Sarah Romoslawski and Marina Kobayashi presented this talk at the 1st Game Design Conference in San Francisco on September 17th, 2012. The talk defines Games User Research (GUR), and includes two perspectives on practicing GUR at different companies, using GUR with different platforms, genres, and with different target audiences.
This document provides an introduction to building a 3D platform game in Unity. It will cover character controllers, audio, lighting, particle systems, blob shadows, and scripting to create things like AI, player controls, and a GUI. The tutorial uses these features to construct a complete game level, including a player, enemies, collectibles, and cutscenes. It assumes some familiarity with Unity and a scripting language like JavaScript, and provides starting project files for a level with basic scenery and props already created.
This document provides an introduction to building a 3D platform game in Unity. It discusses setting up player controls, animations, lighting, particle systems, blob shadows, basic AI, adding a GUI, cutscenes and audio. The tutorial covers character controllers, projectors, audio sources and clips, multiple cameras, the Unity GUI system, colliders, messages and events, and scripting techniques like AI and state machines. It provides sample scripts to demonstrate concepts and aims to teach the technical aspects of creating a complete 3D platform game level in Unity.
The Technology Pipedream - A Development Fallacy. The role of technology in game design and development - by Ivan Beram. The updated and extended presentation delves into the nature of technology and games, and how one can be mixed up as being the other; using the author\'s experiences working in the industry, with Far Cry as an illustrative example.
This document provides an introduction and overview for the Mutants & Masterminds roleplaying game. It discusses the basics of the game system and mechanics, outlines character creation steps including choosing an archetype and acquiring powers and feats, and provides descriptions of equipment, environments, and conditions that can impact gameplay. The goal is to give players and gamemasters the essential information needed to understand and engage with the M&M roleplaying experience.
The team designed a single-handed controller called The Chevron inspired by controllers for RC skateboards, Xbox controllers, trackball mice, and motion controls from the Wii and PS4. The controller features trigger buttons, wrist and trackball controls, and a motion sensor. Prototypes were tested successfully across shooter, platformer, and racing game genres. Further refinement is needed, such as adding instructional materials.
This certificate recognizes Hitesh Grover for achieving a Technical Level 200 competency in Business Analysis at an intermediate level with a score of 62% on June 30, 2014. The certificate was presented to Hitesh Grover and signed by Pramod Prakash Panda, the VP and Head of Education, Training and Assessment.
Este documento presenta un tema sobre los números naturales para estudiantes de 5o grado de primaria. Explica la utilidad de los números para contar, identificar, calcular, ordenar y medir. También cubre los números ordinales, los números de hasta seis y siete cifras, la comparación y ordenación de números, y recomienda juegos y videos sobre este tema.
Goldfields School uses a range of elearning tools across different year levels. Digital citizenship and cyber safety are taught starting in junior school through cyber safety agreements and simple passwords. In middle school, more complex passwords are used along with online avatars instead of photos. Mimio is used in all years for interactive classroom activities and lessons. Blogs are used for independent learning, communication, and linking learning between home and school. Google Apps like Docs, Slides and Gmail are increasingly used by both teachers and students. A variety of web tools and mobile apps are chosen relevant to the learning context and allow for more sophisticated student work. Game-based apps are also used when relevant to learning experiences.
This document provides an introduction to building a 3D platform game in Unity. It will cover character controllers, audio, lighting, particle systems, blob shadows, and scripting to create things like AI, player controls, and a GUI. The tutorial uses these features to construct a complete game level, including a player, enemies, collectibles, and cutscenes. It assumes some familiarity with Unity and a scripting language like JavaScript, and provides starting project files for a level with basic scenery and props already created.
This document provides an introduction to building a 3D platform game in Unity. It discusses setting up player controls, animations, lighting, particle systems, blob shadows, basic AI, adding a GUI, cutscenes and audio. The tutorial covers character controllers, projectors, audio sources and clips, multiple cameras, the Unity GUI system, colliders, messages and events, and scripting techniques like AI and state machines. It provides sample scripts to demonstrate concepts and aims to teach the technical aspects of creating a complete 3D platform game level in Unity.
The Technology Pipedream - A Development Fallacy. The role of technology in game design and development - by Ivan Beram. The updated and extended presentation delves into the nature of technology and games, and how one can be mixed up as being the other; using the author\'s experiences working in the industry, with Far Cry as an illustrative example.
This document provides an introduction and overview for the Mutants & Masterminds roleplaying game. It discusses the basics of the game system and mechanics, outlines character creation steps including choosing an archetype and acquiring powers and feats, and provides descriptions of equipment, environments, and conditions that can impact gameplay. The goal is to give players and gamemasters the essential information needed to understand and engage with the M&M roleplaying experience.
The team designed a single-handed controller called The Chevron inspired by controllers for RC skateboards, Xbox controllers, trackball mice, and motion controls from the Wii and PS4. The controller features trigger buttons, wrist and trackball controls, and a motion sensor. Prototypes were tested successfully across shooter, platformer, and racing game genres. Further refinement is needed, such as adding instructional materials.
This certificate recognizes Hitesh Grover for achieving a Technical Level 200 competency in Business Analysis at an intermediate level with a score of 62% on June 30, 2014. The certificate was presented to Hitesh Grover and signed by Pramod Prakash Panda, the VP and Head of Education, Training and Assessment.
Este documento presenta un tema sobre los números naturales para estudiantes de 5o grado de primaria. Explica la utilidad de los números para contar, identificar, calcular, ordenar y medir. También cubre los números ordinales, los números de hasta seis y siete cifras, la comparación y ordenación de números, y recomienda juegos y videos sobre este tema.
Goldfields School uses a range of elearning tools across different year levels. Digital citizenship and cyber safety are taught starting in junior school through cyber safety agreements and simple passwords. In middle school, more complex passwords are used along with online avatars instead of photos. Mimio is used in all years for interactive classroom activities and lessons. Blogs are used for independent learning, communication, and linking learning between home and school. Google Apps like Docs, Slides and Gmail are increasingly used by both teachers and students. A variety of web tools and mobile apps are chosen relevant to the learning context and allow for more sophisticated student work. Game-based apps are also used when relevant to learning experiences.
Ormond Simpson (former OUUK) gave a presentation about Theories of Student Support for Retention as part of the online events by expert pool Student Support within EMPOWER.
