1) The document proposes redesigning the user interface of the online and in-game aspects of Ingress to improve communication between players and overall gameplay. 2) Ingress is an augmented reality game where players choose a faction and capture real world locations called portals to increase their faction's influence. 3) Players interact both online through Google+ groups and an in-game chat system, and in person when meeting to coordinate capturing portals. The social interactions observed in a local player group showed strategic use of the different communication platforms.

1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. ● 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.

13. ● 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:

14. This design board reflects the basic theme and design of Ingress

15. 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

16. 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:

17. Redesigned Website User Interface:

18. *Extra Items*
Original In-Game User Interface:

19. Redesigned In-Game User Interface:

20. Redesign Rationale:

21. 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

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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.