Redesigning Ingress

Alexander Rose

Initial Proposal

My proposal for this project was to redesign the online interface and communication

systems of Ingress. I feel that the user interface of the website for the game and the interface in

the game could be modified to add deeper and more productive communication between players.

In addition redesigning the in-game user interface in specific ways could improve general

gameplay quality as a whole.

What is Ingress?

Ingress is a geo-location game that was created by Google for android phone devices. It

is currently in a closed beta and is being continuously updated and refined. In the game players

are given the choice to choose one of two factions to align themselves with, the Enlightened or

the Resistance. Once the player chooses a faction they must go around to real places in the world

that are called “XM Portals”, which are essentially capture points. By capturing points for their

faction, the player increases the level of influence that their faction has in the world. By

connection these points together with special items in game the player is able to increase their

factions global influence as well. This is the fundamental goal of the game, to increase the

influence your faction has in the world as whole.

Ethnography

Until now video gaming has been limited to sitting behind a computer and interacting with others

only through the computer itself. In some cases players are able to meet with the people they

play with who live all over the world but for most it was strictly communication through the

interface of the computer and the internet alone. Ingress, a geo-location game on android phones,

has changed the way players are able to interact with their friends and even their enemies in

video games. Now not only does the player interact with these people online, but they will meet

them on a regular basis and perform missions and operations together, in real time and in the real

world. For this ethnography I decided that I would closely examine how this game has changed

player interaction and how the added personal social interaction changes the way players interact

online and in real life with each other.

Ingress is a cell-phone based game that currently is only available on Android. It is a geo-

location game that pits two factions, The Enlightened and The Resistance, against each other to

try and control more minds around the world. Each team must travel to portals which are control

points within the game world and they must capture them for their faction. By capturing these

points the faction then makes it possible to harvest utilities from those points and they can use

these portals to create “Mind Control Fields” which increase the total global score for their

faction. While the actual game takes place out in the real world there is a great deal of social

interaction taking place on the internet, specifically on G+, google’s social networking system,

which functions much like Facebook.

Through G+ players are able to connect to the Ingress global community. On the Ingress

page players can share photos, results of gameplay, and anything else related to the game that

they are interested in sharing with the community. However the really intriguing part of the

online community are the smaller G+ groups that are created for local groups of Ingress players.

by using this social networking in such a way they have changed the purpose of the social media

itself to become a strategic form of intel so that they can succeed in the game. I found this to be

the most fascinating part of the community as a whole and I tried to focus on it for my

ethnography of the game as a whole.

In addition to the ability to interact on G+ player’s also have access to an in-game live

chat system. This system is setup so the player can chat with their factions within a specific

range of their position. The distances of this chat range from 20 kilometers, 100 kilometers, and

finally globally. This chat no only displays comments from other players but also displays

critical information about portals that are being attacked in the local area.

Through this chat system players can see a live feed of important information while they

are playing the game. This allows the community to connect via the internet even when they are

out in the world playing the game. Through both the in game chat and the G+ pages players are

able to get real time information about the game and they are able to interact with the global and

local community whenever they wish.

While examining all aspects of Ingress, and how people socially interact with each other

using it, I tried to keep a few specific points in mind while examining social interactions while

playing the game and through the internet. First I tried to examine how the social interaction on

the G+ page effected the way people played Ingress. I also tried to see how the social interaction

through the in-game chat effected gameplay as well. In addition to both to those questions I tried

to keep in mind how the social interactions while playing the game itself affected the way people

interacted in the G+ page and the in game chat.

