Never Alone

Our lives are increasingly lived on screens, and every one of our electronic interactions is mediated by a designed interface, which can be buggy and incomprehensible or inviting and accessible. Like other ubiquitous everyday tools, these interfaces are seldom recognized as objects of design - and even less as objects of interaction design. In video games, however, in which 'play' is an essential feature, users are acutely aware of their relationship with the interface, making video games compelling examples of interaction design. The richly illustrated plate section is divided into three sections that analyze input devices , game designers, and players, and each game is accompanied by a short text illuminating its significance in the history of the medium.