Thesis Template for Researchers
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
University of Huddersfield Repository Robins, Joshua Barrier Determination Framework for Video Game Analysis Regarding Users with Visual Impairments Original Citation Robins, Joshua (2019) Barrier Determination Framework for Video Game Analysis Regarding Users with Visual Impairments. Masters thesis, University of Huddersfield. This version is available at http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/35004/ The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, available on Open Access. Copyright and Moral Rights for the items on this site are retained by the individual author and/or other copyright owners. Users may access full items free of charge; copies of full text items generally can be reproduced, displayed or performed and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided: • The authors, title and full bibliographic details is credited in any copy; • A hyperlink and/or URL is included for the original metadata page; and • The content is not changed in any way. For more information, including our policy and submission procedure, please contact the Repository Team at: [email protected]. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/ BARRIER DETERMINATION FRAMEWORK FOR VIDEO GAME ANALYSIS REGARDING USERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS JOSHUA A ROBINS A thesis submitted to the University of Huddersfield in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MSc by Research (Computer Science) The University of Huddersfield January 2019 Copyright statement i. The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns any copyright in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Huddersfield the right to use such copyright for any administrative, promotional, educational and/or teaching purposes. ii. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts, may be made only in accordance with the regulations of the University Library. Details of these regulations may be obtained from the Librarian. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii. The ownership of any patents, designs, trademarks and any and all other intellectual property rights except for the Copyright (the “Intellectual Property Rights”) and any reproductions of copyright works, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property Rights and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property Rights and/or Reproductions 2 Abstract People with visual impairments are not often considered as a target market within todays growing video game industry. A lack of funded research and development focused on this issue has left few alternatives for the growing demographic of visually impaired players. The most prominent solutions derive from user adaptations or low budget audio game development. Both adaptions have severe problems in their delivery of quality products to satisfy player needs, as well as cater to specific visual impairment types commonly found within the demographic. This thesis aims to determine the individual abilities and needs of visual impairment types, specifically in relation to activity and apply theories of activity to produce a framework of analysis for gameplay activity, resulting in barrier determination within gameplay as well as analysis of suitability within gameplay for specific visual impairment types. 3 Identifying Players Abilities and Limitations within Genre ............................................. 27 Table of Contents 4 Using Activity Theory to Identify Influential Abstract.............................................................. 3 Game Elements ............................................... 32 Table of Contents .............................................. 4 Activity Theory and Limitations .................... 32 List of Tables ..................................................... 6 Acquiring Information ............................... 32 List of Figures .................................................... 7 Problem Definition .................................... 32 Dedications and Acknowledgements ................ 8 Goal Formulation ...................................... 33 List of Abbreviations and Definitions ................. 9 Implementation of Strategy (Transformation) ....................................... 33 Introduction ........................................................ 9 Evaluation of Strategy .............................. 33 1 Background .................................................. 10 An Initial Analysis of Gameplay Regarding Visual Impairment and Blindness ................ 10 Visual Impaired Users .................................. 34 Definition and Measurement .................... 10 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ..................... 34 Broad Scale .............................................. 10 Example Activity ....................................... 34 Localized .................................................. 10 Evaluation of Activity Analysis Method .... 36 Player Experience ........................................ 11 5 Using Activity Theory to Determine Barriers User Experience ....................................... 11 Within Gameplay ............................................. 37 Usability .................................................... 11 6 Framework for Utilizing Acts as Player Dependant Methodology ................................. 38 Human Computing Interaction ................. 12 Developing the Framework .......................... 38 Player Experience and Playability ............ 12 Testing ...................................................... 38 Activity Theory ............................................. 15 Framework Potential ................................ 38 Self Determination Theory ........................... 16 7 Barrier Determination Methodology.............. 39 2 Impact of Visual Impairments on Player Experience and Playability .............................. 18 An Introduction to the Barrier Determination Tool .............................................................. 39 Choosing Visual Impairments .................. 18 First Iteration ................................................ 39 Categories of Skill ........................................ 19 Framework ............................................... 39 Analysis of Skill Set Against Visual Impairment ................................................... 21 Testing ...................................................... 40 Table 1 Sources ....................................... 21 Second Iteration ........................................... 42 Considering Playability ................................. 23 Tool Framework ....................................... 42 Analysis of Visual Impairments Against Procedure ................................................. 43 Playability Factors ........................................ 24 Results ..................................................... 47 Table 2 Sources ....................................... 24 Usability Evaluation .................................. 48 Player Experience (via acquired visual 8 Discussion .................................................... 51 impairments) ............................................. 24 Conclusion................................................ 51 Player Experience (via congenital visual impairments) ............................................. 25 Appendices ...................................................... 52 Player Experience Conclusion ................. 25 Appendix 1 ................................................... 52 3 Recognising Activity Systems within the ActivitySystem_Skyrim_v2 ........................... 52 Games and Justification of Genre ................... 26 Appendix 2 ................................................... 52 Activity System, Core Gameplay and Problem BDT_v1_blank ............................................. 52 Solving ......................................................... 26 Appendix 3 ................................................... 52 Acquiring Information ............................... 26 BDT_v1_example ........................................ 52 Information as an Immersive Tool ............ 27 Appendix 4 ................................................... 52 Goal Formation ......................................... 27 4 BDT_documentation .................................... 52 Appendix 7 ................................................... 52 Appendix 5 ................................................... 52 BDT_v2_example ........................................ 52 BDT_Usability_questionnaire_blank ............ 52 Appendix 8 ................................................... 52 Appendix 6 ................................................... 52 Usability_Testing_participation .................... 52 BDT_v2_blank ............................................. 52 Bibliography ..................................................... 53 5 List of Tables Table 1 Analysis of skill sets against visual impairment type ..................................................................... 22 Table 2 Analysis of visual impairment category against playability factors ................................................ 24 Table 3 Analysis of genre mechanic effectiveness against player experience factors