Super Duper Controls!

I'm Guido. I make games.

[superdupercontrols]

Learning UX Design with the Interaction Design Foundation - a review

Hello everyone, hope you are well and fine! I know I’ve promise game content and UX content, and it will be published at the end of the year! That said, I really feel that I need to talk/review these courses that I'm taking on the interaction design foundation these last 11 months. They are a website that you can learn UX, interaction design, and all in between wonderful content for a great price.

And the question you might ask! Was it worth it??? The simple answer:

YES!!!!!

I’ve completed 10 courses and I can tell you it was worth every second. There was no bad course. There is great academic theory background in all the courses I’ve taken, and their expert experience and there even community if you need for an even course. Such as comments and taking part in meeting online. However, keep in mind you must work hard. IxDF makes the content as accessible as possible, but you need to put the work. Although every course you need to answer the question in multiple question or in text. The other part is developing projects for your portfolio and that is important.

You’re not obligated to do the portfolio or project to get the certificate from IxDF. However, they incentive you and give you excellent material how can you put on your website, portfolio, and blog. I'm still working little by little on many projects. But my website is done and you can check it out!

GUIDO PEREIRA

What's NEW? ✨✨✨

But there are things I can recommend if you are starting:

1. Do at least 30 minutes 3 times a week (if you can do more even better!)

2. Do not binge the courses

3. Take one course once at a time

4. Remember to build projects for your portfolio

5. Pick a career path to help you do the right courses for you (there’s 10)

6. Participate in the local online meetings

So, you might ask if this for me, and this gets tricky because it depends on you, and how much time you can invest. If you cant invest your time, I won’t recommend. Another important warning this does not replace college or university degree. Courses are great and are college degree level, you should at least be getting a degree or have a degree the great part is that you don’t have to be in any specific degree if you love UX, interaction design, UI Design, whatever is your cup of tea related to interaction design. There is something here for you and wants to be a part of this big outstanding community that wants to change how we experience the world.

The Verdict

Worth it? Yes!!!

But! You need to put the time and work!

Warning! IxDF does not replace a college degree

I have a degree from a different field, and I love UX and design. You Should go for it!

Will it help me achieve my goals? Yes! and you can use the certificates as prove and put on your resume or professional networks.

Last thing, It's affordable! a couple less Starbucks coffees wont kill you.

Please check these links for more information

Courses

Learn UX Design

Online, self-paced UX Courses created by design experts. Courses are graded by instructors, with certificates verified and trusted by th

Literature

UX Daily: Browse all topics

Learn User Experience (UX) and Design from experts

Referral Link (2 months off yearly membership)

9 Reasons to Join Us and Learn UX Design

Learn how we can help you advance your design career through world-class UX design courses at affordable prices. Read reviews and other

Thank you for reading

[superdupercontrols]

Having a skecth book for your game Ideas | Game Design

Hello, hope you are fine and well, I have something to talk about, sketch books. It’s not just for artists but for game developers.Just like artists, game developers got to practice as well.

I have one I only put 10 ideas down. I’m planning to show having an idea and document it and evaluate the game if it’s possible for production. I will try to prototype in code in Unity or another a engine. Or even better, make a paper prototype or maybe a board game let’s see what’s happen.

But maybe you are asking? Why? And as usual I will list my reasons:

1. Inspiration and ideas can come from anywhere

2. Having a game idea is not enough

3. You got to start somewhere

4. Documentation

5. Quickly prototype

6. Playtest, playtest, and playtest (Break the game!)

7. Learn that not every game idea is a good idea

8. Learn! (Probably all game ideas will FAIL and that’s perfectly fine)

Will I share it? Yes!!!! I will show my process. But please keep expectations low it’s about learning and destroy the myth of brilliant game ideas and show that it’s a lot of work. But for a little sneak peek, I wrote 5 rules for my game idea sketch book:

1.Don’t judge the ideas

2. Can be mechanical focus if necessary

3. Math, Numbers, art, writing are valid forms of ideas.

4. Must contain the date of the idea

5. if necessary, the source of the game inspiration

Thank you for reading!

