The Gamer’s Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Video Game Design

Making a successful video game is hard. Even games that are successful at launch may fail to engage and retain players in the long term due to issues with the user experience (UX) that it is delivering. The game user experience accounts for the whole experience players have with a video game, from first hearing about it to navigating menus and progressing in the game. UX as a discipline offers guidelines to assist developers in creating the experience they want to deliver, shipping higher quality games (whether it is an indie game, AAA game, or “serious game”), and meeting their business goals while staying true to their design and artistic intent.

In a nutshell, UX is about understanding the gamer’s brain: understanding human capabilities and limitations to anticipate how a game will be perceived, the emotions it will elicit, how players will interact with it, and how engaging the experience will be. This book is designed to equip readers of all levels, from student to professional, with neuroscience knowledge and user experience guidelines and methodologies. This knowledge will help readers identify the ingredients for successful and engaging video games, empowering them to develop their own unique game recipe more efficiently, while providing a better experience for their audience.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Why You Should Care About The Gamer’S Brain

Part I Understanding the Brain
Chapter 2 Overview About The Brain
Chapter 3 Perception
Chapter 4 Memory
Chapter 5 Attention
Chapter 6 Motivation
Chapter 7 Emotion
Chapter 8 Learning Principles
Chapter 9 Understanding The Brain: Takeaway

Part II A UX Framework for Video Games
Chapter 10 Game User Experience: Overview
Chapter 11 Usability
Chapter 12 Engage-Ability
Chapter 13 Design Thinking
Chapter 14 Game User Research
Chapter 15 Game Analytics
Chapter 16 Ux Strategy
Chapter 17 Concluding Remarks