Rachana Solanki
Episode
OVERVIEW
The Episode app is a mobile application which works as a storytelling network and platform. Episode has two major parts: -
1) Storytelling platform
2) Create your own story
It features interactive Hollywood stories, entertainment of TV and movies. In Episode, your choices decide the path of your story.
MOTIVATION
Episode creates a platform which lets you live dream stories. You get to style your character, be part of your favorite stories and also have the opportunity to explore different story directions based. I choose this game to redesign as I really like this game (Episode, especially the novelty of the concept. The motive was NOT to say the current version is not good or anything negative. The purpose was how can I apply my Psychology course learnings through recommended design/redesign.
CRITIQUE
The school assignment was to critique the selected game using psychology ideologies and redesign based on the Critique to improve.
Player - Novice to the Stories
Less Engagement
REDESign GOALS
Defined clear Goals - what I want the game player to achieve/experience and the suggest recommendations accordingly. And keep constantly reminding what user experience I wish to achieve.
Meaningful Experience:
I want the players to learn and develop a skill.
Meet Expectations:
Have clear goals and meet the expectations of the players.
Improve Engagement:
Make the engagement more exciting and less monotonous.
REDESIGN
User Behaviour:
The redesign has two status/behaviours — Original and Twisted.
ORIGINALS
Learn about the Original Story, characters and the plot. Aimed at giving Competence and Completeness to the player.
Modes:
The player enters in the "Super-sane" mode on answering the riddle correctly 6 times. All then the player has to do is sit back, relax and watch the entire story like a movie.
TWISTED
Twist and Explore the stories and discover different story ends. Aimed at giving the Autonomy and Competence to the player.
Autonomy:
The player is the given the freedom to enter the dialogues on indefinite intervals. With the aim to achieve more focused attention. It also give suggestions if the player does not wish to go creative.
Rewards: On appropriate and good dialogue input, the player would be awarded with +1 Gem.
Punishment: On usage of Hate speech in the dialogue input, the player will be punished with deduction in the Lifeline.
Profile:
Based on the dialogue input in the Twisted — user behaviour. The Personality map of the player will be generated.
Mini Challenges:
In the Twisted — user behaviour, the player will be introduced with different mini challenges like dancing and singing at indefinite interval. To bring more Competence and Flow in the game.
REDESIGN: Other elements
Characters:
In both Originals & Twisted — user behaviour, the player role play any one of the lead character.
