Bridging the Gap Between UX Principles and Game Design

In this 2018 GDC session, Epic Games' Jim Brown discusses the intersection between game design and UX, and outlines some unexpected ways that the two disciplines can work together to improve the overall gameplay experience.

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[GameDesignThinking]

I really liked how Jim Brown talks about systems as something to serve the player, not the designer. Great talk!

[Vorstave]

Great talk, I agree with the vast majority of the points made.

I must admit I don't like the "Magic Bullet" solution in the System Design example though. I personally feel we have a duty as designers to highlight the optimal strategy, making it the most fun and intuitive one to play.

Magic Bullets create a counter-incentive to learning the best strategy which will likely lead players down a path of creating a habit of non-optimal play. If they ever need to play optimally (e.g. in PvP or on a higher difficulty) they will have to experience the pain of unlearning their old habit and picking up a new one.

I would recommend reducing the power gained by the active reload mechanic and/or offering weapons that have a wider active reload threshold that is easier for new players. Additionally I'd encourage newer players to use these more lenient weapons.

Hope this makes sense!

[kcabra]

That insight into how Gestalt applies to encounter design was great!!

[PixelArchitect]

Really great talk! The insight regarding the meaning of basic shapes is really interesting. Hope to be able to apply this info.

[Max_G]

9:30 "If you come at the Designer with all of those UX Terms, they will look at you just like that guy looks at the bear"

And then there's (aspiring) Designers who know all of those Gestalt laws pretty well. (And thought they were common knowledge in Game Design)

[hasantekin]

It’d be really nice if you have showed videos instead of screenshots.

[skougi]

Excellent presentation!! Games are just regular applications with wide open fields and 3D models instead of windows and buttons! UX isn't always about making things easier on users either. Games seem to do this inverted UX better than apps (by and large) mostly so the gameplay isn't boring :)

[gearduran]

It's a "Magazine" Not "Clip" LOL. Solid info tho☺

[voltcorp]

what kind of education do designers have over there for "gestalt" and "cognitive load" to be "overbearing lingo" smh

[mAeX]

If the designer does not know what gestalt is he IS the problem 🤦

[friendlyfripptit]

many points were great, but the part with the damage cog and the magic bullets was just disheartening. Happily confess you lie to the player? that's just bad design