SOCIAL ANIMALS:

WEREWOLVESWITHIN AND THE

VIRTUAL TABLETOP

Justin Achilli

Lead Social Systems Designer,

Red Storm Entertainment

I. DEFINING SOCIAL VR

II. DESIGNED FOR SOCIAL VR

III. FINDINGS FROM USER TESTING

IV. TAKEAWAYS

DEFINING SOCIAL VR

ACHILLICON ‘16

A day of board games and

socializing at my house

(Please bring a drink or dish

to share)

…[C]onsumer VR that can induce

presence marks… a phase change in

the relationship between humans,

computing, and information.

…I predict that VR will be the most

social medium ever.

― Michael Abrash, Carnegie

Mellon University 2014

…[V]irtual reality can potentially

connect people around the world

and let them inhabit the same

immersive digital world, more closely

replicating actually being together in

real life.

― Popular Science, 2015

A virtual world in which the sense of presence is enhanced when

shared with other actual individuals

DESIGNED FOR SOCIAL VR

An Inherently Social Activity

Core Gameplay: A Social Endeavor

Intuitive, Familiar Movements

Heightening Awareness

Conveying Emphasis

Seating Arrangement

Stylized Avatars

FINDINGS FROM USER TESTINGPARIS USER RESEARCH LAB + RSE USER RESEARCH LAB

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Appreciation Score

Appreciation of Avatars

When they were unaware of each other’s names, players referred to each other by the features of their avatars

“…a digital mask to hide behind…”

OBSERVATIONS

0.52

0.41

0.18

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Werewolf Townsfolk Deviant

Win

PC

T

Team

Victory Conditions

Informed minority wins more frequently than uninformed majority

Difficult to win with the (solo) Deviant role — rewards are commensurately valuable

OBSERVATIONS

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Appreciation Score

Appreciation

After 3 Games After 6 Games

As familiarity grew, so did appreciation

Appreciation also grew the more the player understood the game roles and the nuances of the victory conditions (Mastery)

OBSERVATIONS

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0.12

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Wh

isp

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Match #

Whisper Usage

Overall US FR

The French are either guileless and without secrets or they are MASTERS OF

SECRECY on a level beyond human perception

OBSERVATIONS

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Emotes Monologue Whispering

Ap

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Game Actions: Fun and Usefulness

Fun Useful

While the emotes were fun, participants felt that they served no strategic purpose. (9/24)

Whispering is used to communicate information privately – it is inherently useful, but it is noteworthy to see it considered almost as equally fun

OBSERVATIONS

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Pointing at others "This guy" Exasperated Crossing Arms

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Emotes: Fun and Usefulness

Fun Useful

Emotes that communicated information or direction were perceived as both more fun and useful than the purely expressive emotes.

OBSERVATIONS

TAKEAWAYS

SOCIAL VR IS FOUNDATIONAL

PRESENCE BUILDS RELATEDNESS

THE ACTIVITY PROVIDES THE IMPETUS

THANK YOU!