ONBOARDING OVERVIEW

Use this on-boarding approach as the first impression of video games

With players that loved the first game, the marketing was probably successful in exciting them for this release.

I want to approach the hypothetical of making this the first game that someone would want to play. To the point where gamers use this as a gateway game for their non-gamer friends, trusting this experience to be a good enough first exposure to build players for life.

Emphasis:

how to integrate the first layer of tutorials into the gameplay at the beginning of the on-boarding phase.

Exploring ways to help get new-to-games players and new-to-the-genre players up to the ground level of proficiency to enjoy their experience.

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Breakdown

Role: UX Designer

Project Duration: Fall 2023

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‍Scope:

1 Tutorial Section Redesign

Primary Source Account (my playthroughs)

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Purpose:

Build tutorials into to the gameplay experience

(ex. alternative to out of context tutorial dumps)

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Process

Mental Models

Information Webs

Breakdowns

Work In Progress

Callouts

Hints

Layered Phases

Detailed Solution (Hypothesis)

Tight Feedback Loop in Kind Learning Environment

Chess is known as a kind learning environment because it is very easy to get a direct understanding of your action = this consequence. I would have the 'beginners mode' have a kind learning environment without dying to build up a new gamers mental model on how game mechanics work and to help them get to the skill floor level.

Wicked environments require adaptability and creativity, it is exciting and unpredictable. Like an improve jazz group, very fun for experienced players, but too confusing for a new player that can't even find the A note. For veteran players, the wicked environment is fine because they have background experience to help them adapt to the challenge.

For Example,

In the tutorial Station, there is a 'boss' fight to build the expectation of specialized attack reaction cues. But it is easy for a beginner to die over and over, every time you pop back at the beginning and have to make your way through the obstacles and cut scene, with not a lot to process why you died so fast.

Frustrating enough to churn new players before the on-boarding ends

Churn Out Points

Prologue

This was my first time playing a Kingdom hearts game and getting stuck on Roxas for hours not knowing how many days he would go through or when the game would actually start. I found it to be too long and boring,

I wish there was a way to bypass the Roxas Prologue

HP hits 0 = DEATH

I think this happens too early; I would have the main tutorial end before such frustrating consequences.

Especially to protect new players from churning out before they have any fun or investment

Camera

With modern accessibility features, this camera can be aided to auto-lock for players that need to avoid jerky movement, or limited dexterity.

It can be quite frustrating to lose a fight because you lost control of the camera

Strategy

Op-In Kind On-Boarding

With the On-Boarding stage for beginners,

I would set up a more structured tutorial that goes over gameplay that is just assumed at this point to help introduce new players and avoid over-saturating them with too many concepts overlapped

Wicked On-Boarding

For players at challenging difficulties, have more chance discoveries of gameplay and an option to hide hints/more over-handed UI aids

Story-Beat Audit

This is a 'beat' to 'beat' audit color coded by Sora(Blue), Roxas(Tan), Exposition(Gray)

Current Set-Up

This is a break down of the current on-boarding phase. It sets up 3 story lines, with tutorials(green) sprinkled in.

Blue- what happened to Sora flashbacks
Tan- Roxas in Twilight Town
Black- Exposition

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I think the current set up works great for returning Kingdom Heart players that already love the characters, and players that like engaging combat gameplay.

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Changes Explained

This project is a way to get new players an opportunity to love playing games. My change is a more broken up way to teach combat with skills in specific learning themes for new players to improve their tech-literacy and start building a mental model for game affordances and expectations.

Implementation

Change the on-boarding on a spectrum of kind to wicked as the player picks a difficulty level.

(current on-board works for the wicked learning environment)

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Gentle Ease

-Augment the on-boarding pace for the beginner setting.

-Break up the gameplay components for player to focus on 1 piece at a time

-Low steaks challenges for player to boldly experiment with different plays

Work In Progress 1

Sometimes people will misunderstand a tutorial or lesson (no matter how well designed). These optional hints are a second opportunity for the designer to communicate with users.

In this example, it clarifies the timing of a combo attack. Showing how the player can hit on a rhythm to maximize the damage inflicted and to better understand the range of the attacks.

‍Purpose: review for long gaps in play and reduce frustration for players trying to pull off a specific move

Work In Progress 2

A sample series of fight tutorials that build up layers of complexity with each phase.

‍Target: low-tech literacy, new-to-games, and new-to-genre

Phase 1

Basics

lock-on to moving targets
X to hit

Key Concept

-Practice locking onto/tracking moving target

Accessibility

Auto-focus

Phase 2

Basic Variations

X Combos
Block/Hit Combos

Key Concept

-Combo Rhythms

-Spacial Awareness

Accessibility

Reduced Speed

Phase 3

Enhanced Variations

△ Fight Reacts
React/Hit Combos

Key Concept

-incorporating react supports

Accessibility

High Contrast

Phase 4

Battle Supports

find good times to break from combos
use an item to help during a fight

Key Concept

-intro to hotkey set-up

Accessibility

Auto-Loads

Phase 5

AP Set-Up

set up a new skill
switch different skills

Key Concept

-Start specializing in preferred styles/moves

Accessibility

Auto-Optimize

Balance Suggestions

Phase 6

Fighting Flows

push exploration
creativity

Key Concept

-playing with different approaches and styles

Accessibility

Hold/ Tap Count customize

ONBOARDING OVERVIEW

Use this on-boarding approach as the first impression of video games

Breakdown

Process

Information Webs

Breakdowns

Work In Progress

Hints

Layered Phases

Detailed Solution (Hypothesis)

Tight Feedback Loop in Kind Learning Environment

For Example,

Frustrating enough to churn new players before the on-boarding ends

Churn Out Points

Prologue

HP hits 0 = DEATH

Camera

Strategy

Op-In Kind On-Boarding

Wicked On-Boarding

Story-Beat Audit

Current Set-Up

Changes Explained

Implementation

Gentle Ease

Work In Progress 1

Work In Progress 2

Phase 1

Basics

Key Concept

Accessibility

Phase 2

Basic Variations

Key Concept

Accessibility

Phase 3

Enhanced Variations

Key Concept

Accessibility

Phase 4

Battle Supports

Key Concept

Accessibility

Phase 5

AP Set-Up

Key Concept

Accessibility

Phase 6

Fighting Flows

Key Concept

Accessibility

UX Design

Top

Soln

Process

WIP