Short answer
Consider the authorial persona as a deliberate design element that shapes player perception and engagement with autobiographical content.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Persona Studies (2017)
- Method
- Comparative content analysis and rhetorical analysis of paratextual elements.
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
The deliberate construction of an author persona within autobiographical games significantly influences how players understand and interact with the presented identity. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2017 study published in Persona Studies. Using Comparative content analysis and rhetorical analysis of paratextual elements., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Consider the authorial persona as a deliberate design element that shapes player perception and engagement with autobiographical content.
Author Personas in Autobiographical Games Shape Player Perception of Identity
The deliberate construction of an author persona within autobiographical games significantly influences how players understand and interact with the presented identity.
Persona Studies · 2017
Key Findings
- 01Author personae in autobiographical games are a form of identity politics.
- 02The implementation of author personae as playable characters allows developers to curate their online identity.
- 03Games are recognized as modes of conceptualizing and expressing individual identity, compatible with postmodern sensibilities.
Application
Design takeaway
Consider the authorial persona as a deliberate design element that shapes player perception and engagement with autobiographical content.
How to apply
When designing autobiographical or narrative-driven experiences, consciously define and implement the authorial persona through gameplay mechanics, narrative voice, and visual style to achieve specific player perceptions.
Project actions
- 01Think about how your own personality or a fictionalized version of it will be represented through the game's mechanics and narrative.
- 02Consider how player actions might reinforce or challenge the persona you've created.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Highlights the performative nature of identity in digital spaces.
- +Connects game design to broader theories of self-representation and identity politics.
Limitations
It can be challenging to objectively measure the 'performance of the self' or to ensure that user interpretations align with the designer's intentions.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be improved by using multiple coders for content analysis. Validity is enhanced by triangulating findings from game analysis with paratextual data.
Think critically
To what extent is the 'author persona' a genuine reflection of the self versus a strategic performance for audience engagement?
Design Principles
"The authorial persona is a performative construct that can be strategically designed to influence player empathy and understanding."
Understanding how designers craft authorial personas is crucial for creating engaging and meaningful interactive experiences. This insight helps designers consider the performative aspects of identity within their work, influencing narrative, gameplay, and player connection.
What This Means for Your Design
When you make a game about yourself, the way you present yourself in the game (your 'persona') really affects how people see you and understand your story.
How to use in your project
- 1.Discuss how your design choices for character representation and narrative voice contribute to the authorial persona and its intended impact on the user.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The design of the authorial persona within this autobiographical game project is a deliberate strategy to curate the creator's identity for the player. By employing specific narrative techniques and gameplay mechanics, the persona is performed, influencing player perception and fostering a particular interpretation of the personal narrative.
Source
Persona Studies
The Persona in Autobiographical Game-Making as a Playful Performance of the Self
journal · 2017
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about author personas in autobiographical games shape player perception of identity?
- Consider the authorial persona as a deliberate design element that shapes player perception and engagement with autobiographical content. Evidence: Persona Studies (2017).
- Why does "Author Personas in Autobiographical Games Shape Player Perception of Identity" matter for design?
- Understanding how designers craft authorial personas is crucial for creating engaging and meaningful interactive experiences. This insight helps designers consider the performative aspects of identity within their work, influencing narrative, gameplay, and player connection.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Consider the authorial persona as a deliberate design element that shapes player perception and engagement with autobiographical content.
- What were the main findings?
- Author personae in autobiographical games are a form of identity politics.. The implementation of author personae as playable characters allows developers to curate their online identity.. Games are recognized as modes of conceptualizing and expressing individual identity, compatible with postmodern sensibilities.
- What research method was used?
- Comparative content analysis and rhetorical analysis of paratextual elements..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2017 journal from Persona Studies.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing autobiographical or narrative-driven experiences, consciously define and implement the authorial persona through gameplay mechanics, narrative voice, and visual style to achieve specific player perceptions.
- What are the limitations?
- The analysis focused on specific examples of autobiographical games and may not represent all such works. Interpretation of paratextual elements can be subjective.