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Interface Time. Paul Taylor 2010. The Interface. As seen by Ed Byrne Player Interface Game Core Mechanics. Interlude. Failures and Triumphs of the Physical Interface. Good – THE Gameboy. http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/pbucket/2gameboy-1.jpg. Wiimotes.
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Interface Time Paul Taylor 2010
The Interface As seen by Ed Byrne • Player • Interface • Game Core Mechanics
Interlude • Failures and Triumphs of the Physical Interface
Good – THE Gameboy http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/pbucket/2gameboy-1.jpg
Wiimotes http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/pbucket/1wiimote.jpg
Light Guns http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/pbucket/5lightgun1.jpg
Cooperative AI http://gamefury.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Sloth-150x150.jpg
Nintendo Virtual Boy • 3D in 1995!!! http://retrothing.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/virtualboy.jpg
All in RED http://retrothing.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/mariored.jpg
Konami Laserscope http://www.joystickdivision.com/konami-laser-scope-l.jpg
Breaking down the Interface Layer • From Byrne we already have:
Splitting the Interface Further • We can divide the interface further, so: • What is the interface? What IS it?
Physical Interface • Input • Output • Virtual Interface • Input • Output • Don’t forget the I/O of your game world!
This leaves us with one missing piece • Mapping! • How does everything relate to everything else? • We need to convert those arrows into something more
Looking at the interface connections • Physical Input World • World Physical Output • Physical Input Virtual Interface • Virtual Interface World • World Virtual Interface • Virtual Interface Physical Output
Some Examples... Moving the character What part of the world is visible Menus, pop-ups, selections Stats, scores, mode changes Data, format, layout, presentation The health bars of enemies
Now because the interface is soo easy... • What happens to the player when the interface is perfect?
Projections of Consciousness • The player can forget the interface and project their consciousness into the game. • The player’s mind exists within the game • So where does the game world exist? • This is a complex part of the suspension of disbelief and immersion factor
The Player and the Game Players Mind Game World
Interaction Loops • Information flows from the player to the game and back to the player • This is a cycle that continues throughout the game • How fast does this cycle need to be?
Feedback • Basketball Nets http://www.aessports.com/images/b_bbnet_144_w.jpg
Feedback • Electric Cars http://www.blavish.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/ferrari-electric-car-7-12-07.jpg
http://www.worldofpwnage.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ut3-menu.pnghttp://www.worldofpwnage.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ut3-menu.png Feedback • The Unreal 3 Menus
OnLive and failure • OnLive! • http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-lag-factor-article
Burnout Paradise 67ms BioShock (frame-locked) 133ms BioShock (unlocked) as low as 67ms Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 67ms-84ms Call of Duty: World at War 67ms-100ms Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood 100ms Forza Motorsport 2 67ms Geometry Wars 2 67ms Guitar Hero: Aerosmith 67ms
Grand Theft Auto IV 133ms-200ms Halo 3 100ms-150ms Left 4 Dead 100ms-133ms LEGO Batman 133ms Mirror's Edge 133ms Street Fighter IV 67ms Soul Calibur IV 67ms-84ms Unreal Tournament 3 100ms-133ms X-Men Origins: Wolverine 133ms
The Moral of the story: Feedback is essential As soon as you can you must give the player some feedback!
Uncharted http://www.zath.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/uncharted-2-among-thieves-roof-jump-screenshot.jpg
http://blog.fatcow.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Juicy-Orange.jpg.jpghttp://blog.fatcow.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Juicy-Orange.jpg.jpg
Juicy Interfaces • For everything you do you get a heap of results • Avoiding a dry interface is a good step • Making it juicy is awesome! • Pinball machines are juicy!
http://gry.o2.pl/upload/files/e32006_p2_Viva-Pinata.jpg Viva Piñata
Information Channels • How many types of information are contained below? 65
Information Channels • How many types of information below? 65 Rotation Number, Size, Font, Colour, Position, Width, Height, Transparency,
Information Channels and Dimensionality • This is your chance to slip in a little more feedback! • For each feedback element think about: • What is the primary dimension? • What other information can my feedback carry? • Will it be obvious to player? • Does it need to be?
Input Modes What is an input mode?
Input Modes What is an input mode?
Whenever we change the mapping of one or more of the arrows in the interface diagram we are moving to a new mode
How best to design modes • Use as few as possible (reasonably) • Remember the GTA4 controls? • Avoid overlapping modes • Ring Ring!
How best to design modes • Make sure the player knows what mode they are in • Visually • Change the HUD • Change the Avatar • Change the screen data • Change the perspective • Sound • Force Feedback