Design of landscape objects

Basic Idea Generation - Day 1

We have decided upon 4 broad categories of objects to be designed for the forest terrain and surrounding water. These are:

• Environmental objects for land
• Artificial objects for land (hybrid environment of the ancient ruins of Atlantis in combination with modern futuristic elements)
• Objects for ocean
• Artifacts to be collected

User Interviews/Testing - Day 2-3

Introduction: As a team-4 our primary task is to design different sets of objects for the Atlantis Sinks game developed in our studio. During the ideation session we created an essential set of objects and obstacles to be implemented in the game. However, to be more efficient we employed Design Thinking methodology and conducted user tests [1] and interviews [2] with open-ended questions. By setting aside personal assumptions we can collect insights from the gamers and understand their expectations. The primary purpose was to design assets together with the users as well as to evaluate whether existing objects would be beneficial in Atlantis Sinks from the user’s perspective.

User tests (conducted by @Annabel-Kennedy): User tests were conducted to identify what general aesthetics and objects users associate with a hybrid environment of the ancient ruins of Atlantis with modern futuristic elements. The testing involves users drawing basic images and writing descriptive words that they associated with the 4 different categories previously identified. It was firstly explained to users what Atlantis is and the overall basis behind our game. Users were then given 90 seconds to draw/write the first thing that comes to their mind for the ancient and futuristic version of each of the following categories (12 mins total) and then asked to explain their vision if clarification was needed.

1. Environmental objects for land:

• Draw what first comes to mind when I say ancient Atlantis forest terrain
• Draw what first comes to mind when I say futuristic forest terrain

2. Artificial objects for land:

• Draw any artificial objects you associate with the ancient ruins of Atlantis
• Draw any artificial objects you associate with a futuristic, advanced island

3. Artifacts to be collected by the user:

• Draw what first comes to mind when I say ancient Atlantis artifacts
• Draw what first comes to mind when I say futuristic, advanced artifacts/game power ups

4. Objects floating on the water surrounding Atlantis:

• What ancient objects would you expect to see floating in the water surrounding Atlantis?
• What futuristic objects would you expect to see floating around a modern island?

User interviews (conducted by @a-siroki):

1. Find out what kind of environmental objects for land, users expect to see in the game

• When I say "Ancient Atlantis Forest" what things come to mind?
• When I say "Futuristic Atlantis Forest what things come to mind?
• Why? (Probing question, if user won't provide reason why particular object interests him/her)

2. Open ended questions to help design objects for the water area (ancient and futuristic)

• What would you expect to see floating in the water surrounding Atlantis?

3. Artifacts discovery questions - special items that can be collected by the gamer to receive additional perks.

• What are your favorite perks/power-ups in any game? Why? (Open ended questions to derive primary data and later rebuild the idea to fit “Atlantis style”)
• When I say "Ancient Atlantis artifacts" what items can you think of? Why?
• When I say "Futuristic Atlantis artifacts" what things come to mind? Why?

4. Final question about artificial objects that are associated with Atlantis.

• What would be the top 5 objects that you would add into the ancient ruins of Atlantis? Why?
• Can you name a few objects which you would like to see in the game futuristic version of Atlantis? Why?

Based on the conducted user tests and interviews we identified several interesting and innovative design opportunities which we could implement into the design process.

Analysis of user tests

List of potential objects to create after user tests/interviews:

Environmental objects for land (ancient):

• Trees - derived from drawings
• Rocks covered with seaweed - regular with basic shape
• Long Seaweed plants
• Deep Crevices
• Gas eruption
• Mountains
• Volcano
• Lava eruption
• Coral reef
• Large patches of very green, leafy big trees (untouched by technology so overgrown environment)
• Hills
• River
• Abundance of moss and flowers (i.e. bushes with flowers)

Environmental objects for land (futuristic):

• Trees - abnormal shape with straight branches
• Rocks covered with seaweed with solar panels
• Long Seaweed plants
• Deep Crevices
• Gas eruption > neon waste
• Mountains
• Volcano
• Lava eruption
• Coral reef > illuminating coral reef
• Glowing vines
• Very dry patches of forest, with predominantly dead trees
• Rocky mountains

Artificial objects for land (ancient):

• Wooden tower
• Basic fence
• Wooden / Concrete buildings
• Primitive sign displays
• Wooden shipwreck
• A Greek fisher
• Pen & Paper primitive map
• Temples (limestone, gold material)
• Medallions
• Greek statues
• Pillars
• Greek-style pottery
• Small, village style houses
• Sandstone castles

Artificial objects for land (futuristic):

• Wooden tower > Space tower
• Primitive wooden fence > Laser fence
• Wooden / Concrete buildings > UFO style architecture
• Primitive sign displays > LED Billboard / Neon Lights
• Wooden shipwreck > rocketship / spaceship
• A Greek fisher > A Greek astronaut
• Pen & Paper primitive map > Smart digital map with emergency warning “Atlantis is sinking” (in unknown futuristic language
• Robotic wildlife
• High rise houses and castles, attached to the ground via a single elevator (UFO/geometric shaped buildings)
• High rise buildings connected via geometric bridges
• Hovercraft (star wars aesthetics)
• Scrap pieces of metal from hovercrafts
• Rocket landing platform

Objects for ocean (ancient):

• Floating raft
• A shipyard
• A shipwreck
• A ship wreckage (piece of wood)
• Buoy
• Fishing boat
• Ancient wooden sailing boat
• Sandy, deserted, small uninhabited island
• Whales breaching in the ocean
• Floating lily pads, leaves and flowers from the overgrown forest
• Floating wooden barrel from ship
• Birds and other wildlife

Objects for ocean (futuristic):

• Boat with neon lights
• Sunken spaceship
• Broken LED billboard
• Neon Modern Buoy
• Massive container ship
• Rubbish floating in water
• High tech fish farm
• Space/starships/hoverboats with flashing lights
• Space office/base built floating on water
• Ocean is a different colour → more purple

Artifacts/perks/powerups (ancient):

• Ceramic vase
• Gold coin
• Spear / Sword / Shield
• Helmet / Armor
• Treasure chest
• Mermaid
• Treasure chest
• Treasure map
• White robe
• Sailing ship
• Clay pottery
• Red wine
• Glowing crystals
• Chisel
• Heart icon for extra stamina
• Gold bars
• Goblets, challice
• Gemstones, jewellery
• Ancient tools
• Ancient greek armour (adaptive to biomes)
• Compass

Artifacts/perks/powerups (futuristic):

• Ceramic vase > illuminating modern vase
• Gold coin > cards with credits
• Spear / Sword / Shield > futuristic with neon lights
• Helmet / Armor > futuristic with neon lights
• Treasure chest > illuminating chest
• Mermaid > gemstone spirit
• Treasure chest > futuristic with neon lights
• Treasure map > translucent display with map
• Spaceship/spacecraft
• Hoverboard
• High jump shoes with springs
• Laser guns (similar to star wars)
• Binoculars
• Modern smartphone/tablet with GPS
• Time machine

Appendix

Interview transcripts and user test sketches