Week13 Prac B : Interactive Prototype III Test

Before testing session, I prepared ten questions survey which created by “google form”, the purpose of this survey is for collect feedback from different users. I also prepared three tasks, and users need to finish each task one by one during the test session, these tasks were designed for two purposes.

Firstly, these tasks can help users gradually familiar with the game and game control, because not all of them know my concept, and some users may not even know much about the Pac-man game, also they have to use a new controller with novel physical input method. Secondly, user can provide some feedbacks for specific aspect of concept by follow the tasks. For example, I want to know how users feel about each difficulty level.

The tasks for test interactive prototype II:

Task 1:  

l  Select the “Easy” difficulty, and finish a game by using one hand (two fingers).

Task 2:

l  Select the “Normal” difficulty, and finish a game by using one hand (two fingers).

Task 3:

l  Select the “Hard” difficulty, and finish a game by using one hand (two fingers).

The evaluation method is survey, and survey questions include:

1.    Have you finished all the tasks? If no, why

2.    which instruction do you prefer, why? (provide Images)

3.    Does the game interface provide clear & meaningful instructions? If no or no sure, why

4.    Which difficulty level do you think provides more fun or good gameplay experience then other difficulties, Why?

5.    Do you feel the "Easy" difficulty is actually easier than "Normal”? why?

6.    Do you feel "hard" difficulty level is actually?

7.    Are there any difficulties or challenges when you play the game?

8.    Which part/element of interface do you think need to improve?  why?

9.    Any suggestions about interface?

10.  Any suggestions about the physical input (control board)?

For more survey details, this is my survey link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMMLxqyHme5gS_qn-r5ZWJnxxoXjtB92vLohahey-ohlm4JA/viewform

To prepare the test, I sign in a computer, and use Unity open the project, then I open, task list, and survey web page. Firstly, I asked each user whether they know my concept before, if no, I will give them a short introduction about this game. In order to complete the test, I assign each user a role, one user is player1 and another is player2, then let them follow the tasks to start the testing. Another important activity is that I observe user’s emotional expressions and behaviors when they playing the game, then combine survey feedback, so I can obtain more valuable information about my concept.

Feedback

After my observation part, I have asked testers to fill in a survey for giving me some suggestions. Here is the outcome summary below.

Week12 Revisit Definition of a Prototype

In week 1, I was thinking a prototype is an early working model, and most of them will throwaway eventually, but after I conducted all these interactive prototypes, I realize that prototype actually is a process or a product which acts as a thing to be replicated, learned or further developed. For each interactive prototype, we start inherit some features from last prototype, then make some adjustments or add some new features, after that we learn from user’s feedback to define issues, finally generate some solutions for each issues, the iteration will keep going until we stop improve the product. So the interactive prototype that I conducted is evolutionary prototype. And it’s very useful for game development, because for interface aspect, we want keep most code for future use rather than throwaway.  Overall, prototyping comes in many forms, but choose the prototype that most suitable for your concept should also be considered.

Furthermore, when I conduct each interactive prototype, the concept keeps change, include improving, deleting, and adding. We are not always follow the original design, but what kind of fact changes our mind, the answer is user’s feedback, their thoughts or suggestions are influence the concept and prototypes. Most of decision that I made were inspired by viewing user’s feedback, their direct motion and behavior responses are also considered as important feedback.  So I was thinking the most important prototyping process is evaluation, but after evaluate stage, analyses user requirements are also very important process. In conclusion, we can’t ignore any process in the prototyping process iteration, prototyping is a process, after all, not a single act.   

Week12 Interactive Prototype III Progress

In this week, I start build the interactive prototype III, the idea is to improve the game experience by adding some new game features, because from last two prototypes, only few people felt excited about gameplay, even the novel physical input can surprise users, but the actual gameplay still a bit boring, also some feedback mentioned that the difficulty not suitable for everyone, so some new selectable gameplays may help to fix these issues.

For the new features, there are two new difficulties level which are “Easy” and “hard”, and the original game become “Normal” level, so user can switch each difficulty level by click correspond buttons. For the “Easy” difficulty level, I simply reduce the number of key combination, there are two directions only require one button press, but two players still share two same buttons.

For the “hard” difficulty level, I replace the score counter with a timer, the time start at 100. When the game began, the timer also start countdown, then when Pac-man eat one Pac-dot which worth one point, the enemy’s time will minus one, when eat one Pac-dot which worth five point, the enemy’s time will minus five. The player who run out of time first will lose the game.

In order to switch between three different difficulty levels , i create a "enum" to declare an enumeration, include beginner, intermediate and hard.  

when the enum value equal to the difficulty level that user chooses, then switch to another set of key combinations.  

After click related button, then the script will switch the scene to the correspond difficulty scene. 
                                         

Here are two different key combination sets：

Issue:

when i switch to the beginner difficulty level, the intermediate difficulty level key combination still working, i found the issue is because two different levels share same keys for move UP and Down,  when i click the key combination A+S, the key A also clicked. so i add a code to avoid this problem, add (!(input.GetKey.A)) to avoid the issue that press A and S at same time .

Add ! to avoid the issue

Week 11 Lecture: Pugh Matrix & Set-based design

In this week contact session exercise, we generate concepts for consistently reproducing & representing 3D movement in space that allows a musical composition to be accurately played on a Theremin. Then use Pugh Matrix to compare concepts.

