Engage Your City

5 thoughts on “Engage Your City”

1. 1. My first impression is that the home page has some very intense colors. It’s almost too bright to look at!
    
   2. Since I’m not a gamer, I had no prior association with the phrase “Urban Risk DC.” Before I clicked on your link, I thought the site might actually have something to do with a nonprofit devoted to mentoring kids, curbing crime or drug use, furthering education, or something like that. However, your welcome message makes it very clear that this is “a large-scale gaming experience.” And by the time I got to “Play,” I realized that this was not just some kind of collaborative computer game but a live-action, in-person game. So I’d say that any confusion I had was cleared up quickly, and yes, the premise sounds intriguing!
    
   3. I don’t live in DC, so this is not something I can pursue, but if I did, I might sign up for email updates. (I’m not big on Facebook, so “likes” don’t apply.) It seems like it would be a lot of fun to participate in Urban Risk DC at least once or twice.
    
   4. I think so, yes. When you consider that squads would split that two or three ways, you’re talking about $7-10 per person to cover the costs of the game itself, discounted drinks and appetizers, and an afterparty. That’s not too bad.
    
   5. Here are my thoughts on your various pages:
    
   Home Page – The bright sunset colors really caught my attention, but as I said, they were almost too bright. The home page is very simple, but it clearly and directly communicates what Urban Risk DC is about. My only suggestion here would be to eventually replace the generic cityscape with photos of participants out and about during a game night. I think that might do a better job of selling visitors on how much fun this is.
    
   Learn More – Again, this is clear and direct. It only takes a minute or two to read through the page and get a full understanding of the rules and goals of the game.
    
   FAQ – Once more, this is an easy read and does a great job of explaining the finer points of Urban Risk DC. I had no additional questions after reading it over.
    
   Connect – A basic contact page. No problems there that I can see. Would be nice to have a phone number, though.
    
   I don’t think anything about your web site is confusing or unclear. You do a good job of explaining how Urban Risk DC works. I think your main challenge will be attracting players. To do that, you should probably emphasize fun and interactivity. You’ve already taken a step toward that in asking people to “like” you on Facebook. Other possibilities: 1. Start a Twitter page. 2. As your game nights start to take off, consider posting pictures to a Tumblr, Instagram, or other account. 3. Change your web site wallpaper to photos of participants playing Urban Risk DC and having fun. 4. Put a weekly map of the game route on the site. 5. Show testimonials or create a space for user comments. 6. Start a blog to report on each week’s game. 7. Allow users to register at the site so they can communicate with each other and maybe set up profiles. List winners on the site. Maybe offer prizes and/or discounts on future games to repeat winners over the season. 8. If you have trouble attracting players initially, offer incentives like 50% off for the first game and so on.
    
   This looks like a fun idea. Good luck!

2. 1) I like the art on the site, the silhouette of the Washington Monument is nice. The Heading, “Urban Risk DC, Engage the City”, takes up around half the page, turning the Homepage is to something of a postcard. However, since this is for a scavenger hunt, saying much more than what is already there may give away too many things. There’s enough information for me to decide whether or not I want to continue further, and enough links to do so if choose to do so.

   2) I am a video gamer, so upon reading the tag line “new and experimental large-scale gaming experience” I first thought they were talking about video games. After coming to the realization (and slight personal disappointment) that it was a Scavenger hunt, I looked through the Learn More and FAQ pages. All the information on the site is clear and well explained, save for the Cash Prize explanation. They say the top 3 squads will win the money, but are the winnings per week or for the whole game? This could be clearer.

   3) I am not encouraged to LIKE this page or sign up for the updates, but I am not a Scavenger hunt person. I enjoy competition, however I realize Scavenger Hunts are not my thing. Aside from that, I feel this is an interesting endeavor and would sign up had I the ambition.

   4) $20 per squad per week for 5 weeks is reasonable depending on what the prize is. From what I read, it sounds like the the top squad will win $100 at the end of the game, which is the same amount as what you put in as a squad. But if the top squad is rewarded each week instead, it becomes much more reasonable. The season pass price is a nice idea, as the teams that want to go all the way will go for this instead of paying $20 each week.

   5) The biggest issue I have is the wording of the cash prize explanation. please say whether the prizes are given out to the best squads either per week or at the end of the game. 

3. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
   I like the oranges used on the homepage, but for the navigation links at the top, I suggest using Impact font or Stencil font. A black font that is thick would look good here.

   2) How intrigued vs. confused are you?

   This is about an experimental large-scale gaming experience. What you are doing is not confusing, but it is not clear if this is an app for mobile phones, or something you run on your computer, and if any software is needed. You need to specify this on your homepage.
   3) Are you encouraged to subscribe to email updates or LIKE us on Facebook at this point? Can you tell us why (or why not)?
   Not encouraged. You need to have a Youtube video up showing the game in action, so people view this as legitimate versus a theoretical game.

