Evaluation of heuristics for designing believability in games gameon2013

Evaluating Game Heuristics For Measuring Player Experience Björn Strååt

Magnus Johansson ([email protected])

Henrik Warpefelt

Department of Computer and Systems Sciences/ Stockholm University

11/25/13

Outline •  Gameworld interaction (Gi) and Support interaction (Si)

•  Challenges, immersion and flow

•  Why work with heuristics?

•  The Net heuristics list

•  Results from pilot test

•  Analysis and discussion

•  Future work

06112013 Magnus Johansson, [email protected]

Support Game world

Game interaction

FarCry, Crytek Studios, published by Ubisoft,2004

What the developer intended for you to do


Explore the options…

Perform the task!

Mario Tennis Open, Nintendo, 2012

Chess pieces… Duh!

Game world: Challenges


Flow model based on concept by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 06112013 Magnus Johansson, [email protected]

Game world: Flow and immersion


the game world experience

Heuristic Evaluations of Game world experience

Jakob Nielsen – heuristic evaluations of interaction

Not suitable for games! 06112013 Magnus Johansson, [email protected]

Game heuristics

Federoff

Desurvire &Wiberg Desurvire et al.

Well researched Used by the industry Based on Nielsen Based on best practice Used as design guidelines


Pinelle et al

Game heuristics experience

Federoff

Desurvire &Wiberg Desurvire et al.

New list with heuristics Focus Game world experience

•  Adhere to the gameplay or game world •  Adhere to in-game challenges •  Not allow for immersion break •  Not allow for break of flow


Pinelle et al

The Net Heuristics list

Heuristic from Pinelle et al

1.  Provide visual representations that are easy to interpret and that minimize the need for micromanagement. Visual representations, such as radar views, maps, icons, and avatars, are frequently used to convey information about the current status of the game. Visual representations should be designed so that they are easy to interpret, so that they minimize clutter and occlusion, and so that users can differentiate important elements from irrelevant elements. Further, representations should be designed to minimize the need for micromanagement, where users are forced to interactively search through the representation to find needed elements.


Heuristics from the HEP list

1.  Make effects of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) clearly visible to the player by ensuring they are consistent with the player’s reasonable expectations of the AI actor.

2.  The Player has a sense of control over their character and is able to use tactics and strategies.

3.  Provide consistency between the game elements and the overarching setting and story to suspend disbelief.

4.  The game transports the player into a level of personal involvement emotionally (e.g., scare, threat, thrill, reward, punishment) and viscerally (e.g., sounds of environment).


Heuristics from the PLAY list

1.  The game is paced to apply pressure without frustrating the players. The difficulty level varies so the players experience greater challenges as they develop mastery

2.  Changes the player make in the game world are persistent and noticeable if they back-track to where they have been before

3.  There is an emotional connection between the player and the game world as well as with their “avatar.”

4.  The game utilizes visceral, audio and visual content to further the players’ immersion in the game


Heuristics from the PLAY list

5.  Status score Indicators are seamless, obvious, available and do not interfere with game play

6.  Game provides feedback and reacts in a consistent, immediate, challenging and exciting way to the players’ actions.

7.  The game gives rewards that immerse the player more deeply in the game by increasing their capabilities, capacity or, for example, expanding their ability to customize.

8.  Players should be given context sensitive help while playing so that they are not stuck and need to rely on a manual for help

9.  Game story encourages immersion (If game has story component).


Relation between GI criteria and Net heuristics


Results from the game evaluation test •  A total of 12 issues could be found using the Net list

•  10 resulting from designers not adhering to the heuristics

•  One issue followed the heuristics but still had a negative effect on the immersion

•  The last issue not part of any heuristic, negative effect on immersion


Analysis and Discussion •  The Net list, a tool for easy evaluations

•  The results from the game evaluation indicated that the Net list can be refined further.

•  The strongest contribution is the definition of ”Gameworld interaction”


Analysis and Discussion •  Existing heuristics useful but can be refined

•  Combination of heuristic useful for pin-pointing softer values of game experience

•  Most heuristics written on a high level of abstraction


Future work •  No alternative heuristics

•  Cooperation with the gaming industry to examine the concept of Gameworld interaction further

•  Further evaluation of heuristic principles


Thank You for listening!

Questions?


Evaluation of heuristics for designing believability in games gameon2013

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