risk of frustrating the player though slow response times but perhaps this forms part of the game mechanic, I have yet to play the game.

Metro 2033's diegetic interface

A well executed example that I am familiar with, and one that is often used, is the act of interacting with the phone in Grand Theft Auto 4. It mimics the real world interaction — you hear the ringing and there is a delay before you answer it, the act of answering itself is often an awkward process in reality. The game’s fiction adopts real world fiction so perhaps it makes diegetic elements easier to integrate.

Grand Theft Auto IV mobile phone interface element

UI elements can also exist in the game world and not be viewable by the player’s avatar, therefor avoiding the clunkiness of having to interact with the avatar (but also avoiding jumping out to menus) and the need to strictly conform to the game world’s art direction. They still need to follow the rules of the game’s fiction so they help immerse the player and provide a seamless experience.

These elements can either exist within the geometry of the word, or on the camera/screen for the player. Fagerholt and Lorentzon use the term Spatial to define elements of the UI that sit in the geometry and Meta to define elements that exist on the camera.

Fable 2’s dotted line that guides you to locations marked on your map is an example of a Spatial element, it exists in the game world but the avatar doesn’t interact with it. It ensures a more seamless experience, avoiding jumping out to a map screen as often.

Fable 2's glowing trail

Splinter Cell Convictions also adopts some nice Spatial elements in the form of projections that illustrate objectives within the game world. Their scale does seem to challenge the fiction slightly more than other examples.

Splinter Cell Conviction's objectives projected in the game world

A common example of a Meta UI element is blood the splatters on the screen as a form of health bar, as in the recently launched Modern Warfare 2.

Lastly there are the traditional non-diegetic UI elements. They have the freedom to be removed completely from the game’s fiction and geometry and can adopt their own visual treatment, though often influenced by the game’s art direction.

I think these elements are best used when the diegetic, meta and spatial forms provide restrictions that break the seamlessness, consistency or legibly of the UI element. World of Warcraft has a pure non-diegetic UI, that adds nothing to the fiction. It does allow the user to completely customise though, hopefully ensuring a familiar experience.

Here are some visual representations of these concepts that have been adapted from Fagerholt and Lorentzon’s thesis.

For further reading; Marcus Andrews from DICE examines recent games using these theories from Fagerholt and Lorentzon in this article posted on Gamasutra. Michael Grattan, a senior at the University of Souther California writes a response to the article on his blog. Dave Russell has also written an article on his blog.

New physical interaction methods make their way to the PS3 and 360 this year, calledMove and Natal respectively. These technologies promise to challenge current best practice in game UI design and generate even more innovation in the area. As a designer currently working in web design I’m almost jealous of the levels of interaction plus the addition of audio and haptic elements available in game UI — while I’m still refined to users with an outdated keyboard and mouse. Web does offer other challenges and more variety in content delivery though.

Week 19 Update

Game Analyses by Marcus Andrews

Far Cry 2

Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft, 2008) is an example of a game that goes to great lengths in making the interface diegetic,especially for being an FPS. The primary diegetic method in Far Cry 2 is making in-game gadgets take on roles typically associated with HUD interface -- map features, time of day, and the condition of your weapon.

Click for full size.

Above are examples of interface elements that are diegetic. Time is presented with a watch, and navigation with a GPS and physical map. It's worth noting that even though the map is physically represented in the world, the icons and indicators are moving and behaving based on game play.

What works?

The novelty factor

Visually it's cool to see the hero dig bullets out of his arm, and to look at a compass in your hand. Further proof of the novelty factor is how Ubisoft showed off the diegetic interface in the pre-launch marketing. It was considered a selling point -- a means to compete with other FPS games.

Interaction with other characters

Ironically, interacting with another character than yourself works great, since it allows you to see what that character is doing. This is particularly cool when a friendly character comes to save you when you are injured; that's a good snapshot example of immersion.

What doesn't work?

FC2 appears conflicted in its use of interface since it has a traditional non-diegetic HUD that indicates ammo, interaction opportunities, health etc, complimentary to the ambitious diegetic interface. This HUD is in its turn quite bluntly non-diegetic and very traditional.

In an effort to minimize the intrusiveness the non-diegetic elements fade in and out, out of the player's control, which of course results in a complete lack of control for the player. The screen below is captured in game and shows how non-diegetic HUD elements may show up during play.

There is a profound lack of real estate in FPS games on which to render interface beside the HUD, which shows in Far Cry 2. The camera simply does not allow diegetic representation of some things, especially if you restrain yourself to a realistic fiction.

Final analysis

Judging from Far Cry 2 it seems nearly hopeless to make the game playable and 100 percent diegetic, particularly in an FPS. Some sort of compromise seems to be necessary. The benefit of such compromise is likely greatest if a diegetic interface design is the goal from the beginning, rather than being forced in the end. If you find yourself adding complimentary non-diegetic UI to support a diegetic solution, you might have to rethink the solution as a whole.

