What is your experience with user experience design?

User Experience design is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on understanding user needs, expectations, and emotions to create intuitive, accessible, and meaningful products. In the context of game design, UX design specifically addresses the overall experience players have while interacting with a game. While game design encompasses the creation of mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics to provide an engaging gaming experience, UX design focuses on the user aspects, ensuring that the game is not just visually appealing but also functional and enjoyable.

UX is not UI. That’s sadly a very common misconception strengthened by the many positions that tend to merge both as UI/UX. UX means User Experience. It’s a polyvalent scope where you have to put yourself in the shoes of players and make sure your game is understood by players and offer a smooth learning curve and progression. A good UX is key and fundamental in the success of a game retention strategy, the most important part of UX Game Design is by far what’s called the FTUE or First Time User Experience: it’s about making sure a new player experiencing your game for the first time feels welcomed and is taught the basics of your game in a non intrusive way to properly get started, and again, this does encompass everything not just UI!

L’UX design est l’avenir du marketing intelligent, le summum de l’approche client. Chez HumanXperience, notre priorité maximale est le vécu, le ressenti nous misons donc un maximum sur l UX design. Pour nous l UX design est l’évidence avec laquelle un client évolue dans notre univers ??

The field of User Experience design focuses on the granular interactions of the user. Primarily it is about ensuring that the user experience they have is consistent with the designed experience. This is not about removing any friction or making something easy to use, but about understanding a users behaviour and how we can have the emotions they feel, and thought process they have match the experience we are cultivating through the product. We want to to both immerse them in the content we are providing and remove any distractions that can shift them away from the product. It is a multidisciplinary field that requires a strong ability to analyze and interpret data in order to drive any changes that are needed for improvement.

"UX Design" to me is all about understanding user needs and pain-points and finding ways to help address those and make an experience better, easier, more delightful or create one that solves their problem. It's putting the customer first and exercising human-centred design principles.

Players must understand the actions they must take in a game in a clear and objective way. Instructions must be given in a way that each and every player (as long as they are part of the target audience) can understand. This is where UX shines!

La importancia de la interface en un videojuego es trascendental ya que simplemente es el canal de comunicación que tenemos quienes dise?amos experiencias lúdicas, todo lo que queremos ense?arle a quien juega es a través de la interface, pero, ?Qué pasa cuando esa comunicación no puede valerse de una red de significantes tradicionales y/o estandarizados?

In UX design, the final touches on your project go beyond mere "polishing." Instead, it involves a focused iteration process with your team at each milestone. The goal is to immerse yourselves in your collective work and answer a crucial question: "Is it fun enough?" Once you can confidently address aspects like the functionality of the game mechanics, the player's speed, the coherence of the loot system, and the balance of the in-game economy, you're ready to move forward and make incremental improvements.

Have you ever used a product that frustrated you? Often times you will leave the product and never come back. That is often what happens when UX design isn’t considered. People often don’t think about the perspective of how they player is going to be able to use the product. A good experience is a happy experience. And that means consumers will come back and continue to experience your product. Which means you will continue to make money. It is one important piece in the puzzle of a successful product. A strong UX design can also point out flaws in the game design and often correct them early in the process before they reach QA or the customer. It’s helpful in all phases of development.

Sometimes you might have the best idea and the best gameplay possible, but if the player doesn't understand what's happening in front of them, it'll be really hard to be fully engaged and immersed in the game. A great UX design allows the player to not even realize that they're in a game because they automatically make abstract of whatever is on the screen. So it affects the player's retention and attention to what's happening on the screen. If you need the player to care about the small details, you need the UX to be slick and very pure so that the player can focus on every single detail there is.

One of the most important words at this moment is EMPATHY, knowing how to put yourself in the shoes of the person who is going to play the game and trying to understand what their needs would be at that moment.

UX design principles to game design are crucial for creating enjoyable, engaging, and intuitive gaming experiences. As a game designer I focus on the needs and preferences of the players throughout the design process. One important aspect is User-Centered Design which is important for gameplay mechanics, interfaces, and controls having the user in mind, prioritizing usability and accessibility.

If you are trying to make something feel good, there are various priciples you can follow to get the basics right. I suggest reading into the "10 Principles of Interaction Design" to get a general understanding of UX. After you know the basics, the hard part comes into play: empathy. You need to be able to understand the needs of target-groups that aren't yourself. And you need to be able to apply this to szenarios you never thought about before.

User Research: Understand player preferences, behaviors, and needs through surveys, playtesting, and analytics. Information Architecture: Organize game content logically, including menus, levels, and tutorials, to facilitate easy navigation and understanding. Interaction Design: Create intuitive controls, responsive feedback systems, and clear tutorials to guide players through the game experience. Visual Design: Use visuals to communicate game mechanics, feedback, and goals effectively, ensuring clarity and immersion. Usability Testing: Continuously test prototypes with players to identify usability issues, gather feedback, and iterate on design improvements.

In our design department, we have a humorous saying: "You know nothing, John Doe." The idea behind it is that each of us endeavors to let go of our deep knowledge of game design as professionals and approach our work with the mindset of a potential gamer or customer. This approach helps us avoid overlooking crucial design aspects that may seem second nature to us. Sometimes, even basic issues like the interaction between toggle and hold buttons, especially in terms of accessibility options, can be forgotten if we don't consciously reassess our perspective.

