Summer 07 – Usability – Purely interactive

Aside from the movie websites I explored in the previous competitive analysis, there are other additional websites I’ll break down here. The following websites are not movie websites, but mini-game websites. Their sole purpose is to interact with a complex world that appears to be senseless at first hand, but the more you explore, the easier it gets. These are multiple use websites, since the user doesn’t tend to go through all the material in one sit.

The most important one is Makibishi.com In Makibishi, we find a world of space ninjas and robots in which the use of hidden Easter Eggs is prominent. The user clicks through the website, and subtle things happen that build up to a chain reaction of events that will reward the user with the completion of levels (it is as simple as unlocking the little ninjas). They make use of a clever cursor-activated 3d-looking background. By using layers, they achieve such a complex effect. It might seem small, but it brings the website to life.

Another website that is simple on the code, but big on the events, is MTV’s Staying Alive game. Staying Alive offers a simple yet effective use of background and animation to communicate a message of sexual awareness in teenagers. The website seems to be aimed at 3rd graders who don’t know much about life, yet are starting to experiment with sex and drugs. The interactive experience consists on the user cleaning up their room, followed by waiting at the bus, and finalizing in a party. It is a completely linear experience. Once the user has moved on from one level to the next, he cannot return to the previous place. What makes this website unique is how engaging the story is. Contrary to Makibishi, the user is lead by the hand in an obvious manner.

The Gorillaz’ website is a magnificent example of how fun cursor-based exploration can be. The user explores the Gorillaz building, and expands rooms by pushing the cursor to the corners of the screen. There are no characters, or story… it is just simple exploration. The meat of the website is the use of magnificent illustration, with an effective use of hidden easter eggs.