Bloomberg Essential - Fixed Income EssentialsHitesh Grover
Hitesh Grover successfully completed the Fixed Income Essentials course in March 2011 as part of the Bloomberg Essentials Training Program. Tom Secunda of Bloomberg congratulated Hitesh Grover on completing the training program.
2015 d. gašević an opportunity for higher educationEADTU
This document discusses learning analytics and its potential to benefit higher education. It notes that feedback loops between students and instructors are often missing or weak. Learning analytics uses data from learning environments and student information systems to provide insights. Case studies show learning analytics can increase student retention and educational attainment. However, few institutions have fully adopted learning analytics. Challenges include a lack of data-informed decision making culture and ensuring privacy and ethical use of student data. For learning analytics to advance, institutions need multidisciplinary teams, an analytics vision and culture, and to embrace the complexity of educational systems.
The Gorbeia Natural Park is located in the Basque Country between Alava and Biscay, covering 200 square kilometers. It features the Gorbeia mountain peak at 1482 meters and rivers like the Baia. The climate is mountainous with abundant rain year-round. Forests of both deciduous and pine trees cover the area, housing animals such as trout, wolves, foxes, deer, bats and birds like cormorants and kites. The natural park was established in 1994 to protect the region's landscape and wildlife.
The document summarizes information about the Izki National Park located in the Basque Country region of Araba in Spain. It describes some of the animal species found in the park including the Rosalia alpina beetle, Lesser spotted woodpecker, Wildcat, and Bechstein's bat. It also notes that the park contains large oak and beech trees due to its proximity to the Ega River. The climate is described as a transition between Atlantic and Mediterranean with annual rainfall over 800mm and average temperatures around 11 degrees Celsius.
This document summarizes research into how people assess the credibility of online restaurant reviews. The researchers conducted a survey of 1,979 people to understand what attributes influence credibility judgments of reviews. Key findings include:
1) Reviewer identity like using a real name versus pseudonym can impact perceived credibility.
2) Reviewer status signals such as number of reviews written or followers can also influence credibility assessments.
3) The sentiment or valence of a review - whether it is positive, negative, or balanced - affects judgments of credibility. Reviews with balanced sentiment may be viewed as most credible.
Work Coordination, Workflow, and Workarounds in a Medical ContextMarina Kobayashi
Presented at CHI 2005.
We report on an ethnographic study of workarounds—informal temporary practices for handling exceptions to normal workflow—in a hospital environment. Workarounds are a common technique for dealing with the inherent uncertainty of dynamic work environments. Workarounds can help coordinate work, especially under conditions of high time pressure, but they may result in information or work protocols that are unstable, unavailable, or unreliable. We investigated workarounds and their effects through observation and interviews in a major teaching medical center. Our results suggest 4 key features of workarounds that technologies might help address: (a) workarounds differ as a function of people’s role; (b) workarounds draw on tacit knowledge of others’ abilities and willingness to help; (c) workarounds can have a cascading effect, causing other workarounds down the line; (d) workarounds often rely on principles of fairness and who owes whom a favor. We provide recommendations for designing systems to better support workarounds in dynamic environments.
An Introduction to Games User Research MethodsBen Lewis-Evans
An introductory lecture on Games User Research methods which was first given to students at Hanze University on the 9th of March 2011.
This presentation was later turned into two articles on Gamasutra that can be read here:
- Part 1: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/169069/
- Part 2: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/170332/
Die Steinschaler Naturhotels – der Steinschalerhof un das Steinschaler Dörfl – im Herzen des Dirndltals (Pielachtal) bieten für Sie und Ihren Vierbeiner zahlreiche Möglichkeiten. So hat der Steinschalerhof acht idyllische Gartenhäuser, jedes für sich eingezäunt, damit sich Ihr Hund „pudelwohl“ fühlen kann. Weitere Hundeservice-Angebote sind Hundetankstelle, Wasserschüsseln, Hundedecken, etc. Auf Vorbestellung bekommen Sie BARF-Futter. Zahlreiche Wanderstrecken und Bademöglichkeiten ergänzen das Wohlfühlprogramm des Hundes.
Auf einzigartigen 48.000 m2 Naturgärten wird in Bio-Qualität fürs Restaurant produziert. Der Garten ist auch für die Gäste ein beliebter Erholungsraum. Die Gastgeber-Familie weiß um die Bedürfnisse der zwei- und vierbeinigen Gäste bestens Bescheid, schließlich hat sie auch eigene Hunde. So sind Hunde beispielsweise auch im Restaurant und Garten willkommen.
Unser Angebot für Ihren Hund:
• “Willkommensgeschenk
• Im Zimmer: Wasser-und Futterschüssel
• Leckerli
• Hundetankselle
• Pfotentücher
• Sackerlspender rund ums Haus
• BARF vom regionalen Fleischer – auf Anfrage
• Naturteich und eingezäunter Garten
Das Steinschalerhof-Team und unsere Hündin Paula (Bearded Collie) freuen sich auf Ihren Besuch und auf neue tierische Freundschaften! :)
El documento describe cómo los seres humanos interactúan con y modifican su entorno a través de objetos. Las personas crean objetos para satisfacer necesidades como la subsistencia, y también deseos y aspiraciones. Los diseñadores industriales juegan un papel importante en la producción masiva de objetos para satisfacer las necesidades de las personas. Las personas clasifican los objetos en cuatro categorías: objetos naturales, objetos modificados naturalmente, objetos artísticos y objetos de uso.
El Cambio Tecnológico, los Medios de Comunicación y la Comunicación de MasasAlej Bandy
Este documento define los medios de comunicación como instrumentos en constante evolución que han ido desarrollándose a lo largo de la historia junto con los cambios sociales y tecnológicos. Describe los principales medios como el libro, el teléfono, la radio, la televisión e Internet, y define la comunicación de masas como la difusión de información a través de estos medios de forma pública, indirecta y unilateral hacia una audiencia dispersa.
LAFS SVI Level 3 - Game Design and AnalysisDavid Mullich
The document discusses the core elements of game design, including the roles of players and designers. It outlines the iterative design process that designers go through, from initial ideas and prototyping to playtesting and refinement. Key aspects covered include brainstorming ideas, creating game documentation, pitching concepts, and defining core elements like objectives, rules, and resources. The document provides an overview of different genres and explains how genres can be combined.
