Comments on: Mario and Zelda Get It http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/2009/01/22/mario-and-zelda-get-it/ User Experience Design Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:59:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: russ http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/2009/01/22/mario-and-zelda-get-it/#comment-180 russ Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:42:02 +0000 http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/?p=217#comment-180 Mike - thanks for the comment - good to hear from you, my Neo-Canadian brother! I hear you about the more advanced button combinations that seem to be "hidden"...I don't know if they're trying to elicit the excitement of discovery or not, but sometimes it does feel like you're not being told something that could be very useful. That feeling of "wait, how the heck did I do THAT?" and not being able to recreate it is really frustrating. Another example for me would be "Star Power" function in Guitar Hero - the booklet simply says "hit this button for Star Power!" - and doesn't explain what the heck that is or why you'd want to do it (I had to go to Wikipedia for the answer). As for the Wii Fit trainer - they're both so androgynous that I find it interesting that they ask you to select one or the other to begin with! Ernie - good to hear from you as well - it's funny, I always thought that the people who were throwing the controllers through their TV were probably a tad over-zealous about their gaming...but after I once lost my grip and flung one across the room, and then accidentally swatted my dog in the snout when bowling...it raised an eyebrow, for sure. Stay tuned for the Think Brownstone Holodeck v1.0...we're working on it...but keep that under your hat, ay? Mike – thanks for the comment – good to hear from you, my Neo-Canadian brother! I hear you about the more advanced button combinations that seem to be “hidden”…I don’t know if they’re trying to elicit the excitement of discovery or not, but sometimes it does feel like you’re not being told something that could be very useful. That feeling of “wait, how the heck did I do THAT?” and not being able to recreate it is really frustrating. Another example for me would be “Star Power” function in Guitar Hero – the booklet simply says “hit this button for Star Power!” – and doesn’t explain what the heck that is or why you’d want to do it (I had to go to Wikipedia for the answer). As for the Wii Fit trainer – they’re both so androgynous that I find it interesting that they ask you to select one or the other to begin with!

Ernie – good to hear from you as well – it’s funny, I always thought that the people who were throwing the controllers through their TV were probably a tad over-zealous about their gaming…but after I once lost my grip and flung one across the room, and then accidentally swatted my dog in the snout when bowling…it raised an eyebrow, for sure.

Stay tuned for the Think Brownstone Holodeck v1.0…we’re working on it…but keep that under your hat, ay?

]]> By: erntan http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/2009/01/22/mario-and-zelda-get-it/#comment-166 erntan Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:05:28 +0000 http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/?p=217#comment-166 gaming design is huge and you bet they have UX expertise. Wii -- hate it, too much work and potential for breakage(my surroundings and my own body). Bad usability IMO. someone please create a holodeck gaming design is huge and you bet they have UX expertise.

Wii — hate it, too much work and potential for breakage(my surroundings and my own body). Bad usability IMO.

someone please create a holodeck

]]> By: Mike Deutsch http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/2009/01/22/mario-and-zelda-get-it/#comment-148 Mike Deutsch Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:35:56 +0000 http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/?p=217#comment-148 Hey Russ, I just got a Wii too, and I love the jump-right-in-ness of Wii Sports and Wii Fit. Very intuitive, tons of fun, and I hadn't really thought about the just-in-time learning thing. Good point. Two comments: (1) The lack of documentation in the booklets does get frustrating. I've played enough video games to know there *has* to be some button combination or body english that they're not telling me about. Or sometimes I accidentally do one and can't figure out what I did. I started keeping my laptop open so I could search online for tips -- very annoying to have to do, totally breaks the fun/flow of the game. (if you want to leave adulthood for a few minutes and feel like a pimple-faced Nintendo Power reader again, desperate for the new Metroid cheat code, try Googling "wii ski jump technique" or "wii tennis super serve") (2) I can tell you most programmers just think about the gameplay itself, documentation being a totally separate part of the product. It takes vision (and probably strong product management) to get a pause-to-learn feature built right *into* the game. p.s. - female trainer in Wii Fit -- cute, or just the male trainer with half-grapefruits glued to his chest? Discuss... Hey Russ,

I just got a Wii too, and I love the jump-right-in-ness of Wii Sports and Wii Fit. Very intuitive, tons of fun, and I hadn’t really thought about the just-in-time learning thing. Good point.

