Event Title: “Exploring the UX Dimensions of GameDesign” Date: 29th of August 2008 Speaker: Jason avent Company: BlackRock Studio Topic: “PURE and the demands of a mass-market audience” www.use8.net www.twitter.com/use8 *The contents of this slideshow was presented at a Use8 event and reflects the views of the presenting parties ..

Event Description The Games industry has created a whole series of challenges for games developers and designers. Games narratives, structures and controls have got to a level of complexity that offers new ground for inventing and developing different methods of interacting with games. To be successful, in such a crowded and competitive industry, games developers must consider the context of experience. Unlike traditional software, where more traditional performance metrics can be applied, measuring experiential dimensions such as 'fun' and 'playability' becomes a daunting task. Games are a tremendously varied set of applications, defying a one-size-fits-all approach. Even a broad and relevant concept such as flow falls short of capturing all classes of game experience. 'Play' will go beyond simple usability issues exploring different dimensions of User Experience that make games enjoyable. *The contents of this slideshow was presented at a Use8 event and reflects the views of the presenting parties ..

Black Rock Studio Jason Avent – Game Director

History 9 years 20 games Independent until 2006 Now Disney Owned No usability outside of team pre 2006 Some contact with MS usability Limited Market Research – often confused with usability.

9 years

20 games

Independent until 2006

Now Disney Owned

No usability outside of team pre 2006

Some contact with MS usability

Limited Market Research – often confused with usability.

Pure Intro Video

Why Now? Stability and funding Focus Time Quality over short term profit

Stability and funding

Focus

Time

Quality over short term profit

Product Lifecycle Prototype – April 07 First Playable – June 07 Pre-production – Sep 07 Vertical Slice – Nov 07 Production phase Pre-Alpha - January Alpha - March Beta - June

Prototype – April 07

First Playable – June 07

Pre-production – Sep 07

Vertical Slice – Nov 07

Production phase

Pre-Alpha - January

Alpha - March

Beta - June

What do we test? Blind Testing Free flow Narrow specific Broad specific Group Testing Difficulty Curve Is it fun? Volume of data/consensus Shared experience

Blind Testing

Free flow

Narrow specific

Broad specific

Group Testing

Difficulty Curve

Is it fun?

Volume of data/consensus

Shared experience

How do we test? Space Recruitment Setting the scene and shut up

Space

Recruitment

Setting the scene and shut up

How do we test Data Logging (Restarts, Lap times, best result) Think out loud Pause for questions Supervision Focus-group style discussion

Data Logging

(Restarts, Lap times, best result)

Think out loud

Pause for questions

Supervision

Focus-group style discussion

Benefits Usability Blockers Helps to win arguments (or lose when you’re supposed to!) Qualification Intelligent helper system Learning Curve

Usability Blockers

Helps to win arguments (or lose when you’re supposed to!)

Qualification

Intelligent helper system

Learning Curve

What about the future? More scientific Start Earlier Better setup Get help

More scientific

Start Earlier

Better setup

Get help

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