Role:
UX Designer
Duration:
Jan - March 2024 (3 months)
Tools:
Figma
Unity
Illustrator
Physical Prototyping
Team:
Ivy Tseng
Alex Chen
Uma Anupindi
What is Mission Meltdown?
Meltdown Mission is a digital game with physical controller interfaces to mimic polar bear swimming motions. Players control twin polar bears local to Seattle at Point Defiance Zoo named Astra and Laerke as they navigate Arctic seas hunting for seals while avoiding oil spills that hinder movement. In the end, we got to visit Astra and Laerke to present our game!
OVERVIEW
Background
In our prototype studio, we crafted an interactive social impact game for public spaces, centered on the theme of climate change and polar bears. Our aim was to create a captivating experience that not only educates but also inspires action on climate change through immersive gameplay.
Throughout 10 weeks, we collaborated to ideate, iterate, prototype, and evaluate the game, employing various design methodologies and prototyping tools.
OVERVIEW
Problem
To reinvigorate awareness about polar bear welfare by educating adults and youth on the specific impacts of melting ice, plastic pollution, and oil spills, while fostering empathy, raising urgency, and motivating action.
How might we...
Bring awareness to reinvigorate awareness about polar bear welfare by educating adults and youth through a fun and engaging walk-up and play gameplay?
OVERVIEW
Rationale
The local connection to polar bear twins Astra and Laerke, residing at Seattle's Point Defiance Zoo, along with the story of their late polar bear Blizzard, provided a compelling narrative to shape characters and heighten emotional resonance.
OVERVIEW
My Role
In the project, my role involved contributing to the development of an interactive social impact game for public spaces, with a focus on climate change and polar bears. I also took charge of the initial prototype and spearheaded material and prototype 2 with the team.
Over the 10-week period, I focused on ideation, iteration, prototyping, and evaluation of the game. Using a range of design methodologies and prototyping tools, I worked to create an engaging and impactful experience for players.
OVERVIEW
Research
In the project, my role involved contributing to the development of an interactive social impact game for public spaces, with a focus on climate change and polar bears. I also took charge of the initial prototype and spearheaded material and prototype 2 with the team.
Over the 10-week period, I focused on ideation, iteration, prototyping, and evaluation of the game. Using a range of design methodologies and prototyping tools, I worked to create an engaging and impactful experience for players.
RESEARCH
Secondary Research
Our focus for our direction was social impact games, which fall into a few categories: raising awareness, facilitating behavior change, games in public spaces, and a physical controller.
As a team, we independently researched public games and then generated sketches based on our findings and the established criteria.
RESEARCH
Down-Selection
We were tasked to do another iterations of sketches of promising ideas based on our sketches and outside our sketches but this time utilizing AI for each sketch. We incorporated the context of use for this invention, input of the game, and social impact of the game.
RESEARCH
Pivot
Following user feedback, we identified significant issues with our chosen topic. As a result, we opted to shift our focus to polar bear welfare and climate change, prompted by the following key insights:
Key Takeaways:
Connecting Interaction and Social Impact
Critics often favor games where the connection between gameplay and social impact is clear and easily grasped.
Good ideas v.s. Noticeable Ideas
Ideas featuring large or unique interaction devices often stand out, but we should discern whether they receive positive feedback due to their quality or simply because they're more noticeable.
Importance of Problem Space
Certain feedback questioned the significance and immediacy of the issue addressed. Incorporating relevant research findings can help address these concerns.
PROTOTYPING I
Physical Controllers
We made three simple physical controllers for two chosen topics and programmed interactions using MakeCode. With a group mate, I designed the controllers for the hand petal and ice flow in the polar bear game.
PROTOTYPING I
Desk Research
After narrowing down the concept to polar bear welfare and climate change. Over the past two decades, concerns about polar bear welfare as a symbol of climate change have grown, yet action remains lacking amid global crises. Our team found alarming impacts of human activities, like oil spills, on polar bear health, leading us to refocus attention on their welfare. We aim to educate both adults and youth about threats like melting ice and pollution through a social impact game, fostering empathy and inspiring action to protect polar bears.
PROTOTYPING I
Game Concept
We created 2 different versions through scenarios, gameplay, and controllers. I created the narrative of connecting two twin polar bears at Point Defiance Zoo (PDZ): Astra and Laerke. I then planned the idea of connecting with PDZ and connected with Astra and Laerke’s caretaker.
