GAME USABILITY – FINAL PROJECT

FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY

DESIGN TEAM

DANIEL JOHNSONJEFFREY MILLSDEREK PRATE

PERCY LEE JONES III

INSTRUCTORJOHN SEITZ

INNOVATIVE HORIZONS PRODUCTIONS

AbstractThis presentation will focus on our new HCI device (controller) for use with an upcoming iteration of next-generation consoles. Our design addresses the growing need for a more flexible and customizable user interface needed for accommodating todays’ increasingly complex and varied games. We feel the touchscreen face and strategically positioned “shoulder” buttons are what the modern gamer, and game designer, need to allow more intuitive interaction with the games and even new game types and designs to flourish.The controller would be well suited for any game but the three where it would be most beneficial are the RPG, Fighting, and FPS genres. We will test this hypothesis using a modified procedure that Microsoft Game Studios implements during playtest sessions for their upcoming games. This presentation also includes a review of current technologies and inspirations for our design and a breakdown of our findings and conclusions.

Introduction and Design PurposeOur controller focuses on the growing need for an evolutionary step regarding the HCI of

upcoming console systems. Video games have become more and more widespread in our society and are being played by an increasingly wider range of people coming from all walks of life. Consequently, games have expanded greatly in their scope and design to accommodate this fact. Hardcore gamers crave more complexity and innovative game design while the influx of more casual gamers necessitates a simpler, more laid back approach. An equally complex, yet simple, approach needs to be applied to the interface device.

Our way to solve this, and the main feature of the device, is for the whole front face of the controller to be one big touchscreen. Imagine the ability to place the buttons anywhere you wanted, make them any size, and label them if you wish. Place them to the right like a traditional button setup or place them to the left for a true left-handed configuration. For games that need more buttons, like Street Fighter’s 6 button layout, you can place that many buttons on the screen and in any position. The same can be done for more casual games that may need only 1 or 2 buttons. Slider bars will also be incorporated into the touchscreen as will the ability to adjust their size and position. Controlling normal game options such as music, voice, and sound FX can be done on the fly without going into menus. Using them as selection wheels for weapons or special abilities can also be done on the fly. Analog sticks and shoulder buttons are still present but we feel our positioning of the shoulder buttons allow for a more ergonomically pleasing feel. A microphone is also incorporated into the design for communicating with friends or teammates. All of these factors contribute to a controller whose versatility and level of customizability is unparalleled. Facilitating all play styles and allowing innovative game designs to be implemented is something all new controllers should strive for and we feel our design will handle this exceptionally well.

Literature ReviewAlthough our design shares similarities with Nintendo’s Wii U controller, the touchscreen, that’s where the similarities end. Inspiration for it came from the rapidly growing trend of having a touchscreen interface for everyday products and services. The biggest example of this is our cellphones. Most people nowadays have a cellphone with a touchscreen interface and in a few years you’d be hard pressed to find ANYONE that doesn’t own one. Notebooks, tablets, and E-readers are using this feature. GPS units and multifunction displays, which are becoming standard in many new automobiles, incorporate this. Computer screens are now being made with this functionality in mind. Even in sci-fi movies, touchscreens are the prevalent form of user interface between man and machine. The fact that this technology is being used in so many different ways and becoming more and more visible in today’s society speaks volumes as to the inherent advantages that a touchscreen offers. Also, given the fact that more and more people are being exposed to this means that society’s learning curve for it is getting lower and lower. People are being trained to use this controller in their daily lives! The other feature we were keen on implementing was to have four trigger buttons. The XBOX 360’s trigger buttons were the inspiration for this design aspect. Their wide range of movement allows for good tactile feel of incremental pressure changes and if two trigger buttons is good then our four is better! The placing of these buttons in our design is also optimized for ergonomics allowing for a much more natural feel when holding the controller.

Schematics and Designs

Top Down View of Controller

L1 Trigger L2 Trigger Touchscreen Left Analog Stick Microphone Right Analog Stick

Schematics and Designs

Bottom View of Controller

1. R1 Trigger 2. L1 Trigger 3. R2 Trigger 4. L2 Trigger

Schematics and Design

Right Side-View of Controller

1. Right Joystick 2. R1 Trigger 3. R2 Trigger

Mock-Up Design1. L1 Trigger2. R1 Trigger3. Touch Screen4. Left joystick5. Right joystick

Top Down View

Mock-Up Design

Bottom View of Controller (Note Location of R/L Trigger Buttons

1. R1 Trigger2. L1 Trigger3. R2 Trigger4. L2 Trigger5. Joystick Underhousing

Mock-Up Design

Left Side-View of Controller

Testing ProceduresOur testing method was similar to that developed and used by Microsoft Studios. Our controller playtest sessions are structured as so:

We would bring in user’s who are familiar with the genre we are testing the controller with that day. For example, a gamer that likes and plays FPS games would be invited to test our controller with FPS games.

