Author: valerie.feichtmair

At 7th October I attended the Game Dev Days, and I found the talks quite interesting. Most of them provided valuable insights into the game development process. The speakers discussed how they created their games, whether it was a small indie game developed by a single person, like „Roto Force“, or a larger project sponsored by Apple, such as the Game „Gibbon“.

While it was motivating to see how proud the speakers were of their accomplishments, it was also intimidating to realize the amount of work required to create a game. For instance, one speaker showed the complexities of designing an algorithm for different NPCs that appear on different days. This involved ensuring that characters didn’t overlap, especially when interacting with the player, and that important storylines for various tasks were properly integrated. This level of detail in game development was something I hadn’t considered before.

Another revelation was when a developer who single-handedly created a game shared the number of hours it took. His game took approximately 4000 hours to develop, and the profit was the same, resulting in an hourly wage of just 1 €, which was quite frustrating to hear.

There were also talks with more general topics, such as the talk from Phil Strahls which was about choosing colors in games. I particularly enjoyed this talk because the speaker not only covered the theoretical aspects of color selection but also provided practical advice. For example, he explained that front colors should be darker than back colors and cautioned against using too many colors, which can create visual noise that is challenging to manage. These insights are not only useful for game design but can also be applied to other design fields, such as animation and illustration.

In summary, the talks at the event were truly inspiring. While I may not be ready to develop a game for my master’s thesis due to the potential overload, I am certainly interested in exploring topics like the intricacies of NPC algorithms for a possible thesis subject. I think some other talks where quite useful for my Master Thesis, like the one about colors, because this theory will be similar to User Interfacedesign. The event has broadened my perspective on the world of game development and design.

more about this topic:

https://books.google.at/books?hl=de&lr=&id=ZzihBgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=game+dev+days&ots=PI9DLPqQNQ&sig=iHgiB25t1qnsIy5Urxthlc3AiO8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=game%20dev%20days&f=false

Stages of Game Development | Your Guide On Game Development Process

On November 4th, I attended a musical called “Rebecca” at the Raimund Theatre. What stood out in this performance was the use of an adjustable transparent screen. It was interesting to see how it was incorporated into the show.

Throughout the production, actors positioned themselves behind the screen, cleverly utilizing it to create various effects. For instance, a phone booth was projected onto the screen, and where the actress stood, the screen became transparent, giving the illusion that she was inside the phone booth, even though the stage behind the screen was empty. It made the background of the show more interesting. Additionally, it added versatility to the on-stage furniture. For example, a real house wall was visible, and the screen projected moving leaves to simulate wind. Later, they even used it to project fire, creating the illusion of a burning building.

The use of such screens can generate impressive effects by projecting onto objects, potentially leading to savings on materials and stage design, as mentioned by the example of the phone booth.

I found it really cool to see how projection mapping works in action. While the application of projection mapping in live performances is fascinating it may not align with the focus of my Master’s thesis.

more about this topic:

https://www.tnl.de/projektion/projection-mapping/?gclid=CjwKCAiApaarBhB7EiwAYiMwqupwRleR_zXG6dLKqxNClnfR7zyuJbB-p7GoJ4NR6qa1jqsJxfGd4hoCEvsQAvD_BwE

I watched some talks at the World Usability Congress and found them quite interesting. While not all of them were my cup of tea due to some being a bit too technical, I did manage to take away something valuable from each one.

One presentation, titled “Measuring Emotional Engagement” by Bill Albert, stood out as my favorite, and I’d like to focus on it in this blog post. Albert discussed emotions in general, how we can test them in usability trials, and why understanding customer emotions during product testing is crucial. He highlighted common UX emotions like engagement, stress, frustration, affect, trust, and confidence. Measuring emotions, however, isn’t always easy due to the challenge of dealing with potentially noisy data. This is partly because not everyone has the same definition for each emotion. Communicating about emotions can be tricky as they are abstract, and some emotions, like trust, may be particularly elusive to analyze.

