Theme Exploration Introduction

This section introduces the four main themes that emerged from my phase 1 brainstorming and research. For each of the themes, I not only researched the subject and why it interested me, but I also looked at the kinds of mechanics that they would involve and the experience and ethical questions it could support. This sets up the foundations needed for phase 3 that will allow me to carry out more in depth research and start to translate these ideas into prototypes.

Texture:

I set out to explore how texture evokes sensation and emotion within art pieces, with a focus on investigating the relationship between physical material and viewer perception.

Why this theme?

• Although this theme was never mentioned in the phase 1 brainstorming, art and creativity was, and this made me reflect on my final project in A level art and how I enjoyed playing around with texture and looking at the impact it had in my art work.
• This got me thinking about how important texture is at helping players feel immersion as everything has a texture but how can you translate this effectively digitally?
• Games like Ori and the Blind Forest use visual texture to guide players emotion and I wanted to understand how they achieved this with material and tactility as their focus.
• Texture design sits at an intersection between art, visual communication, and player experience. All of these are areas I want to develop upon and pursue later in my career. 

Discipline:

I wanted to investigate why in today’s age of distractions we are finding it increasingly hard to stay disciplined by looking at attention spans, habit formation and motivation. 

Why this theme? 

• Discipline is a personal challenge that I’ve struggled across my life and I want to investigate why I and many others nowadays struggle to stay disciplined.
• It also raises the question as to how environments and tools help to support concentration.

Coffee:

I researched the history of coffee, from its origins in Ethiopia and early cultivation, through to its spread via the Ottoman Empire, to its eventual growth in Europe and then globally. 

Why this theme?

• I’ve used coffee not only as a way to get up and get to school but as a way to make friends, work, and get out of the house yet i don’t know how coffee became something that could accomplish all of this.
• This theme is rich with cultural, rituals and economic ties

Sports:

I explored the role that sports has in men’s mental health, looking at how physical activity,  teamwork and informal spaces can support wellbeing. 

Why this theme?

• Sports combine physical, social, and psychological dimensions in a way that can drastically affect anyone’s life. 
• Men’s mental health is a significant societal issue, and sport is often seen as something that can both support and add pressure to it.