Ben Taels
@bentaels.bsky.social
Kiwi, Dad, Human Factors Psychology PhD, & Games User Experience Research.
Formerly Epic Games, Player Research, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Te Manatū Waka, & Hamilton Zoo.
Formerly Epic Games, Player Research, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Te Manatū Waka, & Hamilton Zoo.
Once again simply being in NZ is a cheat code for taking beautiful photos
December 14, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Once again simply being in NZ is a cheat code for taking beautiful photos
Maybe "Let's play Chess" by Anthony Hansford?
www.bookexpress.nz/products/let...
(I had the "Chess for Young Beginners" book someone else suggested. It was fantastic)
www.bookexpress.nz/products/let...
(I had the "Chess for Young Beginners" book someone else suggested. It was fantastic)
December 6, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Maybe "Let's play Chess" by Anthony Hansford?
www.bookexpress.nz/products/let...
(I had the "Chess for Young Beginners" book someone else suggested. It was fantastic)
www.bookexpress.nz/products/let...
(I had the "Chess for Young Beginners" book someone else suggested. It was fantastic)
I had this book as a kid and the illustrations made Chess so much cooler!
December 6, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I had this book as a kid and the illustrations made Chess so much cooler!
In the mornings I get up and feed the dogs. They then go back downstairs and settle down outside the door where my partner is still sleeping to wait for her to get up
I don't blame them, she is pretty special
I don't blame them, she is pretty special
December 5, 2025 at 6:36 PM
In the mornings I get up and feed the dogs. They then go back downstairs and settle down outside the door where my partner is still sleeping to wait for her to get up
I don't blame them, she is pretty special
I don't blame them, she is pretty special
50% day one retention is often considered high performing retention for a game
That is to say that for a top level, excellent game, you can expect that 50% of players WON'T play it the day after they try it for the first time
That is to say that for a top level, excellent game, you can expect that 50% of players WON'T play it the day after they try it for the first time
December 3, 2025 at 5:31 PM
50% day one retention is often considered high performing retention for a game
That is to say that for a top level, excellent game, you can expect that 50% of players WON'T play it the day after they try it for the first time
That is to say that for a top level, excellent game, you can expect that 50% of players WON'T play it the day after they try it for the first time
There is a translation of this that means Labour is going to sit by and let bigoted shit happen because talking and doing something about it would be "doing too many things" and "not speaking about the issues that really matter"
November 30, 2025 at 6:57 PM
There is a translation of this that means Labour is going to sit by and let bigoted shit happen because talking and doing something about it would be "doing too many things" and "not speaking about the issues that really matter"
I finished reading my Kickstarter copy of Mythic Bastionland by @bastionland.bsky.social
It has some lovely UX touches in it, such as the multifunctional Knight & Myth pages, & the sparks
I want to highlight one UX feature in particular though; the examples of play in the Oddpocrypha
#ttrpg
It has some lovely UX touches in it, such as the multifunctional Knight & Myth pages, & the sparks
I want to highlight one UX feature in particular though; the examples of play in the Oddpocrypha
#ttrpg
November 25, 2025 at 9:49 PM
I finished reading my Kickstarter copy of Mythic Bastionland by @bastionland.bsky.social
It has some lovely UX touches in it, such as the multifunctional Knight & Myth pages, & the sparks
I want to highlight one UX feature in particular though; the examples of play in the Oddpocrypha
#ttrpg
It has some lovely UX touches in it, such as the multifunctional Knight & Myth pages, & the sparks
I want to highlight one UX feature in particular though; the examples of play in the Oddpocrypha
#ttrpg
Search in settings screens is an often overlooked quality of life feature in games
If your setting screen requires scrolling and/or is across several tabs consider adding search to it!
If your setting screen requires scrolling and/or is across several tabs consider adding search to it!
November 22, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Search in settings screens is an often overlooked quality of life feature in games
If your setting screen requires scrolling and/or is across several tabs consider adding search to it!
If your setting screen requires scrolling and/or is across several tabs consider adding search to it!
"Yes, it is summer in New Zealand because the current month is November, which is part of the spring season..."
November 20, 2025 at 6:28 PM
"Yes, it is summer in New Zealand because the current month is November, which is part of the spring season..."
This heatmap shows how mobile players customized their controls in Fortnite Battle Royale
For accessibility & UX reasons it is important to allow your controls to be remapped!
You should also take time to set up analytics for what changes are made (ideally you have this for all of your settings)
For accessibility & UX reasons it is important to allow your controls to be remapped!
You should also take time to set up analytics for what changes are made (ideally you have this for all of your settings)
November 20, 2025 at 5:39 PM
This heatmap shows how mobile players customized their controls in Fortnite Battle Royale
For accessibility & UX reasons it is important to allow your controls to be remapped!
You should also take time to set up analytics for what changes are made (ideally you have this for all of your settings)
For accessibility & UX reasons it is important to allow your controls to be remapped!
You should also take time to set up analytics for what changes are made (ideally you have this for all of your settings)
My first attempt at a Calzone in about 20 years looking nice!
Hopefully they taste good!
Hopefully they taste good!
November 17, 2025 at 5:35 AM
My first attempt at a Calzone in about 20 years looking nice!
Hopefully they taste good!
Hopefully they taste good!
FROM THE UNKNOWABLE GREEN OF THE GARDEN COMES THE FLOWER EYED DOG!
November 17, 2025 at 5:28 AM
FROM THE UNKNOWABLE GREEN OF THE GARDEN COMES THE FLOWER EYED DOG!
When players skip a tutorial they may end up playing your game in a way that is not intended. *Sometimes* this can be a good thing.