[superdupercontrols]

Trying to improve a Roulette through UX lenses | Special Topics in Games

Hello everyone, it’s been a while... and I think it’s time to talk about something.

Lately I’ve been analyzing cassino games such as roulette, and maybe you will ask me why? Well, for starters, the game is popular, and there are a lot of roulette apps. But some apps have UX issues:

1. A physical game with a lot of information can overwhelm users on mobile devices (Because of the limiting space of their mobile screens).

2. The game is not playable on one hand (mobile)

I’ve started playing the game and realized that there were empty spaces and need to very precise to touch the numbers on the screen, sometimes even forcing vision. So, I draw in the open spaces, and see if there was too much information that can hide in a menu.

Based on that, I did a quick wireframe to see how the space would be layout. Then building a quick prototype.

Then I realized that the color of the numbers could be in the complete square. And other minor adjustments. The next steps are testing, to valid my proposed solution to the issues.

Although I did not test for me, visually the access of information has improved and its more clear what things are and what you should do. But I you loved to know what’s your opinion, let me know what you think (please be constructive).

Although it was a small project, sometimes a quick and fast revision can improve a lot, something that is already fun, more accessible, and easier to jump in. Hope you like this fast read.

[superdupercontrols]

Eighth Script! Click Me! (Inspired by the color Dungeon -Zelda)| Kick Start Scripts 4 Your Game 4 Unity.

Hello, hope you are safe and doing well, today I will present script nº8. This Script inspired me by playing Zelda Link’s Awakening, specifically the Color dungeon. I do not know why... but whatever I thought it was interesting. I am just a sucker for puzzles! And show you do not need to be a genius or have a lot of resources to make something similar in your games.

To implement, add the script add to your main camera, then create all Tags with the same name on your unity editor (or change that is up to you). When referencing the objects to the script please add their Mesh Renderer as well to the script. There you are ready! Experiment with the script and add different Boolean logic sequences to make a similar experience to the puzzle just like on Zelda!

Final Result.

Check it out! Link below

https://github.com/guidoafp/KickStartScripts4YourGame4Unity/blob/main/ClickMe.cs

Have Fun!

[superdupercontrols]

The Greatest Game Design Material (I’ve found) | Special Topics in Games

Hello everyone hope all is well, sorry for not posting lately. I got a new job as UX/UI designer and I had to adapt to the new life. I'm sorry that I did not post for a while. Im trying to go back. It will be small, but I hope you like it.

First, I found this amazing content to study game design on my own and yourself (if you like). Started by watching one of the available GDC videos on YouTube, the one that I’ve watched: Designing Games for Game Designers, giving by Stone Librande.

The video is exceptional, to learn Game Design deeply and develop your skill to the next level. Stone Librande was a website with all his talks (not the videos). But the whole learning content and many of his awesome talks:

I’m super impress with not just the quantity but the quality of this content this a gold mine and if you are in gaming design, I would highly recommend the content of his website.

I will also recommend you watch the videos associated with each of his presentations (I don’t know if all are available online). However, this is a gold mine of game design study and practice.

I hope in the couple of months I just don’t study this content, but make something out of what I’ve learned from and share it on tumbler, or my personal website.

Hope this was useful for you.

Cheers!!!

[superdupercontrols]

Human Behavioral Biology | Special Topics in Games

As someone that consider themselves a game designer, it is important not only to study, analyze and make games, but understand humans as well. Some people will suggest becoming a biologist, psychologist, neuroscience, or even cognitive sciences and maybe an economist. However, we cannot go to a 4-to-5-year bachelor’s degree in all these fields unless you have a degree in any in these fields and you want to make games, please take advantage, more power to you.