1. The document outlines the topics to be covered in a game design fundamentals class, including introductions to what game design is, the instructor's path to teaching the class, and an overview of the class syllabus and website.
2. It discusses the key steps in game design which are to understand how games work, prototype and playtest designs iteratively, and learn about the game industry.
3. The document emphasizes the importance of playtesting, giving and receiving feedback, and iterating on designs to solve problems based on playtesting results.
The researched products all featured tactical shooter gameplay with a focus on eliminating targets or securing objectives. Common elements included character customization, unlocking new weapons and gear, and team-based communication. Interviewees emphasized the importance of co-op gameplay and communities shaping games over time. Questionnaire respondents preferred modern or near-future settings to balance realism and creativity. They suggested healing abilities and shields to aid tactical combat. Overall, the research indicates a focus on realistic, team-oriented tactical shooters would appeal to the target audience.
Boston games forum universal design lessons - dave biscegliaElizabeth Cormack
Dave Bisceglia gave a talk on universal design lessons he has learned in his career making mobile games. Some key lessons included focusing on divergent thinking during ideation to generate better ideas, prototyping multiple variations of game mechanics to find what is fun, and using analytics to test games and improve metrics like engagement and retention. He also stressed the importance of polishing games, balancing elements, and giving players a story to tell others to help games grow successfully.
Bica Studios Game Design Document and the Importance of TestingBica Studios
This is the presentation made by Bica Studios at the Microsoft Game Dev Camp 2014 in Lisbon.
This document features the evolution of a Game Design Document and The Importance of Testing in the game development scene.
Power-Ups give a time limited advantage to the player that picks them up. Power Ups require players to make strategic decisions about when to use them as power ups need to be earned or require timing their use effectively.
Universal Design Lessons - Boston Games ForumDave Bisceglia
The document provides design lessons for various stages of game development including ideation, prototyping, building, testing, polishing, and growing. It emphasizes keeping ideas simple, finding the fun through prototyping, getting early feedback, showing progress, optimizing monetization, balancing games, and giving players a story to share. Key lessons include focusing on engagement, retention, monetization and virality metrics.
The usability test plan summarizes testing done on the game Once Legendary. Testing found issues with controls not matching the menu, enemies doing little damage, character falling through platforms, and awkward sword controls. A questionnaire was used to identify casual versus hardcore gamers. Testing involved thinking aloud and answering post-level questions. Initial feedback identified issues like a lack of checkpoint indicators and enemies being ignorable. Data collected included times, deaths and errors encountered. The plan aims to help the developers improve the game based on a casual player perspective.
Showcase of My Research on Games & AI "till the end of Oct. 2014"Mohammad Shaker
A presentation showcasing my research on Games and Artificial Intelligence (till the end of Oct. 2014) at IT University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
The document provides guidance on playtesting games during development. It discusses that playtesting involves gaining feedback from players to improve a game's experience. Playtesting is not the same as internal design reviews, focus groups, usability testing, or quality assurance testing. The goal of playtesting is to ensure a game is functioning as intended, complete, balanced and fun. It recommends conducting iterative playtesting as a game develops to catch design issues. Key aspects of playtesting covered include finding suitable playtesters, running testing sessions, collecting both qualitative and quantitative feedback, and dealing with feedback received.
Ormond Simpson (former OUUK) gave a presentation about Theories of Student Support for Retention as part of the online events by expert pool Student Support within EMPOWER.
Bloomberg Essential - Fixed Income EssentialsHitesh Grover
Hitesh Grover successfully completed the Fixed Income Essentials course in March 2011 as part of the Bloomberg Essentials Training Program. Tom Secunda of Bloomberg congratulated Hitesh Grover on completing the training program.
2015 d. gašević an opportunity for higher educationEADTU
This document discusses learning analytics and its potential to benefit higher education. It notes that feedback loops between students and instructors are often missing or weak. Learning analytics uses data from learning environments and student information systems to provide insights. Case studies show learning analytics can increase student retention and educational attainment. However, few institutions have fully adopted learning analytics. Challenges include a lack of data-informed decision making culture and ensuring privacy and ethical use of student data. For learning analytics to advance, institutions need multidisciplinary teams, an analytics vision and culture, and to embrace the complexity of educational systems.
The Gorbeia Natural Park is located in the Basque Country between Alava and Biscay, covering 200 square kilometers. It features the Gorbeia mountain peak at 1482 meters and rivers like the Baia. The climate is mountainous with abundant rain year-round. Forests of both deciduous and pine trees cover the area, housing animals such as trout, wolves, foxes, deer, bats and birds like cormorants and kites. The natural park was established in 1994 to protect the region's landscape and wildlife.
The document summarizes information about the Izki National Park located in the Basque Country region of Araba in Spain. It describes some of the animal species found in the park including the Rosalia alpina beetle, Lesser spotted woodpecker, Wildcat, and Bechstein's bat. It also notes that the park contains large oak and beech trees due to its proximity to the Ega River. The climate is described as a transition between Atlantic and Mediterranean with annual rainfall over 800mm and average temperatures around 11 degrees Celsius.
This document summarizes research into how people assess the credibility of online restaurant reviews. The researchers conducted a survey of 1,979 people to understand what attributes influence credibility judgments of reviews. Key findings include:
1) Reviewer identity like using a real name versus pseudonym can impact perceived credibility.
2) Reviewer status signals such as number of reviews written or followers can also influence credibility assessments.
3) The sentiment or valence of a review - whether it is positive, negative, or balanced - affects judgments of credibility. Reviews with balanced sentiment may be viewed as most credible.
Work Coordination, Workflow, and Workarounds in a Medical ContextMarina Kobayashi
Presented at CHI 2005.
We report on an ethnographic study of workarounds—informal temporary practices for handling exceptions to normal workflow—in a hospital environment. Workarounds are a common technique for dealing with the inherent uncertainty of dynamic work environments. Workarounds can help coordinate work, especially under conditions of high time pressure, but they may result in information or work protocols that are unstable, unavailable, or unreliable. We investigated workarounds and their effects through observation and interviews in a major teaching medical center. Our results suggest 4 key features of workarounds that technologies might help address: (a) workarounds differ as a function of people’s role; (b) workarounds draw on tacit knowledge of others’ abilities and willingness to help; (c) workarounds can have a cascading effect, causing other workarounds down the line; (d) workarounds often rely on principles of fairness and who owes whom a favor. We provide recommendations for designing systems to better support workarounds in dynamic environments.
