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Methods for game user research: studying player behavior to enhance game design.
IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications
|May 9, 2014
Summary
Game user research (GUR) examines player-game interactions. This study details current GUR methods, using think-aloud and heuristics as case examples to understand player experiences.
Area of Science:
- Game User Research (GUR)
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Psychology
Background:
- Game user research (GUR) is an emerging interdisciplinary field.
- It draws upon HCI, psychology, interaction design, media studies, and social sciences.
- Methods are adapted for diverse game types like social, casual, and serious games.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe current methodologies in game user research.
- To illustrate specific GUR techniques through a practical case study.
Main Methods:
- Exploration of established research methods from related disciplines.
- Adaptation and application of these methods to digital game contexts.
- Case study utilizing think-aloud and heuristic evaluation.
Main Results:
- Detailed description of various contemporary GUR methods.
- Practical illustration of think-aloud and heuristic evaluation in a case study.
Conclusions:
- Current GUR methods are diverse and adapted from multiple fields.
- Think-aloud and heuristic evaluation are effective tools for GUR.
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