However, if you have little time or want to understand the basics and do not mind having a university credit. I would recommend human behavioral biology from Stanford university; you can find all 25 lectures from Robert Sapolsky.  I have learned massively and open my horizons not just for games, but as knowledge. But you are here to know how it relates to game making, well as stated in the beginning you need to understand humans, and how we behave. This can help us make smarter, innovative, and even more cohesive to humans when interacting with your game or making design decisions.

I personally would recommend watching videos, if you do not have all the time or want to be more direct:

1. Introduction to Human Behavioral Biology

2. Behavioral Evolution

3. Behavioral Evolution II

9. Ethology

10. Introduction to Neuroscience I

11. Introduction to Neuroscience II

21. Chaos and Reductionism

22. Emergence and Complexity

23. Language

These are more related and applicable to games if you feel like it is too long, and you would like to be more specific.

Hope you can learn; and expand your knowledge and hopefully make games with a cleverer design, with a touch of human behavior in thought. (I hope I can apply this to my game making)

Playlist link Below.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL848F2368C90DDC3D

[superdupercontrols]

How to start to be a Game Designer | Special Topics in Games

Hello!

Hope you are well and safe, today I would like to say is that I am having a hard time to understand in today to be a Game Designer, depends on the studio in my humble opinion. But this video from the Ubisoft Toronto’s Richard Carrillo, open my eyes, besides being about the interview process, for me he pointed out what a Game designer should be and develop key skills:

1.       (Build) Systems

2.       Problem Solving

3.       Player experience

4.       Game Loops

I hope in my next game projects I can focus on these 4 crucial skills.

I recommend watching his video, form GDC 2017, for deeper insight and see his examples that are outstanding. Hope this video can inspire you to continue to work on your game design career, passion, or hobby. Cheers! 

[superdupercontrols]

Only You Can Get Out! | Short Game

Hello everyone hope you are safe and well today I would like to show a game (prototype), that I made recently (Only You Can Get Out!). The game is a Hyper focus abstract puzzle; you are a black cube, and all the yellow shapes follow your moves. The catch is that only the black cube can get out.

You can download and play this game, you can download, it’s for a windows.  

Hope you guys can play and enjoy it!

Check it out! Link below

https://guidoafp.itch.io/only-you-can-get-out

[superdupercontrols]

Seventh Script! Circular Follow| Kick Start Scripts 4 Your Game 4 Unity.

Final Result. Hello, hope you are safe and doing well, today I will present script nº7. This Script is a circular follow when you collide the object with the script, it will follow the object that collide it. Important details do not forget for the colliding game object has the checkbox “isTrigger” activated and create the tag “Player” to the object that is colliding with the object with the script.

Tag your character “Player”

The Script assigned in the colide object or enemy and activate “isTrigger”, do not forget to assigned character and target to the object that will collide o this object.

Final Result.

Red cube “Player” moving and the yellow cube following.  

Check it out! Link below

https://github.com/guidoafp/KickStartScripts4YourGame4Unity/blob/main/SimpleCircularFollow.cs

[superdupercontrols]

Sixth Script! Repulsion Script (Stay Away!) | Kick Start Scripts 4 Your Game 4 Unity.

Hello, hope you are safe and doing well, today I will present script nº6. It is a repulsion script where the collide sphere game object stays away what that collide it. This Script is difficult for beginners, but I think that even the code having a certain level of complexity think it is still accessible for those who are starting. I don’t know where you can use this script specifically for your game, but People are creative, so you never know 😉 Important detail, the sphere game object assigned to the script does not need to have a Rigidbody, but you must self-assigned it on “Sphere Center”.

Final Result.

Check the source code! Link below

https://github.com/guidoafp/KickStartScripts4YourGame4Unity/blob/main/Repulsion.cs

[superdupercontrols]

Fifth Script! Spin Script| Kick Start Scripts 4 Your Game 4 Unity.

Hello, hope you are safe and doing well, today I will present script nº5 and it is the smallest script made for this project (until now). This Script inspired me by playing Fall guys, and the frustration of being hit by obstacles. Who could imagine something so simple to be so important to a game. That show you folks that small things matter in this case, small code.  