In order to generate concepts, I did some research about Theremin. So the Theremin is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the thereminist (performer). The instrument's controlling section usually consists of two metal antennas that sense the relative position of the thereminist's hands and control oscillators for frequency with one hand, and amplitude (volume) with the other. The electric signals from the theremin are amplified and sent to a loudspeaker. [1]

Concepts

1.     A conducting device to display some instruction of conducting hand movement

2.     Light laser to display the musical scale, so user can play it like play musical instrument

3.     Using AR device to allow user see some visual musical scales, then user can

4.     temperature Sensor that can help user to know their current musical scale

Pugh Matrix

For the set-based design, we using Pugh Matrix to define feasible regions, explore trade-offs and communicate sets of possibilities. Then integrate all possible idea to minimum constraint. Finally establish feasibility again before commitment it. Overall, it’s requires trying lots of ideas and pick a favourite then using tools to select (Pugh Matrix), combine aspects in the end.It’s very useful when explore about your concepts when you improving or designing.  

1.     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin

Week 10 - The Interactive Prototype II Components

The original idea for the gameplay does not changed, the interaction still involves finger touch and combination of control buttons. For this interactive prototype II, I replace the keyboard control with a novel physical input. 

There is the link for my original game concept:

http://hushengliudeco7230.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/week3-concept-detail.html

However, for combining my game with Makey Makey, i did change some part of physical input. 

The board

The control board contain three main components, the first component is the board, it’s made of card board and become the base of the controller. In consideration of two players will against each other, so the control board need enough space that allow two hands press buttons at same time.  Therefore, I made the size of the board become 16cm X 11cm,  and user will use it transversely. Also,  i decide to add a “back board” behind the control board, because when two player play the game by using same control board, the physical pressure and friction may damage the wires, so the “back board” can protect these wires.

 

The Back Board

The button

The second component is button, there are six buttons which represent six keys (W, A, S, D, F, G)，the button made of “Copper Foil Tape”, the shape is circle, but the button divided into left part and right part, all right part connect to the Makey Makey “EARTH” port, and all left part connect to each “Key” port on the Makey Makey, when user touch the button and make connection between two side, then Makey Makey can detected which key has been pressed.

Original design:  
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7900357602027684615#editor/target=post;postID=2583183942709539398;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=2;src=postname

However, In order to increase the stability of connection when user press the button, I made the button inner sides interdigitate. Furthermore, I write the key instructions on the paper and paste them under each button.

Final design:
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7900357602027684615#editor/target=post;postID=2583183942709539398;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=2;src=postname

The Board & buttons

The Wire

The third component is wires, each button requires two wires for connect Makey Makey “EARTH” port and “Key” port. All these wires made of tinfoil, because it’s can conduct electricity and it’s also a flexible material when twisted to wires. Because there is only one connection required for “EARTH” port, so I twist all “right side” wires become one thick wire.  The terminal of each wire connected by one alligator clip cable, then the alligator clip cable connects to the connector wire which plugged into the “Key” port on the Makey Makey.

The wires

Final Makey Makey Setup

Week10 Prac B : Interactive Prototype II Test

In this week, we did the testing session for interactive prototype II. Before testing session, I prepared ten questions survey which created by “google form”, the purpose of this survey is for collect feedback from different users. I also prepared three tasks, and users need to finish each task one by one during the test session, these tasks were designed for two purposes.

Firstly, these tasks can help users gradually familiar with the game and game control, because not all of them know my concept, and some users may not even know much about the Pac-man game, also they have to use a new controller with novel physical input method. Secondly, user can provide some feedback for specific aspect of concept by follow the tasks. For example, I want to know how users feel about the physical interactivity when they use the control board with one hand and both hands.    

The tasks for test interactive prototype II:

Task 1:  

l  Move your Pac-man around in the map.

Task 2:

l  Complete a game with one hand and two fingers.

Task 3:

l  Complete a game with both hand and two fingers for each hand.

*reset the game after complete each task.

For more survey details, this is my survey link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhTUbUfOPEPqZAJ1OLfMufAYRLCxVSEonWtM-5EsT-ZndEmQ/viewform?c=0&w=1

To prepare the test, I sign in a computer, copy the executable file and task list into this computer, then I open the game, task list, and survey web page.  In order to complete the test, I assign each user a role, one user is player1 and another is player2, then let them follow the tasks to start the testing. Another important activity is that I observe user’s emotional expressions and behaviors when they playing the game, then combine survey feedback, so I can obtain more valuable information about my concept.

Feedback

After my observation part, I have asked testers to fill in a survey for giving me some suggestions. Here is the outcome summary below.

Most tester finished all the tasks.

Summary

Based on the testing and observation, there are some issues that i need to improve.

- some users can’t remember the key combinations, and they need to look the instruction frequently
   
- the interface should provide more response

- one player can control another player’s Pac-man consciously or unconsciously

- players hit the reset button on accident

- direction indicators are overlap together when user press more than one key combinations at same time

Reflection

user’s opinion some time may divided into two very different directions, such as some users enjoy using fingers to against another player by interference controls, but some other user may hate it. So the challenge of improve your concept is can you find a way to satisfy both side users or you have to choose which side you stand for.