The specific community I examined was the Ingress players of the Hudson Valley. While

watching their interactions I started to observe that there were clear social systems working

within the community. It seemed that each piece of social media that was used for different

levels of coordination between the players of the game. For major operations that all players

would need to take part in to accomplish higher level players, who became the undeclared

leaders of the group because of their level and experience, started each day by declaring on the

G+ page what portals were important and what needed to be captured that day. Then after this

happened, within two hours of the post going up, players would start to state in the G+ chat what

portals they could deal with and when they thought they could take care of those portals. It was

surprising because instead of using G+ just to share information with one another, it became a

sort of military staging ground. It was like watching an army commander issue orders on the

battlefield for each soldier to follow. This made the G+ page the highest tier of communication

that the players had with one another. Each player would start their day by checking this page

and then carrying out their orders. It was truly fascinating to see social media being used almost

as a military tool for the players of the game. Periodically throughout the day players would go

to the G+ page and add images of people that they found out played the game so that other

players would be able to spot enemy players when they were trying to capture points. In addition

to that players would also post when they had completed an objective on the G+ page so that

other players would know that they didn’t need to worry about completing this objective.

The in-game chat was the next level of interaction that I observed during the time I

watched people play Ingress. This chat was used as an extra level of communication while

completing objectives. Since players would be out in the world capturing points they would use

this chat to talk to each other like an instant messenger. This would be used for anything from

verification of portal locations, to just congratulating someone for capturing a portal while they

were playing the game. Surprisingly the interactions in this chat seemed more like the social

interaction that many people see on websites such as Facebook or Myspace. Instead of using G+

to socialize many players prefered to use in-game chat to socialize with each other on a personal

level. I think this had to do with the fact that unlike on G+ players could interact with the

opposing faction in the in-game chat. This made for a much more open interactive experience.

Players joked much more often in the game as opposed to the social media attached to the game.

It seemed as though this was done on purpose. Players kept the important information in G+ and

they commiserate using the in-game chat.

Social interaction when in person was very much affected by the state of the game.

Players would meet up and discuss what portals they wanted to attack or defend or discuss things

that had occurred recently in the game. Because both factions are out in the same world

competing for points it was always a possibility that players would interact with players from the

opposite team. When opposing teams met in person it was always a very exciting social event.

Both teams would joke about different things that they had done throughout the week and they

would joke with each other about things they wanted to accomplish in the coming week. In

addition they would also talk about things that were said in the in game chat as well. Real life

player interaction was surprisingly civil considering the competitive nature of the game which

was a delightful discovery for me because many competitive video game communities can be

quite aggressive due to the nature of the game. After observing interactions within this

community for several weeks I found that the social interaction and the use of social media

surrounding this game was quite interesting. Players didn’t not use social media in the same

manner as most people when playing Ingress. This was most notable when examining the G+

page. Instead of using it for its intended purpose which is to bring people to socialize and

connect, players used it as a form of strategic planning for the game itself. I was fascinated to see

that there was a chain of command that formed within the G+ group and was seen in the way the

members of the group played the game. I found that social interaction through the in-game chat

was used to a lesser extent as another form of strategic communication. However, this level of

interaction was much more relaxed than the interaction on the G+ page. I was also surprised to

see that much of the real world interaction was based on the interactions people had within the

game and the in-game chat.

When looking at the design principles of Ingress what I found most fascinating was the

games focus around teamwork. Because players needed to work together to create stronger

portals players were much more inclined to work together to get things done. by designing the

game in this way players are forced to work together or they will not be able to achieve as much

as they want. In my opinion, this fosters a social environment and pushes players that would

otherwise work alone to work with fellow teammates. This then pushes those players to engage

in interactions using the in-game chat and using social networks such as Facebook groups and

G+ to strategize.

Another interesting design principle of Ingress is that players are allowed to talk to the

enemy faction when using the in-game chat system. I think allowing both sides to interact with

each other makes for a much more civilized environment. Instead of having each faction never

talk to each other, Ingress allows the community to have a simple way to communicate with the

enemy team. By doing so I think this eliminates the tension that sometimes arises in video games

when players cannot relate to the enemy team because they never talk to them. By allowing

players to do this Ingress provides a civil gaming experience for its players because both teams

have the chance to become friendly with each other instead of never speaking. Thus adding to

the overall social experience that players have while playing Ingress.