After building out the game and final prototype, we visited PDZ to have the polar bear staff play with the game and give us feedback.
Created video lego frame by frame video explaining our problem
PROTOTYPING I
“Wizard of Oz”
We were tasked to create two different physical controller options, which were not programmed to work with the game (hence, the Wizard of Oz). I gathered some participants to be part of our user test.
We created game graphics using Illustrator and Figma, and programmed the game using Unity. The game is currently configured to be controlled via keyboard keys.
PROTOTYPING I
Prototype
I built both the controllers and conceptualized the building process and material. The first controller option uses a rotational hand pedal mechanism, and our second uses a hand press pedal. Rotating/pressing either side steers the polar bear left or right. We conducted comparative testing alongside a post-study questionnaire to determine which controller type participants preferred.
PROTOTYPING I
User Testing
We tested controller preferences through comparative testing and a post-study questionnaire. Participants believed they were controlling a polar bear with a physical controller, but a team member covertly controlled the in-game movements.
Afterward, participants selected takeaways such as badges, tote bags, virtual stickers, or chats with polar bears to indicate preferences.
The user failed to get enough seals to win the game.
Key Takeaways:
Key takeaway was strong enough
All players readily grasped the game's goal, attributing difficulty to managing precise steering motions and speeds with controllers.
Hand pedal was the preferred controller
Most preferred the rotational controller as it matched the polar bear's swimming animation, though some felt it could be fatiguing over time.
Stronger call to action in gameplay needed
All players enjoyed the game, though some wished that the call to action was more integrated into the gameplay.
PROTOTYPING II
Gameplay Refining
We focused on improving the digital user interface of the game and adding in missing assets that we did not prioritize for our WoZ MVP.
Changes to game narrative, game instruction page, unfocused player state, widgets, and dead polar bear states.
PROTOTYPING II
Controller Refining
We initially focused on planning the specs for our high fidelity prototype for our custom input controller. I helped come up with the concept and how the materials would work together.
Changes to game narrative, game instruction page, unfocused player state, widgets, and dead polar bear states.
PROTOTYPING II
Building Controller
For the high-fidelity prototype, I oversaw the planning process and organizing of materials. We maintained the concept from the previous lo-fi iteration, focusing our efforts on achieving a more refined look and feel. To advance the interaction, we used reinforced material like plywood, rotary dampers, and magnets.
Late nights with multiple visits to the lazer cutter machine and hardware stores were required.
PROTOTYPING II
User Testing II
We recruited 3 participants who are potential museum exhibit audiences for this physically interactive game which they have not previously played. Participants were given a scenario of being in a museum with a device related to a polar bear and climate change exhibit, and were tasked with interacting with the device as they normally would in that situation.
A participant rushing to get the last few fish.
Key Takeaways:
The takeaway of the game is prominent and effective
All participants experienced an increase in awareness or knowledge after playing the game, and expressed interest in engaging with at least one post-game action to aid polar bear conservation efforts.
Some mechanisms in the game are not obvious to participants
All participants exhibited varying degrees of confusion with certain game elements like failing to comprehend the energy widget.
Using the controller is tiring, but participants still enjoyed it
All participants responded positively to the spinning controller. They found it physically draining to use, which aligned with the design intention of conveying the physical exhaustion for polar bears.
FINALE
Astra and Laerke
I was in charge of point of contact and arranged a visit with Astra and Laerke’s caretakers at Point Defiance Zoo. We met the polar bears and witnessed them being fed, playing with sticks, and charming the audience. We were happy to see their playful personalities reflect on those depicted in Meltdown Mission.
Visiting Astra and Laerke’s caretakers and showing them our game.
FINALE
Storytelling
The trip was impactful as we were exposed not only to polar bears, but also penguins, seals, sea otters, walruses, and the many animals that under care and protection at the zoo. While exciting, it was a stark reminder that we share the planet with other animals that carry equal importance in our ecosystem.
Most importantly, we were able to set up our game in the staff office and have Point Defiance Zoo marine animal caretakers play and provide us with feedback.
Visiting Astra and Laerke’s caretakers and showing them our game.
FINALE
Showcase
In the final week, we prepared our walk-up and play game for community interaction. Participants would take on the roles of P1 and P2, playing as Astra and Laerke with the objective of saving their mother.
The experience was highly successful, as all participants were fully engaged, vigorously operating the controller in their pursuit of victory, and grasped the underlying message of the game.
Our final showcase day where people would play our game and one person won a prize!