Observations
The prototype was tested by eight different persons, and their behaviour towards the game and interface was noted of. We also asked for their feedback to get a clearer picture of which aspects of the game were implemented well and the ones which need further improvement. We advised the users to first start with a simple tutorial which was created with for the purpose of helping the users familiarise themselves with basic game mechanics such as option selection and grabbing objects. The following points describe our observations on the VR prototype:
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Certain users skipped the option of the tutorial and had very little knowledge of what they were meant to do in the game. As a result, a forced mini-tutorial should be placed onto the players for the first minute of the game in the form of hints that disappear once a game mechanic is learned.
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It was noted that some of the users experienced confusion after finishing the tutorial and starting the actual game. This is because some of the users could not figure out what objects were interactable and which weren't. They were also unaware of the main objective of the game. This problem could be addressed by providing the users with some type of narrative, or adding more to the interfaces by somehow marking the objects which could be interacted with (such as an exclamation mark hovering on the object or a glow effect).
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Another observation is that most of the users tried to interact with the wardrobe inside the scene by grabbing the knob, when in reality it should be opened by pressing a button on the menu hovering next to it. This may imply that the grabbing motion is more natural for the users in some cases, instead of choosing options from a menu.
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Positive feedback was given about the prototype, as many praised the the overall atmosphere of the room, particularly the small details in the furniture. The atmospheric feel was also enhanced through the background music of the game.
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Furthermore, the prototype was found to be pretty engaging and realistic as most users kept wondering around the room trying to interact with more stuff even though they had already interacted with everything they could.
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Users were a bit nervous when first trying the game but gained confidence quickly and managed to walk around with the VR set comfortably after a minute. It should be noted that half the users were able to grasp the 'grabbing object' mechanic faster than the other half. Perhaps the addition of a grabbing hand animation would assist users who struggle to perform it at first.
TASK 1
User Analysis
The game is targeted at users of ages above 12 and no specific genders. The recommended age is set as 12+ due to the problem solving that needs to be carried out in the game and the nature of the plot. The project is constructed for entertainment purposes and designed for users that are searching for a unique immersive experience where the gameplay is tailored to the user based on the decisions they make during the game. Since, the gameplay is based of decision making, the person’s social and psychological factors may impact the game.
Task Analysis
In order to capture and retain the user's attention, the game difficulty will not be too difficult or too easy. It will adapt to a particular user's difficulty based on his actions.The game will also be interactive, where the user will be expected to perform actions and solve some puzzles. There will also be a time limit, encouraging the user to go through the game quicker and keeping him engaged. Moreover, we aim to capture the user's attention by defining an interesting plot line.
The ambiance of the game will also aim at retaining the user's attention by playing background music and sounds associated with different actions. The game will also focus on realism, thus further encapsulating the user within our virtual environment. The interface of the game will also be manipulated to different events. Finally, outside of the actual game, there will be a main menu, which will include instructions on how to play the game & an end of game screen showing the user's success / failure.
Domain Analysis
We have chosen to program our game for the Oculus Rift, an immersive virtual reality headset, due to it being the most popular product in the VR domain, thus allowing us to reach more people. We chose an escape room game setting due it’s challenging problem solving nature which we feel would compliment our decision making motif. Escape rooms also involve interaction with numerous objects which would allow us to create decisions on top of these interactions.
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In decision making games, the decisions can take up different forms.
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A decision can be single or displayed as multiple choices.
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A decision may affect the choices that can be made in the next decision.
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Some choices can only be done if you take into consideration other decisions.
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Decisions can be done all at once or can be scattered throughout the game.
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Furthermore, some decisions can be unique (never seen before) or else similar choices are often displayed resulting in a decision-making routine.
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Examples of decision making games which impact the storyline include: The Stanley Parable, Heavy Rain, Until Dawn, Witcher 3
Meet the Team!
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Project Description
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