What caught my interest was the array of research tools used in UX for measuring emotions, something I wasn’t aware of before. Albert shared an example of real-time emotional measurement through eye tracking during usability tests and introduced other tools like self-reports, facial expression analysis, GSR, and behavioral observations.

I also appreciated the practical aspect of Albert’s talk. He provided insights into planning a usability test that focuses on measuring emotions, emphasizing the importance of asking questions such as: “What emotions do I care about? What tools do I need? What am I going to do with the results?” Moreover, he illustrated his points with a practical example that addressed potential risks.

In conclusion, I believe that incorporating emotion measurement into usability tests can be very helpful. As I plan to carry out usability tests for my Master’s thesis, it’s valuable to keep in mind the insights from the World Usability Congress.

more about this topic:

https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/2786567.2792902

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/10447318.2023.2221600?needAccess=true

Research Question: How does the end user perceive, experience and respond to dark patterns?

Level of Design:

Die Struktur der Arbeit erscheint gut organisiert. Kapitel und Unterkapitel sind klar dargestellt und nummeriert. Zudem sind die Abbildungen entsprechend zitiert. Die Arbeit wirkt, als ob sie den Richtlinien entspricht und ist angenehm zu lesen. Die Wahl der Schrift und die Größe sind angemessen. Allerdings fällt auf, dass sie im Vergleich zu anderen Masterarbeiten in unserem Studiengang eher schlicht ist und kein eigenes Layout aufweist (was vermutlich auch so an dieser Universität vorgeschrieben ist). Es könnte mehr Grafiken und Bilder geben, da die Arbeit als sehr textlastig wirkt.

Degree of Innovation:

Die Arbeit trägt durch eigene Interviews und deren Auswertung zur Forschung im Bereich der psychologischen Aspekte von Dark Patterns bei. Die Analyse der Interviews liefert neue Erkenntnisse zu diesem Thema und kann als eigenständige Forschungsleistung betrachtet werden.

Independence:

Die Dokumentation erklärt die Herangehensweise und zeigt den Fragebogen sowie Zitate der Testpersonen auf. Jedoch wäre eine stärkere visuelle Darstellung und Dokumentation wünschenswert. Es gibt nur ein einziges Bild welches Post-its herzeigt, jedoch sind diese leider nicht lesbar. Der Prozess hätte meiner Meinung nach ausführlicher gezeigt werden können.

Outline and Structure:

Die Kapitel erscheinen schlüssig. Ein Manko ist jedoch das Fehlen eines Inhaltsverzeichnisses. Die Arbeit beginnt mit einer Einführung, gefolgt von einer Auseinandersetzung mit psychologischen Aspekten und deren Verbindung zum Design. Es werden theoretische Konzepte wie das Fogg Behavior Model und Dark Pattern Definitionen behandelt. Der praktische Teil umfasst Interviews und deren Analyse.

Degree of Communication:

Der Schreibstil ist verständlich, und die Ergebnisse werden in schriftlicher Form präsentiert. Es werden wiederholt Aussagen der Testpersonen zitiert und analysiert.

Scope of the Work:

Der Umfang der Arbeit wurde erfüllt. Ein theoretischer Teil behandelt das Thema auf psychologischer Ebene, während der praktische Teil sich mit der Methodik, den gestellten Fragen und der Analyse der Interviews auseinandersetzt. Insgesamt wurden 14 Teilnehmer in qualitativen Interviews befragt.

Orthography and Accuracy:

Die Arbeit erfüllt den Punkt Orthografie und Genauigkeit. Gängige Fachbegriffe wie beispielsweise Human-Centered Design oder die HCI-Linien werden behandelt.