To implement add the script to the game object I suggest large one axis side and add Rigidbody with gravity with a high mass to work properly. The object you want to collide with it has to have a Rigidbody with gravity and do not need to change the mass, just the object spinning.

Final Result. 

Check it out! Link below 

https://github.com/guidoafp/KickStartScripts4YourGame4Unity/blob/main/SimpleSpin.cs

[superdupercontrols]

House of puzzles | Failed Attempts

Hello again!  Hope you are safe and sound. Today I will talk about my second attempt on unreal engine 4. But with this time not with extremely high expectations for a beginner. This time I wanted to prototype house of Puzzles, a first-person game you are in house and you need to solve puzzles, but comically. The game that inspired me was:

Kill it with fire

Untiled goose game

Good job! 

They all have in common comical theme, puzzle to solve and a list to do things. And I thought, why not doing something similar but in a house in first person to solve mysterious puzzles?

So, what I did was make a fast-visual prototype to see how it look, no programing just getting assets putting in place an ambient sound and that is it! For a prototype is enough to have an idea what could be.

I have to admit this was better, faster and easier and I could observe more how Unreal engine 4, although the first chaotic experience, this was healthier, so what I learn is that focus on one thing is good and helps and that you don’t need to program to see if your idea is good or not….. I feel embarrassed because I have done UX courses since college to learn to know that, maybe next time all remember prototype simpler first maybe use some paper.

[superdupercontrols]

Why you should watch GDC videos | Special Topics in Games

You should watch one GDC video on YouTube a week at least,  you learn so much and it feels like a deep class focus on the industry and you can watch on YouTube.

I try to watch 5 videos a week and take notes, it’s a learning experience, that is worth it and you need just to pay attention for one hour. Watch one GDC video a week minimum, and there are many topics even playlist!!!

Last time I check they uploaded 1,820 videos.

Self-education content for hours with actual people, who publish games and best part experience, and you do not have to pay! Sure, you will not have the formal credentials, but trust me, this can make you stand out and make betters games and avoid mistakes.

Start with this one! It is not technical; you do not need to be making a make, and it is a brilliant start for understanding making games!

Hope you enjoy! And that this post can help you be a better game maker!

[superdupercontrols]

Fourth Script! Right and Left | Kick Start Scripts 4 Your Game 4 Unity.

Hello, hope you are safe and doing well, today I will present script nº4 and it is a trigger script to detect right and then left or vice versa movements and count its cycles. There is a recognition to not repeat the same side. But again, it is simple. I hope you can use it and help you kick start your game. You realize that I wrote “cicle” and not cycle and I did not realize but it is ok you can change the name and the code works.  Let me show how it works. Please do not forget to active “is trigger” on game objects and to add UI game objects, and using my Third Script for the red object movement.  

Right and Left

Only Right

 Only Left 

Check it out! Link below

https://github.com/guidoafp/KickStartScripts4YourGame4Unity/blob/main/LeftRight.cs

[superdupercontrols]

The Importance of UX Design for video games (Part 2) | Special Topics in Games

Hello again! Hope you are safe. In Part 1 I gave you reason to take it UX seriously in your game, if you like to recap you can read Part 1, if you like to watch a video that helps you understand the topic, watch this video..

Part 2, I will give suggestions in learning more about UX. I will not suggest YouTube, because I know most people will start there and they do not structure it. I will recommend structure and with certificate courses:

1. With certificate and free (depending on your country, your residence). The Future Learn platform is a good learning more formally and easy to follow. I did these 3 courses and I recommend.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/digital-skills-user-experience

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/introduction-to-ux-and-accessible-design

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/creating-a-great-user-experience-for-mobile-apps

2.  Not that expensive and probably the best one, I am talking of course about the Interaction Design Foundation.  There are certificates, it’s not the most formal platform, but many people start their learning here. 

3. If you are looking for something more formal, I recommend edX and Coursera, but their cost is higher take that in consideration.  