An Introduction to Games User Research MethodsBen Lewis-Evans
An introductory lecture on Games User Research methods which was first given to students at Hanze University on the 9th of March 2011.
This presentation was later turned into two articles on Gamasutra that can be read here:
- Part 1: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/169069/
- Part 2: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/170332/
Die Steinschaler Naturhotels – der Steinschalerhof un das Steinschaler Dörfl – im Herzen des Dirndltals (Pielachtal) bieten für Sie und Ihren Vierbeiner zahlreiche Möglichkeiten. So hat der Steinschalerhof acht idyllische Gartenhäuser, jedes für sich eingezäunt, damit sich Ihr Hund „pudelwohl“ fühlen kann. Weitere Hundeservice-Angebote sind Hundetankstelle, Wasserschüsseln, Hundedecken, etc. Auf Vorbestellung bekommen Sie BARF-Futter. Zahlreiche Wanderstrecken und Bademöglichkeiten ergänzen das Wohlfühlprogramm des Hundes.
Auf einzigartigen 48.000 m2 Naturgärten wird in Bio-Qualität fürs Restaurant produziert. Der Garten ist auch für die Gäste ein beliebter Erholungsraum. Die Gastgeber-Familie weiß um die Bedürfnisse der zwei- und vierbeinigen Gäste bestens Bescheid, schließlich hat sie auch eigene Hunde. So sind Hunde beispielsweise auch im Restaurant und Garten willkommen.
Unser Angebot für Ihren Hund:
• “Willkommensgeschenk
• Im Zimmer: Wasser-und Futterschüssel
• Leckerli
• Hundetankselle
• Pfotentücher
• Sackerlspender rund ums Haus
• BARF vom regionalen Fleischer – auf Anfrage
• Naturteich und eingezäunter Garten
Das Steinschalerhof-Team und unsere Hündin Paula (Bearded Collie) freuen sich auf Ihren Besuch und auf neue tierische Freundschaften! :)
El documento describe cómo los seres humanos interactúan con y modifican su entorno a través de objetos. Las personas crean objetos para satisfacer necesidades como la subsistencia, y también deseos y aspiraciones. Los diseñadores industriales juegan un papel importante en la producción masiva de objetos para satisfacer las necesidades de las personas. Las personas clasifican los objetos en cuatro categorías: objetos naturales, objetos modificados naturalmente, objetos artísticos y objetos de uso.
El Cambio Tecnológico, los Medios de Comunicación y la Comunicación de MasasAlej Bandy
Este documento define los medios de comunicación como instrumentos en constante evolución que han ido desarrollándose a lo largo de la historia junto con los cambios sociales y tecnológicos. Describe los principales medios como el libro, el teléfono, la radio, la televisión e Internet, y define la comunicación de masas como la difusión de información a través de estos medios de forma pública, indirecta y unilateral hacia una audiencia dispersa.
LAFS SVI Level 3 - Game Design and AnalysisDavid Mullich
The document discusses the core elements of game design, including the roles of players and designers. It outlines the iterative design process that designers go through, from initial ideas and prototyping to playtesting and refinement. Key aspects covered include brainstorming ideas, creating game documentation, pitching concepts, and defining core elements like objectives, rules, and resources. The document provides an overview of different genres and explains how genres can be combined.
1. The document outlines the topics to be covered in a game design fundamentals class, including introductions to what game design is, the instructor's path to teaching the class, and an overview of the class syllabus and website.
2. It discusses the key steps in game design which are to understand how games work, prototype and playtest designs iteratively, and learn about the game industry.
3. The document emphasizes the importance of playtesting, giving and receiving feedback, and iterating on designs to solve problems based on playtesting results.
The researched products all featured tactical shooter gameplay with a focus on eliminating targets or securing objectives. Common elements included character customization, unlocking new weapons and gear, and team-based communication. Interviewees emphasized the importance of co-op gameplay and communities shaping games over time. Questionnaire respondents preferred modern or near-future settings to balance realism and creativity. They suggested healing abilities and shields to aid tactical combat. Overall, the research indicates a focus on realistic, team-oriented tactical shooters would appeal to the target audience.
Boston games forum universal design lessons - dave biscegliaElizabeth Cormack
Dave Bisceglia gave a talk on universal design lessons he has learned in his career making mobile games. Some key lessons included focusing on divergent thinking during ideation to generate better ideas, prototyping multiple variations of game mechanics to find what is fun, and using analytics to test games and improve metrics like engagement and retention. He also stressed the importance of polishing games, balancing elements, and giving players a story to tell others to help games grow successfully.
Bica Studios Game Design Document and the Importance of TestingBica Studios
This is the presentation made by Bica Studios at the Microsoft Game Dev Camp 2014 in Lisbon.
This document features the evolution of a Game Design Document and The Importance of Testing in the game development scene.
Power-Ups give a time limited advantage to the player that picks them up. Power Ups require players to make strategic decisions about when to use them as power ups need to be earned or require timing their use effectively.
Universal Design Lessons - Boston Games ForumDave Bisceglia
The document provides design lessons for various stages of game development including ideation, prototyping, building, testing, polishing, and growing. It emphasizes keeping ideas simple, finding the fun through prototyping, getting early feedback, showing progress, optimizing monetization, balancing games, and giving players a story to share. Key lessons include focusing on engagement, retention, monetization and virality metrics.
The usability test plan summarizes testing done on the game Once Legendary. Testing found issues with controls not matching the menu, enemies doing little damage, character falling through platforms, and awkward sword controls. A questionnaire was used to identify casual versus hardcore gamers. Testing involved thinking aloud and answering post-level questions. Initial feedback identified issues like a lack of checkpoint indicators and enemies being ignorable. Data collected included times, deaths and errors encountered. The plan aims to help the developers improve the game based on a casual player perspective.
Showcase of My Research on Games & AI "till the end of Oct. 2014"Mohammad Shaker
A presentation showcasing my research on Games and Artificial Intelligence (till the end of Oct. 2014) at IT University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
The document provides guidance on playtesting games during development. It discusses that playtesting involves gaining feedback from players to improve a game's experience. Playtesting is not the same as internal design reviews, focus groups, usability testing, or quality assurance testing. The goal of playtesting is to ensure a game is functioning as intended, complete, balanced and fun. It recommends conducting iterative playtesting as a game develops to catch design issues. Key aspects of playtesting covered include finding suitable playtesters, running testing sessions, collecting both qualitative and quantitative feedback, and dealing with feedback received.
