Learning to play: understanding in-game tutorials with a pilot study on implicit tutorials.

Area of Science:

• Game Design
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Educational Technology

Background:

• In-game tutorials are crucial for video game playability and learning.
• Research on game tutorials is limited, with a noted deficiency until 2017.
• Tutorials are more significant for complex games and should consider player proficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing research on in-game tutorials and identify common features.
• To explore the effectiveness of implicit game tutorials through a pilot study.
• To contribute to a deeper understanding of player learning through game tutorials.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a comprehensive literature review on game tutorial research.
• Identified five key features of in-game tutorials from the literature.
• Performed a pilot study using questionnaires and quantitative analysis to test hypotheses on implicit tutorials.

Main Results:

• Implicit guidance and gamified instructive elements enhance in-game perceptions.
• Implicit tutorials are particularly beneficial for experienced gamers.
• Player practice with timely feedback and just-in-time access positively impact learning.

Conclusions:

• Implicit game tutorials represent a more effective approach to player instruction.
• Findings extend current knowledge on game tutorials and inform future research.
• Game design can leverage implicit tutorials to improve player experience and learning outcomes.