   4) From what you can tell, is it worth the cost of $20/squad to sign up?

   I do not have enough to gauge the worth. I am a website usability reviewer. How could I tell you the value of your game?

   You need more credibility built up here. You need videos, photos, and interviews saying how much fun the game is and why it is worth it.
   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have, including any question we should add to the FAQ.

   Usability – I don’t get why on the Learn more page some bulletpoints are bolded and others are not.

   After reading more, somehow this is supposed to be a game that brings more people to bars. You should say on your homepage “The Great Bar Game” or something like that. Not everyone goes to bars, and this info was not discovered until your learn more page. It needs to be stated up front.

4. Initial Impression – The title, “Urban Risk DC” – The color definitely got my attention. I’m not sure if I would use the orange and red exclusively.  You want the reader to be able to read it without being distracted.  The orange and red combination as your main color scheme in your home page is a little  distracting.  Diversify the color scheme of the site so it’s keeps the readers attention.  I would also recommend a little more dimension to the backdrop to incorporate and represent all of the eclectic neighborhoods in the DC area to get everyone excited and then eventually, add actual photos set up in a separate tab for those that might be interested to see gamers in action.  Not sure why is called Urban Risk DC.  One would think it has something to do with helping under privileged youths in the DC area. Or a site to provide assistance to impoverish neighborhoods in the DC area.  This homepage also gave the impression of a company trying to make a political statement of some sort regarding the certain demographics in the district.
    
   FAQ – It’s a reality people aren’t inclined to read, so I would make the instructions as simplistic as possible in a bullet format of some sort.  Also, you might want to be consistent with the bold and non-bold of the content.  That’s just from a visual perspective.
    
   Contact Information – Let the user know these are live people that they’re dealing with.  Monies are being exchanged and one would like to know where these monies are being forwarded to.  If a potential gamer had a problem with their transaction, it’s always nice to be able to connect with a live person.  Maybe include in the contact information not only the email address, but a phone number.
    
   Home Page:  For visual purposes remove the instruction to include ones email address and on the Home Page, it’s redundant, you already have that instruction on the Connect tab.
    
   Recommendation:  Might want to look into an APP for the smartphones that will allow payments via smart-phone for those that found out or were guest of registered gamers to pay onsite.
    
   Learn More Tab:  I found this tab very useful and to the point.  This is a useful tab with great info for the gamer.
    
   All and all minus the visual imperfections, this site is a great idea and an excellent opportunity for the younger crowd to get together, work as a team, make friends and network!  Great idea!
    
    
    
    
    
    

5. Using Safari on Mac OS 10.7.4 
    
   1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
    
   Too much orange.  Your learn more link to too small and inconspicuous. 
    
   2) How intrigued vs. confused are you?
    
   Initially I was a bit confused, until bout the 5th paragraph where you explain that it is a ‘human interactive’ game instead of a computer game. If I were to rely simply on the homepage I would have little clue about what you plan to do or what service you are offering.
    
   In reading the info under the ‘Learn More’ link I find that there is more valuable information. 
    
   Your FAQ is fairly complete in regards that it lets us know who (age group) can participate, who is hosting the event, costs, and what you need to properly participate in the event, as well as the approximate time you will require to be involved.
    
   However, you do not provide any disclaimer regarding the event (i.e.: what if I get hurt participating in an event?), or address what you may do with our information when we provide it.
    
   Also, not knowing what the side games may be, and if they are suitable for all participants (i.e.: you are bar hopping… what if I don’t really drink and you have drinking games?).
    
   3) Are you encouraged to subscribe to email updates or LIKE us on Facebook at this point? Can you tell us why (or why not)?
    
   If I was in the DC area, had Tuesday nights free, and was able to walk without a cane, I would be intrigued, but, not being a ‘bar person’ no, I would not sign up.
    
   4) From what you can tell, is it worth the cost of $20/squad to sign up?
    
   It depends on the prizes. $20 for a team for any event is a good price, given that many ‘group’ events seem to fall into the $100+ range (or $25 or more per person). Of course, these usually involve renting a facility. $20 sounds good.
    
    
   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have, including any question we should add to the FAQ. 
    
   Share a bit more about what events may be involved.
    
   Find a better colour scheme for your page. The orange thing to horrid!
    
   Make your ‘Learn More’ link bigger! Also, add your FAQ to your homepage as well as under the Learn More link.
    
   Disclaimer about events, any warnings about any possible content that may  offend some people regarding events, and if some events may involve drinking alcohol.
    

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