As we all know, being locked up at home for nine months with nothing to do tends to lead to a rise of people choosing to play videogames in their free time. Alongside this rise of players comes a rise of toxicity, both from current players as well as new players, either aimed towards said new players for being new, or towards current players from new players who don't understand the game but don't want to look bad. So while it would seem obvious to say that Covid has been great for the game industry, that's not entirely true for the players, and if the players end up quitting then games stop making money. This rise of toxicity is especially prevalent in competitive games such as League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege, and CS:GO. While there is no cure for toxicity, there is now a cure for Covid, so we should expect the toxicity of these games to decrease soon, right? Wrong, even after most people get vaccinated it's likely that many of the new players introduce to videogames will continue to play in their free time, surely they'll be more experienced but that doesn't mean they'll be any less toxic or encounter any reduced amount of toxicity. Negative emotions felt by players due to the general lull our country is in will continue to effect everyone's gaming experiences. Frankly, I'm not sure if toxicity will ever decrease in competitive games, it's almost like toxicity has momentum, so even though its source may die down some after a few months, the same insults are likely to continue being used for months if not years afterwards. The only solution it appears is single-player games or co-op games played only among friends, there the player interaction among random and often disgruntled people is fully reduced to zero. Sure there may be a little toxicity among family or friends every once in a while, but having the advantage of prior relations to those you're playing with helps to reduce toxicity and the effects of it, creating a healthier gaming experience.
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Recently in class we've been discussing the role that user interface plays in games, and honestly it needs to get more recognition. In all of the games that I've played I've encountered many different kinds user interfaces, and even though I see them so much I rarely take the time to analyze how they've created my gameplay experience. For example, imagine a first-person shooter without an ammo indicator, it's instantly a completely different game, forcing the players to keep track of their ammo rather than just being a number in the display. User interface design choices such as this completely change the feel of a game, for that same example the game would instantly become a much more tactical and realistic experience, rather than a fun yet fantasized war simulation. Taking into account the information that could be provided to the player, alongside the information that the player's character could interact with, developers must make choices that have the power to make or break the user experience. Even some of the little details such as those of diegetic user interfaces in which the character sees what the player can see, create whole new levels of immersion. The inventory system from Fallout and the HUD from Halo being displayed on the Pip-Boy and in your helmet are probably the two most notable examples from games I've played that I've noticed and felt a little joy seeing the details developers put in games. Whenever I've thought about making a game I never thought so much detail could go into anything beyond the story or game world itself, though now with my new understanding of the effect that user interface can have on games I'll have to ensure any future games I make have a great one.
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AuthorMy name is Andrew Prichard and the this is my first digital arts class, I look forward to a good year with lots of hard work. Archives
May 2021
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Last updated 5/14/21
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