What makes a great computer gaming experience?
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One sentence in an article in BusinessWeek made me understand what a great computer gaming experience is all about:
Simple to learn, difficult to master is the holy grail of game design.
This sentence reminds me of the power of clear and simple statements to summarizes the challenges, requirements and goals of a great computer gaming experience. Of course one could create a framework that incorporates all the different factors and dimensions that make a computer game great but at the end it would be too complicated and nobody could understand it, not to mention apply it.
Methods, frameworks, models, best-practices - too often things are over-complicated. Sometimes the reasons are failed efforts to create a model that "explains the world", sometimes because the problem is not yet fully understood. This quote from Leonardo da Vinci gets to the point:
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Leonardo da Vinci
Why does that matter? If one can’t express in a simple statement what constitutes a remarkable customer experience, things are either artificially complicated or - more probable - customers are not fully understood.
Read the full article in BusinessWeek.
Image courtesy of [TheAlieness]
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3 Comments, Comment or Ping
Adam Lawrence
I take the point of the article, but disagree with the definition of a great computer gaming experience.
Chess is simple to learn, and difficult to master, but it is a dreary computer game.
There is another factor which Blizzard know well - fun. Apart from good visuals, a bit of humour and some interaction, fun is made up of a set of challenges arranged in an invigorating sequence which mixes success with frustration just enough to keep you coming back for more. In other words, a story.
Sometimes it is possible to be too simple…
Cheers
Adam Lawrence
Work•Play•Experience
Aug 23rd, 2008
Bernhard Schindlholzer
Adam,
you raise another important issue, over-simplification is another challenge. Finding the right balance is the challenge.
I am wondering if there are any examples out there, that found the balance and formulate in a short and simple statement the essence or core of customer experience.
Ritz-Carlton’s “Ladies and Gentleman serving Ladies and Gentleman” might come to mind. Of course there are more guidelines in their “Service Value Guidelines”, but essential message is formulated in one single sentence.
Aug 23rd, 2008
Adam Lawrence
I prefer “stars serving stars”…
Aug 23rd, 2008
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