Games for Visual Thinking

Scott Kim•shufflebrain.comAdobe, Feb 5, 2009

Puzzles

I design puzzles

PRINT TOYS COMPUTER

Games for visual thinking

AMBIGRAMS DESIGN EDUCATION PHOTOGRAB

AMBIGRAMS

AmbigramsVisual wordplay

What let ter is this?

Hint: it’s notL

Answer

A puzzle isa problem that is

funtosolve and hasa right answer

As opposedto everyday

“ problems”

As opposedtoa toy oragame

A puzzle isa problem that is

funtosolve and hasa right answer

As opposedto everyday

“ problems”

As opposedtoa toy oragame

A puzzle isa problem that is

funtosolve and hasa right answer

As opposedto everyday

“ problems”

As opposedtoa toy ora game

Ambigrams

Onetypeof visual puzzleI’ve explored is ambigrams— wordswrittensotheyreadin morethanoneway. Herearesome

ambigram logos (not by me).

AmbigramsI’ ve created

Seemoreof myambigrams at http://scottkim.com

Make your own ambigrams

chumpWritethiswordin connectedcursive, leave

bowlofP slightlyopen. Instant ambigram!

USAWritethissoit reads the same right side up

andupside down.S is easy. What about U/A?

AdobeWritethissoit reads the same upsidedown.

Canyoudo it?

DESIGN EDUCATION

Design EducationPuzzles that change how you think

Working withina fixed form

Most puzzle designers work within an existing form

Topic: Letterparts

I let the topicdictatethe form.For instance, whatpuzzle teaches the partsof letters?

Vocabulary

1.A vocabulary puzzle reinforces names, not concepts.

Multiple choice quiz

2.A visual quiz puzzle reinforces concepts.

Puzzle(adobe.com)

3.A perceptual puzzle, like this one from adobe.com,trainsthinking. Match each detail witha letterform.

Counter Proposal (NewMedia)

Here’sa perceptual puzzle from NewMedia about fonts.Spaces in& around letters are“ counters”.

Counter Proposal (NewMedia)

Match each counter with the letter it is from.

MystGrayscale painting

Elevation map

3Drendered image

Theartists behind Myst converteda gray scale paintingintoanelevation map. White=high, black=low.

Cybermesh

I made this intoa puzzle by using CyberMesh,aPhotoshop plugin by John Knoll, author of Photoshop.

Normal Face

Here’showCybermesh turnsa grayscale image ofJohn’s faceintoa 3Dmesh.

Inverted

Changing the grayscale image changes the mesh. E.g.inverting black and white turns the mesh inside out.

Posterized

Posterizing the image creates stairsteps.

Pinch

Pinching the image enlarges the nose.

Blurred

Blurring the image creates this ghostly face.

Finished puzzle

Thefinished puzzle: Match each image witha 3D mesh.

Surfaces of revolution

Surfaces of revolution

Match pairs of shapes made from the same cross-section.

Color

Morphing

Animation

Logo design

Magazinepuzzles

A wayof writingabouta topicRegular puzzles increase loyalty

Contests increase involvement

Interactive puzzles let you do more with 3D.

VizAbility

Vase/Profile

Figure/ground isa concept thatworks well asa game.Thefigurehereis thevase, the ground is the faces.

Escher

Simplify

To make this visual illusion interactive, first simplifytheshapes by putting them ona grid.

Make Interactive

If youdraga blackobject, there’swhiteunderneath.If youdraga whiteobject, there’sblackunderneath.

FigureGround game

Playthisgame at http://clockworkgoldfish.com/figureground/play.php

To playthisparticular puzzle, clickon List, then scroll down to Sky.

PHOTOGRAB

PhotograbBrain games meet social media

Threetrends

1. Casual games

BEJEWELED ROCK BAND

Electronic games are now for everyone, not just teenage boys.

Threetrends

1. Casual games2. Mental fitness

SUDOKU BRAIN AGE

Peoplewantto exercise their brains, not just their bodies.

Threetrends

1. Casual games2. Mental fitness

3. Socialmedia

FACEBOOK

Media is nowproduced by everyone,distributed everywhere.

Games for healthy lifestyle

Healthy+ Stylish= Ontrend

Thethreetrends add up to gamesas part ofa healthy lifestyle.

Photograb

Ourfirst game is Photograb. Goal is to find details ina photo.Photograb exercises visualperception.

Photograb

Players can put in their ownphotos. This image is from Adobe Lightroom’s Melissa Gaul.Playthisgame at http://shufflebrain.com/standalone/photograb.html?mediaSetID=1096

Photograb

Player-generated contentSyndicated games live on your site.

Rating system

Nextgame: Wordstream

Conclusions

Conclusions

Games for visual thinking

AMBIGRAMSDESIGN EDUCATION PHOTOGRAB

Games can beused to teach and exercise visualthinking.

Interaction design

Like interaction design, puzzle design isabout creatinga gooduserexperience. Except the path from start to end is trickier.

Thank You

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