Eye Movement Analysis for an Augmenting Video Game Development

eye movement analysis for an augmenting

video game development

investigation plan presentation

january 20, 2009

PRESENTATION SUMMARY

1. Characterization of the investigation problem

2. Project objectives and finality

3. State of the art

4. Project methodology

5. Chronogram

6. Expected results

2samuel de jesus almeida / [email protected]

INVESTIGATION PROBLEM [1]

• Video game industry generates millions of dollars in sales:– $45 billion by 2010 (Hartig)

• Video games must be appealing to the consumer:– Achievable through gameplay, game mechanics and game

interface quality.

• Sometimes video games are poorly developed. Why? – Reduced testing or none at all.– Results in fragile game elements: gameplay, game

mechanics and game interface.

samuel de jesus almeida / [email protected] 3


• To overcome this problem, research is being conducted and products are being developed to assist in video game development & evaluation [see State of the Art];

• Much of the existing work uses traditional usability evaluation techniques:– Not incorrect, but limited;

• Games are a product of their own nature:– Proper evaluation techniques and development

guidelines are required.



• It is necessary to look into new technologies as solutions for these problems:– Eye tracking systems + other methods

• The big question:

In what way can the analysis of the ocular globe movement contribute to the development of guidelines that can assist in the evaluation of

enjoyment in video games?


PROJECT OBJECTIVES & FINALITY

• To identify the potentialities associated to the use of eye tracking technology as a method of usability evaluation;

• To identify currently used methods for evaluating usability in a video game context;

• To identify and build a case study;

To develop a list of guidelines that can be used in video game development as well as usability studies


STATE OF THE ART [1]

• Human Visual System:– Eye components– Eye muscles– Eye movements

• Eye Tracking Systems:– Two common techniques

• Point of regard video-based combined pupil/corneal reflection

– Eye tracking limitations• Technical, data extraction, data interpretation

– Eye tracking potentialities• Visual search, learning, visibility of features, ...



• Usability– Definitions (ISO n.9241-11; Jakob Nielsen);– Evaluation methods;– Video game usability?– Game experience

• Video Games– VG taxonomies (M. Wolf, C. Crawford, Rollings & Adams);– First-Person Shooter & RPG genre



• Video Game Evaluation (Research and Projects)

– Without Eye Tracking• Melissa Federoff ‘s Heuristics and Usability Guidelines for the

Creation and Evaluation of Fun in Video Games (2002)• Desurvire, Caplan & Toth’s Using Heuristics to Evaluate the

Playability of Games (2004)• Kim et al.’s Tracking Real-Time User Experience - TRUE (2006)

– With Eye Tracking• El-Nasr & Yan’s Visual Attention in 3D Video Games (2006)• Johansen, Norgaard & Rau’s Can Eye Tracking Boost usability

evaluation of computer games (2008)


METHODOLOGY


• Exploratory methodology:– bibliographical research

• Methodological procedure: elaboration of case study

• Data collection techniques: inquiry & eye tracking– Inquiry: questionnaire instrumentation– Retrospective think-aloud process

Observation: video recordings, notes (to be decided)

• Participants: minimum of 15– Male or female– Divided into 3 groups: novice, regular, hardcore

CHRONOGRAM


EXPECTED RESULTS

• Confirmation of eye tracking as a method for usability evaluation;

• Different gaming experience results in different quantitative results;

• Main expected result: data retrieved allows for the development of guidelines for the evaluation and augmenting of the development of video games;

• Project serves as the foundation for future work and a possible methodology for v.g. development.


NEXT ON THE AGENDA

• Augment State of the Art section– Video game genres: rpg & fps; taxonomies– Find more recent projects that use eye tracking in video

games;

• Elaborate the participant selection questionairre;

• Decide video game to use during case study;

• Prepare meticulously case study.


THE END

thank you!


eye movement analysis for an augmenting

video game development

january 20, 2009

Samuel de Jesus Almeida / [email protected]

Mestrado em Comunicação MultimédiaDeCA / Universidade de Aveiro

Education

Eye Movement Analysis for an Augmenting Video Game Development