Week 7, Formative Feedback

Seminar week: Reflection & Plan

Summary of Feedback:

1. Game Concept Is Still Unclear

At the moment, the core of the project is not clearly defined. I need to answer some fundamental design questions more explicitly:

•What is the game?

•What choices does the player make?

•What can the player control, and how?

•What is the core game loop?

•Is there a narrative? If so, what is it?

2. Player Control & Experience Need Clarification

3. Research Needs to Be Deeper and Better Connected

While I referenced several games and themes related to loneliness, the research feels:

•Somewhat disconnected

•More descriptive than analytical

Suggestions included:

•Doing more secondary research (library research, books, academic papers, or articles)

•Looking into social topics such as loneliness, for example, how loneliness affects older people, and how games can critically reflect on this

•Writing a critical review of one reference game (e.g. Jordan’s game), explaining why and how it represents loneliness or similar emotions

4. Visual & Technical Exploration Is Still Limited

From a technical and visual perspective, I was encouraged to:

•Experiment more with 3D models and lighting

•Study camera and light in Unity

•Explore 2D / 3D integration in Unity

•Research whether 2D shadows can be achieved in Unity and if coding is required

•Consider producing a small animation or animated mockup, rather than only static visuals

5. Website Structure Can Be Improved

The organisation of the blog could be clearer:

•Categories are generally fine, but the overall structure could be improved

•The game demo does not need to appear yet and can be moved to a later week

•The ideation tab should more clearly reflect how ideas evolve from weekly research

 

Action Plan for Improving the Website & Project:

1. Clarify the Core Game Design

•Clearly define the game concept:

•Genre and platform

•Player controls and interaction methods

•Core game loop

•Narrative direction (if applicable)

•Create a player journey diagram to visualise interaction and emotional flow

2. Strengthen Research & Critical Reflection

•Conduct deeper secondary research on loneliness (academic articles, books, essays)

•Focus on a specific perspective (e.g. loneliness in older adults)

•Write at least one critical game analysis, explaining how mechanics, visuals, and interaction convey emotional themes

•Explicitly connect research findings to my own design decisions

3. Expand Visual & Technical Experiments

•Experiment with:

•Lighting and camera in Unity

•2D and 3D visual integration

•Shadow creation (including testing if scripting is needed)

•Document these experiments as primary research

•Create a short animated mockup or prototype to communicate atmosphere and interaction

4. Improve Website Structure & Documentation

•Reorganise the blog so that each week clearly shows:

•Research

•Ideation

•Design response