Whether it’s a presentation, portfolio, or a marketing strategy for a business, the crucial factor is the presenter’s professional ability to make them visually appealing. And the one industry that has mastered visual presentation is the gaming industry.
From the ultra-realistic graphics to the simple, fun elements that bring the majority of gamers together, game designers know the concept of visual presentation and how to keep players hooked at first glance.
In this blog, we’ll look into the importance of creating a visually appealing presentation and what the gaming industry can teach us about this skill.
The visuals of modern arcade games
If you’ve ever found yourself glued to fast movement and mesmerizing graphics in arcade games, you’re not alone. After all, that’s what the main game intends to do. Think of titles like Pac-Man or Street Fighter. They are more than just the gameplay they offer; they are designed to attract players with eye-catching visuals that keep them hooked till the end.
When we compare some of the famous and classic arcade games to the latest releases, the differences are quite noticeable. In modern gaming, the visual presentation has gone beyond just simple, 2D elements that create a nostalgic value to a more clean and detailed look. Many designers focus on the game’s aesthetics rather than the game itself since they understand that first impressions matter, even if it’s for a split second. They play around with colors and other elements to keep the players hooked and know more about the game, which earns them their conversions and sales.
Similarly, whenever you are designing a business presentation, make sure it leaves a good impression in the eyes of the viewer. It needs to have good graphics with bold typography and colors that capture the attention of the reader even if they are not interested in what you really have to offer. It’s more about creating an experience or expectation about the quality of work you promise than what you have.
What Games Get Right About Color Psychology
Color is a big thing that adds life to anything, even in games and presentations. Games like Candy Crush and Fortnite use sharp colors and bright visuals to bring emotions out of the person. For example, cool colors like blue and green often represent calmness, while reds and oranges indicate urgency or danger.
Similarly, although text or word messaging is crucial, you need to use colors when designing your presentation or other materials to evoke the emotion that you are aiming for. The color you use sets the tone and influences how your message can be perceived. Using warm colors can add excitement, while cooler tones can set a level of professionalism. It all starts with choosing the right color palette that compliments your message.
But as with every aspect of life, don’t overdo it. A little can go a long way. Stick to a basic color palette that suits the intended message and use it wherever necessary. Simply adding too much color and elements can make your presentation cluttered and leave you with a cluttered audience rather than a satisfied one.
Interactivity To Keep Players Hooked
Interactive elements are one of the big reasons why players stay engaged with a game. Take Minecraft and Among Us for example. The whole crafting and building element of Minecraft and the voting phase in Among Us keeps the players engaged and part of the experience. With this being said, please don’t think that you need to turn your presentation into a video-game-style keynote, but our point is about making it interactive to engage the passive audience.
If you’re convinced that simplicity is the best for presentation, you can still use techniques like adding polls, clickable elements, or simply asking questions to make a difference in your presentation. If you find people getting bored of usual speeches or plain texts, you can also use videos or other motion graphics to get rid of boredom.
Sound and Movement
We all know that games shine in using sound and movement to their advantage. The transitions from cutscenes to actual gameplay and the background score that lets the players know what’s about to come for them add to the excitement that keeps them engaged. Just like that, adding simple sound effects or animations to your slides or presentations can direct the audience to the most important part of your presentation. However, as discussed before, don’t go overboard as too much animation or sound effects can leave your intended message hanging alone.
To Wrap It Up
To sum it up, the gaming industry is a great example to learn or compare the art of visual presentation. It’s all about the looks of the message you want to convey to capture your audience rather than just delivering a simple slideshow. So stick to the basics, understand your audience and their intent, and add visuals that can resonate your message to everyone.
