Dr. Ben Lewis-Evans discusses game prototyping and user research, emphasizing the importance of early testing and iterative design to improve game mechanics and player experience. The document outlines various prototyping methods, including paper and digital prototypes, and provides guidelines for effective game testing, such as recruiting representative participants and creating clear test scripts. It highlights the need for thorough observation and feedback collection during testing to enhance game design and player engagement.

1. Introduction
to Game
Prototyping
& Research
Dr. Ben Lewis-Evans

3. A bit more about me
• Human factors
researcher
• Gamer
– XBL: Gortag
– PSN: LaglGortag
– Steam: laglgortag
• All round Nerd
Contact:
b.lewis.evans@rug.nl
@ikbenben

4. Today
• Games User
Research
– Huh?
• Prototyping
– What, why,
when,
& how

5. Next time - TESTING
– Evaluate your own
paper prototypes

6. Research

7. Games User Research
QA
Testing the game (bugs,
technology, etc)

8. Games User Research
GUR
Examining the player
- Fun
- Awareness

9. Games User Research
• General points:
– Get representative
users (kids, 10-14)
– Make it clear that the
game is being tested,
NOT the user
– Work out what you
want to know before
you test

10. Games User Research
• General points cont.:
– Test as early as
possible, it is easier to
fix problems that way
(then test again)
– Listen to problems, but
not necessarily solutions
– Fun, balance,
mechanics, (and raised
awareness)

11. A great example of GUR
http://www.polygon.com/2012/10/24/3538296/data-
entry-risk-management-and-tacos-inside-halo-4s-
playtest-labs

12. Methods
– Focus Groups
– Heuristic Evaluation
– Questionnaires,
Surveys and
Interviews
– Observational studies
– Gameplay metrics
– Biometrics/psychophy
siology
– Think out loud

13. Prototyping

14. Prototype
• An early design that is tested (and improved upon)
Super Soaker prototype

15. Why Prototype?
• For iterative design
– Intentional iterative design avoids unintended
iterative design

16. Why Prototype?
• For iterative design
• To learn to be a better designer

17. Change something

18. Why prototype?
• For iterative design
• To learn to be a better designer
• For research (playtesting)

19. Why prototype?
• For iterative design
• To learn to be a better
designer
• For research (playtesting)
– It fills in the holes
– Tests for balance
– Tests for fun & flow
– Can produce unexpected
insights

20. Why prototype?
• For iterative design
• To learn to be a better designer
• For research (playtesting)
BECAUSE IT IS
CHEAP, FAST AND
EFFICIENT

21. When to prototype?
• As soon as you
can
– And then do it
again
• And then do
it again
– And then
do it
again
» And…

22. How to prototype
• Paper Prototypes • Digital Prototypes

23. Paper prototypes – Why
• Avoids code attachment
– It is my code, it is
perfect
• Cheap
• Easy to iterate
• Good for UI and
mechanics
• Everyone in the team
can join in!
• A safe way to try new
ideas
– Learning again!

24. Paper prototypes – How
• With paper…
– And rocks, boards,
feathers, toys, stickies,
whatever
• Don’t waste a lot of
time on art
• Just be representative
– Dice, cards, and other
mechanical stuff can be
added too
• If you can, try to build to
scale

25. Paper prototypes - How
• Materials:
– Cards
• Good for random draw
type elements
– Loot drops,
encounters, etc
• Can be made in Word or
Indesign/Photoshop
• 64×89 mm is a standard
size
• Protector sleaves can
really help with these

26. Paper prototypes - How
• Materials:
– Tokens
• Can also be made and then stuck onto
cardboard
• Or steal from other board games/use glass
beads (from cheap stores in town)
– Boards:
• Draw them, print them, stick together sheets
of paper, whatever works for you.
– Dice
• Two d10’s are your friends (% chance)

27. Paper prototypes – How
• What to test?
– Perhaps not the whole game
• Representative chunks
– Mechanics & UI

28. Paper prototypes – How
• Exhaustive test?
– Game A:
• Linear event based
storyline
– Same for every player
• 8 player characters
– All mechanically the
same
• 5 mini-game types, one
image
matching game

29. Paper prototypes – How
• Task overview – Game A
Select Select Name Name Select
Start Game
Mode Character Character Village Colour
Quest Quest Quest Quest Quest
ACT 1
1 2 3 4 5
Quest Quest Quest Quest Quest
ACT 2
1 2 3 4 5
Game End

30. Paper prototypes – How
• Exhaustive playtest?
– Game B:
• Random quest progression with 5 alternate
endings
• 4 or 5 mechanically different weapon types
(damage, range, speed, agility & special effects)
that are randomly distributed
– vs mechanically stable enemies?
• 6 player characters
– 3 different mechanical types (jump, HP &
speed)

31. Paper prototypes – How
• Partial Task overview – Game B
Start Quest Weapon
Desert
1 1 Jungle
Quest 1 Swamp
Character Quest 1
Quest 1
Type 1
Start Quest Weapon
Desert
2 2 Jungle
Quest 2 Swamp
Select Select Character Quest 2
Start Game Desert Quest 2
Mode Character Type 2 Start Jungle
Wasteland Start Swamp
Area Wasteland
Area Wasteland
Start Quest Weapon
Desert
3 3 Jungle
Quest 3 Swamp
Character Quest 3
Quest 3
Type 3
Start Quest Weapon
Desert
4 4 Jungle
Quest 4 Desert
Quest 4
Quest 4

32. Paper prototypes – How
Does this person have
Jungle
Quest 1
Start Quest Weapon
2 2
Swamp
Select Select Character
Start Game Desert Quest 2
Mode Character Type 2 Start Jungle
Wasteland Start Swamp
Area Wasteland
Area Wasteland
Desert
Quest 3
just as much fun as this person?
Start Quest Weapon
1 1
Desert
Quest 2
Select Select Character
Start Game Desert
Mode Character Type 2 Start Jungle
Wasteland Start Swamp
Area Wasteland
Area Wasteland
Swamp
Quest 3
Jungle
Quest 4