No se si llamarlo un método pero si creo que es muy interesante explorar el concepto de diégesis en los distintos componentes de nuestra interface de videojuegos. Bajo la constitución de las dos condiciones distintivas de los videojuegos (inmersión e interactividad) que diferencian a los videojuegos de otras industrias culturales es menester pensar y dise?ar interfaces que logren el objetivo de interactividad sin perder la inmersión, por eso creo que generar elementos diegéticos en nuestras piezas de interface logra mayor inmersión y no interrumpe el "estado de flow" tan deseado por los requerimientos psicopedagógicos de nuestro dise?o de experiencia.

User Research and Game Analytics are two key expertise that are a tremendous addition to any UX Design endeavors. While on the UR side you can expose players to design ideas or playtest development builds iterations after iterations to gather valuable feedback, the Game Analytics side is your best ally when it comes to analyzing players data to understand your game’s features usage and players behavior or playstyles be it pre launch or post launch and take data-driven design decisions. A method NOT to use would be to blindly look at vocal negative feedback say on Reddit and change everything in your game and UX flow based on that: negative players are online and often a minority, positive players are playing and should be considered too.

One of my most used methods is Mind mapping. I feel that mentally creating an approach to this will create a deep UI, the other methods include research, and trying out designs or implementing initial designs.

Game designers employ various UX design methods to create engaging experiences. Playtesting involves observing player interactions, gathering feedback, and identifying usability issues. User surveys provide insights into player preferences and satisfaction levels. Persona development helps designers understand target player demographics and their needs. Wireframing and prototyping visualize game mechanics and interfaces. Iterative design allows for continuous refinement based on player feedback. These methods ensure that games are intuitive, enjoyable, and meet player expectations.

Storytelling is one of the most important UX design methods which is crucial for game design. Using storytelling, character development, and immersive environments can "invite" players to the game world. Creating memorable and emotionally resonant experiences that evoke a range of feelings, such as excitement, suspense, joy, or accomplishment can help players "stay" in the game.

These are some principles I follow: ??Put yourself in the shoes of the player. What experiences do they want and expect from their play sessions? However you do this by research, study or sharing this desire it will enable you to craft great experiences. ??Identify and remove barriers of entry. As pressure points arise or elements appear that could block player's engagement or enjoyment, you must act. It doesn't matter what genre a game is, the game should be clear to players. ??Champion the player's voice. As you get feedback this gives you that direct view of what they like or don't like. Have this in mind, as it might not align with features within the game. Have this feedback in mind when tweaking or changing parts of your game.

Player empathy is at the core, connect with players, understanding their motivations and crafting experiences that resonate. This connection extends to narrative prowess, enabling the creation of immersive and meaningful stories that seamlessly intertwine with gameplay. To do so effectively, a profound knowledge of behavioral psychology is big plus. Emotional design skills come into play, allowing the evocation of specific emotions in players through mechanics, graphics, and sound. Ethical design considerations ensure that games avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes or encouraging negative behaviors, fostering a responsible and inclusive gaming environment. And the most important, a game designer has to love play tests.

You need to be able to find systematic solutions for a variety of different problems. You need to understand correlation and effect of what you try to design but you also need to be humble enough to not let yourself down, when your intended design won't work (which will happen ALL the time)!

Conducting user research informs design decisions, while wireframing and prototyping visualise interfaces before implementation. Prioritising information architecture ensures a logical and intuitive structure. Usability testing identifies and addresses issues, and interaction design focuses on player input and responsiveness. Visual design principles enhance the aesthetic appeal, while empathy and adaptability cater to player emotions and evolving trends. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and an iterative design process based on user feedback contribute to creating games that are visually captivating and offer an engaging, user-friendly, and immersive experience.

Understanding game mechanics and player motivations is essential for designing engaging and rewarding gameplay experiences. A UX design skill I highly recommend is understanding feedback loops. They are important for creating enjoyable and immersive games.

It importent to note the key differences between UX/UI -any twi areas as sven as symbiotic or the same ideology— UX design involves managing the user journey as they interact with a product or service, while UI design focuses on the actual construction of that product or service's interface. UI design is usually considered part of the UX design process.

Looking at user experience from two different perspectives. Firstly, give the game to a complete beginner, (player though, non player UX wont make any progress) and see what they do for the first 10 minutes. Dont say a word, just observe. Now do the same thing with a pro player for that specific genre (Shooter Gamers for instance) and see how fast the player navigates or where they struggle, note everything and interview after. Real player feedback is THE best UX improvement source you can get. Period.

As we move towards the VR/AR era, spatial understanding becomes vital in game design. Professionals from diverse backgrounds, like architecture, will play pivotal roles in this evolution.

Embrace player-centricity, Prioritize clarity and intuition, Don't underestimate onboarding of players, Craft a cohesive flow and last but not the least, Iteration is key to good game design. Remember, UX is about empathy and understanding your players. By applying these methods with heart and iteration, you can create games that resonate and leave lasting impressions.

Actualmente estoy produciendo y participando del dise?o de un videojuego, en el cual estamos explorando el concepto de "enviroment narrative" con un objetivo de game feel basado en la introspección y siempre corremos con el riesgo de que quien juegue no termine entendiendo las mecánicas y por lo tanto no lograr tener la experiencia deseada por el dise?o. El aprendizaje que estamos teniendo es que existen muchas posibilidades de y ocasiones juego y sobre perfiles de personas que juegan. Innegablemente definir nuestro target nos encausa en la monetización pero sobre todo en quienes pueden disfrutar esa experiencia de juego.