Is playing chess with a pool cue actually more engaging than playing chess normally? Experimenting and playtesting/UX testing can answer!
Is playing chess with a pool cue actually more engaging than playing chess normally? Experimenting and playtesting/UX testing can answer!
November 15, 2025 at 6:01 PM
When players skip a tutorial they may end up playing your game in a way that is not intended. *Sometimes* this can be a good thing.
Is playing chess with a pool cue actually more engaging than playing chess normally? Experimenting and playtesting/UX testing can answer!
Is playing chess with a pool cue actually more engaging than playing chess normally? Experimenting and playtesting/UX testing can answer!
Oh cool Songs of Slience is free on the Epic Games Store at the moment. I have heard good things about it! Interested to give it a go
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/song...
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/song...
November 13, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Oh cool Songs of Slience is free on the Epic Games Store at the moment. I have heard good things about it! Interested to give it a go
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/song...
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/song...
I finished up Dispatch, which was a wonderful game, but it has me thinking about comparing players against each other, the benefits and downsides
In Dispatch, much like in Telltale Games in the past, at the end of each episode your choices are compared against others
In Dispatch, much like in Telltale Games in the past, at the end of each episode your choices are compared against others
November 13, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I finished up Dispatch, which was a wonderful game, but it has me thinking about comparing players against each other, the benefits and downsides
In Dispatch, much like in Telltale Games in the past, at the end of each episode your choices are compared against others
In Dispatch, much like in Telltale Games in the past, at the end of each episode your choices are compared against others
Also checking the website the gun is part of the "Insanity HorrorFire" collection and is called the "Doomsday blaster"
It appears there is also the "Insanity HorrorFire Reaper X" and "Insanity HorrorFire Dreadhammer" on their website that do use different models in their packaging
It appears there is also the "Insanity HorrorFire Reaper X" and "Insanity HorrorFire Dreadhammer" on their website that do use different models in their packaging
November 10, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Also checking the website the gun is part of the "Insanity HorrorFire" collection and is called the "Doomsday blaster"
It appears there is also the "Insanity HorrorFire Reaper X" and "Insanity HorrorFire Dreadhammer" on their website that do use different models in their packaging
It appears there is also the "Insanity HorrorFire Reaper X" and "Insanity HorrorFire Dreadhammer" on their website that do use different models in their packaging
It's my photos and text. Although the gun the kid in the top right is part of the Zuru "Insanity" collection of guns and is called the "Horrorfire", which is why I did pick "Horror" as a discriptor
BUT this is me taking photos of all the products on the shelf and grouping them
BUT this is me taking photos of all the products on the shelf and grouping them
November 10, 2025 at 6:13 AM
It's my photos and text. Although the gun the kid in the top right is part of the Zuru "Insanity" collection of guns and is called the "Horrorfire", which is why I did pick "Horror" as a discriptor
BUT this is me taking photos of all the products on the shelf and grouping them
BUT this is me taking photos of all the products on the shelf and grouping them
Hey @davidfarrier.com since I know you are a big fan of Zuru I thought I would share what I stood out to me in a recent trip to the Warehouse with my kids about how they market their XSHOT toys
November 9, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Hey @davidfarrier.com since I know you are a big fan of Zuru I thought I would share what I stood out to me in a recent trip to the Warehouse with my kids about how they market their XSHOT toys
Giving places of interest in your game names makes it easier for players to navigate
Making the names easy to remember and contextually relevant makes them even easier for players relate to, create stories around, and navigate to and around
Making the names easy to remember and contextually relevant makes them even easier for players relate to, create stories around, and navigate to and around
November 6, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Giving places of interest in your game names makes it easier for players to navigate
Making the names easy to remember and contextually relevant makes them even easier for players relate to, create stories around, and navigate to and around
Making the names easy to remember and contextually relevant makes them even easier for players relate to, create stories around, and navigate to and around
The earth spinning away from the sun over TA
November 5, 2025 at 8:02 AM
The earth spinning away from the sun over TA
The moon is full and bright above the cemetery tonight
November 5, 2025 at 8:00 AM
The moon is full and bright above the cemetery tonight
I wonder why this is when there is plenty of room to add it as a third fuction? (see rough researcher mock up), without over complicating the interface, but greatly improving discoverability
Is it that there are a bunch other other hidden functions here via other keypresses?
Is it that there are a bunch other other hidden functions here via other keypresses?
November 3, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I wonder why this is when there is plenty of room to add it as a third fuction? (see rough researcher mock up), without over complicating the interface, but greatly improving discoverability
Is it that there are a bunch other other hidden functions here via other keypresses?
Is it that there are a bunch other other hidden functions here via other keypresses?
As a UX Researcher I can't help but wonder sometimes about UX decisions
Take this smart folder (bin) creation UI in DaVinci Resolve by @blackmagicdesign.bsky.social
It is clear and has -/+ options for adding new rules
You can also have sub rules, but they are hidden by a keyboard press
Take this smart folder (bin) creation UI in DaVinci Resolve by @blackmagicdesign.bsky.social
It is clear and has -/+ options for adding new rules
You can also have sub rules, but they are hidden by a keyboard press
November 3, 2025 at 8:54 PM
As a UX Researcher I can't help but wonder sometimes about UX decisions
Take this smart folder (bin) creation UI in DaVinci Resolve by @blackmagicdesign.bsky.social
It is clear and has -/+ options for adding new rules
You can also have sub rules, but they are hidden by a keyboard press
Take this smart folder (bin) creation UI in DaVinci Resolve by @blackmagicdesign.bsky.social
It is clear and has -/+ options for adding new rules
You can also have sub rules, but they are hidden by a keyboard press