Participants would be greeted by a Playtest Moderator upon arriving.

Participants would be asked to sign an NDA (Non-disclosure Agreement); without it they will not be allowed to test the controller.

The Playtest Moderator would give the participant info and instruction on the controller and how the playtest will proceed. The moderator will also answer any questions the participant may have.

Participants will play a game for an hour using the controller. They would then answer a series of questions about their experience with the controller.

A short exit interview would follow the survey to get any final thoughts or concerns the participant may have about the controller.

After completion the participant is thanked for their time.

The data that was collected from all the participants in the playtest was then combined so we could analyze the results. Based on the data we collected we could then reassess our design and work on improving the weak spots in our design. The data would then be used again in later tests as a benchmark to compare future results to.

Description of 3 GamesCall of Duty1) Weapon selection more efficient2) First or third person shooters, because of the limiting nature of the current button system, normally allow only 1-3 preset levels

of zoom for sniper rifles. With this new controller, Games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (http://www.callofduty.com/mw3) or Battlefield 3 (http://www.battlefield.com/battlefield3) can allow for finely tuned sniper zooming which could in fact change the way gamers play the game and/or the way the designers construct them.

3) Having these buttons on the right side of the controller or the left would be no problem so having a true “left-handed” control configuration would be an actual reality.

Skyrim4) Wheel adjusted easily but with errors when trying to change between equipment and items5) I believe games that are menu heavy such as RPG’s like the Elder Scrolls (http://www.elderscrolls.com/) franchise would do

well because of all the gameplay options that would be adjustable while actually playing.6) Also, the screen would allow for slider bars to be implemented. Imagine adjusting music, sound FX, brightness, headset/voice

volume, difficulty settings on the fly without going into menus. Or using those bars as selection wheels to equip different weapons/armor or selecting magic/spells all without disrupting gameplay. The need for menu screens would be eliminated or at least greatly reduced.

Street Fighter7) Most notable of which is the Street Fighter series (http://www.streetfighter.com/us/sfxtk/). It’s famous for its six-button layout

control scheme and with the current standard of four main face buttons, having the exact layout of the arcade version’s buttons is impossible on console controllers. My controller design would allow these situations, and a whole lot more, to become reality.

8) Customization is a hit with the controller and multiple layouts.9) The touchscreen will make button placement completely customizable. One to six buttons would be possible including

changing their size and position. Big or small, either in a diamond, square, rectangle or triangle configuration the choice would be yours.

Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimTesting Observations

Function buttons are conveniently located on touch screen

Selection wheel can be fully customized to meet the needs of the player.

The touch screen is bilaterally symmetrical to allow for left and right hand players to comfortably use the touch screen and interact with it as they see fit.

RPG games with heavy menus, this touch screen orientation seemed practical and easy to use on the fly.

Keeping menu options simple my alleviate any confusion or clutter on the screen

Streetfighter 6Testing Observations

During combat, button locations created some distress and frustration for the player

Bilateral button orientation on the touch screen, enable the use of both left and right handed players

Customization on the fly could be difficult. However, prior to gameplay, button mapping and locations can be customized to suit the players comfort level.

Call of DutyTesting Observations

Sniper rifle/weapon zoom is accessible and easy to adjust on the fly

Touch screen slider bars can be customized for various functions: i.e., weapon zoom, item selection, weapon select

Problems may arise from accidentally hitting certain options on the touch screen during gameplay

Findings and ResultsWhat did you find out?

We found out just how versatile our controller was shortly after watching the first few participants and how differently the controller was set up for each user. Throughout testing we encouraged our participants to try different setups and really see if they could enhance their gaming experience by rearranging the layout of the buttons and that feeling of taking their gaming experience to the next level was confirmed by many in the exit interview. It was really mind-blowing to see how many different layouts a first-person shooter can have and to see players be effective with nearly each and every one.

