Abstracts

Barriers To Entry For New PlayersIn First-Person Games : The issues that new players encounter and possible ways to solve them

by Joakim W Andersson




Institution: Uppsala University
Department:
Year: 2017
Keywords: Game Design; Controller; Barriers To Entry; New Players; Portal 2; First-Person Shooter; First-Person Perspective; Other Humanities not elsewhere specified; vrig annan humaniora
Posted: 02/01/2018
Record ID: 2183721
Full text PDF: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-323545


Abstract

This paper studies how new players approach first-person games using a controller. By observingthe behaviour of five mostly inexperienced individuals as they play through the first few levelsof the game Portal 2 , the following patterns for barriers to entry can be observed:The game presumes common knowledge of its player that new players lack.Uninitiated have a hard time using buttons and sticks simultaneously for complicatedmaneuvers.New players primarily use the buttons that they can see with a casual glance, causingsome buttons to be less used.Misunderstanding due to not clearly have been shown possibilities in the gameworld.New players are unaware of the Options menu.Players find navigation and orientation difficult when lacking all the senses of a physicalbody.The fear of not being good enough causes distress.Players find it a waste of time to redo previously conquered challenges or not makingprogress fast enough.The paper then discusses possible solutions to these problems. Denna rapport studerar hur nya spelare nrmar sig frstapersonsspel som kontrolleras medhandkontroll. Genom att observera beteendet hos fem till mestadels oerfarna individer medan despelar igenom ngra av de frsta f banorna i spelet Portal 2 kan fljande mnster som hindrardem frn att brja spela urskiljas:Spelet frutstter att dess spelare har en gemensam allmn kunskap. Kunskap som nyaspelare saknar.Oinvigda har svrt att anvnda bde knappar och spakar simultant fr att utfrakomplicerade manvrar.Nya spelare anvnder primrt knapparna som de kan se vid en flyktig blick, vilketorsakar att vissa knappar blir mindre frekvent anvnda n andra.Missfrstnd p grund av att icke klart och tydligt blivit meddelade spelvrldenmjligheter.Nya spelare r omedvetna om Options-menyn.Spelare finner att rra sig i spelvrlden r svrt nr de inte har tillgng till alla sinnen enfysisk kropp har.Rdslan fr att inte vara bra nog orsakar oro.Spelare finner att det r slseri med tid att gra om tidigare ervrade utmaningar eller attinte gra framsteg i tillrckligt hg fart.Denna rapport diskuterar mjliga lsningar p dessa problem.