If I was to redesign some of the mechanics of Ingress I would not specifically change the

way the game works currently, however I would add to the current features that exist in the game

already and I would also expand on the social experience the players have outside of the game.

First I would add to the current game mechanics a clan system. Having a clan system similar to

the group systems present in other popular multiplayer games would add to the social aspect of

Ingress on a local level. If clans existed players could have rankings within their clan which

could potentially allow them to issue orders to other members of the clan or even quickly aid

members of the clan even if they are not present with those clan members. This would essentially

add to the social experience and sense of community players would have while playing Ingress.

In addition another redesign I would add to Ingress would be to create a social

networking system, much like G+, that worked with the game. If there was a social networking

system that was connected with the game players could use that system much more effectively

than just discussing plans on a G+ page. For example if players had specific points they wanted

to hit during the day the could post it to Ingresses social networking site. Then any portals that

were targets for that day would be displayed in the game on the players phone. Allowing for a

much more interconnected and social experience. This allows the social networking system of

the game to affect the way the game works instead of just being something not directly

connected to the game. Also, players could then view things being said in the social network

while playing the game on their phone, instead of needing to use an outside source.

Overall I found Ingress and its player community to be a fascinating group to analyse.

This is a new type of social gaming that has a lot of interesting ways for players to interact with

each other. Players not only enjoy the game together through social media but they use the social

media to enhance their game experience. Social media is used such a strategic way in Ingress

which is not really seen in other communities simply because of the nature of the game itself and

how it makes players communicate. After observing the player interactions that it makes players

interact on a much more strategic level and also creates an environment where teamwork is

absolutely essential to being successful in the game. I am excited to see how this game and the

social media around it grows.

Works Cited

Safko, Lon, and David K. Brake. The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies

for Business Success. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Print.

Schell, Jesse. The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Morgan

Kaufmann, 2008. Print.

"3 Principles For The Future Of Gaming, From A Google Game Designer." Co.Design. N.p., n.d.

Web. 07 Mar. 2013.

What is Ingress?

Ingress is a geo-location game that was created by Google for android phone devices. It

is currently in a closed beta and is being continuously updated and refined. In the game players

are given the choice to choose one of two factions to align themselves with, the Enlightened or

the Resistance. Once the player chooses a faction they must go around to real places in the world

that are called “XM Portals”, which are essentially capture points. By capturing points for their

faction, the player increases the level of influence that their faction has in the world. By

connection these points together with special items in game the player is able to increase their

factions global influence as well.

This is the fundamental goal of the game, to increase the influence your faction has in the

world as whole. Ingress is a team game. Players are encouraged to play with other players to gain

buffs while playing and increase their effectiveness when trying to capture and defend points in

the game. Most of the time players will go out with other players on their faction in be carpools

and convoys and capture points and defend points together. Surprisingly a lot of the interaction

around Ingress becomes oddly reminiscent of military strategy and communication. Players run

around capturing points and issuing orders to other players. Because the game is made by Google

a lot of socialization around the game is connected to G+, Google’s social networking system.

They cleverly integrated the two systems with each other allowing players to create social

network around the game and connect with new people through their system and in their game.

The specific component I am looking at is the communication system and intel system in game

and out of game. These systems are ways for players to see the status of portals anywhere in the

world. These components were designed to give players a dynamic view of the state of the game

both at a computer and on their phone while playing.

Audience

Because of the nature of Ingress it is hard to attract younger audiences. Because of the

necessity of mobility for a geolocation game players must have a mode of transportation. Also

they must have an android phone and be able to move around quickly over large distances to

capture and defend points. Because of this it would seem that the desired audience for the game

is adults ages 18 and up with access to a car and an android device. I think the current design of

the game reaches the audience quite well. Overall the design of the interface both in game and on

the web works and does it’s job. However, just because the system is well designed right now

doesn’t mean it couldn’t be made better. I think what could be changed to make it better would

be to make item selection in game much more streamlined. Players do not like constantly going

through menus to do the same action over and over again. Also creating a system that integrated

G+ groups into the game would be highly beneficial for the game and would create a much more

involved group experience in the game. These changes are the areas I will be focusing most of

my time on while redesigning the game.

