#psychology in Ux

[werbooz]

Why User-Centered Design is the Key to Online Success: Leveraging Psychology and Design Principles to Create Meaningful Experiences

 

User-Centered Design (UCD) is crucial in today’s digital world, where success relies not just on aesthetics or functionality but on crafting a user experience that resonates with users on a deeper psychological level. UCD prioritizes not only visual appeal but also the way users think, feel, and behave. Creating effective User-Centered Design is simpler than it may seem; it involves applying psychological principles, such as understanding cognitive load and paying careful attention to even the smallest design details. By focusing on these aspects, we can develop experiences that are not only intuitive but also rewarding. In this blog, we will explore why this approach is essential and how real-world examples highlight its significant impact.

Understanding Human Behavior: The Psychological Pillars of User Centered Design

Every user interaction with a product involves mental processing. If this process is considered overly cumbersome—in other terms if the user experiences a high cognitive load then—there is a likelihood that users will feel an overload and thus get annoyed and quit your site/product. One of the key ideas in user-centric design is reducing cognitive load, or the amount of mental effort required to use and understand a product.

Hick’s Law: Simplifying Choices

Hick’s Law states that the time taken to make a decision increases with the number of alternative choices available to the individual user and hence the more choices available to be used by or have the decision the more prolonged it will take for the user to make a decision. Thus, if a website bombards users with too many actionable options then the users may hesitate or leave entirely. Because of this same reason platforms like Netflix offer recommendations to its users to limit the choices and to show the user what’s most relevant. So, Instead of overwhelming users with the entire library, Netflix focuses on curating options that best fits the user preferences, thus making decision-making easier and faster.

Netflix Interface Showcasing Uses Hick’s Law to Simplify Choices

Fitts’s Law: Designing for Ease of Access

Fitts’s Law explains that why large, well-placed buttons are more effective than small buttons that are hard to reach. Users must have no friction or struggle to find key actions on your website/product. Amazon implements this really well by placing the "Add to Cart" buttons in prominent locations.

Design comparison showing familiar interface versus unfamiliar

These buttons are easy to spot and are large enough to click effortlessly, and also the buttons are placed so strategically to minimize user effort. This simple but thoughtful design element can significantly increase conversions because by doing so Amazon reduces the friction in the user's buying journey.

The Impact of Small Design Decisions: Tiny Tweaks that Leads to Big Results

Small design decisions can lead to a significant difference in how users interact with a product, even if the differences seem atomic or minute at first glance.

The Importance of Spacing 

Strategic spacing between elements can drastically improve focus and comprehension. According to the Gestalt Principles of Perception, specifically the Proximity Principle, items placed closely together are perceived as related, while those spaced apart draw more attention individually. Even something as simple as reducing visual clutter makes an enormous difference.

For example, Airbnb uses this principle beautifully. Their listings have plenty of white space, making it easier for users to digest information like pricing, property details, and reviews without feeling overwhelmed. By strategically spacing elements, they guide user attention to what’s most important—booking a stay.

FAQ

Que 1. What is User-Centered Design (UCD)?

Ans 1. User-Centered Design (UCD) is a design method that prioritizes the end user's demands, behaviors, and preferences. It entails studying and understanding customer expectations in order to develop products that are intuitive, simple to use, and aligned with user objectives.

Que 2.  How does psychology influence user-centered design?

Ans 2. Psychology has an effect on UCD because it helps creators understand how people think, act, and make decisions. Making digital systems easier to use and more interesting is based on psychological principles such as Hicks' Law (choice time), Fitts' Law (interaction efficiency), and the Gestalt principles (perception and organization).

Que 3. What is the difference between user-centered and conventional design?

Ans 3. The user's demands are prioritized in user-centered design, as opposed to traditional design that prioritizes aesthetics or corporate goals. Whereas traditional design may overlook important user feedback, resulting in usability problems, UCD constantly tests and refines based on user input.

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[uiuxden]

Learn more about color theory and it’s application design. Discover the methods designers use when selecting colors from color wheel.  Full article is in the attachment to read. 

[psychewritesbs]

someone please talk me out of going back to school for another degree in psych. I do not need to become a licensed therapist, I NEED a therapist!

[algoworks]

Ever wondered why some designs just click? It's not magic—it's psychology!

Dive into the world of UX design with these 10 essential psychology principles that every designer should know.

Design smarter, not harder!

[authorcressida]

Have you sought mental health resources/care in the United States in the past five years? If so, please take 8-12 minutes to fill out a survey for my academic research project. Your responses are completely confidential and will help inform my research project, the end goal of which is to design a digital product that will address disparities in and barriers to access to mental health resources in the U.S.

[troothemes]

Psychology behind logos - How to create a lasting impression

In today’s competitive marketplace, a strong logo is essential for any brand looking to stand out and make a lasting impression. But what makes a logo truly effective? It’s not just about aesthetic appeal; there’s a whole world of psychology behind successful logo design.

