Similar Products Research
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Research in design serves as a source of inspiration and insight. While it may involve playing games, its primary goal is to generate a key question for the next phase, not just collecting notes. Without a clear question, the research lacks purpose.
So now that we have some tools at our disposal to understand and analyze games, let us talk about Research as the first stage of the iterative design process. Research is a very important part of the design process - it is what helps us learn about and define the needs of the users which lays the groundwork for then creating solutions to them.
Applying the MDA Model & Similar Products Research
Analyze a small part of a game using the MDA Model and conduct Similar Products Research to gain insights into game design, player emotions, and potential improvements. This method helps capture both structured insights (MDA Model) and emotional responses (Love/Break-Up Letters), leading to deeper game design understanding and potential improvements.
MDA Model Analysis
- Pick a game that you enjoy or find interesting.
- Focus on a specific part of the game: Combat system
- Puzzle mechanics
- Progression system
- Identify various game elements and categorize them into: Mechanics (rules, actions, and controls)
- Dynamics (interactions between mechanics and players)
- Aesthetics (emotional responses and experiences) Group similar game elements together to better understand their impact.
- What kind of fun does the game provide?
- What player types are the main targets of this experience?
- What kind of fun does the game provide?
- What player types are the main targets of this experience?
Similar Products Research
- Each participant writes either a love letter, a break-up letter, or both to the game.
- Limit this to 10 minutes per letter.
- Gather as a team. Each member reads their letter out loud.
- Video record the readings for later analysis.
- Watch the recordings and note:
- Key words and phrases used.
- Facial expressions and emotional cues.
- Tone of voice and emphasis.
- Discuss findings as a team to empathize with users.
- Identify patterns in emotions and responses.
- Based on your analysis, create a How might we… question to explore improvements or new design directions.
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