What I Read this Week (WIRTW): Playful UX Design + Dystopian Fiction

Seems like this is a mandatory dystopian uniform

It is HOT here. Really hot. The 70% and above humidity does not help, and I have found myself seeking shelter in the cool breeze of my AC from the hours of 10am to 4pm.

Not only have I had the chance to catch up on my reading, I am also working my way through several classic videogames.

I love stories (some say that my degree is in storytelling) and the levels of interaction that video games and the software that power them provide to players has always fascinated me.





To this end, the books I read this week that blend game design, UX and learning experiences in creative ways. Enjoy!

UX and Game Interaction Design:

• Playful Design: Creating Game Experiences in Everyday Interfaces by John Ferrara

Dystopian Fiction (my favorite):

• Kindred by Octavia Butler

• On Such a Full Sea by Chang-Rae Lee

Video game theory:

• The Medium of the Video Game by Mark J. P. Wolf

What I Made this Week: Working on Brush Control

This is one of my favorite videos due to the simplicity of the activity and how well he explains the underlying concept

If you have met me in person, you might have heard me talk about the importance of art. While I do like stories, visual art (and even audio) have always played an crucial part in my understanding of the world.

I credit attending a middle school and high school school which specialized in the arts as fostering my creativity and demonstrating that there is no such thing as an “odd” combination of disciplines.

“How can I make a clay model of literary heroes…but as action figures? What would Hamlet sound like if it were re-written in a pirate dialect? How can I wire a dollhouse with working electrical outlets?” and other questions provided me with some of the most fun lesson plans I have experienced in ages. In my own course design, I emphasize this blend not just for creative purposes, but because it welcomes so many types of learners to express what they have learned according to their own strengths.

Off to a decent start with blending!

While I can’t pick up my clarinet (I assume my neighbors wouldn’t care to hear that), I dove into working on brushing up on my digital art skills. With some work on my brush control and new digital art hardware, I hope to make some fun assets to explore and storyboard some of my game ideas. Who knows, by September, I’m hoping to combine my sewing and 3D printing skills into something fun and tactile.