User Personas

James McQuack

Age: 22

Occupation: Student

Gender: Male

Hobbies: Video Games, Outdoors Obstacle Course Racing, Hiking, Football, Lacrosse, Cycling

James is a pretty average college student. He is a Senior in college and enjoys the outdoors and

meeting new people. He has a passion for gaming as well. James picked up Ingress because it

incorporates aspects of Sports and being outdoors with video games and socializing with new

people in the real world. James has a car which makes it easy for him to hit capture points on his

way to and from classes. James started to play Ingress because he had heard of games like it

before and was interested to try out one that was new and focused on competition.

Sam Rockland

Age: 31

Occupation: IBM Programmer

Gender: Male

Hobbies: Video games, Hiking, Programming, Computer building, Forum junkie

Sam is a 31 year old programmer who works for IBM. He loves technology and is excited by

how rapidly things are changing and how video games, which are a hobby of his, are starting to

come out of the computer and into the real world. He is fascinated by geolocation games and

when he doesn’t have to work likes to drive around with his wife and son and capture points with

his family. He has grown up with video games and for him Ingress is the next step of interaction.

He has a car which makes it easy for him to carpool with other players and move around quickly

to capture locations. Because of he spends a lot of time on the internet and loves forums he

spends a lot of time on the local G+ community page for Ingress and likes to set up strategies for

the other players. He considers himself the unofficial leader of the group because he is involved

far more than anyone else.

Jason Barth

Age: 40

Occupation: Fireman

Gender: Male

Hobbies: Working Out, Hiking, biking, football, baseball, hockey, camping, competition

Jason is a Firefighter. He is extremely close with the guys he works with because of the risks

they take together. They all like to have friendly competition with each other to keep spirits up

and to try and have fun when they can. He and his friends don’t play video games a lot but they

all have smart phones and have heard of games like geocaching but never got into it. They found

out about Ingress and realized they could compete with each other in this game relatively easily

and have a good time doing it. They all decided to install Ingress and start playing together. Now

Jason and his buddies drive around when they have some free time and try to capture and destroy

points to beat their buddies on the other team. They love laughing about while at work and

joking about all the funny things they do while playing the game and they boast to one another

about their victories in the game.

Competitive Analysis

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuBBwbIUNxNedDgwaE5wZWRqcmVjYz

ZnMC11ck8ya3c#gid=0

Summary of Observations

While I observed the community of the game I really tried to keep a few specific

questions in mind:

○ What parts of the game did people complain about the most?

○ What parts of the game did people like the most?

○ Did people find it easy to communicate through the game?

○ Did people choose to use the in game chat or chat on G+?

○ What tools would people like to see in the game?

I tried to ask these questions to each of the people that I interacted with while examining the

game and the way it played. What I found was that people complained about the fact that

executing specific abilities that they used all the time was way too hard to do. For example

deploying a bomb to attack an enemy portal required the player to go into the main menu over

and over again each time they wanted to use one. This was a nuisance and players wanted it to be

easier to just continuously attack a position. Players I spoke to that were in a leadership roles

within G+ groups wanted the game to have a system which allowed the to directly communicate

with members of their group and issue orders to group members while playing as well.

Others wanted a system to integrate their G+ group into the game. They wanted a system

like a guild that would allow them to directly communicate in game with their friends from the

G+ groups they were part of. Many of the players found the intel system to be quite clunky and

not offering a way of dynamically interacting with the game from their computer. They wanted

to see more information given by the intel screen and they wanted to see a cleaner and more

focused interface on the intel page. Finally I heard a lot of players ask for a much more dynamic

in game interface that would allow them to communicate with players more easily and see the

game world in a much more dynamic fashion that what it is currently.