Understanding the psychological and UI design principles at play can help designers create logos that resonate with audiences on a deeper level.

[thehenrythomas]

The Psychology Behind Effective Web Design

Effective web design leverages psychology for user engagement. First impressions matter; prioritize a clean, visually appealing homepage. Intuitive navigation reduces cognitive load, enhancing user experience. Use readable fonts, scannable content, and a strategic visual hierarchy. Color psychology influences emotions and perceptions. Incorporate social proof for trust. Do you need help simplifying your website? If yes then get the help of experts from the best website development company in Chandigarh.

[sid-online]

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MyCaptain - Learn what you Love | Live and Online

[isleyco]

[milijanakomad]

Product design and psychology: Psycho manipulation techniques in gaming

Keywords: Product Design, Gaming, Psychological Manipulation Techniques, Player Behaviour, Player Engagement, Skinner Box Mechanics, Fear of Missing Out,  (FOMO) Social Pressure, Sunk Cost Fallacy, Artificial Scarcity, Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA), Pay to Win, Teasing Future Content, Locus of Control, Grinding, Loot Boxes, Gacha Systems, Zeigarnik Effect, Genshin Impact, Ethics in Game Design, Addiction in Gaming, Excessive Spending, Unfair Gaming Environment, Ethical Game Design Practices, Responsibility of Designers and Developers

Abstract:

This paper explores the implementation of psychological manipulation techniques in product design, particularly in gaming, focusing on their effects on player behaviour and engagement. The discussed techniques include Skinner Box Mechanics, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), Social Pressure, Sunk Cost Fallacy, Artificial Scarcity, Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA), Pay to Win, Teasing Future Content, Locus of Control, Grinding, Loot Boxes, Gacha Systems, and the Zeigarnik Effect. Real-world examples, such as the game "Genshin Impact", are used to illustrate the techniques' applications. While acknowledging these methods' effectiveness in increasing player engagement and revenue, the paper raises concerns about their potential to foster addiction, promote excessive spending, and create unfair gaming environments. The study calls for ethical game design practices and highlights the designers and developers' responsibility in maintaining a balanced and fair gaming experience.

Introduction

Psychological manipulation techniques have been employed in various aspects of human life, from interpersonal relationships to marketing and advertising. Understanding these techniques can shed light on how consumer behaviour is shaped, how decisions are influenced, and how interactions are guided. In product design, these methods play a critical role, often subtly, in guiding user experience, driving engagement, and encouraging specific user actions. The gaming industry, in particular, has become adept at employing these techniques to create compelling and immersive experiences.

However, the application of psychological manipulation techniques in product design is not without controversy. Moral and ethical concerns often arise, particularly when these tactics are used in ways that can lead to addictive behaviours or unnecessary expenditure. The impact of these techniques on the mental health and wellbeing of users is a subject of ongoing discussion in both academia and the industry.

To comprehend the dynamics of these manipulation techniques, this paper delves into eleven of them, as applied in game design, with a focus on their influence on player behaviour and engagement. Importantly, each technique will be viewed from both a product design and psychological standpoint to ensure a comprehensive understanding of its implementation and implications.

The Techniques

1. Skinner Box Mechanics

In the world of behavioural psychology, the Skinner Box, developed by B.F. Skinner, plays a pivotal role. This mechanism revolves around the concept of operant conditioning, where subjects learn to associate behaviours, such as pressing a lever, with receiving rewards. Game designers have translated this concept into their work by prompting players to perform simple tasks, followed by randomized rewards, thereby creating a compulsive loop of behaviour.

This is evident in various mobile and free-to-play games, where completion of tasks results in rewards such as virtual currency, points, or character enhancements. However, the randomness of the reward sequence can lead to a compulsive cycle where players continue to perform tasks in anticipation of a potentially more substantial reward next time - an aspect that can become addictive.

2. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

The phenomenon of FOMO plays a critical role in player engagement strategies in games. Time-limited events or offers with exclusive content available only for a short duration can induce a sense of urgency and scarcity. This pressure can propel players to participate or make purchases for fear of missing out on the exclusive content.

For instance, games often introduce special holiday events or weekend sales offering exclusive items or characters. By time-limiting these events, they can stimulate a sense of scarcity and urgency, urging players to spend more time in the game or make additional purchases.

3. Social Pressure

Social dynamics are influential factors in the gaming experience, particularly within multiplayer environments. Social pressure can push players to spend on cosmetic items to maintain status within a group or use social connections to encourage continuous engagement with the game. For example, games often offer bonuses for inviting friends to join or rewarding cooperative play to capitalize on the innate human desire for social connection.

However, the potential downside of this manipulation technique lies in the pressure it may create among players to conform to group norms or expectations, potentially leading to unnecessary spending or extended playtime.

