Like so many other people out there, I was recently at GDC 2012 and for the flight there and back I flew Virgin America. For the uninitiated, Virgin is owned by British billionaire Richard Branson. Branson has gained a reputation over the years for being a bit of an eccentric, but his eccentricities work in his favor. He constantly challenges the status quo and pushes the limits of what technology can do. I picked up on a few key themes while flying, and the first thing that hit me was…
First Impressions Are Key
Flying out to San Francisco was my first experience with flying. Sitting in the terminal, waiting to board the flight, I was expecting the stereotypical flying experience always depicted on TV and the movies: a completely full flight, sitting in obscenely tiny seats and sharing my row with two people even bigger than myself and the snacks cart destroying my elbow every time it passed by. I was pleasantly surprised as soon as I got on the plane. While the flight was full, the seats were surprisingly roomy, with a large area cut out under the seats for either feet or carry-on/personal items. As an added bonus, on the back of each seat was a touch screen that allowed the passengers to select whatever they wanted to watch for the duration of the flight, which leads to my next point…
Novelty Goes A Long Way
This being my first experience flying, it wasn’t all that surprising that I was gaping like an idiot at my surroundings. I was surprised by the two people I shared my half of the row with. Both had flown before, but both were just as amazed with everything the flight offered to all their passengers. In addition to touch screens, the plane had free wifi access once cruising altitude was reached and power outlets under all the seats. Through the touch screens we had access to about a dozen movies, satellite TV, a wide range of music, and the ability to order food and drinks from the stewards/stewardesses. Also, there were purple lights lining the ceiling of the craft the entire length of the cabin. By the end of the flight, my seat-mates and I concluded that Virgin was going to be our airline of choice in all our future travels. This leads to my final point…
Your End User Is The Only Person That Really Matters
I’d be willing to bet that when Branson outlined what he wanted Virgin Airlines to be, he had more than a few people tell him that he was insane. I’d be willing to bet that the initial overhead would be ungodly and that getting everything together would be far more difficult than a standard plane, but Branson knew that there would be a market for that type of flying experience and that he could easily build up a loyal customer base. Admittedly the airline has been struggling to get its feet off the ground (no pun intended), but things are starting to turn around for the airline.
So you might be asking by now, “Rob, what does this have to do with game design?” The points listed above apply just as much to games as anything else. If you think of some of the most successful games of the last ten years, I’d be willing to bet every one of them can fall under one or more of those categories. By keeping those points in mind, you’re helping to ensure that you’re creating an enjoyable user experience.
NOTE: In the article I am referring to Virgin America, which is a separate airline from say Virgin Atlantic, and it has been struggling financially.