Current Design Principles

● Group Gameplay: The current design of Ingress, both in game and online, supports

players working in teams. The chat system both in game and online allows players to

communicate with each other easily and allows for players to connect and work together.

Players are also directed to G+ where they can further communicate with other players

and accomplish more in the game.

● Goal Oriented: Ingress is currently a very goal oriented game. Players are clearly given

an objective to complete and their interaction in and out of the game is focused around

completing these goals. The entire interface and the game itself are designed to push

players to achieve their goals within the game and achieve the ultimate end goal of

beating the other faction by controlling more points.

● Competition: Ingress isn’t just a game to play and beat once. It is a constantly changing

game with constantly changing variables in it. The player needs to learn to assess these

variables to beat the other faction and control more points. Thus creating competition

between players which is the fundamental driving force for playing Ingress, beating the

other team.

● Easy to Pick Up: With a simplistic tutorial and a mostly intuitive UI design the game is

designed to make it easy to pick up and play no matter what your level of experience with

games is. Players of all kinds will find it easy to pick this game and understand its

mechanics while still having very deep and engaging gameplay.

● Fast Paced Gameplay: Ingress is always updated in real time and when someone attacks

or defends their points the results happen instantaneously. Because of this the game is

designed to allow the player to quickly jump into the action and take control of what is

going on. The game allows players to respond immediately to attacks from the other

faction and to requests from other players.

Redesign Components

After gathering all of the information I could on Ingress and studying its different aspects

I found these points to be the best way to alter the game to improve its functionality:

● Addition of a Clan System in the game

○ I felt that by adding a clan system to the game players would be able to more

easily communicate with their local friends and players. This would allow for

players to also issue dynamic commands to clan mates and would integrate some

of the communication and socialization of the G+ community directly into the

game.

● Alteration of the Ingress Intel Website

○ There are a few critical flaws with the overall orientation and design of the

Ingress Intel Website. I decided that by altering the setup of the page and adding

dynamic actions to it this would increase the usefulness of the site and allow the

players to better interact with each other through the website. Also I would

redesign the page to call attention to the more important parts of the Ingress

experience that are not currently showcased in on the site.

● Alteration of the Ingress In-Game UI

○ I decided that, in addition to altering the website, I would alter the in-game user

interface to better suite the needs of players. I will alter the In-game interface to

create a better experience for the user and to create a more productive interface.

● Addition of Command Options

○ Finally, to better aid players in issuing commands both in game and on the

website I will add a Action Bar to both that provides the player with Commands

that can be issued to other players. This will allow players to better communicate

quickly and act quickly when out in the field playing or even when they are home

on the Intel website.

● Addition of Clan Leader Boards

○ With a Clan System in the game players will now be able to compete with other

clans in within their own faction to add another layer of competition and

personalization to the game. This will showcase the clans that capture the most

points and attack the most points weekly adding to the gameplays competitive

experience.

Redesign Principles

This is a list of the guiding design principles that I used to focus the way I would redesign

Ingress and its functionality:

● Easy Player Communication: Players should be able to easily communicate with each

other. Ingress can be a fast paced game and it is important for players to be able to

quickly update each other as things happen and to be able to issue orders to each other to

help keep control.

● Simplistic User Interface: The user interface of any interactive media should be simple

and easy to navigate. That is why the UI should only contain what is necessary or of the

most importance when the player is either in the game or on the Website, it should not be

cluttered with unnecessary items or not contain important functional items.

● Integrated Group Communication: Communications on both the G+ page and in the

game should be seamlessly connected without drawing the player away from using either

system.

● Quick Access to Frequently Used Items: If players are using items frequently they

should not have to continuously navigate the interface each time they wish to use those

items.

Inspiration Boards

This inspiration boards were made up of images that helped me flesh out my ideas for the

different parts of the design process for this game. I made specific boards to emulate the tone and

feel of what I wanted to get out of each aspect of the game I wanted to change.

