Midterm Post
Possible Roblox games:
Social Game:
.Royale High.- A fantasy school roleplaying game. It utilizes the universes feature on the Roblox platform to play across various realms located in different environments.
Players can explore the game by teleporting to different territories called realms, which are accessed through the Teleport map.
Trading is only available to use in the Intergalactic Trading Hub, which can only be accessed by players level 75 or higher. Trading is separately also locked to levels 75 or higher.Players that live in South Korea or The Netherlands cannot trade or access the Intergalactic Trading Hub due to Korean laws that prohibit trading in video games, the reason that trading is disabled in the Netherlands is unknown as it is legally allowed.
There is a limit of items which can be traded.Real-money trading (aka real money transaction) selling in-game items on websites outside of Roblox.Diamonds are the main currency in RoyaleHigh.Diamond multipliers can be bought with Robux to boost the value of collectible diamonds from around realms, and also from leveling up.
Communication:Players are intended to dress up, roleplay or chat with other players, and complete various gameplay activities to level up and gain more diamonds to purchase new items. Players are given a teleportation staff to navigate the game, along with a phone to communicate with friends and keep track of timers. Royale High is split into multiple realms that have different purposes. All of them can be used to chat with other players or roleplay, and some have the sole intent of roleplaying.
Meepcity- A social, hang-out/roleplay experience game. Features inspired by Disney's Toontown Online and Club Penguin“The main purpose of the game is being a social or roleplay hangout. This means buying items or playing games is completely optional.
There is a currency called coins. Coins are used to customize your house (such as colors, structure, and furniture), buy and customize a pet Meep, or buying fishing rods”Various ways to get coins like selling fish in the game, playing games (pizza shack, star ball, meepcity racing), selling plants,buying the coins themself.
AdoptMe!- Roleplay roblox game created by dreamcraft.The game features two main roles: the baby, who gets taken care of, and the parent who takes care of the baby.
The main focus is on adopting, raising, and collecting the various pets. You can also decorate your house and unlock vehicles.
Trading system: The ecosystem of pets both encourage extended time as well as the purchasing of currency. Not just buying pets but players can also trade them with each other. This can turn into disputes if the trades are not fair.
The main concern of the game are scams and price hackings. There is time and money required to create the rarest pets. Some people even sell them outside of the platform (ex: ebay).
Roblox terms of use state that players who sell the pets outside of the platform will not be protected if the deal goes wrong.Social communication: Like the most roblox game, AdoptME! is a social game and is suitable for communication for younger children. The text-chat function is monitored and limited in language, there is little risk for children to be exposed to harmful content.
Paid access Game: Game Dev Life- 50 Robux to play this game, allows users to design their own office, create games, drive cars, and more; a place to show off your items that others would give anything to have in their possession.
Story Based Game: Roses - takes place in a 1940s asylum’ players venture through it to find Max, a friend of yours who went in, but never came out. It cost around 25 Robux to play
2. Design Research Plan:
Focus and Scope:
Research Question: While communication becomes more and more indispensable in the metaverse; to what extent does communication affect financial decisions in the metaverse?
Our team will be focusing on communication that results in an economic function (the significance of communication within metaverse) involved with roblox
Time and Timelines:
Send out survey: 10/19
cut survey off 10/28
sessions (4 sessions) in between each session we will prepare in depth interview questions for the participants:
First session: 10/29 (10 AM)
second session: 11/5 (10 AM)
third session 11/12 (10AM)
fourth session 11/19 (10 AM)
11/19-11/29 design betterments
11/30-12/5- final research report
People and Teams:
Our focus group will be made up of 4 people (2 of which have experience with roblox and 2 of which have no experience with roblox)
Deliverables:
At the end of our research we plan to present a detailed research report with:
Design suggestions and justification
Details specifically on the use of context mapping research methods
Clear analysis of any and all findings from the research
Finances:
Because the scholarship amount has not been decided yet we can not give an extract number on the amount of money that will be used
We will alot funds for the users to use as robux in the game
And depending on the amount left over from this decision we will use it as enticement for users to join our research
Goal of the research, Intended research impacts, and contributions:
The goals of the research are:
Communication without commerce involved: with the help of social games we will have users explore the game without using their Robux for two sessions and analyze their communication between players.
Look at how users use their finances within a game that requires communication.
Analyze what players look at when picking a game that requires a playing fee.
Analyze how players use their currency in a plot based game. This goal will focus on if a change in game type from collaboration based to a solo scenario causes any changes in their communication involving robux.
Look at the differences between new and experienced users.
These goals will better define the extent to which communication can affect the financial decisions made in the metaverse and deduce whether or not communication alone is enough to support and sustain an economy in the metaverse.
A contribution and impact of the research is that the gathered information will help to design and better functions that can allow for optimal financial based communication that can be applied across platforms.
3. Develop The initial work plan for you project
Secondary Research outputs
most of the secondary sources that were found only discussed the trade and commerce of roblox from the creators side instead of the users side
Participants Sampling and Screening process
users will be screened through a google survey to analyze the degree of experience they have.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScurf6HIUpC38xB9o2eXEMtyn6X5L6HWVGRvxzhuIAcbcCzqg/viewform?usp=sf_link
Session Script
Our sessions will last 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes over zoom go as following
We will have users begin that day’s sensitizing material for 5- 10 minutes
After the participants have finished we will discuss what each user has written for 5- 10 minutes
We will then move into playing the game with the things that was discussed in mind
We will have four sessions
For each session will play a different game under the game categories previously mentioned
Users will be encouraged to spend there robux in all sessions except the first session in which they will be focusing on navigating the in game communications
After playing the game we will have one on one with individuals with interview questions asking about their research question and goals
Sensitizing Material Design
Our team will be using short worksheets to sensitize users before moving forward with the gaming session. The worksheets will be done online through miro board
The users will be given a brief explanation on how to use the program if needed
Here are some templates created for the sessions:
https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lqd7HSM=/?invite_link_id=748665609643
Toolkit Design
Introduction: Purpose and scope of the research. Definition of terms.
Presenting the users Roblox and the specific games.
Explaining the rules of the games.
Monitoring:
Let users explore/play the games.
Monitoring the users. Analyzing their emotional state, reactions. Take notes of their comments while playing.
Outputs:
Interviews. Questions about the games. Take notes and opinions in order to propose better usability/improvement of the platform.