UX in Gaming: building immersive experiences Presented by Michael Thompson Senior User Experience Designer Ubisoft Singapore

1. Building immersive ux in games

2. Who am I?
Michael Thompson
• UI Artist/UI Designer/Interaction Designer/UX Designer/Senior UX Designer
• NHL 2003-2005 (EA)
• NBA 2006 (EA)
• March Madness 2007 (EA)
• FIFA PC and Fifa Online 2 (EA)
• Ghost Recon Phantoms (Ubisoft) Competitive/Tactical/F2P/RPG/MMO/FPS/
TPS
• Undisclosed project (Ubisoft)
• Various failed or unreleased projects

3. Immersa-what?
What is immersion, anyway?
Immersion is not just being emotionally involved. It is to temporarily
experience a mental ‘space’ as real, and the real world as, in some
way, virtual.
If this impacts human behaviour in a visible way, then it is measurable.
Therefore it can be something any designer, of any discipline or area of
expertise, can strive for.

4. GET ARMED
a.r.m
• Acquisition
• Retention
• Monetization

5. Acquisition
Acquisition
1
image

6. metacritic
Acquisition
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of music albums, games,
movies, TV shows, DVDs. It is key to driving sales in the AAA game
market.
• More immersive = more fun = more better!
• I paid X and I received Xx10 fun! #winning

7. Acquisition

8. RETENTIon
Keep them coming back!
• Retention means the user, which we call players, wants to play again
and again and again.
• Very important in a Free to Play (F2P) micro-transaction model.

9. RETENTIon
Destiny
central
city
image

10. Making that money
monetization
• Boxed package purchase – Call of Duty
• Boxed package with subscription – Guild Wars
• Subscription - Wow
• Free to play micro-transaction – Ghost Recon Phantoms
• Freemium – various mobile
• DLC – various console games

11. Making that money
Ghost
Recon
Phantoms
store
image

12. SO HOW DO WE DO IT?
Linear paths Single destination

13. Super mario bros.- 1985

14. Metal gear solid - 1987

15. tomb raider - 1996
Tomb
raider
image

16. It looks open, but…
Many paths one destination

17. halo- 2001

18. Ac brotherhood - 2010

19. Open world
Do what you want
When you want
A game or an experience(s)

20. World of warcraft – 1994 - 2014

21. Elder scrolls v: skyrim - 2011

22. Combo power!
Many games today are using an integrated system that is sometimes:
• Fully Scripted
• Open World
• Linear
• Systemic
• PvE
• PvP
• Competitive
• Co-op
• Social
• Casual or hardcore

23. • Released August 1, 2007
• Racing MMORPG
• 4 large cities
• Hundreds of side quests
• Highly customizable
DRIFT CITY
Drift city

24. You vs the machine
• 200+ PvE missions
• Large and complex back story
• Constant audio and visual feedback

25. Big pimpin’
Battle Zones
• Multiplayer PvP, Coop competition
• Showing off
Conclaves
• 4 cities x 40 maps per city
• Up to 9v9 battles
• Level restrictions on battle participation
• Created matches or matchmaking
Clans/Guilds/Crews
• Social/competitive groups
• Member’s GC and Crew Points increase rank
• 4 Crew Ranks

26. I own my experience
Self ownership
• Not just a car, but my car
• Not just my character, it’s me

30. What now?
The player needs somewhere to play

34. Best practices
#1 – be diegetic as much as possible

36. Best practices
#2 – be spacial when you can

38. Best practices
#3 – be meta when you have to

40. Best practices
#4 – AVOID Non-diegetic mostly

42. Question time