A Primer On Play: How to use Games for Learning and ResultsSharon Boller
Discover the power games have to produce learning and business results. View the latest research and case studies on game-based learning and gamification. See a demo of Knowledge Guru, a game engine your team can use to quickly build your own games.
Iistec 2013 game_design for id_m_broyles_id13333Marie Broyles
This document provides an overview of game/simulation development and instructional design. It discusses key differences between the two fields and how they can work together. The document outlines various processes used in both game/simulation design and instructional design, including concept, analysis, design, development, and evaluation phases. It also covers important elements for creating compelling stories, characters, and believable game worlds to engage players.
LAFS Game Mechanics - The Core MechanicDavid Mullich
This document outlines the topics and grading structure for a game mechanics class, including labs, assignments, tests, and attendance policies, and provides advice for students such as coming prepared, meeting deadlines, studying for tests, and making a good impression on faculty. The class will cover various game mechanics like core mechanics, progression mechanics, randomness, narrative, and balancing mechanics.
Informing SoTL using playtesting techniquesKatrin Becker
Typical research methodologies in SoTL include many of the traditional educational research methodologies, yet there are methodologies in other disciplines and industries that can provide fresh perspectives. One of these industries is the videogame industry. While there are fundamental differences such as the fact that one seeks primarily to entertain and the other to enlighten or educate, the practices, processes, and theories behind playtesting games can be used to inform aspects of pedagogy that relate to engagement. The primary focus in game design is on the experience and there has been considerable research into ways to assess and measure the player experience through playtesting. Playtesting is concerned with such things as whether or not the game is fun, which parts are too easy or hard, whether and when people become bored, and with the player’s progression through the to the end. All of these properties have relevance to teaching and learning even though they may not appear to be directly connected with whether or not the learning objectives were met. Rather, playtesting is concerned with the motivation of the player/student to continue the particular course of learning, which speaks to the success of the methodology in capturing the student's imagination. Sometimes, simply taking a novel approach to evaluation can yield insights that were not uncovered by more common approaches. This presentation will provide a brief overview of formal playtesting procedures and highlight ways these approaches could be used in the classroom as well as how this could inform pedagogy.
The document discusses the importance of cohesion in game experiences and provides guidelines for creating a cohesive experience. It emphasizes having a clear vision, defining core pillars, and always questioning why certain elements are included by asking "WHY?". Playtesting and feedback are also important to shape the experience. The overall experience a player takes away will be impacted more than individual polished mechanics if it lacks cohesiveness.
This document discusses fundamental concepts of game design, including:
1. Games have four key elements - play, rules, goals, and the magic circle. Video games also involve players, user interfaces, code, and mechanics.
2. Game design involves imagining the game concept, defining how it works through core mechanics and user interface, and describing its elements.
3. Challenges are a key part of gameplay and can involve physical skills, logic, exploration, conflict, economics, and lateral thinking. Balancing challenges is important for a fair game.
4. User interfaces must provide feedback to players on their status, challenges, and progress. Indicators and other interface elements convey necessary information.
LAFS Game Design 1 - Structural ElementsDavid Mullich
This document discusses key concepts in game design such as players, objectives, procedures, rules, resources, conflict, boundaries, and outcomes. It provides examples and tips for how to effectively incorporate each concept into game design. Players can include single player, multiplayer, and different player roles. Objectives should be clear, challenging but achievable goals. Procedures define allowable actions and gameplay. Rules establish boundaries and restrictions. Resources are assets used to achieve objectives. Conflict creates competition or obstacles. Boundaries separate the game world. Outcomes determine a winner or end state. Good design maximizes choices within clear but not overly complex rules.
User Experience 6: Qualitative Methods, Playtesting and InterviewsMarc Miquel
This presentation introduces the most fundamental qualitative methods: the playtesting and the interview. It discusses when to use it and the possible bias the researcher may incur.
These slides were prepared by Dr. Marc Miquel. All the materials used in them are referenced to their authors.
Are you a senior-level UX professional who's been doing the same thing for so many years that you feel you're in a rut? Do you struggle with processes that feel rote instead of practical? How important is innovation to you and your company? And most importantly, when was the last time you had any fun?
Now…think about animals for a second. What characteristic do humans and animals share?
The answer may surprise you: humans and animals both possess the ability to play games. But unlike most wild animals who shed their play stage early, we have the ability to continue learning through game play throughout our adult lives. Sadly, that doesn't mean we do it.
Douglas van Duyne, author of the UX best-seller The Design of Sites: Patterns for Creating Winning Websites and author of a seminar series called GameFraming, will show you how to reconnect with the sense of play you were born with, and how you can apply it to your practice as a UX professional. He'll cover Game Principles, Design Strategies, and the Hero's Journey which you'll discover applies as much to interaction design and project management as it does to World of Warcraft. Douglas will also share two case studies where Gameframing was used to break the typical rules of project management and design, which led to amazing results.
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4. Overview
Intros
What is games user research(GUR)?
How does GUR turn game design into GREAT
games
Applying games user research to game design
Platforms
Genres
Target users (age, lifestyle)
Our conclusions
Q&A
6. Who are you?
It is ok to raise your hand more than once!
• Game Designer
• Artist
• UX/UI Designer
• Programmer
• Producer
• Wearer of many hats
• I’m just a unicorn
7. There is always a player in a game. Games
are made for people by people.
9. Games user research is a feedback loop for
game designers to understand how users
experience their games.
10. GUR + Game Designer = Collab
Genius
Lather
Rinse
Repeat
11. When Should I do GUR?
Concept Early Full Alpha Post
Phase Production Production Phase Release
Collaging/ White Box Vertical Slice Level Tests E3/XBL Demo Full Play Benchmark DLC
Tests Tests MP Tests Tests Through Tests Tests Tests
All stages of the
dev cycle!
