Link, User-Centred Designer: Game Characters as Transcendent Models
summary
Argues that Link functions as a concrete model of user-centered design, grounded in gameplay: side quests act like user research where Link observes NPCs, deploys probes, and gathers requirements; Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom make prototyping visible through crafting, vehicles, and contraptions so Link repeatedly tests and refines solutions; Link embodies prototyping and iteration while remaining silent humility and inclusive, opposed to Ganon’s domination and deceptive design.
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