4. Sunk Cost Fallacy

The sunk cost fallacy has a profound impact on player behaviour. As players invest more time, effort, and money into a game, they are more likely to continue playing to justify their initial investment. This can be the case even if the player's enjoyment of the game decreases over time.

This phenomenon can be problematic, particularly when it encourages players to spend more money or time on a game they no longer find fulfilling, leading to potential addiction or excessive spending.

5. Artificial Scarcity

Game designers often use artificial scarcity to increase the perceived value of in-game items or characters. By limiting the availability of certain items, an illusion of scarcity is created, leading players to spend more resources to acquire them. This can have a significant impact on player behaviour, driving players to play longer hours or make additional purchases to secure these scarce resources.

While this strategy can enhance player engagement and revenue, it also raises ethical concerns about encouraging excessive spending.

6. Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA)

Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment is a technique that tailors the game's difficulty level based on the player's skill. Transparent application of DDA can enhance player engagement by providing a suitable level of challenge. However, when used non-transparently, it can be seen as manipulative, as it can be used to encourage additional spending.

For instance, making a game temporarily more challenging might push players towards purchasing power-ups or additional resources. This manipulation can create an unbalanced gaming experience, leading to questions about its fairness and ethics.

7. Pay to Win

The 'Pay to Win' model is prevalent in many games, allowing players to purchase items or upgrades that provide a significant advantage in gameplay. While this can help generate revenue for the game, it creates an uneven playing field favouring those who spend more money.

This model raises serious ethical concerns about creating an unfair gaming environment and promoting excessive spending.

8. Teasing Future Content

Teasing future content can be an effective strategy for keeping players engaged and looking forward to new additions. By giving sneak peeks of upcoming features or content, games can retain player interest, even if they may be losing interest in the current content.

However, it's important to consider the potential disappointment and loss of trust that could occur if teased content does not live up to player expectations.

9. Locus of Control

A player's sense of control over the game's environment, narrative, or outcomes can significantly enhance their engagement and immersion. By fostering a sense of agency, game designers can captivate players, keeping them invested in the game world.

However, providing an illusion of control, where the actual impact of player decisions is minimal, can lead to player frustration and dissatisfaction.

10. Grinding

Grinding, or repeating tasks for incremental gain, is common in many games, particularly in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). The player's progress is often determined by their character's level, skills, and equipment, which are typically improved through grinding.

While grinding can provide a sense of progress and achievement, it can also lead to fatigue or boredom if not carefully balanced with other gameplay elements.

11. Loot Boxes

Loot boxes, containing a random assortment of in-game items, have become a popular mechanism in game design. They can provide excitement and unpredictability, enhancing the gameplay experience.

However, loot boxes have come under criticism due to their similarity to gambling, raising concerns about fostering addictive behaviours and encouraging excessive spending.

12. Mechanisms of Gacha

The Gacha system, named after Japanese toy vending machines, has become a pervasive strategy within the gaming industry. It operates on a 'loot box' principle, where players pay for the chance to obtain a randomized item of varying rarity. This mechanic is psychologically intriguing, as it taps into the human predilection for chance-based rewards, thereby playing a crucial role in player retention and revenue generation. The intermittent and unpredictable nature of rewards in Gacha systems makes them akin to Skinner's variable-ratio schedule, which is known to produce high rates of response, even in the absence of rewards. 

This forms the psychological bedrock of Gacha systems' addictiveness. The thrill of obtaining a rare, powerful character is essentially gambling, which is inherently addictive. Similarly, in "Genshin Impact," players can acquire weapons or characters using Primo gems (the game's currency), resulting in variable outcomes.

13. Zeigarnik Effect

The Zeigarnik effect, originally studied by Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik in the 1920s, postulates that people tend to remember unfinished tasks better than they recall completed ones. The present study explores the Zeigarnik effect from two key perspectives: psychological and product design. Through the detailed analysis of real-world examples and case studies, this paper aims to provide insights into how product designers can harness the Zeigarnik effect to create more compelling, engaging, and user-friendly products. 

In the realm of product design, the Zeigarnik effect can be employed to increase user engagement and retention. One of the primary ways is by creating a sense of incompletion that motivates users to return to a product or service. 

The gaming industry is a prime example where the Zeigarnik effect is utilized. Games like Candy Crush keep players engaged by offering multiple levels that create a sense of unfinished business. The constant reminder of the pending level increases the likelihood of the user returning to complete the game.

14. Genshin Impact

In the pantheon of modern digital entertainment, 'Genshin Impact' has established itself as a monumental exemplar of the gamic medium's potential. Developed by the Chinese company miHoYo, the game has found global resonance since its release in 2020. The focus of this article is to scientifically dissect the integral components of 'Genshin Impact', emphasizing its gameplay, narrative, technological elements, and its influence on socio-economic aspects.