16. Full Playthrough Test
Average Player Experience
(Via Survey Stops)
10.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
Fun Difficulty Frustration
Start of End of
Game Game
17. What do we learn about?
FUN
Impact Difficulty factor
Ramping Usability in context
slate
of Puzzle of the new platform
Content Early Character
and Story
Development
38. So how do I use this thing?
8
Tutorials Opinion
8
8
7 7 7 7
7
6 6 6
6
5 5
5
4 4
4
3 3
3
2 2 2 2
2
1 1 1
1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
Liked tutorial video Tutorial video needs improvement
Players commented that they would like to see There were two mentions that holding the
more of a step-by-step breakdown of the exercises. Wii-motes felt awkward, that they were not sure
One player also mentioned not knowing they were how to hold them or that the exercise required
supposed to observe the trainer doing the exercises. using them at all.
40. GUR and Genre at EA
Concrete Examples: different methods for different games
41. Why we used different methods for
BF3 Multiplayer vs. Warp?
42. Why we did different methods for BF3
Multiplayer vs. Warp?
First-Person Shooter Puzzle Platformer
43. GUR for the
First-Person Shooter
+ 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for Single Player and Multiplayer
+ Dyad usability tests for Co-op
+ Multiplayer playtests (over 32 players in-game simultaneously)
+ Full playthrough tests
+ PPT screen walkthroughs
+ Flash Prototype tests
55. GUR for RPGs
How to test a game that has 160 hours of content?
+ 1:1 think-aloud usability
+ Extended Playthrough
+ Combat Encounter Tests
+ Diary Studies
74. Franchise Fans vs. Newcomers
Shooting Target Sliding Shooting Shooting Weak
Time #Deaths 1 (max # cycles ) (cyc) Spots (min)
New Players
Pair 1 8 4 4cyc. 3rd cyc. 3
New Players
Pair 2 10 2 5cyc. 1st cyc. 6
Fan Pair 1 10 3 3cyc. 1st cyc. <1
Fan Pair 2 5 1 4cyc. 1st cyc. <1
Average 8.25 2.5 max 4cyc.
75. Why getting the right players matters?
4-player co-op campaign
76. Why getting the right players matters?
When testing a 4-player co-op campaign:
“Be the best you can be!”
“I will pwn you!”
77. Why getting the right players matters?
Melee DPS Tank Healer / Tech Ranged DPS
4-player co-op campaign
78. Why getting the right players matters?
Melee DPS Tank Healer / Tech Ranged DPS
“I really like the idea behind
the mag-shield. I usually
play tanks/defenders aside
from assault classes and this “I really enjoyed
allowed me to police the playing Izzy. I
front lines while my frequently choose
teammates flanked and healers in MMO's or
sniped from cover. Definitely group/co-op games
fits my play style.” and thought she was
a great character to
start off with.”
101. Why WC?
• Must be fun for 7-12, the platform requires this as a STANDARD for all
games
102. Why WC?
• Must be fun for 7-12, the platform requires this as a STANDARD for all
games
• Must improve our original word game, Word Play, yet still be playable on
3 or more cubes, a design CONSTRAINT of the platform
103. Why WC?
• Must be fun for 7-12, the platform requires this as a STANDARD for all
games
• Must improve our original word game, Word Play, yet still be playable on
3 or more cubes, a design CONSTRAINT of the platform
• Shuffling letters to make words exploits the AFFORDANCES of the
platform
104. Why WC?
• Must be fun for 7-12, the platform requires this as a STANDARD for all
games
• Must improve our original word game, Word Play, yet still be playable on
3 or more cubes, a design CONSTRAINT of the platform
• Shuffling letters to make words exploits the AFFORDANCES of the
platform
• ALL OF THE ABOVE due to the platform resulted in the creation of an
appropriate hint mechanism imited inputs and screen space
106. Problem(s)
• Game gets hard too quickly
• Players get stuck too early in the game
• Players naturally want to apply models of other word games
•BUT we didn’t want to make it too easy for the older age groups
Everyone I
know has a
big but…
107. Too much frustration, too little fun
FUN of MASTERING
tinkering
new skill
Frustration, the game
doesn’t teach me!
112. Iterate, test, iterate, test, iterate, test
…
• Earned hint, tracked with icon
• Automatic hint
• Increase the size of the
hint icon
• Delayed hint
Older version,
Not noticeable
115. Developer On Site!
Children often do not report
seeing animated elements that
appear on one or more of the screens, Even if
the elements are high contrast and cover
1/64 of the total screen area. Increasing the
size to 1/16 total screen area seemed to
solve this problem.
Chris
March, Lead on
Word Caravan
116. GUR and Genre at Sifteo
Designing task oriented 1:1 sessions for the Sandwich Kingdom RPG
135. No Stats Saved on HW at this Point.
• So how do we know how long it takes?
• How many tries to solve the puzzle?
• Where is the player successful?
• Hrmmm…
• We can do this!
136. Solution: Pizza and Games
•IT’S SUMMER!
•2-3 x 3hr sessions
•Lunch included (pizza)
•Gift card for the parent
•Certificate of completion
•Did I mention these were 3 - 4 hr
sessions with kids 14 and under?
146. Kids and Adults are Different
My biggest surprise was how
reticent older adults
seemed to be to
experiment with the
game. That resulted in certain
adults taking far longer to complete
puzzles than kids did.
Scott
Kim, Chroma
Splash
147. Actionable Data can be Tricky
wanted a
Some testers
perfect solver that would fail
the user in any situation where they
could not proceed. This seemed
dangerous and very
difficult, so I did not attempt it.
