Background
Nowadays, Chinese people like to play mobile games as a way to relax and release pressure. It seems like many officers, workers, and students always play mobile games in their leisure time. However, this kind of way to relax causes big problems of communication between people, especially in their real-world off-line life. Also, it may cause the physical body harm on people’s health, which because they always stay inside, sit down, look down and stare at their phones without any movement.
Design opportunity
There is no mobile game which can play without staring at the screen of mobile phones. Also, the traditional physical game has been restricted by the environment and places. How might we design a game which could let users themselves become characters, and have physical contact instead of only digital connections in traditional mobile games?
What if we can?
I want to design a mobile game which concentrates on the physical contacts and communications in reality.
The game will be based on reality.
The game could play without staring at screen.
People could play the game outside
People could move around while playing the game instead of keeping sit down.
Game system design
Character settings
Player journey map
Storyboard
Story background
The game will combine with the most popular TV program in China. The theme of murder.
Name + Background setting
Who is the killer?
Some killers are active in this city. They are the mystery and they can kill the residents silently. Everyone is getting dangerous. Finding the clues left by the decedents. According to the clues, people can find the real killer and prevent to be killed. If you are killed, you can leave the messages and clues for people who are still alive.
Secondary research
Popular games analyzation
Mood map
Primary research
I find some players from different countries and areas. They are students, engineers, designers, and etc.
User archetype
Concept validation
Up to the data, I analyse the user-requirements and conclude the design criteria for the game. It should be a multiplayer game which includes the cooperation, competition, strategy so that it could be more flexible and viable.
Basing on the physical contact, real-people interaction and building the new social relations, the game should be playing outside, easy to move, and easy to change the location. Also, there should not be restricted to the area.
Requirments
Concept
1. Card game offline. Use different kinds of roles to compete and
think of a different strategy.
Weakness: similar to already existing games./ Not flexible
Virtue: East to access the market.
2. A wide range of killing game. Competing with other players in
the reality. Such as subway, shopping mall, public places.
Weakness: a different type of game, developers need strategy
and fund to spread for a large number of people. / Safety
Virtue: Easy to learn/ Flexible/ Use the screen in minimum/
body exercise/ feel like actually in the movie
3. AR combines shooting game.
Weakness: technology supporting/ Cost much/
hardware restriction.
Virtue: easy to learn/ exciting/ feel like actually in the movie
Key-consideration
I choose the most popular three Chinese mobile game, which belong to three different types of the Chinese popular mobile games. I use it to make the conclusion and contrast. Then, I find some common appealing points of those three games. Also, there are some lack and problems of those
mobile games.
Pain points？
1. He feels boring on transportation and when he is waiting for something/someone.
2. He wants a game which could prove his intelligence or capability.
3. He doesn’t have much time to play a game
4. His girlfriend doesn’t like him to play games when he comes back home.
5. He can’t stare at the screen or sit for a long time because it will make him get fat and lake of exercise.
What he will gain in the new game？
1. He could have some common topic to talk with friends.
2. He will feel confident and cheerful when he becomes skilful.
and sophisticated of a game.
3. He can make new friends in the game.
4. He can go out to play the game when he exercises like a jog
or run, or when he is on the bus or metro.
Player-motivation (background and plot): Combining with the popular Intellectual Property like film, TV, comic, novel and etc.
Where can play: Basically in public areas especially with lots of people, also corresponding with the places people like to go in daily time like subway, bus stop, malls, parks and etc. so that there could be enough players.
Characters setting: There are two groups of people who are opponents. However, players would not know each others’ status at first. So players need to hide their status (especially the killers), care about what happens surrounding, guess others status by inference.
Time lasting per round: Considering the common schedule and safety, the game will start from 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM. Players can stop or continue at any time. The operation will not be continuous action.
Operation: The immediate interaction is based on the real - contact between people via some simple operation of the phone. Players don’t need to stare at the screen to finish every step of the game. There is some Physical shortcut key which let people easily to hide their status, quickly to operate, convenient to move like a walk or run and leave out of staring the screen. Just feel like actually in the story!