4. If you are in college or university, I recommend you see if there is a class.

In my humble opinion, if you start and finish one of these 4 options you can start watching the GDC videos and see how you can apply UX to your game or maybe having ideas for future games.

[superdupercontrols]

The Importance of UX Design for Video Games (Part 1) | Special Topics in Games

Hello, Hope you are safe! Today I want to talk something quick, about UX design and how is crucial and always was there in the evolution of game making. Yes! UX is not only for websites, Smartphone apps, for designers that want to work in tech and some fancy made up trend by Silicon Valley.

This misunderstood field is multidisciplinary, open to most backgrounds, and accessible to start, and in my humble opinion something that inspiring game designers or any game professional should take it seriously.  

I will give you reasons (based on my opinion):

1. UX is about understanding your user people that play your game.

There’re all about the people and people's needs. They want to know who you are and how you think.

2. UX test their hypothesis no matter how, even if it is on paper.

Yes, UX has many ways of testing, but because there are data based and need to be ASAP, sometimes paper is good enough.

3. They base UX decision making on what the data says.

When tested if the data says no, no expectations, they will see what went wrong to back to the whiteboard and test again simple until they nailed it!

4. UX care if your player understands how to play the game.

One of the key objectives of UX is to see if the person learns what there is supposed to do, and this can be crucial specially if a game needs a tutorial or many tutorials.

5. UX reduces development cost (this is general for UX but true!)

Yes! Its true, if a UX designer founds out that feature is not useful and that you need to make a simple modification, that can save a lot of time, resource, and money for the company!

6.  UX can solve game design problems that game designers are limited.

I know some people will disagree with me,  but games designers focuses on the experience of the game, there're lenses is focus on the game, when a game has a more player center problem luckily the UX designer lenses is focus on the person playing that game more suited for the task.

7. UX focus on a seamless experience between game and interface.

They care about the game more in a whole (not just UI). Their mission is that they can design an experience where the player can feel comfortable with interface, feel in complete control and knows what there are doing.

8. UX can increase monetization of the game.

Yes, this is true! I recommend you read this article. That explains in better detailed (it’s not specific for games, it’s general for UX )

9. GDD (Game Developers Conference) has over 20 videos on YouTube talking about UX in games.

Do I have to explain????????

Thank you for reading and Part 2 will be about where you can start learning about UX! Cheers  :D

[superdupercontrols]

Avatar Paradox Prototype (Part 3) | Unreal Engine | Failed Attempts

Hello again!  Hope you are safe and sound. Last time we were talking about the games that expired me and made me want to prototype “Avatar Paradox” to learn Unreal Engine 4 (UE4).

These are the fundamental things that need to implement for the prototype:

1.      Narrative

2.      Scenario

3.      Player movement

4.      Gravity gun (pick up objects)

Let quickly see what was done…..

1.      I wrote this little script to make players feel unease

“Hello Lilith.......this is an Dummy test.........so we can be sure you will be able to move on other  Levels of procedures................Please note the Holographic Virtual Reality Simulator is not on..............Only the Material Gun is on for testing.............................Have Fun! “

and make made an audio just for the fun of it!

https://lingojam.com/RobotVoiceGenerator

2.      Scenario

I want o to feel like an unsettling lab, and that someone is always watching you

3.      Player Movement already set in the game engine assets

4.      The Gravity gun I had to follow a tutorial, it was worth it was hard, but I learn a lot is so little, it took me at least 4 hours to implement the gun. This was the tutorial I used to make the gravity gun.

Result:

 Ok I will admit it was not a fail, but you can see by the gif it’s not perfect, but it is a start, what I can tell you about this experience is:

1.      Try to program something simple, not a gravity gun! Even if there is a tutorial.

2.      Do not make a creative process, get something that exists, and try to replicate

3.      It is about the learning and failing fast (not your creative process)

4.      Only be more creative if you have certain domain to the tool or prove the concept.