Play the Sims with Voice

Project Overview

The Sims™ Stories is a voice-based app that allows users to play interactive stories from The Sims franchise on the Amazon Alexa platform. It is based on an existing Sims 4 game pack, Strangerville, where users move to a new town but soon discover that something sinister is lurking beneath the surface.

Challenges

The main design challenge for this project was creating a system that keeps users engaged during voice-only interactions and effectively responds to voice commands, all while working within the technical limitations. We had to carefully balance the pacing and content of the dialogue to keep users interested without overwhelming them. Additionally, the system needed to be flexible enough to handle a wide range of voice inputs and provide intuitive feedback, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience despite the platform's constraints.

Approaches

In designing this Sims experience on the Alexa platform, there are three key elements we executed well to ensure an engaging and intuitive experience:

1. Breaking the story into bite-sized pieces

Sims players are curious and motivated to explore; however, it’s crucial not to overload them, as voice interaction is very linear. To achieve this, we streamlined the core loop, simplified the choice structure, and reduced the dialog length.

It was interesting to navigate through the technical limitations. For example, on Alexa, screens do not change until there’s a response or prompt from the user. I modified the interaction pattern so it could be properly translated to the Alexa platform.

We utilized Adobe XD and the Amazon Content Editor as testing tools to quickly build and test user flows internally, bypassing the need for full implementation.

2. Prioritizing error prevention to minimize disruptions during gameplay

Initially, we believed we could cover most scenarios and natural phrases, but we learned our lesson from user testing. We expanded the input range to include a broader variety of input styles. Additionally, I implemented a contextual help menu to accommodate unexpected scenarios during gameplay, prompting the user to seek help when needed.

3. Creating immersion

By leveraging voice profiles, earcons, and interactive features, we enabled players to vividly visualize and interact with The Sims' world.
Initially, we thought that if we could create a voice-only experience, we wouldn’t need a UI. However, we learned from the playtests that some participants had a hard time staying focused without any visuals on the screen to anchor their vision.

We standardized all interactions along with the GUIs to create a consistent experience across devices.

Impact

In conclusion, our first adaptation of The Sims™ Stories on Amazon Alexa showcased the potential and challenges of an audio-only Sims experience. It was well-received by users and has a 4/5 rating on the Skill store. User testing was crucial for enhancing the experience, leading to improvements such as better auditory descriptions, simplified choices, and versatile voice command support. These changes significantly improved user engagement, confirmed by positive feedback. One player enjoyed the Alexa-only experience as an alternative to playing on a laptop, while another appreciated the vivid audio descriptions, which enhanced their immersion and enjoyment.