Eric Liao,
Chroma Splash
----- Meeting Notes (9/15/12 12:58) -----introduce names, say names, and say "today we are going to talk to you about WHY and HOW games user research is for game desing
Sarah RomoslawskiSifteoGame Designer (Producer) (Playtesting)MFA from ASU’s arts media and engineering program, 5+ years game and experience design for learning.Marina KobayashiElectronic ArtsSr. Games User Research @ EA Game LabMasters in Human-Computer Interaction (CMU HCII), expert with 7+ years experience in usability and user research.----- Meeting Notes (9/15/12 12:58) -----My name is Sarah, I am a game designer at Sifteo where I also help lead playtesting for all dev teams, I have over 5 years experience doing game design and experiential design for learning, a game I really like is TWEWY
Sarah RomoslawskiSifteoGame Designer (Producer) (Playtesting)MFA from ASU’s arts media and engineering program, 5+ years game and experience design for learning.Marina KobayashiElectronic ArtsSr. Games User Research @ EA Game LabMasters in Human-Computer Interaction (CMU HCII), expert with 7+ years experience in usability and user research.----- Meeting Notes (9/15/12 12:58) -----My name is Sarah, I am a game designer at Sifteo where I also help lead playtesting for all dev teams, I have over 5 years experience doing game design and experiential design for learning, a game I really like is TWEWY
----- Meeting Notes (9/15/12 12:58) -----we will tell you a little bit about ourselves, we will define games user research, we will explain how GUR helps turn games into great games, and we will provide concrete examples of how GUR helps game design in the context of target user, platform and genre, then we will wrap it up and open the session for Q and A
We will provide you with an understanding that you can do GUR on any budget. The types and amount of GUR you can do obviously scales with the amount of support you have and the scope of the game, but every game can be playtested and should be by your target audience.----- Meeting Notes (9/15/12 12:58) -----but Marina, doesn't GUR cost lots of money? I am just a team of one!Marina: yes, it does in some cases, but by providing examples from Sifteo and EA we hope to show that GUR can be scalable depending on your budget, the size of your game, everyone can do GUR
Through careful planning, development, and analysis.Different types of research informs the development and strategy. Market researchGames user researchTechnical researchGames user research is a feedback loop for game designers to understand how users experience their games.
Design IntentHypotheses about how users will behave or respondExperiment design “how are we going to observe no one doing that thing you want them to do?”Reporting test results quickly and effectively – because its all for you!
Test early and often – the lab is a safe place to failIterative testing throughout the game development lifecycle – see if design changes improve the experienceTesting different facets of the game.----- Meeting Notes (9/15/12 12:58) -----its important to test at all stages of the dev cycle
Test EARLY and OFTENZoom in to core features and mechanicsThis true is because the basic mechanics will be used as building blocks in the game systems which will rely on these mechanics being solid. An example from Dante’s Inferno is the melee combat mechanic of using a scythe for short and long range attacks against mobs of enemies.
Which we are able to capture during a full playthrough. We do this through survey metrics collected at stops at regular intervals and/or after specific events. Usually these pop up when there’s a lull in the gameplay
EXP CHART. Zoom out to full game experience, understanding how long it takes to play the game, where are players having the most fun and most frustrationLooking at these metrics holistically we can see how the experience unfolds over the course of the entire game. This helps the dev team visualize the experience and alerts them to any times the player may be significantly derailed. However, if you test whitebox levels and mechanics earlier in the process there should be fewer of these as they should have already been identified. ----- Meeting Notes (9/15/12 12:58) -----to understand the full game experience, how long it takes to play, where users are getting stuck
Really we’re not evil – we care about our consumers!
Video clip 1: radio silenceJust let me shoot the enemies!
WHAT GAME IS THIS lol
Our research looked at what players expected to be able to say to control the game, what kinds of actions and controls would be available via this new platform.Then the question was how usable and accessible were the voice commands? Were players able to be as effective with the new controls? Could they get the characters to do what they wanted in close to the same number of attempts as they would with the controller? How would the players feel about the experience of using voice commands?
Player 1 tyler: “…”Player 2 chris: “liara?” Oh it fires off where I’m looking? Yeah that’s what its doing.
Player 1 tyler: “…”Player 2 chris: “liara?” Oh it fires off where I’m looking? Yeah that’s what its doing.
Player 1 tyler: “…”Player 2 chris: “liara?” Oh it fires off where I’m looking? Yeah that’s what its doing.
Our research looked at what players expected to be able to say to control the game, what kinds of actions and controls would be available via this new platform.Then the question was how usable and accessible were the voice commands? Were players able to be as effective with the new controls? Could they get the characters to do what they wanted in close to the same number of attempts as they would with the controller? How would the players feel about the experience of using voice commands?
Design intent: create a game that encourages players to do physical activity with fitness in mind.Measure the gamers exercises and movement and provide feedback and performance metrics.GUR seeks to address whether the UX is doing this, and where it is failing. When we test a user experience – this must encompass more than just the software – it also takes into account the context, hardware and platform, any related systems that the game will interact within. In Sports active – the game relies on sensors to capture the player’s movement and behavior. The test may look at whether the player understands how to use the hardware effectively, whether they are physically able to, and the emotional experience – do they enjoy the activity? If there are breakdowns in any of those 3 areas, identifying them is key – knowing what the problems are means they can be addressed or at least the team is aware of them. Testing this meant having real gamers come to the lab and workout! Boy did we get sweaty. As the moderator – I wore workout clothes too – to help make the participants feel comfortable participating in an exercise test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
We dedicated a lot of resources to testing Battlefield 3 – doing all these methods to get feedback on the game throughout the development lifecycle.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
BF3 Military FPSRealism and fast reaction times are critical – twitch gamingHighest priority gameplay mode is the online multiplayer – interruptions and distractions need to be minimized, so we do group playtest to have them be in as close to the end-user experience as possible. Collecting feedback in surveys immediately after the match – we know that there will be some data we don’t capture because it is retrospective and we are not probing real-time, but the benefit is that it’s a more ideal gameplay experience. Warp - Puzzle Platformer game – its played single player, so in some ways reaction times are not quite as urgent, the game can be more forgiving of having the player think-aloud. For puzzle games our goal is to understand how players are solving the puzzles – their cognition! This doesn’t mean we didn’t DO 1:1 think-aloud usability tests for BF3… we did! But it depended on what the goal was – getting feedback on the UX/menus/HUD etc we did 1:1 think-aloud usability and maximized efficiency – having 1 consumer participant recruited at a time, and having internal players act as “server fodder”. Also minimal time spent in-game – maximizing tie spent on the focus areas for the test.
What other methods are there?We’re looking at
What other methods are there?Diary study
What other methods are there?Diary study
What other methods are there?Diary study
What other methods are there?Diary study
What other methods are there?Diary study
What other methods are there?Diary study
What other methods are there?Diary study
Gamers lie to get into studies and get the incentivesCareful screening is important for making sure gamers have the experience we are looking for
Gamers lie to get into studies and get the incentivesCareful screening is important for making sure gamers have the experience we are looking for
Gamers lie to get into studies and get the incentivesCareful screening is important for making sure gamers have the experience we are looking for
Gamers lie to get into studies and get the incentivesCareful screening is important for making sure gamers have the experience we are looking for
Gamers lie to get into studies and get the incentivesCareful screening is important for making sure gamers have the experience we are looking for
Tell me why you like Skyrim – well I like the characters and the graphics. Oh which characters did you like? Ummm the king? I can’t remember his name right now, but I thought he was cool. Ok, how about the graphics? What did you like about them?They were cool – they looked good. I liked the style.How about the gameplay? Yeah it was cool. I liked it.