Literature:

Das Literaturverzeichnis ist umfassend und beinhaltet verschiedene Quellen aus Büchern und Online-Ressourcen. Die Zitate sind korrekt, wenn auch einige Quellen etwas veraltet sind (aus dem Jahr 2001 und 2003), aber insgesamt ist die Auswahl an aktuellen Quellen zufriedenstellend.

https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1330920/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Visual Impairments

• Nearisghtedness (myopia):
• Blurred distance vision
• Good near vision
• Elongation of the eyeball
  
  Farsightedness (Hyperopia):
• Difficulty with near vision
• Better television viewing
• Short eyeball
  
  Astigmatism:
• Distorted or blurred vision
• Crooked cornea
• Blurred vision at all distances
  
  Presbyopia:
• Difficulty with near vision
• Reduced near accommodation
• Age-related loss of elasticity of the crystalline lens
  
  Glaucoma (glaucoma):
• Damage to the optic nerve
• Increased intraocular pressure
• Gradual loss of vision
  
  Macular degeneration:
• Loss of central vision
• Impaired reading and recognition of details
• Degenerative changes in the macula
  
  Diabetic retinopathy:
• Damage to the blood vessels of the retina
• Blurred vision
• Progressive vision loss
  
  Color blindness (including red-green blindness):
• Impaired color vision
• Difficulty distinguishing specific colors
• Genetic predisposition
  
  Nystagmus:
• Uncontrollable eye movements
• Impaired vision tracking
• Blurred vision
  
  Digital Vision Stress Syndrome (CVS):
• Eye strain from prolonged viewing of screens
• Dry eyes
• Headaches and eye fatigue
  
  Tunnel vision (restriction of peripheral vision):
• Narrowed field of vision
• Lack of peripheral situational awareness
• Focus on the central area

possible Solutions

• Nearsightedness (myopia):
• Adjustable font size
• Magnifiable UI elements
• Clear contrast between text and background
  
  Farsightedness (Hyperopia):
• Clearly legible font
• Customizable zoom options for UI elements
• Good distinguishability of near and far information
  
  Astigmatism:
• Sharp and clear icons and text
• Balanced color contrasts
• Consistent alignment of UI elements
  
  Presbyopia:
• Larger fonts
• Good readability in different lighting conditions
• Option to adjust focus settings
  
  Glaucoma (glaucoma):
• Highlighting of important information
• Clear and conspicuous warning icons
• Adjustable brightness settings
  
  Macular Degeneration:
• Option to magnify text and icons
• Alternative displays for detailed information
  Easy navigation and orientation aids
  
  Diabetic retinopathy:
• High contrast color palettes
• Option to customize UI colors
• Clear icons for important information
  
  Color blindness (including red-green blindness):
• Color modes for color blindness
• Alternatives to color coding of information
• Use of shapes and patterns to distinguish
  
  Nystagmus:
• Stable and clear UI elements
• Reduced motion and animation
• highlighting important information
  
  Digital Vision Stress Syndrome (CVS):
• Option to adjust brightness and contrasts
• Option to reduce blue light emissions
• Regular reminders to take breaks and do eye exercises
  
  Tunnel vision (limitation of peripheral vision):
• Focus on key information and warnings
• Easy accessibility of maps or radar displays
• Clear and distinct highlighting of targets or enemies

https://gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-last-of-us-part-ii/accessibility/

https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html#:~:text=The%20leading%20causes%20of%20blindness,disorders%20include%20amblyopia%20and%20strabismus.

As mentioned in the first blog post, my prototype consists of a customizable HUD for a racing game. The goal is to make the gaming experience as enjoyable as possible while also accommodating people with limitations.

The prototype was developed for the fictional racing game “Warp Speed”. I focused mainly on the display of individual HUD elements and the navigation of customization options in the game settings. However, this is only part of the basics for user-friendly and accessible games, as explained in the other blog posts.

The prototype was created using Figma. The fictional game is designed for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, and is controlled with a mouse or controller.

In the “Options” and “HUD” area, the player can go through the individual elements one by one and select the most suitable UI element. On the right side of the screen is the navigation and an overview of the selectable UI elements. In the center of the screen is a thumbnail of a representative game scene where the selected UI elements can be placed. The right side of the screen displays the available elements from which the player can choose. Finally, after the player has selected all the elements, there is an option to drag and drop them and adjust their size.

