Mobile game playability heuristics
This section describes how mobile game heuristics can be used for evaluating mobile games. The heuristics are described in detail and an example of how to expand the model to apply to new kinds of games is given.
The intended audience includes the following:
- Usability experts who evaluate the playability of mobile games and are familiar with the expert evaluation method.
- Game designers who work in game development projects. They can use heuristics as a check list to avoid the most common playability problems in games.
Expert evaluation is a widely used method for evaluating the usability of utility software. In those evaluations usability experts evaluate software against general usability heuristics. An example of such a list is Jacob Nielsen's Ten Usability Heuristics.
Usability of utility software is often understood as effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. Additionally, users usually have certain tasks that they try to accomplish with the application. Usability heuristics are designed for evaluating these things.
Games differ from utility software in some key characteristics.
In games, the purpose is to have fun and enjoy playing the game.
Learning to play the game, solving problems, or discovering new things is part of the experience.
In a game, the players do not know what to expect in advance.
Game designers have created the game content and defined goals that the players must achieve.
The heuristics are a result of game design literature review, playability evaluations of mobile games, and consultation of game design experts.
Our heuristic model for mobile games is modular and consists of three core modules:
These modules form the core and they are common for all mobile games. However, there are specific mobile game types, for instance, multi-player games or pervasive games that have characteristics that are not covered in these modules. Therefore, new modules need to be added to the model. All the feedback on using the model is more than welcome and can be submitted through the Forum Nokia Resource Evaluation form.
Figure: Modules in the core playability model
Gameplay is the "heart of the game." When the structure of our model is presented as layers, it is evident that the outer levels need to work properly before the player can access the core gameplay. Typically problems occurring in the two outer layers are out of the scope of the evaluation, but with some new mobile game styles, such as public-screen games, the evaluators need to consider these aspects as well. Once platform and software are stable, evaluators can start evaluating game usability, mobility, and gameplay issues. It should be noted that it does not have to be done in this order.
Figure: The different layers that a player needs to pass in order to access the core gameplay of the game.
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