Dead Space

Dead Space (EA, 2008) is the most recent example of a fully diegetic interface. In contrast to most games, Dead Spacehas an explicit direction that all interface elements should be "in the game world".

The interface uses a fairly traditional HUD system with a big twist: it's rendered in the game as a hologram, a textbook example of a diegetic solution where the interface exists in the game world and can theoretically be seen by the game characters. The UI is explained as holograms created by the avatar's space suit. This "excuse" opens up the possibility of using almost any interface, as long as it's holographic.

Beside the holographic interface, Dead Space also draws interface on the actual player avatar, a very appropriate solution for diegetic third person games.

Above: A locator feature that plots the way where you are expected to go. This feature came about when the ambitious holographic 3D map failed to serve players, according to Glen Schofield, the game's executive producer.

What works?

Setting

Dead Space takes advantage of its sci-fi setting to make the interface diegetic. It could in principle be explained as "a typical UI, rendered atypically".

Perspective

Using the player avatar as a canvas to actually draw UI elements on, such as health and stasis, is a great way to promote immersion -- but seems largely dependent on setting, and a third person camera.

Preserving functionality

Dead Space clearly shows some the style benefits of a diegetic interface, and that such an interface can preserve the functionality of a traditional interface.

What doesn't work?

Functionality breakdown leading to complementary solutions

The holographic 3D map largely failed to aid player navigation. The failure to serve player needs likely forced the development team to implement a complementary feature, "the locator", that was not using the same diegetic method (hologram) but rather a diegetic spatial method (projected on the ground) -- once again "excused" by the sci-fi fiction.

Benefit?

It is hard to see an absolute benefit from the UI other than the functionality it provides. Given there has no doubt been a lot of cost involved in making the holographic interface, this needs to be considered.

Final analysis

Dead Space raises the question "How much is gained by implementing a diegetic user interface?" One could easily imagine all Dead Space's interface elements as traditional HUD elements. Dead Space could also be criticized for only translating traditional interface solutions from non-diegetic to diegetic, without making any real improvements to the traditional designs.

I consider Dead Space a valuable measurement of the actual benefits of going diegetic. There might be a greater benefit than that realized in Dead Space -- but deciding if the pursuit is worthwhile is a decision each development team has to make. Conclusively it can be said that Dead Space uses a fairly traditional interface rendered in a novel, diegetic fashion, and that the benefits were fairly subjective.

Week 18 Update

UI Terminology Study

Diegetic: Interface that is included in the game world -- i.e., it can be seen and heard by the game characters. Example: the holographic interface in Dead Space.

Non-diegetic: Interface that is rendered outside the game world, only visible and audible to the players in the real world. Example: most classic heads-up display (HUD) elements.

Spatial: UI elements presented in the game's 3D space with or without being an entity of the actual game world (diegetic or non-diegetic). The character outlines in Left 4 Dead are an example of non-diegetic spatial UI.

Meta: Representations can exist in the game world, but aren't necessarily visualized spatially for the player; these are meta representations. The most apparent example is effects rendered on the screen, such as blood spatter on the camera to indicate damage.

Terminology from Fagerholt, Lorentzon (2009) "Beyond the HUD - User Interfaces for Increased Player Immersion in FPS Games". Master of Science Thesis, Chalmers University of Technology

Week 17 Update

Industry News

Angry Birds creator Rovio: No IPO in 2012 

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129183/Angry_Birds_creator_Rovio_No_IPO_in_2012.php

Analyst: Zynga is losing $150 per new paying customer 

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129182/Analyst_Zynga_is_losing_150_per_new_paying_customer.php

SOPA's not dead yet: the 6 things every game developer needs to know 

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129199/SOPAs_not_dead_yet_the_6_things_every_game_developer_needs_to_know.php

Temple Run's switch to free more than quadrupled its revenue http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129171/Temple_Runs_switch_to_free_more_than_quadrupled_its_revenue.php

Week 16 Update

Industry News
The 2011 U.S. retail software sales breakdown
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129153/The_2011_US_retail_software_sales_breakdown.php

With no new games, Vita sales keep dropping in Japan

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129154/With_no_new_games_Vita_sales_keep_dropping_in_Japan.php
Minecraft: Pocket Edition sells 700K copies 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129155/Minecraft_Pocket_Edition_sells_700K_copies.php
TIGA: Over 40% of UK devs who lose their jobs move overseas 
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/129155/Minecraft_Pocket_Edition_sells_700K_copies.php

Week 15 Update (S2 Week 1)

Games with Interesting UI - Reviews
ScaryGirl began its life as an award-winning graphic novel, spawned collectible toys, evolved into a Flash game, and now finally found a home as a downloadable adventure on Xbox Live Arcade. Its striking art-style may initially draw the eye, but ScaryGirl stands proudly on a foundation of tried and true gameplay.

Fantastic graphic design for ScaryGirl, mainly used non-diegetic, traditional UI elements to show health, time, score and inventory.

Afterall: Insanity was critiqued boring by IGN, it is a little bit harsh. However the score of graphic design was the highest one among all.

