GGWP

GAME UX/ 2024

ETHICAL GAME DESIGN / GAME UX / PSYCHOLOGY / RESEARCH / AI / PLAYER WELL-BEING / SOCIAL IMPACT

OVERVIEW

Good-Game, Well-Played is a Master of Design research project exploring ethical design principles in gaming experiences. As a UX designer and researcher with a lifelong passion for gaming, I embarked on this journey to address potential negative impacts of game design while amplifying the positive influence games can have on players' lives.

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THE CHALLENGE

The gaming industry often prioritizes engagement and monetization over player well-being, especially in online/live-service games. This project aimed to explore how ethical design practices could be integrated into game experiences without disrupting core gameplay or business models.

THE APPROACH

I analyzed current game design trends and identified areas for improvement in terms of player well-being. The research focused on four ethical pathways:

Marketplace integrity
Policy and rating board evolution
Power of self-regulation
Transformation of game experience and mechanics

KEY FINDINGS

Determining the pathways amongst other insights involved extensive Reddit conversations and discord game-nights. The "social value" of games turned out to be a multi-layered metric that primarily rooted from player attitude towards the game and its community. This led to further interventions.

Players are receptive to ethical design practices that promote well-being within games

Integrating ethical considerations into existing game narratives offers a practical approach for the industry

Game assets and elements have the potential to create significant social impact beyond supporting the story

Innovation and responsible AI adoption can create more context-aware and responsive games

The game design process does not need to be disrupted to integrate 'Good-Game' practices.

METHODOLOGY

REDDIT Q&A

Conducted online Reddit Q&A sessions to gain insights from players about their experiences and attitudes towards responsible gaming practices, with a focus on the ethical pathways identified above.

GAME DESIGN TRENDS
(CASE STUDIES)

Analyzed current game design trends and identified areas for improvement in terms of player well-being, considering the ethical pathways for positive change. The following games were analyzed as case studies or platforms for 'Good-Game' concept implementations:

1. Cyberpunk 2077
2. World of Warcraft
3. Battlefield 2042
4. Animal Crossing

5. God Of War
6. The Last of Us
7. Valorant (Project)
8. Marathon (Project)
9. Destiny 2 (Project)

PROJECTS

INTENT-BASED GAMING

Addressing player engagement by exploring a concept based on Spotify’s enhanced playlist feature. The game curates a session based on the player’s intent.

Players could embark on these runs solo or with friends and, upon completion, receive bonus XP to encourage wrapping up their session. Moreover, the game cleverly generates a new tailored run for the next day, incentivizing players to step away and return later.

The solution tackles it through a system-driven solution as opposed to being a game mechanic.

AI SKINS VS. TOXICITY

Focused on player’s mental health in competitive scenarios. Many games push our skills to the limits against other players. This is when toxicity becomes inevitable.

These interactive AI-powered skins would surface disruptive behavior and empower the players to report it while also educating them, not to forget training the AI models for accuracy over time.

This project was also a stab at balancing business needs and player health. Not too disruptive, just repurposing what they have into something meaningful. It creates a fair ground where game assets become an influence on safety.

PLAYER AWARE NPCs
(NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS)

This project became a highlight of GGWP. It reimagines NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) to be more than just support in the storyline, a voice of reason.

Combined with a few key metrics like session duration, number of retries, and a few others that the game already tracks, NPCs could easily incentivize disengagement or suggest a less intense activity by conversing with the player.

The difference here is that unlike screen time or parental controls, this is drastically less disruptive and less likely to be ignored.

IMPACT

GGWP highlights the potential for games to be a positive force in players' lives. By prioritizing ethical considerations alongside player engagement, the industry can create a healthier gaming environment and contribute to the overall well-being of players. This project serves as a springboard for further exploration and collaboration in the field of ethical game design.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Develop specific metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of ethical design concepts in games.
Analyze how the games industry has evolved since the research (before/after).
Create ethical guidelines for the development and implementation of player-aware AI characters.
Collaborate with game developers and studios to test and implement ethical design practices in real-world game projects.

End-to-end Thesis Presentation