Friend Warz

Low-Fidelity PrototypeLuciano Cheng, Steve Lovejoy, Peter Na, Albert Sun

Paper Prototyping the Interface

• Decided to run some paper prototypes– Simple, easy, requires no real programming– Mainly drawn, minimal features, mainly function

• Once programmed, interface will be hard to change– At least try to get it right now

• Easy to find subjects– Embarrass myself trying to make paper look cool

Tasks To Test

• Simple: Log in– Log on to facebook, go to our app, log in

• Moderate: Join a game– Log on, go to menu, choose opponent, go to game

• Complex: Control some units– Move units around, simulate joining and exiting– Try best to demonstrate pop-up menus

Low-fidelity prototype structure

• Paper, screenshots, and representations– Flash Development still in early stages– All graphics are pretty rough

Logging inCommanding Units

Joining a game

Example Screenshot 1

Example Screenshot 2

Example Screenshot 3

Tasks To Test: EasyLog In to FriendWarz

Go to FB Home

Search

Link

Login

Homepage

Find game

Can’t find game

Tasks To Test: ModerateJoin a Game

Go to menu

Find Player

Choose Player

Start Game

Tasks To Test: ComplexControl Some Units

Control units

•To simulate moving units, we watched how different users touched / moved their fingers to the screen

Experimental method

• Come up with very basic drawings– Some have photoshop, mostly ugly representation

• Find some chumps to “try it out”– People who won’t make me feel embarrassed

• 2 developers from Luke’s startup– Who do whatever Luke says w/o question

• One other girl that Luke knows

• Watch and learn– Don’t talk to users after giving simple instruction

• “Start the game”• “Join the game”• “Find the game”

Experimental Results

• Getting into Facebook relatively easy– People understood how direct links work

• Need to log into Facebook

• Choosing easy but confusing– We didn’t say who is available to play

• Can’t “invite” friends to play who aren’t on the app• Only friends available vs. everybody

– Many users asked why they were waiting• … if no friends on the system• … if waiting for a game to start

Experimental Results

• Controlling units has a lot of problems– People used to controlling units differently• Non-game players were extremely confused

– Some people tried to “drag” units• We were picturing Starcraft style: select -> click

– We tried to speed up joining the game…• … but lack of instructions were confusing• Non-natural game players need instructions, can’t make

assumptions about users

Suggested UI changes

• Need to refine game choosing procedure– Can choose friend to play (simple)• … but also might want random pairing

– Some people have hundreds of friends– Many people suggested inviting a friend to play• Friend might have to be on FB, or just an email

• We need instructions or a tutorial– Starcraft people will get it fast, others might not– Help menus, keeping it simple

Suggested UI changes

• Keep it simple, people will come• Didn’t care about game, wanted to win over friend• Make up for complexity with jokes (Friend’s faces)

• Game simplicity is key– We might trash some of our more “reach” ideas• Limited units, buildings, options, etc• Game should be so simple, anybody who has ever

played a game can get it

Summary

• Still need to make many changes to UI– Although, technical challenges seem larger

• More extensive testing will come later• People still like games– Keep it simple– Need tutorial