Great applied diegetic UI elements. Very immersive deisgn.

Week 14 Update

Review of professional practice in a specific area

- Blitz Games' Nash: Kinect, Natural User Interfaces 'Next Logical Step' To Holodeck

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33190/Blitz_Games_Nash_Kinect_Natural_User_Interfaces_Next_Logical_Step_To_Holodeck.php

- Report: Sony Preparing Tablet With Android OS, PlayStation Suite 

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33072/Report_Sony_Preparing_Tablet_With_Android_OS_PlayStation_Suite.php

- Video game user interface design: Diegesis theory

http://devmag.org.za/2011/02/02/video-game-user-interface-design-diegesis-theory/

- Interview: Guerrilla On 3D, Motion Control And Improving Narrative In Killzone 3

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33161/Interview_Guerrilla_On_3D_Motion_Control_And_Improving_Narrative_In_Killzone_3.php

Week 13 Update

Review of relevant research methodologies in your field

- Marcus Andrew demonstrates a methodology of designing UI at the end of his article, he raises some essential like understand your avatar, list the functions you know must be present in the UI, start with designing a preliminary interface, review and revise the preliminary interface, and try to include other forms, Audio, Animation, effects.

- Fagerholt, Lorentzon from Chalmers University of Technology also points out two good ways for testing a new UI design in his articles,

Ÿ  Pre-recorded in-game footage with new UI elements super-imposed

Ÿ  Transparent applications running in a layer on top of the game, faking interactions 
by triggering graphics manually

Week 12 Update

Understanding of commercial development environment/start-up opportunities/IP issues

Making Money

•You need to think how you or the company you work for makes it’s money

•Traditional Publisher Model

•Self-Publishing

•Aggregators

•Retail/Digital Distribution

Retail

•Selling boxed product at places like Game, Gamestation or HMV. Or indie and online.

•The gap in the market is “same day” physical delivery of games too big to download or 1st

party titles (basically combining online & bricks and mortar in one solution.)

•Future of this space is pre-paid cards as the consoles will (in the future) go online only. Retail

(to make it worth selling the hardware) will need a cut of the software sales. Hence prepaid

cards.

•To drive users to retail, the making of special “enhanced” versions just for the retail chain will

be a common practice. 

Digital Distribution

•Direct download, direct to consumer

•Like Steam service from Valve Software, the PlayStation Store or Xbox Live Arcade from

Microsoft.

•This also technically includes “unlocking” access to a game already on a service, like the

faux install process on Facebook (however the player would have to pay to do this unlock.

“Free” Business Models

•Free to Play

•Subscription

•Micro-transactions

•Freemium

•In-Game Advertising

•Other…

    –In-game minutes

    –Mobile applications

Intellectual Property

•IP is considered the key asset for the majority of games companies

•Owning your own IP is generally what makes companies worth $$$

•Often difficult to retain it if you are working for a publisher

•Often difficult to protect your IP (or at least it is without spending $$$)

Major IP Issues

•Atari v Magnavox and Pong

•Limbo of the Lost - stole from Oblivion, Morrowind, UT2K4, Diablo, Silent Hill, and many

more...

•Zynga – Mark Pincus allegedly said:

"I don't fucking want innovation. You're not smarter than the competitor. Just copy what they

do and do it until you get their numbers"

What’s an Idea Worth? 

•Theoretically – Loads, the right idea implemented at the right time will make a fortune e.g.

Facebook, Farmville, Minecraft

•These are the exceptions

•Realistically – You can’t copyright an idea, specifically you can’t actually patent game rules

in European Law.

What’s the aim? 

•The reason most companies have a clause that says everything you do is owned by the

company...is just in case you have that big idea

•The ultimate aim of owners/investors or shareholders is a financial return.

–A $50 Million investment is a $50 Million debt.

•But generally until you make it isn’t worth anything

That said… 

•As a legal structure, IP is about encouraging innovation.  Despite what it may look like

recently, IP is not about control.

•Most innovation isn't entirely new - it builds on existing innovations.  You're nearly always,

"standing on the shoulders of giants."    

Week 11 Update

Research about UI categories. Diegetic, Non-Diegetic, Spatial, Meta components.
- Game UI Discoveries: What Players Want
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4286/game_ui_discoveries_what_players_.php
- User interface design in video games
http://www.thewanderlust.net/blog/2010/03/29/user-interface-design-in-video-games/

- Video game user interface design: Diegesis theory

http://devmag.org.za/2011/02/02/video-game-user-interface-design-diegesis-theory/

- Beyond the HUD

http://publications.dice.se/attachments/beyond.the.hud.091025.pdf

- Creating immersive experiences with diegetic interfcace

http://www.cooper.com/journal/2010/08/diagetic_interfaces.html
- The “Plane” Between Worlds: Diegesis in Games http://myportfolio.usc.edu/mgrattan/2010/02/the_plane_between_worlds_diegesis_in_games.html 

Week 10 Update

Research of In-game UI design. (This Gen 3D Games)