How to Choose a Visual Style and Setting Based on Player Research

What the talk is about

Yaraslau Kot shows how to choose a game's visual style and setting using player data rather than inspiration alone. He explains that genre and setting shape audience expectations, and cites a survey in which most players notice a game's visual design and many would reject a game because of its style. He then compares preferences in the US, China and Japan, based on an analysis of top-grossing games: where realism, fantasy, anime or hybrid settings dominate. Finally he presents research on trending styles among winners of contests and rankings, from minimalism, craft-material looks, anime, cartoon and cel shading to hand-painted art and pixel art. Useful for artists, art directors and producers deciding on a game's style and target market.