From a ludo logical perspective, 'Genshin Impact' showcases an amalgamation of game mechanics and systems, providing an extensive interaction spectrum for its players. As an action role-playing game (RPG), it encapsulates various interaction modalities including combat, exploration, puzzle-solving, and character development. The game's combat system relies on a character-switching mechanism that promotes strategic combination of different character abilities, while its progression system encourages continual exploration of the game's vast world.

The incorporation of 'gacha' mechanics, where players can obtain random virtual items or characters, illustrates the application of probability theory and the role of randomness in player motivation. It taps into the psychological principle of intermittent reinforcement, incentivizing continuous engagement through the thrill of uncertain rewards.

Conclusion

While the psychological manipulation techniques employed in game design can effectively enhance player engagement and generate revenue, they also pose potential risks. Fostering addictive behaviours, encouraging excessive spending, and creating unfair environments are significant concerns.

Understanding these techniques, their implementation, and their implications can inform ethical game design practices. It can also stimulate critical conversations about the role of psychological manipulation in product design and the responsibilities that designers and developers bear in ensuring a balanced and fair gaming experience. It's essential that the gaming industry continually assesses these techniques' ethical implications to provide enjoyable, immersive, and ethical gaming experiences.

References:

Fogg, B. J. (2009). A behavior model for persuasive design. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Persuasive Technology - Persuasive '09. doi:10.1145/1541948.1541999.

Skinner, B. F. (1938). The Behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841-1848.

Cialdini, R. B. (2006). Influence: The psychology of persuasion. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Arkes, H. R., & Blumer, C. (1985). The Psychology of Sunk Cost. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 35(1), 124-140.

Zagal, J. P., & Deterding, S. (2018). Modes of Play: A Frame Analytic Account of Video Game Play. Games and Culture, 13(8), 854–877.

Hunicke, R., LeBlanc, M., & Zubek, R. (2004). MDA: A formal approach to game design and game research. Proceedings of the AAAI Workshop on Challenges in Game AI.

Consalvo, M. (2009). Cheating: Gaining Advantage in Videogames. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Walz, S. P. (2010). Toward a Ludic Architecture: The Space of Play and Games. ETC Press.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "What" and "Why" of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.

King, D., Delfabbro, P., & Griffiths, M. (2011). The convergence of gambling and digital media: Implications for gambling in young people. Journal of Gambling Studies, 27(2), 193-213.

Hamari, J., Alha, K., Järvelä, S., Kivikangas, J. M., Koivisto, J., & Paavilainen, J. (2017). Why do players buy in-game content? An empirical study on concrete purchase motivations. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 538-546.

Zeigarnik, B. (1927). Das Behalten erledigter und unerledigter Handlungen. Psychologische Forschung, 9, 1-85.

Hu, J., Gao, H., & Wang, Q. (2017). Examining digital cheating in video games from a moral perspective. Ethics and Information Technology, 19(4), 243–255.

Griffiths, M. D., & Nuyens, F. (2017). An overview of structural characteristics in problematic video game playing. Current Addiction Reports, 4(3), 272-283.

Paulus, F. W., Ohmann, S., von Gontard, A., & Popow, C. (2018). Internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 60(7), 645-659.

Zhu, J., & Zhang, W. (2019). Arising of the ethical issues in the digital era of game industry. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 15(1), 1-18.

[uixwithme]

The psychology of colors and application in UI design

How much do you know about colors and the mood and influence they can have?

Colors can have a broad implication on your brand. This article touches on the positive and negetive sides that colors portray and also included are design application of colors.

The History of Color Psychology

The study of color psychology can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt and Greece. In these early societies, colors were often associated with different gods or used in rituals. For example, the color blue was associated with the god Amun in ancient Egypt, while the color red was used to ward off evil spirits in ancient Greece.

In the 19th century, scientists began to study the effects of color on the human psyche, with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe being one of the first to explore this area. However, it wasn't until the mid-20th century that color psychology began to gain mainstream recognition. This was largely due to the work of psychologists such as Max Luscher, who created the Luscher color test, and Faber Birren, who wrote several books on the subject.

What is Color Psychology and Why is it Important?

Color psychology is the study of how colors affect our emotions, behavior, and perceptions. By understanding the psychological effects of different colors, we can use them to create specific moods or elicit certain responses. This is especially important in areas such as branding and marketing, where color can play a significant role in consumer behavior.

Beyond its practical applications, color psychology is also important because it helps us understand the complex relationship between our environment and our emotions. Colors can have a significant impact on our moods and can even trigger physiological responses such as changes in heart rate or blood pressure. By understanding the psychological effects of color, we can create environments that promote well-being and mental health.

The Impact of Colors on Emotions

Colors can have a profound impact on our emotions, often evoking different feelings or moods. For example, the color red is often associated with passion, love, or anger, while blue is associated with calmness, trust, or sadness. Green is associated with nature, growth, or jealousy, while yellow is associated with happiness, optimism, or caution.