33. Paper prototypes – How
Jungle
Quest 1
Start Quest Weapon
2 2
Swamp
Select Select Character
Start Game Desert Quest 2
Mode Character Type 2 Start Jungle
Wasteland Start Swamp
Area Wasteland
Area Wasteland
Desert
Quest 3
Or this person?
Jungle
Character
Quest 1
Type 1
Start Quest Weapon
2 2
Select Select Swamp
Start Game
Mode Character Desert Quest 2
Start Jungle
Wasteland Start Swamp
Area Wasteland
Area Wasteland
Desert
Quest 3

34. Paper prototypes - How
1. Build the foundation
- Build the basic mechanics (from your design doc)
- How will a constant runner work on paper?

35. Paper prototypes - How
1. Build the foundation
- Design the basic mechanics:
- How will a constant runner work on paper?
- How do movement abilities work?

36. Paper prototypes - How
1. Build the foundation
- Design the basic mechanics:
- How will a constant runner work on paper?
- How do movement abilities work
- How do enemies move and react?
- etc
- Be the computer

37. Paper prototypes - How
2. Add structure
- Additional rules and features
- Basically the meat of the game
- Different player abilities?
- Different items, scoring systems?
- How will the timer work? When and where
does it stop?
- Health and damage systems?
- Focus on Rules first and then features later

38. Paper prototypes - How
3. Formalise
- Tidy up and get things as close to “final” for the
moment as possible.
- Still time here to try optional rules or tweaks.
4. Continue to refine!
- Test, test, test and test more. Not just at this
step but even between each step above.

39. Digital prototypes
• Multiple types can be
made
– Mechanical
– Aesthetic
– Kinaesthetic
– Technological
• Full scale testing
• Be flexible, be fast, iterate
and test often
• Can be used to attract
investment/publishers/etc

40. Game testing
1. Design Test
- Test Script/Tasks
2. Recruit Participants
- Representative
3. Carry out test
- Observations
- Recordings
- Questions
4. Debrief

41. Game testing
1. Design Test
- To do this you need a test script
• Test scripts
– Like a recipe for a delicious cake,
these lay out how the test will go
• Order of events
• What the tester should do and
say, and when
• Clear and precise
– Could anyone follow the
instructions and carry out a
test?
• Ensures consistency!

43. Game testing
• Test scripts
– Start
• Explain to the participants why they are there
– To test the game! Not them!
• Collect basic demographic data
– Age, gender, ethnicity, education, gaming
experience
• Explain the procedure
– Play, you will observe (not talking), they will
then answer questions

48. Game testing
• Test scripts
– Make up the tasks
• What the players will do
– Clear beginning and end
» e.g. Drive around the city with a Tiger in
your car (Saints Row 3)
• Start = Get in car with Tiger
• End = Tiger kills you/Progress bar fills up
• At the end of each task check for fun (& raised
awareness) with a questionnaire

49. Game testing
1. Design Test
- Test internally first
- A test run of the test
-Are the instructions clear?
-Does your recording equipment work?
-How does the recording look?
-Is the game/prototype bug free/functioning ok?

50. Game testing
2. Recruit Participants
- Representative
- When working with
children
- Caregiver consent
- Consider groups
- But make sure they
get on!
- Friends rather than
siblings
- Multiplayer

51. Game testing
3. Carry out test
- Observe the participants, take notes on what they
do/say & when they do/say it
- If possible, record the participant & the game
screen/paper prototype for later review
- Premade logging sheets help
- Spaces for participant number, task, times
and observations

53. Game testing
3. Carry out test
- When observing only write down what you see
- “Participant laughing and smiling” NOT
“Participant is happy”
- Generally, do NOT talk to the participants about
their performance & ask them politely not to talk
to you
- During prototyping this can be different as you
may have to “talk” as part of the game
- Look for performance measures along with
subjective ratings
- Time taken, in-game score, damage taken, etc

54. I can’t show the whole scale here. If
you want the GEQ go to
http://www.gamexplab.nl/

55. Game testing
3. Carry out test
- Questionnaires
- Only ask what you want to know
- Be direct and clear (don’t lead or ask double
barrelled questions)
- Use everyday language
- Be consistent
- If you are using statements use positive
statements

57. Game testing
4. Debrief
- Thank participants
- Final questionnaire
- A brief interview (if needed)
- Follow up on interesting observations
- Gain additional player feedback
- If possible give yourself 15-30 minutes between
each test participant/test group
- REMEMBER – You are also interested in
awareness and attitudes!

58. Next time - TESTING
– Evaluate your own
paper prototypes
• 30 minutes test &
play
• 30 minutes test &
play
• 30 minutes
discussion

59. Credits
• Fullerton (2008) Game Design Workshop – A
Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative
Games
• Sigman (2005) The Siren Song of the Paper
Cutter: Tips and Tricks from the Trenches of
Paper Prototyping -
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130814/
• Gray, Gabler, Shodhan & Kucic How to Prototype
a Game in Under 7 Days -
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130848/
• The copyright owners of the videos and
pictures I use. If you are unhappy email me at
b.lewis.evans@rug.nl

60. Methods Finding Out What They
Think: A rough Primer To
User Research Part 1
http://www.gamasutra.com/vi
ew/feature/169069/
Finding Out What They
Think: A rough Primer To
User Research Part 2
http://www.gamasutra.com/vi
ew/feature/170332/
Game Testing and
Research: The Body and
The Mind
http://www.gamasutra.com/vi
ew/feature/6341/