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Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Representational
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Symbolic
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Abstract
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Week 13 Blog: Visual Techniques
The two designs I have are of the BMW GINA Concept Car and the Wii News Channel Interface. Where the two designs differed in techniques used, there was transparency used in the tail brake lights that emanate through the skin of the BMW GINA Concept and many overlapping parts of names of areas and the articles gave the Wii News Channel a usage of opacity. A mixture of distortion and subtlety is exemplified by the BMW GINA Concept in its skin's "wrinkles" as you realize, "Hey, a car's not supposed to wrinkle!" Whereas a mix of Fragmentation, Activeness, and Depth play on the interactivity suggested by its multiple icons of articles, motion implied by the pointed finger, and the dimension created by a stack of articles and shape of the globe. What the two designs share are depth, denoted by the BMW's curves, lines and capturing of different shades of light on different angles of the car.
Images from: http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/01/wiinews23wm.jpg
http://www.goodlife.com.ng/uploads/Sanni-Azeez_41_BMW-GINA-20.jpg
http://www.fahad.com/pics/bmw_gina_concept_car.jpg
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Contrast in Design
image from: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/oleman/Puzzel6.jpg
Cache-Control: max-age=0
box shaped features are exactly alike differing only in the text within them. In addition, the font sizes of "SOUND" and "REMAP KEYS" are significantly greater in size than the others causing a point of focus that seems unnecessary. I actually was expecting to see options within the boxes but realized later that this is the options menu, this was likely at fault to the texture of the word option matching that of the blue background.
image from: http://www.silverthornedesign.com/images/FTI_03.jpg
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Movement and Motion in Environment Design
http://scathingaccuracy.com/pageFiles/review/images/fable%202/fable-2.jpg
http://media.obsessable.com/media/2008/12/12/29-basiccontrols2.jpg
Depth/Dimension/Space
http://earth.google.com/intl/en_uk/userguide/v5/images/street_view.jpg
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Tone and Color
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
User Interface Design
Color. This interface for a game called, World of Warcraft, shows the use of colors to denote meaning. The most generally universal color-meaning association in the genre, MMO, is probably the one that distinguishes Health (in green) and MP/Mana (in blue). Shown in these colors range from the gauges showing maximum health and mana and in health and mana generation from abilities on screen by the character at center in colored numeral.
Tone. In this interface for the Sony Ericsson, tone is the major factor that allows a user to select their function of choice. Shown, a camera icon is illuminated in a light that contrasts between the other icons that are in darkness. Also, the name of the function choice is in a much brighter shade than that of the icons as well. The effect is that the user knows what they are about to select with the cue besides that of the icon -- the name of the function.
image from: http://sefanboy.com/2007/11/26/k850-menu-interface-in-k810k800/
image from: www.slipperybrick.com/
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Week 6 Blog
While this first picture shows a very texturized and flashy look at what this game (Final Fantasy XIII) might play like in battle when it is bought by many FF series fans, the design of the interface doesn't help a gamer understand how to make it all happen. Much of the stress in the interface causes the gamer to look at the corners of the screen which appears as something that looks like a map and another circular gauge meter type thing on the top left and right of the screen shot. A map you may be able to understand intuitively but, traditionally in this game genre (RPG), maps are not the most necessary thing when it comes to a fight/battle. It may even sound ridiculous to one who has not the least bit of interest in this type of game to hear about reading a map in battle. Secondly, the gauge or meter isn't even labeled as complex as it looks. Looking near the bottom of the picture, more of the interface is displayed. A list of actions are scrolled on the bottom left diagonally in what order, I'm unsure of. It is missing a hierarchy, being group together in a seemingly random order. In the middle of the bottom interface, there seems to be the possibility of chaining actions, it must correspond to the color of the action selected in the random list of abilities. The last two of the chain action interface is empty but how is one to know whether or not they can enter another two abilities or not? Lastly, the amount of health the player has is shown as just a number, not a fraction to show how much in total, next to another number labeled ATB then there is a green bar on top of these numbers. Maybe the bar corresponds to health or ATB but its a little hard to tell.
There is a waste of stress toward the two items on the top, and no order to the bottom where one is supposed to choose actions to function. On top of that, important information about the character is cluttered to the bottom right.
images from: http://xbox360.qj.net/Comparing-the-old-and-new-Final-Fantasy-XIII-battle-interface/pg/49/aid/127767
http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb//GamesRadar/us/Games/F/Final%20Fantasy%20XIII/Bulk%20Viewers/PS3/FFXIII_battle1--screenshot_large.jpg
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Week 5 blog
I chose this picture of an anime (and manga) called, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, because from early on in my life animations have impacted my interests in Japanese culture. While this isn't directly from one of the episodes (or volumes), this speaks a great amount just as a poster or promotional flier. This picture simply introduces the major characters of this anime. From a perspective of one who hasn't seen this animation, immediately you'll notice the 3 characters in the middle... it's not a bad thing if you first noticed just one of them. They each have different expressions. The man in the middle is pointing upward toward a flash of light seems as though he is set on reaching high goals. The woman to the right in a bold choice of attire, swung her rifle to her back, ready to fight in striving toward this upward goal with joy. The boy in the foreground shows determination gripping the item in his hand with wide eyes symbolizing his youthful innocence. Off the bat, characteristics shine through just simple animation styles which amazes me. In the background, you may have focused on the shape of what appears to be a robot, though you may have not noticed beforehand due to it being shaded blue and placed behind the first 3 characters with more light and color falling on them. Then, behind even the robot, you have 2 more characters who seem to have a certain shade of color over them as well. The man on the right is mysterious seeing only his left eye though evil looking with a grin at the same time. The girl on the left behind the robot, being a bit more exposed than the man on the right is a bit less mysterious with a look of pure innocence on her face and in her eyes. With seeing just as much, you might have a good idea of what these characters are like and maybe choose to watch or read this story. Oops, I missed a character... the mole on the boy's shoulder, who is obviously loyal staying steady on the shoulder, also looking upward. To those familiar to Japanese animation or culture (even just faintly), may recognize the crescent on top of the robot's head which is like that of a samurai warrior. Even the woman on the right with the look of chopsticks in her hair is an allusion to Japanese culture.
Whether from actions, facial expressions or characteristics, allusions, or simply a matter of being in the foreground, a character introduction isn't necessary with all the hints in a cover or picture of an animation. A picture is really worth a thousand words, if not more.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Visual Thinking Research
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Feature Channels and Visual Search
image from: http://www.joystiq.com/tag/user-interface/
Monday, September 14, 2009
Top-Down Visual Processing
I thought this is a good example of top-down visual processing because looking at this picture, I'm pretty sure it's not features you bother to look at first but rather many full-sized creatures. If you were at a scene like this, what you'd be thinking is probably, "I should get out of here, slowly, not too suddenly might be a good idea..." and not how fluffy they look. I chose this picture because it reminded me of a time I saw a whole squad of raccoons marching across the street of my home and how I didn't sit there to take in the scene but thought what would be a good reaction in case they were to rush at me after taking the trash out. My top-down visual processing was making a goal for me to get out of there should anything happen. I was fixated on the raccoons and how many there were thinking about whether it was safe to move in sudden motions or not. I ended up standing there until they continued on their path but was ready as ever to run back inside if they headed toward me.
image from: http://nirvanapeace.wordpress.com/2008/12/
and apparently: http://icanhascheezburger.com/
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