Greetings, Filamentarians! In this blog, we’re taking you through the visual design process at Filament Games, where we create captivating educational experiences that combine the best representation of subject matter with visually appealing styles that cater to each learner’s unique preferences.
Collaborative Design Process
An effective educational game starts with a strong visual foundation. Our Visual Interaction Designers and Game Designers work hand in hand from the outset, rapidly iterating and testing information design and interaction models. User feedback plays a pivotal role in shaping our visual direction, as we believe in adapting the experience to the needs and preferences of the learners.
Meanwhile, our talented in-house Game Artists embark on a journey of visual exploration through extensive research, mood boards, concept art, and animatics. This exploration helps us identify the most suitable visual style that not only captivates the audience but also aligns with the core learning objectives of the project.
Striking the Balance: 2D vs. 3D Aesthetics
During our design process, we carefully consider whether to pursue a 2D or 3D aesthetic for the project. Each style has its unique strengths and tradeoffs. While 2D offers cost savings in production and often a charming, hand-drawn appeal, it may sacrifice spatial information that could be crucial for some learning goals. On the other hand, 3D visuals can provide a more immersive experience, offering depth and realism, but may come with additional production complexities.
Rest assured, we work collaboratively with you to select the style that best serves your project’s needs. Our early and frequent testing of visual design assumptions helps ensure that the chosen approach aligns with both the subject matter and the intended learning outcomes.
Iterative Production and Quality Assurance
The early phases of production are a critical period for us. We create a selection of key assets and integrate them into the game engine as soon as possible. This allows our artists to identify any potential issues in the visual design, while our technical art team simultaneously fine-tunes the art pipeline. The regular reviews by senior staff from every discipline ensure that our games meet the highest quality standards throughout the development process.
Example of an early phase interface
Innovation Meets Familiarity
We take pride in crafting one-of-a-kind aesthetic experiences, but we also recognize the significance of staying in tune with prevailing stylistic trends. To resonate with users familiar with established conventions, we build upon platform-consistent interaction metaphors. Responsive interactions and generously animated gameplay elements are at the heart of creating exceptional user experiences, and we devote special attention to these areas to ensure seamless engagement.
Learning Objectives: Beauty Meets Accuracy
Our artistic journey goes beyond the surface. We believe that beauty should coexist with accuracy, especially in educational games. Our artists immerse themselves in the game content through extensive subject matter research, gaining profound insights into the core learning objectives. This ensures that key topics and objects are not only depicted beautifully but also in a manner that enhances learning efficacy.
In our games, visual design is not just an aesthetic pursuit; it is a powerful tool for creating memorable, effective, and enjoyable learning experiences. Our approach is rooted in collaboration, research, and innovation, aiming to bridge the gap between education and play while keeping learners at the heart of every decision we make.
Join us as we continue to push the boundaries of visual approaches to educational game design. If you’re interested in bringing a captivating and beautifully designed game to life, contact us today!
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