The psychological effects of color are often culturally specific, with different cultures associating different meanings with different colors. For example, in Western cultures, white is often associated with purity or innocence, while in some Asian cultures, it is associated with death and mourning.

The Impact of Colors on Behavior

Colors can also have a significant impact on our behavior, often influencing our choices or actions. For example, studies have shown that the color red can increase appetite, which is why it is often used in fast-food logos or restaurant decor. Similarly, the color blue is often used in office environments because it is associated with productivity and focus.

In branding and marketing, color can be used to influence consumer behavior. For example, the color green is often used in marketing related to health and wellness because it is associated with nature and growth. The color red is often used in marketing related to sales or promotions because it is associated with urgency and excitement.

The Role of Color in Branding and Marketing

Color is an important aspect of branding and marketing because it can influence consumer behavior and perception. Brands often use specific colors to create a certain image or mood. For example, the color blue is often used in financial institutions such as banks because it is associated with trust and stability.

In addition to creating a specific image or mood, color can also help with brand recognition. When we see a specific color associated with a brand, we often associate that color with the brand itself. This is why many brands have specific color palettes that are used consistently across all marketing materials.

Common Color Associations and Meanings

While the psychological effects of color are often culturally specific, there are some common associations and meanings that are widely recognized. Here are some examples:

Blue

The color blue, considered the favourite color of most, inspires wisdom and tranquility, and reduces fear and tension.

Positive sides:

Peacefulness

Honesty

Calmness

Dependability

Negative sides:

Boring

Anxiety

Conservative

Depression

Design application:

Best used for social platforms (examples are Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn).

Yellow

Considered the most visible color, it is often used for warning notifications. It also resonates with the left, logical side of the brain. Just like the red color, it quickly catches attention.

Positive sides:

Positivity

Warmth

Clarity

Excitement

Negative sides:

Frustration

Nervousness

Anxiety

Anger

Design application:

Best used for travel, food, creative fields (examples are Snapchat, McDonalds, postmates).

Red

Red is one of the most visible colors due to its long wavelenght. It is associated with strong emotions and catches attention quickly - a person why it is often used for warning signs.

Positive sides:

Energy

Power

Courage

Love

Negative sides:

Aggressiveness

Anger

Danger

Negativity

Design application:

Best used for energy-related products, sports, cinema (examples are YouTube, Netflix).

Green

Green is assosiated with a positive outcome. It is highly connected to both nature and money.

Positive sides:

Growth

Healing

Harmony

Relaxation

Negative sides:

Jealousy

Envy

Boredom

Greed

Design application:

Best used for food, health industry, banking, fitness (examples are Spotify, Whole Foods, Starbucks).

Purple

https://uixwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Purple.png

Purple is considered a color that represent rarity, wealth and uniquness due to its scarcity in nature. It also has a tone that promotes connection with our deeper thoughts.

Positive sides:

Nobility

Imaginative

Wisdom

Ambition

Negative sides:

Frustration

Immature

Impractical

Decadence

Design application:

Best used for luxury products, tech industry, finance, religon (examples are Yahoo!, Milka, Twitch).

Orange

Considered an energic and enthusiastic color. Orange promotes warmth and cheerfulness, along with activity and creative thinking.

Positive sides:

Courage

Self-confidence

Enthusiasm

Vitality

Negative sides:

Impatience

Superficial

Pessimism

Rudeness

Design application:

Best used for sports, sales, creative industry (examples are Dunkin, Amazon, Headspace).

Black

https://uixwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Black.png

Black color suggests sophistication and luxury. But it can also be associated with sadness and negativity.

Positive sides:

Elegance

Comfort

Power

Sophistication

Negative sides:

Mystery

Sadness

Anger

Evil

Design application:

Best used for luxury products, fitness, photography (examples are Nike, Apple, Adidas).

Misconceptions About Color Psychology

Despite its widespread use, there are many misconceptions about color psychology. One common misconception is that colors have universal meanings that are the same across all cultures. In reality, the psychological effects of color are often culturally specific and can vary widely depending on the context.

Another common misconception is that color can be used to manipulate people's emotions or behavior. While color can certainly influence our emotions and behavior, it is not a magic bullet that can be used to control others. Ultimately, the impact of color depends on a wide range of factors, including personal experiences, cultural background, and context.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Color psychology is a fascinating area of study that can help us better understand the complex relationship between our environment and our emotions. By understanding the psychological effects of different colors, we can use them to create specific moods or elicit certain responses. Whether you are a marketer, designer, or simply someone interested in promoting well-being and mental health, understanding color psychology can be a valuable tool.

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[astroismypassion]

✨PART OF FORTUNE IN SIGNS AND HOUSES SERIES: 10TH HOUSE✨

Credit: Tumblr blog @astroismypassion

ARIES PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Aries and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via marketing or work in dynamic and fast-paced industries, via coaching, sports management, fitness entrepreneurship, coaching and mentoring services in connection with career development, leadership skills, personal empowerment, via work in innovation management, technology development, product development, especially emerging industries. You find abundance when you are bold, take risks, focus on ambitious goals, cultivate independence, build a strong public image and when you embrace leadership qualities.

TAURUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Taurus and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via work in finance, banking, investment, wealth management. Or via working as a realtor, property manager, real estate developer, via curating, selling or managing art collections, working as a chef, restaurateur or food critic. You find abundance in work in hospitality (managing hotels, resorts, spas), via work in landscape architecture or gardening, interior design, or as a performer, producer or manager, through farming, agricultural management or sustainable food production or creating an eco-friendly business. You feel abundant when you are focused on stability, value quality, when you are patient and persistent.

GEMINI PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Gemini and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via work as a journalist, writer, editor, public relations, marketing, working as PR specialist, brand manager, social media strategist, work as a teacher, lecturer, educational content creator, via writing content for blogs, websites or online platforms connected with technology, lifestyle, business. You find abundance when you write books (fiction or non-fiction), via work in technology sector, via technical writing, UX writing or product management, via event planning and work as a sales representative, account manager or business strategist. You feel abundant when you network actively, when you keep learning and embrace versatility.

CANCER PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Cancer and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via work in healthcare as a nurse, doctor or therapist, work in interior design or home décor, helping others create comfortable and nurturing spaces, work as a chef, baker or food critic, via handmade furniture, textiles or pottery, engaging in childcare, daycare management or family support services, via work in real estate, helping families find their ideal home. You feel abundant when you use emotional intelligence, emphasize nurturing and care.

LEO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Leo and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via pursuing a career in acting on stage, in film or on television, working as a musician, singer or performer, via directing or producing theatrical productions, films or TV shows, work in television, radio or digital broadcasting, you could work as a host, anchor or presenter, designer, stylist, model, painter, sculptor or graphic designer.

VIRGO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Virgo and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via offering personalized health and wellness service. You can offer remote fitness coaching, such as offering personalized fitness plans and virtual training sessions. You could work in mental health professions, like counselling or psychology, work as a nutritionist, dietitian, work as a proofreader or editor, work with biology, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics or with language or having an IT role (system analysis, IT support or cybersecurity). You feel abundant when you develop organizational skills, use analytical skills and when you seek structured environments.

LIBRA PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Libra and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via offering dance classes, via work in art curation, gallery management or the fines arts, helping to showcase and promote artists and their work, via a career in human resources, focusing on employee relations, conflict resolution, via talent management, recruitment or career coaching. You feel abundant when you work in fashion design, graphic design, visual arts, brand management and marketing. You feel abundant when you aim for balance and harmony, emphasize fairness and justice.

SCORPIO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Scorpio and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via forensic accounting, crisis counselling or support services, via a career in scientific research, forensic science, medical research, psychology, surgery, oncology, energy healing, finance, technology or wellness, via art therapy and filmmaking. You feel abundant when you embrace transformation, healing, use psychological insight, when you pursue authority and expertise.

SAGITTARIUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Sagittarius and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via travel blogging, vlogging or becoming a travel consultant. You find abundance via academic research, publishing, by becoming a travel consultant, tour guide, work in the tourism industry, work connected with educational, human rights and cultural exchange, via career as a spiritual teacher, counsellor, life coach, via theological or philosophical work, writing or teaching. You feel abundant when you cultivate optimism or enthusiasm, seek global or cultural perspectives, pursue knowledge or education and embrace exploration and travel.

CAPRICORN PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Capricorn Sun people in your life. You find abundance via work as a financial advisor or analyst, accounting, as a property developer, manager or investor, via work in property management, overseeing rental properties, commercial spaces or large residential complexes, via civil engineering, work in educational administration (school or college management). You feel abundant when you focus on long-term goals and value pragmatism and responsibility.

AQUARIUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Aquarius and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via buying and selling collectibles (stamps, coins, vintage items), creating eco-friendly products or services (zero-waste goods, sustainable fashion). You may also find abundance in esports coaching by offering coaching services for aspiring professional gamers. You feel abundant via work in scientific research, in fields like physics, astronomy, biotechnology and environmental science, work in roles focused on research and development, via digital marketing. You feel abundant when you are pursuing unconventional paths, via networking with like-minded individuals and align with social causes.

PISCES PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 10TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Pisces and Capricorn Sun people in your life. You can earn money via work in music as a composer, musician or performer, via a career in painting, illustration, sculpture or other visual arts, via hospice work, via work in non-profit sector, focusing on causes related to humanitarian aid, environmental conservation or social justice, work in hospitality, such as hotel management or event planning, via cultural exchange, guided tours or spiritual retreats. You feel abundant when you embrace your creative talents, cultivate compassion and empathy, when you explore spiritual and esoteric interests and when you focus on meaningful impact.