Findings and ResultsWhat are some things about the controller you would like to discuss?

We were really excited about the idea of being able to allow the player to control where they want each button. This is important for not only those who want to experiment but also for those who are physically disabled or have a disability as there is currently no guidelines for designing games for these people ("Gaming with a physical disability," 2006). By allowing for a high amount of user input to influence how the control is mapped to each user we can give these people the maximum gaming experience a developer had intended when they designed their product. We also took advantage of the touch interface by mainstreaming user interfaces found during gameplay such as in-game menu’s or option screens and allow the touch screen to display these menu’s. This greatly benefits games like Dead Space where the action never stops and players need a lot of information available with limited screen clutter. By allowing for the controller to handle some of the work load the player has a better gaming experience and more information available to them at all times. Aside from the customizable touch interface, we really focused on not just allowing for moveable buttons but also adding two buttons on the back of the controller. These buttons, placed where the player naturally wraps their rmiddle fingers around, allows for more user input and more room to design for any developer. We really feel our design is a win-win not only for players, but developers also.

Findings and ResultsWhat were your results?

Our results were a bit of a surprise. The controller was preloaded with genre specific “Standard” settings so the controller had the feel of any controller of that genre and we thought more people would lean on these settings, especially when just starting out with the controller. To our surprise many players came in and immediately began to tweak the interface to their liking. There were a lot of moments players said, “I always wanted to try this,” or, “This feels so much better!” Our survey answers indicated that players were really impressed with the design and natural feel of the controller. The sliders were also very popular and allowed players to adjust sound and visual settings on the fly. The exit interviews went fantastic and many inquired as to when the controller would be released to the public. The only mixed results we received were when we tested children during these playtest sessions. The children had the bad habit of “mucking up” the interface which means they created interfaces they couldn’t really use and then were frustrated with the results. Luckily the preloaded interfaces were easy to return to and allowed them to continue with their playtest.

Findings and ResultsHow do you plan to improve it?

Improvements never stop, and when they do usually something is very wrong. I would say our biggest hurdle right now is fixing the gap between the controller and children customizing the interface. Kids should enjoy the same benefits other users are experiencing with our controller so this is really a priority for us. This could be done on our end by getting the measurements of the “average” child’s hand and then programming that into the controller to see how far each finger generally reaches while holding the controller. By doing this we could put restraints on how far kids could put the buttons on the controller so they never place buttons that are out of reach of their fingers.

Findings and ResultsAre there any opportunities for future research?Future research is necessary to keep our design up with new trends and standards set in the industry. Our future tests are focused on refining what is working and redesigning what isn’t. The early tests were positive so we know we are working in the right direction and we will continue to follow the public’s opinion and work hard to make our design as user friendly and revolutionary as possible.

ConclusionsOur conclusions from our testing and results were the following:

Kid’s struggled to use the controller’s customization. This will require future testing and innovation to make sure kids can get the best results using our design.

The controller allows for unparalleled customization that can be found nowhere else. This is a huge draw for potential consumers.

The ability for disabled gamers to use the device efficiently and effectively introduces a new audience to our design and games people in this group couldn’t experience before.

Some felt the controller was too hard to customize on the fly. This will need to be addressed with future designs and then tested.

The ability to add buttons to games made for gameplay that stretched beyond what had previously been possible.

The controller was easy to handle and use for most adult gamers. Color selection in mock-up is strictly to enhance the features of the controller. The color can be modified to suit various audiences.

RecommendationsIt is obvious from our tests that our core design is very solid, although we need to continue to improve upon our shortcomings. Our next round of testing will include a focus group of children and some tweaks to the design to help make sure that kids can get the maximum use out of the controller with the smallest amount of user error. We also want to focus more in depth on how our controller can give more feedback to players while they are playing. By iterating, innovating, and testing we plan on having the controller ready to launch with the next Playstation console to hit the market.

ReferencesVogt, F., Chen, T., Hoskinson, R., & Fels, S. (n.d.). A malleable surface touch interface. Retrieved from http://hct.ece.ubc.ca/publications/pdf/vogt-chen-hoskinsin-fels-SIGGRAPH2004.pdf

Isbister, K., & Schaffer, N. (2008). Game usability. Burlington, MA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. DOI: www.mkp.com

Gaming with a physical disability. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.game-accessibility.com/index.php?pagefile=motoric