Chee Weng Khong

Methodologies for Evaluating Player Experience in Game Play

Player experience constitutes one of the most significant factors in determining the success rate of games. Games which do not provide enormous user experience usually will not gain intense interest from players. The concept of player experience is normally interchanged with concepts such as fun, flow, fulfillment, enjoyment, engagement, satisfaction, pleasure and playability. In this paper, we reviewed, analyzed and discussed the different attributes and methodologies used to evaluate player experience for game play. We concluded the finding in a playability matrix based on an analysis of methodologies for evaluating player experience in game play. The matrix was constructed from literature analysis, which comprised of attributes consisting of qualitative and quantitative, verbal and non-verbal, empirical and non-empirical methods.

Soft Key and Hard Key Mobile Input Devices on Player Experience for Mobile Gaming

Input devices come in different interaction modalities, structure, layout and controls on a mobile platform. However, there is limited information on the types of mobile input devices that affect player experience. Most of the information about the advantages and disadvantages of input devices are reported in isolation without involvement from mobile game application. This paper aims to explore player experience by comparing two different types of mobile input methods, namely hard keypad (HK) and soft keypad (SK), for mobile gaming. Interview was conducted and the results were analysed using content analysis as a way of understanding player experience of input devices for mobile games. The content analysis highlighted positive and negative feedback comprising of two main categories, Features and Effects. Overall, both qualitative and quantitative data collected revealed that HK was better than SK for mobile gaming.

Audio-Visual documentation method for digital storytelling for a multimedia art project

In this paper, we describe an interactive multimedia art project, namely FaceGrid, using mosaic photography art concept for digital storytelling. Inspired by mosaic photography and a montage concept, FaceGrid was produced by using many small image tiles that were woven and stitched together to form the pixel art design pattern. FaceGrid documents the different ways of living and lifestyles of ordinary folks in a multi-cultural and diverse ethnic society in Malaysia. We use audio-visual documentation methods (photography and film-documentary techniques) to record, capture and archive the different facets of lives and user stories by ordinary people. We then transform those slices of life via digital storytelling technique into an interactive multimedia art project.

Quantifying the narration board for visualising final design concepts by interface designers

The narration board is a powerful design tool to help translate user observation studies into a storytelling format. It helps to communicate design values and ideas among the design team via visualising user scenarios in its proper context during the early design stages. This paper aims to discuss the narration board as a design tool to help the design team conceptualise and visualise user scenarios interacting with future design concepts within its context of use. Second part of the paper discusses how narration boards assist in generating ideations and visualising final design concepts by interface designers. Twenty (20) design projects (N=20) were examined to study and quantify two important factors, i.e. the components of the narration board in relation with the attributes of the final design concepts. A non-parametric correlation test was used to study the correlation coefficient between scores of the two factors. The results show that there is a statistically significant positive correlation between components of the narration board and attributes of the final design concept. Those with higher scores of components in narration board tend to produce better final design concepts, and vice versa.

The User Experience of 3D Scanning Tangible Cultural Heritage Artifacts

Many culture and heritage (C&H) institutions in Malaysia, private and public alike, are aware of the potential benefits to acquire and engage in the three-dimensional (3D) preservation of its tangible cultural assets. Many have heard about 3D scanning but few have had the opportunity to experience it. The acquisition and archival of digitized cultural assets provide unprecedented prospects to use and access cultural material. However, studies on the user experience (UX) for 3D scanning and its documentation activities are still few and far between. A successful 3D scanning of C&H assets is based upon the accomplishment of the entire scanning process. This paper presents the user-centered evaluation of the 3D scanning process involving the user, scanning device, the environment and the artifact. As a result, the study reveals the core UX issues and proposes user-centered recommendations to address them.

STL systems and colour for the reproduction of cultural artefacts

In this paper we discuss and review the available STL systems and its suitability in the colour reproduction of cultural artefacts. Such systems in the past were largely associated with the computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing industry. These systems are categorised as one of the methods in the rapid prototyping (RP) process in manufacturing, and were initially limited in its build material. Over a short period of time, various build materials and RP machines appeared, providing greater selection for quick parts fabrication. Advancements in computing, screen and display, and manufacturing technologies over the past two decades have now made STL systems more affordable and are readily available to the consumer market. One of the applications of STL system is towards the digital preservation of cultural heritage artefacts.

Usability and Player Experience of Input Device for Mobile Gaming

Input devices for mobile gaming consist of hard keypad HK and soft keypad SK. Different interaction for both input devices have an impact on usability and player experience. Although there are publications that evaluate on input devices and game, little is known on how HK and SK affect mobile gaming. The implication to usability aspect is not fully understood and the list of recommendation on player experience is limited. The aim of this paper is to examine usability and construct recommendation list for player experience by comparing two different types of mobile devices, namely HK and SK. For usability, an experiment was employed to measure effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction. The studies conducted an interview after the experiment. From the interview, a list of recommendation was constructed to identify player experience of input devices for mobile games. Results of the experiment were significant for effectiveness and satisfaction measures where HK performed better than SK. The recommendation list revealed both devices most mentioned positive and negative comments.

Reproduction of South-East Asian cultural artefacts: A case of the Mah Meri

Priceless cultural heritage artefacts are gradually being lost due to negligence or the natural processes of deterioration and decay. As a modern means of preservation, three dimensional (3D) scanned replicas of cultural heritage artefacts are often reconstructed for research or for viewing by the public while the original is properly stored and curated. This paper describes the reproduction processes involved using a colour scanner and a colour 3D printer. The subject matter is based on the moribund cultural heritage of the Mah Meri tribe where its artefacts were fully scanned in 3D. The digitisation of its form, colour and texture followed by the physical reproduction of the Mah Meri heritage is the first of such activity in the nation.