Basic Ingress Theme and Design Inspiration Board:

This design board reflects the basic theme and design of Ingress

Clan System Inspiration Board

This design board represents the basic theme and functionality of the new clan system I will be

adding.

Action Bar Inspiration Board

This design board reflects the redesign principles that are important to the action bar system I

will be adding to Ingress.

Wire Frames:

Original Website User Interface:

Redesigned Website User Interface:

*Extra Items*

Original In-Game User Interface:

Redesigned In-Game User Interface:

Redesign Rationale:

Website User Interface: The changes made to the original Website UI reflect the concepts

previously discussed. In trying to rid the interface of unnecessary clutter some buttons were

moved to different places. The Passcodes button was not a button that was used very often so it

was moved off the map screen and up to the top section with other less used buttons that are not

obstructing the view of the map. In addition some buttons and features have been added to

accommodate the clan system being added to the game. The added Clan G+ page button will

take the player straight to the G+ page that is associated with their clan instead of just taking

them to the Ingress G+ page. This allows for quick access to group communications in G+. Next

to the player’s name there will be a small clan tag that allows them to quickly identify what clan

they are apart of and to add to their sense of connection to that clan. This could also be made to

include clan ranks and titles which could show up when the player posts a message or adds a

mark on the game map. A tab has been added to the communication panel to allow for

communication directly with the player’s clan. This will allow for quick communication with the

player’s friends and will make it easier to coordinate with members of the player’s group. The

Leaderboard tab has been added to allow the player quick access to the Leaderboards page to see

what the current status of their clan is in the rankings.

The most important change to the interface is the new action bar on the left side of the

screen. This action bar is place in a position that doesn’t take away from the players view of the

map. This action bar is full of all the different quick commands a player can give to their clan.

By clicking on one of the buttons and then on the map the player can add any one of the items on

the bar to the map to help aid players in coordinating strategies and working together. The button

effects were added based upon studying other games and what players would like to have quick

access to to help issue orders. The buttons are as follows:

● Target: Allows the player to select a target portal that will be highlighted for other

players to attack if they can.

● Path: Allows the player to add a path line to instruct players on the best route to attack

or defend points. This allows players to help guide other players to the quickest and

smartest ways to attack opponents or defend their points.

● Defend: Allows the player to add a defense highlight to a specific point on the map. This

will quickly instruct players to defend as specific capture point.

● Note: Allows the player to leave a short 40 character note on the map. This allows them

to give further instructions on the map if needed.

All of these buttons were added to make it easier for players to quickly communicate

with each other directly through the game interface as opposed to just having to read through the

chat or read the G+ page for instructions. This system can help players who might be in a hurry

and not have time to read messages to be able to quickly see what people want them to do

through a series of images as opposed to words. This creates a much more dynamic interface and

gameplay experience

In-Game User Interface:The changes made to the original In-Game User Interface reflect the

concepts previously discussed. Because of the simplified nature of the In-Game UI there were

only a few changes made. To add to the clan system that will be added to the game The player

will have a clan tag next to their name at the top of the screen. This allows them to quickly

identify what clan they are apart of and adds to their sense of connection to that clan. This could

also be made to include clan ranks and titles which could show up when the player posts a

message or adds a mark on the game map. Additionally a clan communications tab has been

added to the bottom chat bar. By selecting this players will be able to quickly interact with clan

members directly, just like the clan tab on the Website. This adds another layer of

communication while in the actual game so players can stay continually connected with their

clan mates.

The biggest change that was made to the In-Game UI is the action bar. Just like the action

bar on the website this action bar gives the player in-game access to important command

abilities. These abilities allow the player to better communicate with other clan members, even

while out playing the game themselves. The big difference between this action bar and the one

on the website is that this one contains an extra button. This extra button is the attack button.

Many players wanted the ability to quickly bomb enemy capture points from the main screen.

