106221 - USER EXPERIENCE

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Adso Fernández Baena

Trimester: Second term

Credits: 4

The subject of User Experience deals with the design and analysis of the experience that a player has in a video game in the framework of the subject of Game Design and Creation. We work on the basics of the user experience and how these are applied in video games, knowing which aspects of video games are most relevant in the experience of players, and how we can analyze them with both quantitative and qualitative methods. The subject consists of theoretical sessions and practical sessions. To achieve the knowledge of the subject is evaluated on the one hand the analysis and design of the user experience with laboratory practices and group work, and on the other the theoretical knowledge individually with the final exam.

This subject has methodological and digital resources to make possible its continuity in non-contact mode in the case of being necessary for reasons related to the Covid-19. In this way, the achievement of the same knowledge and skills that are specified in this teaching plan will be ensured.

At the end of the course students must be able to:

E1.6. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a video game in a reasoned and exemplary way.

E3.4. Design the user interface according to the criteria of usability and user experience.

The subject uses the following work methodologies:

Master class, video capsules, debates and forums, collaborative learning and small group laboratory.

Topic 1: UX in video games

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Loops

Theme 2: Game Feel

2.1 Interfaces

2.2 Input and response

2.3 HUD and Menus

2.4 Usability, Heuristics and Accessibility

Topic 3: Cognitive process

3.1 Perception, memory and attention

3.2 Discovery, learning and immersion

3.3 Motivation, emotion and flow

Topic 4: Games User Research

4.1 Introduction to research

4.2 Qualitative methods

4.3 Playtesting

With the aim of collecting evidence of the achievement of the expected learning outcomes, the following activities of an evaluative nature will be carried out (related to all the common competences):

A1. Laboratory practice: UX Report - Gameplay Loop 15% (Evidence of learning outcome E1.6)

Students choose a commercial video game and analyze different aspects of the user experience to generate a report. In this installment, an analysis of the gameplay loop is made.

A2. Laboratory practice: UX Report - Game Feel and Interfaces 15% (Evidence of E1.6 Learning Outcome)

In this second installment of the report, an analysis is made of the Game Feel and the interfaces, both physical and virtual, used in the chosen video game.

A3. Laboratory practice: UX Report - Cognitive process 15% (Evidence of learning outcome E1.6)

In this third installment of the report, an analysis is made of the user's cognitive process when playing the chosen video game.

A4. Work in group: Onboarding playtesting 20% ​​(Evidence of learning outcome E1.6)

Groups choose a video game and design and perform a onboarding playtest of the chosen video game. The members of each group act as both researchers and playtesters.

A5. Final exam 35% (Evidence of all learning outcomes)

General criteria of the activities:

• The teacher will present a statement for each activity and the evaluation and / or rubric criteria.
• The teacher will inform of the dates and format of the delivery of the activity.

The grade of each student will be calculated following the following percentages:

A1. Laboratory practice: UX Report - Gameplay Loop 15%

A2. Laboratory practice: UX Report - Game Feel and Interfaces 15%

A3. Laboratory practice: UX Report - Cognitive process 15%

A4. Work in group: Onboarding playtest 20%

A5. Final exam 35%

Final grade = A1 0,15 + A2 0,15 + A3 0,15 + A4 0,2 + A5 0,35

Considerations:

• It is necessary to obtain a mark higher than 5 in the final exam to pass the subject.
• An activity not delivered or delivered late and without justification (court summons or medical matter) counts as a 0.
• It is the responsibility of the student to prevent plagiarism in all its forms. In the case of detecting a plagiarism, regardless of its scope, in some activity it will correspond to have a note of 0. In addition, the professor will communicate to the Head of Studies the situation so that measures applicable in matter of sanctioning regime are taken. .

Recovery:

• It is necessary to obtain a mark superior to 5 in the final exam of recovery to pass the asignatura.
• The mark of the resit exam will be applied only to the mark of the A5 activity.

Swink, S. (2008). Game feel: a game designer's guide to virtual sensation. CRC Press. ISO 690

Rogers, S. (2014). Level Up! The guide to great video game design. John Wiley & Sons.

Schell, J. (2019). The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses. AK Peters / CRC Press.

Fullerton, T. (2018). Game design workshop: a playcentric approach to creating innovative games. AK Peters / CRC Press.

Adams, E. (2014). Fundamentals of game design. Pearson Education.

Drachen, A., Mirza-Babaei, P., & Nacke, LE (Eds.). (2018). Games user research. Oxford University Press.

Hodent, C. (2017). The Gamer's Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Video Game Design. CRC Press.