So why does getting the right players matter?When we’re looking for players to test a co-op campaign
So why does getting the right players matter?When we’re looking for players to test a co-op campaign
Because we’re looking for qualified responses.
Targeted to ages 7-12, the sifteo cube gaming platform is hands on. Games are played by manipulating a set of cubes, putting them together (we call that neighboring), shaking, tilting, flipping – Since the cubes are a spatial and tangible interface, the platform really lends itself to puzzle games including word games, logic games, and maze adventure games. The system has audio as well that comes out of what we call the master cube. So now that you have a better understanding of the platform, we can dig a little deeper into what playtesting this platform is like.
Finally, the platform AND the games were being built at the same time. As our LEAD QA put it, it is like buiding an overpass and driving on it at the same time.
So what do we do at the PlayLab?
Cube buddies is a puzzle game. There are characters in the game and you engage with their faces by putting them back together after they have been scrambled. Faces are put back together by neighboring cubes and thus allowing the game to swap parts. So basically, if the blue/green guy and the orange guy were just neighbored, there eyes would have just swapped.
Learned through playtesting
Lots of things are wrong here, especially the eyes. Zorg’s eyes are on Suli’s head and Suli’s eyes are on Zorg’s head.
The player would start by putting the cubes together to swap the eyes.
Kids understood that the eyes were upside down, but making the leap to swap the same type of part was HUGE for kids. Why weren’t we teaching this? Kids could obviously tell that the eyes were wrong, they just had no idea what to do with it.
We had to single out this puzzle solving skill. This was tough to pinpoint just in level design but easy to pinpoint while playtesting. And playtesting resulted in an entire puzzle level around the core skill – swapping eyes.
Tilt the cubes to rearrange letters only on the cube, move the cubes around and neighbor to spell a target word
Why present word caravan in the context of platform?
Through playtesting we realized that word games are extra tricky. Players came to the game with models of other word games in their mind. They wanted to swipe the cubes like they were an iPad and they wanted to be able to swap out the letters, which they couldn’t. We had to find a way to teach OUR model of a word game.
SO how do we teach them our model and our rules, when they have something engrained in their mind of how word games work, AND how do we do that in a way that made the game too easy for older kids.
It helps a little, but if you are not an avid reader, you wont even know what patterns to look for, 7-9year olds may only just be learning compound words, phonemic patterns, prefixes and suffixes
This certainly helped in early levels of the game, but we were still finding that kids got stuck in later levels
We worked with our designers, creating that feedback loop – to carefully to make hypothesis on hinting, and initially, we still weren’t getting results
Developer watched each iteration Turn around within a day Sometimes reprogrammed hint mechanism on the fly after watching kids play, seeing first hand that the kids did not notice the icons encouraged the developer to take action on the critical items
Sandwich Kingdom is a
For this game, it was really important to work with the game designer to come up with a script of specific tasks we wanted to the player to do.
Are the users having fun playing as a girl character? Do they feel emersed in the world? What causes them not to be? Will the platform be a distraction?
But you have to start somewhere, the best way to start writing a script for your playtest is to play that version of the build
And figure out where you yourself are getting confused… this works great in early stages of the game, later one, you might know too much, so put pressure on the developer to discuss what the critical paths are to ensure the player makes it through their quest
One feature that is a great example are the dangerous pits. In the final implementation of the game, which you see here, we have a lot of modalities teaching us about the pits, we have an NPC telling us, and art that we will stumble upon if we have pearl walk through the temple a little further
So the purpose of the pit is that if you walk over it, it sends you back to the beginning, but early in the game…
We didn’t have NPCs to tell the player to be aware and the art for the pit was just some hash marks. Testing something like this early, even before the feature was done, allowed us to understand if the purpose feature was clear to the player or if it was just annoying. By testing this we learned that the player enjoyed avoiding the pits and saw it as a challenging mechanic rather than just a frustrating obstacle, so we continued with the feature and built it out.
And depending on your genre, you will need to ask different questions.
First off, the boring stuff – forms forms forms…
Make sure kids know you aren’t testing them, you are testing the game… you are only there to observe. Let them know that
Having siblings play together naturally is a great way to learn if your game is usable or not. It is especially helpful if you can see one child teach the other child how to play. If they are explaining a feature that doesn’t even exist or if they have trouble explaining a feature, then you know you may not be teaching core skills of the game properly
Its tough to ask kids “was this hard”
But how do we know how the entire game works???
We were developing the hw and the sw at the same time. Saving game metrics wasn’t a sensible priority for the team so we had to find another way to get quantitative data
Adults can be easier to come by, but you have to keep in mind that adults play differently than kids, so use your target audience as much as possible but recognize what value you can get from having a different set of eyes
Longitudinal testing allows you to see major issues, but sometimes it just isn’t possible to fix them
- Doing Games User Research is better than nothing! Get your feedback loop on!Think about what your design is about – what do you want the player to experience?Work closely with the Games User Researcher or persons working on the test to make sure they understand what feedback you need – what your priorities are? What information are you lacking?Games user research can help you improve the Game Designthe platform experience, Experience when used by your target audience, and collecting the most actionable feedback – regardless of development phase, gameplay, genre…
- Doing Games User Research is better than nothing! Get your feedback loop on!Think about what your design is about – what do you want the player to experience?Work closely with the Games User Researcher or persons working on the test to make sure they understand what feedback you need – what your priorities are? What information are you lacking?Games user research can help you improve the Game Designthe platform experience, Experience when used by your target audience, and collecting the most actionable feedback – regardless of development phase, gameplay, genre…
- Doing Games User Research is better than nothing! Get your feedback loop on!Think about what your design is about – what do you want the player to experience?Work closely with the Games User Researcher or persons working on the test to make sure they understand what feedback you need – what your priorities are? What information are you lacking?Games user research can help you improve the Game Designthe platform experience, Experience when used by your target audience, and collecting the most actionable feedback – regardless of development phase, gameplay, genre…