Week Seven - Methods

This week we covered Methods, how to spot them and what patterns they followed. For this were split into two groups and from there also split into smaller groups/pairs. The exercise was to pick a Method example that suited us but wasn't the same as the other pair in our group. My partner and I chose "Field-notes". Below is a table of the patterns we had to look at and analyze.

Solo Exercises:

An exercise we were tasked with after class time was to write an Ethics Statement based on the answer we got from a questionnaire. As I am still unsure whether I need ethics but the result was that I do not need ethics, I will follow up with help from a former lecturer of mine. For now, however, I will write the statement as ethics is not needed.

Ethics Statement (WIP):

Thus far, I will need ethics for my project and I will need an ethics application for this. Being a game designer, I need to constantly playtest and use the feedback loop to then go ahead with updates. Since playtesting can involve an audience or people it is best that I use Ethics in the case of potential triggers, negative exposure, or Virtual Reality Sickness.

Another task was to do more for our aims, continuing on from the previous week.

Aim:

To understand how Virtual Reality (VR) changes a player’s journey in a space

Keywords relevant to this aim:

Journey, Virtual Reality (VR), Space, Player

(Methods) How will this aim be achieved through practice?

Prototyping, Playtesting

Describe the practice-based tools/processes you plan to explore to achieve this aim.

Iterative Design Process, MDA Framework, "Structuring Digital Game Stories", Unreal Engine 4, Virtual Reality

Discuss the reasons why you have chosen these tools/processes.

Iterative Design Processes utilize constant creation and ideation, which is a good foundation in conceptualization.

The Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics (MDA) Framework discusses the differing perspectives of players and designers, and helps to find the middle ground that generates meaningful play (and types of fun).

"Structuring Digital Game Stories" is a text on the use of Environmental Storytelling, something I think will be useful for evocation of strangeness.

Unreal Engine 4 is the game-making software, uses postprocessed lighting and rendering.

Virtual Reality is the hardware players/viewers use to experience/play a game.

(Paradigm) What worldview or existing framework situates this aim?

VR is the "most" interactive

Aim:

to investigate whether the player’s experience can generate meaningful play in a stimulating environment (whether overwhelming or barren)

Keywords relevant to this aim:

Player Experience, Meaningful Play, Stimulation, Environment