Event Review: Now Play This 2023

As someone who is not an avid gamer, this was a great learning experience, including trying Virtual Reality for the first time!

Here is what we learned from the Festival of Experimental Game Design:

Games have the opportunity to convey important messages. From this experience, I learned how games are a form of artistic expression and can be used to communicate valuable topics to their users, from compliments to promote self-love, to information about consent.

The importance of game instructions. We found this easiest when they were kept short and simple, and were shown on the same platform as the game e.g. instructions were shown on the screen if the game was played on a computer.

Ensuring the aim of the game is obvious. What the user is trying to achieve when playing and how to successfully do so!

How important the Number of Players is. All games required a minimum and/or maximum number of players to play the game correctly. This information should be clear from the start.

Game warnings should stand out and be seen before the start of a game. Some games were not appropriate for young ages, and/or included sensitive topics that not everyone would be comfortable with. It’s important that the user is aware of this before they start playing the game.

Overall, the games festival was a fun experience and a great way to celebrate and enjoy independent games. However, is it also a good reminder of how we can use games and play to encourage thoughtful conversations. See you next year Now Play This!

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