Credit: Tumblr blog @astroismypassion

[eliotlime]

End of September Update

Just as a heads up, I'll be closing my commissions after the first week of October (06/10/2024) just so I can focus on other projects! If you'd like to order a bug from me or get any of my other regular commissions now's a good time to do so!

(Bugstyle | Regular Comms)

I made a really brief post on twitter about what I'm up to but since tumblr supports more text I'll just go into more depth on what projects I'm working on at the moment and general life updates!

I used to write blog posts on wordpress for school and it's just hilarious that I stopped doing that considering it feels like I was born to blog!

In general, I've been trying to crawl out of this very odd mood swing-y state I've been in for the past year. I've been semi-public about it but I graduated with a degree in animation same time last year and have sort of been recovering from the absolute burn out of that as well as watching the animation industry essentially collapse just as I left college.

I'm hoping to get into UI/UX design this coming October and try to piece what little control I have of my life back together. I don't really know what I'm doing to be honest and it feels like I'm just pawing in the dark with a lot of this stuff.

In lighter news I've been trying to get into something I've always wanted to for years which is comics! I'm not sure how much I can speak about it at the moment but I just got into an anthology which is very exciting.

I applied to shortbox last year but didn't get in :( but fingers crossed I'll get in next year! On a related note I've made a Cara profile which I'm using as a comics portfolio and archive.

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Those of you who've been following me for years know that I've had a webcomic project called, Happenstance (which I've restarted endlessly for about 10 years at this point). While I don't really have a concrete update of that for you guys I will say that the story is more or less fixed and whatever version of it I have now is most likely the version I'll proceed with in the future.

I did try to get the ball rolling with this at the start of the year with a pilot comic but it made me so miserable to work on it I abandoned it and started making an unrelated zine instead haha

I do have plans on finishing this eventually and it'll be up on my itch.io and gumroad like everything else!

Speaking of the zine, I'd just like to thank everyone who purchased Cute Thing! I think for my first independent book project it did pretty well! It was incredibly embarrassing and nerve wrecking to promote it but I'm glad I did it.

I don't know why there's an 18+ warning on this considering this zine is pretty tame.

I guess it also helped that that stupid ass diary comic i made blew up at the same time so I got to shill my wares in relation to it. Even though I think it gave me some kind of psychological damage but every time i gain minor internet fame i shrink back into my shell anyway, this is just the first time i really felt so much.. vitriol from randos lol.

It's just hilarious it overlapped with whatever guilty gear obsession I had at the time as well. Thank you to everyone who stuck around and uh.. sorry! I walk wherever the wind takes me and it's frequently towards my own characters.

But! Speaking of Guilty Gear, I am working on an Abacelsus zine I briefly talked about on twitter a couple months back. The title is sort of pending at the moment and while I did say it might be free as a digital download, I'm probably going to charge a couple of dollars because of how much effort I'm putting into this.

On the plus side that means I'll probably be putting more effort into it! I'm aiming for 24 interior pages of stuff and hoping to release a digital version of it by Halloween 2024!

I'm trying to work on more prints and stickers for conventions as well and I never posted about my convention escapades here all too much but you can check out this instagram post for what I had up the last time I boothed!

That's kind of all for the stuff I'd like to get done within this year but other projects that I'd like to aim to get done by 2025 is a continuation of my Cute Thing zine that I'm aiming to collate by Valentines Day, hehe how romantic.

There's nothing terribly concrete for that at the moment but I do know I want it to have more pages than Cute Thing. It's called My Boy and yes it's named after another Car Seat Headrest song.

I've got a lot of irons in the fire and another iron is that I'm also planning a 4-panel comic series for my band characters that I've posted some pilots about before!

Pretty messy planning but most of my long form stuff looks like this.

A 4-panel comic series is just less intimidating than a fully coloured webcomic series (Happenstance) that I know will be finished decades later. I've also seen a lot of webcomic artists I've beloved just.. abandon their years long project and it's kind of scary to me that will definitely happen to me!!!

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The long and short of it is that I've got a lot of projects and a majority of it is not making me any money. I'm extremely lucky to be surrounded by people that support my work but it gets hard to just do all of this by yourself with no guarantee that it'll go anywhere.

Patreon's a beast I've tried to tackle but it's kind of an ass of a website to use so I'll probably try to use ko-fi a bit more. I've kind of never really liked the subscription model and really do prefer to launch curated PDFs of my work every few months, but again I'm really just clawing at the dark and grasping at anything I can.

Let's wrap up this long post by mentioning that I might want to give streaming a shot! I used to stream a little when I was a teenager but I'd like to give it another go!

I don't think I'm going to have a dedicated persona or vtuber avatar but a small little png-tuber would be frankly hilarious. Maybe something casual to start of with, it gets pretty lonely spending everyday working on images alone.