This is someone that the player does all the time and currently they have to go back into the Ops

menu each time they want to drop a bomb on their target. This button will allow players to

quickly tap the button and continuously drop bombs where they are standing. This gives the

player a function that is frequently used right on the main screen of the game, making it easier

for the player to act in the game and not denying them quick access to a very frequently used and

important function of the game. On this screen the button effects are as follows:

● Target: Allows the player to select a target portal that will be highlighted for other

players to attack if they can.

● Path: Allows the player to add a path line to instruct players on the best route to attack

or defend points. This allows players to help guide other players to the quickest and

smartest ways to attack opponents or defend their points.

● Defend: Allows the player to add a defense highlight to a specific point on the map. This

will quickly instruct players to defend as specific capture point.

● Note: Allows the player to leave a short 40 character note on the map. This allows them

to give further instructions on the map if needed.

● Attack: Allows the player to quickly drop their lowest level EMP on the current position.

This allows players to quickly attack players instead of needed to constantly navigate

through the Ops menu.

All of these buttons were added to make it easier for players to quickly communicate with each

other directly through the game interface as opposed to just having to read through the chat or

read the G+ page for instructions. The added attack button was put into the game because so

many users that I worked with desired such a button to exist. In addition there has been a large

outcry from the community as a whole for a button that has this function.

Redesign Ethnography

After I made these changes to the interface and to the gameplay mechanics as a whole I

brought the wireframes and ideas to the group of people that I play Ingress with and asked them

to evaluate the redesigned UIs and tell me what they thought of them and the concept of Clans in

Ingress.

In response to the Website interface most players absolutely loved the movement of

existing buttons and addition of communication features such as the clan tab and clan G+ page.

They found the action bar to be quite useful for easily getting ideas across to players. The only

major criticism they had was the position of the bar. They suggested moving down to where the

old Passcode bar used to be because that is a much more open space which would make less

clutter. This is definitely a valid assessment of the UI and I would consider changing it in the

future.

When asked about the In-Game UI players thought that it was a great improvement but

they would also like to see a smaller Ops button and a smaller action bar. I thought this was a

totally valid examination of the UI as a whole. The Ops button does not need to be as big as it is

and there is no need to the Action bar to be the size it is on such a small screen. The players also

made suggestions for other buttons and functions to be added to the action bar as well. When I

heard all their suggestions I thought that maybe it would be a smart idea to make the bar

customizable so that the player could put whatever they personally want on the bar. This idea

was well received and is a feature I would add to the new UI.

Finally when asked about the Clan system as a whole most of the players were excited by

the idea. Most of them thought it would be great to have an added level of competition. Because

the battle that is being waged is on a global scale it is hard for players to really feel like they are

making a difference and having a leaderboard competition for clans seemed enticing to these

players. They liked that they would also be able to have clan tags to identify themselves as part

of a specific clan. They enjoyed the idea of enhanced communications with the G+ groups

through the clan system and that it would basically become an extension of that group into the

game itself. They liked the overall orientation of the buttons on the new UI but they felt that the

Leaderboard tab could just be a button placed somewhere else out of sight on the Website UI

because it doesn’t seem like it would be a function that would be used all that often. This was

definitely a good piece of criticism because I had been conflicted myself as to where I should

place the button and they were able to help me realize it should go elsewhere. The players that

were not as excited about the Clan system said it was because they were worried it might distract

people from the world wide gameplay and the fact that we are one faction not a small group of

separate clans. They also felt that it might have profound effects on the lore of the game and how

people played the game. They also worried that more competition might make people more

aggressive while out playing a game that is supposed to be friendly competition. While I do not

think most players are concerned as much about the games lore or aggression of other players I

knew as a designer I should take this point into consideration. If I was to try work towards fixing

this issue I would say that we could take out the clan competition and simply make it a system

that allows players to connect in game to G+ groups and identify themselves as part of a clan and

use the action bar buttons to work with other players.