Design and Evaluation of an Interface Prototype for Content Selection for a Game That Supports User-Generated Content
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DEGREE PROJECT IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, SECOND CYCLE, 30 CREDITS STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 2017 Design and evaluation of an interface prototype for content selection for a game that supports user-generated content ZEHUA SHAN KTH ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION English title Design and evaluation of an interface prototype for content selection for a game that supports user-generated content Swedish title Design och utvärdering av en gränssnittsprototyp för innehållsval för ett spel som stödjer användargenererat innehåll Zehua Shan [email protected] DA223X Degree Project in Computer Science and Communication, Second Cycle, 30 credits Degree Programme in Information and Communication Technology, 300 credits Master’s Programme, Interactive Media Technology, 120 credits KTH Royal Institute of Technology School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC) Supervisor at CSC was Helena Tobiasson Examiner at CSC was Jan Gulliksen 20170619 ABSTRACT Games that support a high level of customization is few, and their success varies, but it is an apparent trend that more and more games strive to offer players more highly customizable gaming experience. One huge part of the customizable experience beyond creating and sharing user’s creations is experiencing experiences created by others. Designing such an interface that support the user to do so poses many challenges. What do the users need? How should the content be displayed? What do users look for when trying to find something interesting? Those are just a few of the questions that need to be answered when creating a solution for such an interface. The question this paper tries to answer is: What are the main elements for a content selection interface that fulfill the needs of it’s users and meets their expectation for a game that supports vastly different gameplay experiences? A survey was sent out to get a grasp on what the users needs, with the results from survey and knowledge gained from the background study, an interface prototype design was developed. To get a reality check from potential users, the prototype was evaluated with user testing, and feedback from users was gained from semistructured interviews. Result suggests that the proposed set of function and information available are sufficient for most user, and the structure was clear. However, there are some features that the users wish to see, which could prove useful in helping users find interesting content. The knowledge gained from the study resulted in a prototype and some suggestions for future work regarding similar projects. SAMMANFATTNING Spel som stödjer en hög grad av anpassning är få, och deras framgång varierar, men det är en tydlig trend att fler och fler spel strävar efter att erbjuda spelare mer anpassningsbar spelupplevelse. En stor del av den anpassningsbara upplevelsen utöver att skapa och dela användarens skapelser är att uppleva upplevelser som skapats av andra. Att utforma ett sådant gränssnitt som stödjer användaren att göra det ställer många utmaningar. Vad behöver användarna? Hur ska innehållet visas? Vad letar användare efter när man försöker hitta något intressant? Det är bara några av de frågor som behöver besvaras när man skapar en lösning för ett sådant gränssnitt. Frågan som den här studien försöker svara är: Vilka är huvudelementen för ett innehållsvalgränssnitt som uppfyller användarnas behov och uppfyller förväntningarna för ett spel som stöder väldigt olika spelupplevelser? En undersökning skickades ut för att få tag på vad användarna behöver, med resultaten från undersökningen och kunskapen från bakgrundsstudien utvecklades en gränssnittsprototypdesign. För att få en verklighetskontroll från potentiella användare utvärderades prototypen med användartestning, och feedback från användarna samlades genom halvstrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet tyder på att den föreslagna uppsättningen funktions och information tillgänglig är tillräcklig för de flesta användare, och strukturen var tydlig. Det finns dock vissa funktioner som användarna vill se, vilket kan vara användbart för att hjälpa användare att hitta intressant innehåll. Kunskapen från studien resulterade i en prototyp och några förslag till framtida arbete avseende liknande projekt. Design and evaluation of an interface prototype for content selection for a game that supports user-generated content Zehua Shan KTH Royal Institute of Technology [email protected] ABSTRACT singular experiences, as several journals describes[2][27][28]. Games that support a high level of customization is few, and One model of achieving this is through delivering their success varies, but it is an apparent trend that more and Downloadable Content(DLC), and the other model is building more games strive to offer players more highly customizable game with great customization support, delivering more content gaming experience. One huge part of the customizable through community participation. There are some cases of this experience beyond creating and sharing user’s creations is approach in the industry[21], as some described[29][30], experiencing experiences created by others. Designing such an Minecraft is a great example of this. Those games that do interface that support the user to do so poses many challenges. support the high level of customization, however, mostly relies What do the users need? How should the content be displayed? on community solutions for sharing of customized gameplay What do users look for when trying to find something content via forum or websites. Browsing for community interesting? Those are just a few of the questions that need to be websites requires spending time on finding interesting custom answered when creating a solution for such an interface. The game modes on other platforms which might not be known to question this paper tries to answer is: the user, thus creating a gap between users and the content. For a more convenient experience with higher usability, it is in the What are the main elements for a content selection interface industry’s interest to integrate content sharing solutions into the that fulfill the needs of it’s users and meets their expectation for game itself. a game that supports vastly different gameplay experiences? Seeing this trend, a game development company where the A survey was sent out to get a grasp on what the users needs, author conducted this study, started a project which set out to with the results from survey and knowledge gained from the explore the possibilities for creating an environment for background study, an interface prototype design was personalized gaming experience with a focus on first person developed. To get a reality check from potential users, the games, whether it is a firstperson shooter or a firstperson prototype was evaluated with user testing, and feedback from sports game. The project revolves around creating a game, with users was gained from semistructured interviews. Result the goal that the game content could be adapted by the user in a suggests that the proposed set of function and information simple way, also that the user's personalized experiences could available are sufficient for most user, and the structure was be shared easily with players using the same game. clear. However, there are some features that the users wish to see, which could prove useful in helping users find interesting Another part of sharing the experience is for others to find and content. The knowledge gained from the study resulted in a enjoy the experience shared. With the tools that the game will prototype and some suggestions for future work regarding provide to its users, the users could create everything from a similar projects. puzzle game to a Massively Multiplayer Online RolePlaying Game(MMORPG); the user has to be able to find game content according to their need. Creating an interface that supports the Categories and Subject Descriptors user to do so poses many challenges, what do the users need? I.2.1 [Computing Methodologies] Application and How should the content be sorted? What do users look for Expert Systems – Games when trying to find something interesting? Those are just a few of the questions that need to be answered when creating a General Terms solution for such an interface. Theory This paper focuses on investigating what features or functions, that are helpful for users for finding interesting game content, Keywords and what information do users base their decision about Game, HCI, User Experience, UserGenerated Content, whether to try a new game or not. Lastly, to investigate whether Game Interface Design. the proposed structure of these features and information is intuitive for users, in the form of evaluation of a design prototype. The investigation is mostly conducted from a content 1. INTRODUCTION consumer point of view, not from a content creator point of In author's experience, most firstperson PC games on the view. market today has predetermined conditions, generating streamlined and monotonous gameplay[1]. The nature of those games means that the content selection is simple since the game 1.1 Game Modification could only play in a certain way. For different gameplay or Game modification, or "mod" for short, is the alteration of the experience, players would simply have to choose another game content of a video game. Mods are made by the game's end that suits their needs better or modify the game(mods). users or sometimes even game developers, and could range from simple assets to entirely new games, including new maps, To keep gamers around, it is becoming a trend for game units, textures, weapons, items, sound, story line and so on. In development companies to develop game as platform or this project, the mods are considered as whole new games, and services with more to experience for its users, rather than the focus lies on how to present the mods to other users in the best way. Also, sales aspect of user creations is not taken into popularity cycle of videos on YouTube and other similar UGC consideration during this study.