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Thank you for reading! It's an extremely long post to all but say that I'm scared but working on projects still! If you'd like to support me, here's my ko-fi page and while I'm working on getting more stuff on there here's my itchi.io & gumroad as well.

As I mentioned before I'm closing my commissions on the 6th of October to work on my Abacelsus zine so if you'd like to get a bug or any of my regular style commissions now's a good time to do so!

(Bugstyle | Regular Comms)

I'm hoping to make more update posts like these in the future and not psyche myself out every time because they're really good for me to collect my incredibly jumbled thoughts. Thanks again to everyone who's followed, supported or even just looked at my stuff it really means the world.

If you have any questions or just generally want to talk to me about my characters, my DMs and askbox is always open! Any professional enquires can be shot towards me email as well: eliotlime@gmail.com

XOXO, Stay weird!

-Eliot :)

[eluviannaa]

As Per My Last Void Whisper

A friend just blew my mind. Write what you know took on a whole new meaning this week:

Friend: Elu manages corruption like a career

Me: it is her “career”?

Friend: yeah but who makes the void file tps reports 😏

And that's when the lightbulb went off. The Void as a metaphor for the artistic process—messy, unpredictable, yet full of potential when structured correctly. Making the abstract actionable.

Her approach, the ability to quantify and catalog the unquantifiable comes from something I know all too well: the challenge of making art/design/ux/ui understandable to software engineers.

Making something flowery and feel-y like say, why I chose to make something in the ui blue, becomes less “i just think it's pretty” and more “let's reference the established psychological framework for color along with the brand guidelines”. Because they will argue logic for all of your design decisions. But! You're the expert here, and you have logical answers. (So fun.)

Writing technical documentation, workflows, analyzing data, and presenting that work to entirely different disciplines seems so boring when you compare it to fiction/fantasy/rp. But I absolutely love it. With Elu being an academic, or at the very least a nerd, she brings that same spirit of rigor to her own world. And how she manages darkness becomes a theme that isn't so surprising after all.

Not to mention, satire and absurd humor are the best. All workplaces are ridiculous, but that was the easy part to lean into. The Void is chaos, but there's a method for dealing with the madness.

Write what you know, indeed.

[tokiro07]

Finally finished Echoes of Wisdom, and I have to say for as much as I liked the concepts and presentation, ultimately the mechanics ended up leaving me wanting

For example, even right up until the end of the game, the Bind mechanic, which I think could have carried an entire game in and of itself, was shockingly forgettable

I excused it when I forgot to use it in early puzzles because I just wasn't used to it yet, but the fact that I made it to the final boss without realizing that I actually had a way to directly interact with it???

To make matters worse, there was a point where I finally did remember I could use that mechanic, but apparently that realization came too late, because it wasn't useful during that particular phase! So I just figured it was never useful and continued to just avoid damage while Link and my Lynel just continued to whale on the boss

Frankly, I shouldn't have been able to skirt by like that. I shouldn't have been able to rely on two computer players to do all the work while I twiddled my thumbs. I didn't even want to do nothing! I wanted to fight! But I just kept thinking "now that I don't have Link-mode, how the hell am I supposed to fight???"

The Echoes are the primary mechanic, so it's perfectly reasonable to assume that the answer to any given problem is "use an Echo." But that makes the Bind mechanic an afterthought, so even though it comes up just often enough to not feel tacked on, every time that I remembered it, it felt like a massive revelation rather than an intuitive solution

I should not have been able to beat the final boss wrong. Using Bind should not just "make it go by faster," it should be the way you're meant to win. Not just because it's a mechanic that's present, but because it's the only direct form of interaction available!

I feel like an idiot for forgetting a major mechanic, but the game did absolutely nothing to imply that I wasn't playing right other than the fact that I was getting bored. It provided no feedback that this wasn't what I was supposed to be doing, and while slow, it actually provided positive feedback, so I had to just shrug and say "I guess that's the right solution..."

There's an adage in User Experience (UX) Design that "there's no such thing as user error," that any mistake a user can possibly make could be accounted for with proper communication from the designer through the design. I had a boring experience with the finale of what was otherwise a very fun and engaging game because the design told me that the boring solution I found was acceptable and never insisted that I use the more engaging and efficient solution that it constantly went out of its own way to deemphasize

This is why I can't stand Aonuma's stance that "open-ended games are better~", because it divorces designers from the responsibility of communicating an intended solution, and instead asks the player to jam square pegs into round holes under the guise of making them feel clever, even though player psychology results in them tending to find a small handful of reliable solutions that work in enough situations that they stop experimenting and just turn that small handful into the primary mechanic

I'm glad I played Echoes of Wisdom, and I'm glad I played BotW and TotK, but I don't want the entire franchise to be these games! This is not the Zelda that I want or love! I want more games like Link Between Worlds with one, central mechanic that other, smaller mechanics can synergize with, not a giant toybox where every single toy starts to blend together and gets lost in the shuffle as I continuously fall back on my favorite