Affordance: A situation where an objects sensory characteristics intuitively imply its functionality and use. In traditional design they are things built to be naturally, almost physiologically intuited e.g. the handle of a teacup which you pick up by the handle despite never being taught it's the place your supposed to hold.
In gaming, designers use affordances in an attempt to make aspects of the game intuitive eg in controls and mechanics. This is why controllers have changed so much over time in attempt to create something that feels very natural. Affordance is used anywhere where form implies function, for example using shapes we have associations with such as alien guns in games have some resemblance of human guns so we know what they are. Another example is in controllers for racing games the bumpers match the controls to a car. Types of Affordance:
Navigational Affordance: How do you get the player go where you want? By making it the natural place to go, by implying with path, doorway etc.
Environmental Affordance: green rectangles & silver circles mean nothing on there own, but when put next to a cash machine, then they become money and coins in the mind of the player.
Systemic Affordance: Spearmen Beat Horseman, Horsemen beat Footmen, Footmen beat Spearmen. This way of designing offers the player an affordance so they can intuit how they can play.
Signifiers: Communicates where an action should take place.
Constraints: Limits possible actions for users
No comments:
Post a Comment