In this example, all elements are center-aligned, which people with a limited field of vision might prefer:

• About 20% of the population has a disability.

• The objective of accessible design is to eliminate barriers and ensure equal opportunities in gameplay.

• Accessibility is particularly crucial for players with disabilities, visual impairments, hearing loss, or injuries.

• Different players have different needs and preferences, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Therefore, a customizable heads-up display (HUD) is also beneficial.

Visual elements:

• Individuals have varying visual impairments, screen sizes, and viewing distances. Therefore, it is important to allow players to adjust the text size.

• Approximately 300 million people have color vision deficiencies, so essential information/feedback should not rely solely on colors.

• Moreover, contrast should be individually adjustable for players. This is particularly important because elements in dark games may be difficult to recognize in bright lighting conditions.

• Including haptic feedback, such as vibration or acoustic cues, is also helpful, as it can assist players with visual impairments. By conveying feedback through different senses, accessibility is improved.

• For subtitles, care should be taken to ensure appropriate speed and length, with no more than 37 characters per line.

• Subtitles and captions should be large, a simple font should be used and contrast with the background.

• Additionally, subtitles should be individually adjustable in terms of size and color.

• For the hearing impaired, it is important to subtitle sounds, such as the footsteps of an approaching opponent.

• For individuals with epilepsy, there should be an option to disable flashing lights and repetitive patterns.

Auditory elements:

• Once again, it is important to provide visual or haptic feedback in addition to audio feedback to enhance the gaming experience for the hearing impaired.

• Separate volume controls for music, speech, and sound effects should be offered, as this allows hearing impaired individuals to adjust the audio elements accordingly.
  
• Background noise should be minimized when dialogue takes place in the game.

Controls:

• When it comes to controls, offering as many options as possible is advantageous. This includes controller, mouse and keyboard, eye-tracking, voice control, etc. Different people with physical impairments can then choose the control option that suits them best.
  
• The control of individual game actions should also be individually adjustable.

• The movement radius and sensitivity of the mouse should be changeable in the settings.

• For individuals with disabilities, alternative options to quick-time events where certain keys need to be pressed repeatedly should be provided.

https://uxdesign.cc/accessible-video-game-design-7f54c583a470

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-last-of-us-part-ii/accessibility/

At first, my aim was to make a list of common UI elements that are typically seen in the HUDs of popular gaming genres. The idea was to gather various ways these elements can be displayed. By using practical examples from well-known games, I wanted to show different visual options and figure out which ones work well and which ones don’t. During my research, I realized that the definition of good or bad design is subjective and influenced by personal taste and preferences. For some people, larger elements are important as they enable better readability, while others prefer smaller UI elements because they believe larger ones can be distracting and divert attention from the game itself.

A solution that provides everyone with the opportunity to have a perfect HUD is to make it customizable according to individual preferences People with visual impairments would especially benefit from this.

For my prototype, I will develop a customizable HUD for a racing game. I will present common UI components in various variations. The user will be able to choose their preferred option and adjust the size and color contrast on their own. Then, I will demonstrate different ways the HUD can be displayed, which will look different based on the users’ specific needs. For example, the HUD of a user with red-green color blindness will be different from that of someone with tunnel vision.

One of the most important takeaways from the conference was the realization that even the most successful people in the creative industry have faced challenges and failures along the way. It was empowering to hear from people like Gavin Strange, who shared their journey towards success and acknowledged that their success was not achieved overnight. This was a powerful reminder that success is a process and that hard work and dedication are essential components of it.

Another takeaway from the conference was the importance of experimentation and playfulness in the creative process. Many of the speakers emphasized the importance of taking risks, trying new things, and not being afraid to fail. This reminded me that creative work is about exploration and self-discovery.

Lastly, the conference reminded me that expertise is important but not a prerequisite for creativity. Instead, creativity is about being open to new ideas, taking risks, and exploring new possibilities.