Two comments: (1) The lack of documentation in the booklets does get frustrating. I’ve played enough video games to know there *has* to be some button combination or body english that they’re not telling me about. Or sometimes I accidentally do one and can’t figure out what I did. I started keeping my laptop open so I could search online for tips — very annoying to have to do, totally breaks the fun/flow of the game. (if you want to leave adulthood for a few minutes and feel like a pimple-faced Nintendo Power reader again, desperate for the new Metroid cheat code, try Googling “wii ski jump technique” or “wii tennis super serve”)

(2) I can tell you most programmers just think about the gameplay itself, documentation being a totally separate part of the product. It takes vision (and probably strong product management) to get a pause-to-learn feature built right *into* the game.

p.s. – female trainer in Wii Fit — cute, or just the male trainer with half-grapefruits glued to his chest? Discuss…

]]> By: croharamer http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/2009/01/22/mario-and-zelda-get-it/#comment-146 croharamer Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:13:31 +0000 http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/?p=217#comment-146 Great post, Rusty. I've also been very impressed by the way in which the added instruction in wii games is delivered: it is simultaneously helpful AND non-intrusive. As I'm balancing on the tightrope and the bear trap is snapping its way toward me, I can somehow glean from the on-screen instruction what I need to do to without losing my concentration and falling to the street. Excellent design AND delivery of gaming instruction. Great post, Rusty. I’ve also been very impressed by the way in which the added instruction in wii games is delivered: it is simultaneously helpful AND non-intrusive. As I’m balancing on the tightrope and the bear trap is snapping its way toward me, I can somehow glean from the on-screen instruction what I need to do to without losing my concentration and falling to the street. Excellent design AND delivery of gaming instruction.

]]> By: russ http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/2009/01/22/mario-and-zelda-get-it/#comment-144 russ Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:51:20 +0000 http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/?p=217#comment-144 Thanks for the post, Chris - your blog looks like it has some great posts in it; I'll be digging into that later! But yes, I absolutely agree with you - even the games I've mentioned above have some "head-scratchers" in there that are a bit south of intuitive...and some of the games outside of the big franchises are REALLY out there (reference the original "Cooking Mama" game for an example of that) - even when they're relatively simple conceptually. As a larger portion of the population acquires the luxury of being connoisseurs of design, AND as they start to play games in bigger numbers due to the changing nature of the interactions, you're right - the game designers are going to have to step it up. Have fun with the PS3, fellow! See you on the blogosphere... Thanks for the post, Chris – your blog looks like it has some great posts in it; I’ll be digging into that later!

But yes, I absolutely agree with you – even the games I’ve mentioned above have some “head-scratchers” in there that are a bit south of intuitive…and some of the games outside of the big franchises are REALLY out there (reference the original “Cooking Mama” game for an example of that) – even when they’re relatively simple conceptually.

As a larger portion of the population acquires the luxury of being connoisseurs of design, AND as they start to play games in bigger numbers due to the changing nature of the interactions, you’re right – the game designers are going to have to step it up.

Have fun with the PS3, fellow! See you on the blogosphere…

]]> By: Chris http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/2009/01/22/mario-and-zelda-get-it/#comment-143 Chris Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:10:39 +0000 http://www.thinkbrownstone.com/blog/?p=217#comment-143 Russ, great points about how the Wii and other games lead you down a path where you acquire new features and hone existing skills. I broke down and bought a PS3 so I'd have a few games and also a blu-ray player. When you mention "Conventions that began with video games are slowly infiltrating other types of media if you know where to look", I also find the opposite to be true. As these games have grown more complex, I've found more and more usability issues, particularly with naming and labeling conventions, and the bundling of similar information. I don't know if EA or Activation has a fleet of IAs or other UX staff currently at the ready. But it seems game developers will need to address the needs those personnel often bring to the table as the gaming industry continues to advance and its audiences grow even more varied than today. Russ, great points about how the Wii and other games lead you down a path where you acquire new features and hone existing skills.

I broke down and bought a PS3 so I’d have a few games and also a blu-ray player. When you mention “Conventions that began with video games are slowly infiltrating other types of media if you know where to look”, I also find the opposite to be true.

As these games have grown more complex, I’ve found more and more usability issues, particularly with naming and labeling conventions, and the bundling of similar information.

I don’t know if EA or Activation has a fleet of IAs or other UX staff currently at the ready. But it seems game developers will need to address the needs those personnel often bring to the table as the gaming industry continues to advance and its audiences grow even more varied than today.

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