Design & Development
Week 8:
Prototyping & Playtesting
Wednesday 23rd March 2022
WEEK 8 -
TO DO: PROTOTYPE & TEST CORE INTERACTION, BASIC SET-UP WITH TESTERS​
PURPOSE FOR PROTOTYPE & TESTING
The purpose for our prototype today is to demonstrate our core interaction and evaluate its effectiveness with our users. This prototype will showcase the main gameplay interaction, which will essentially be players using gesture control to move an 'object' across a screen. This screen can then be projected onto a wall which will be the second step of our prototype milestones.
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WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?
Kiera and I will be creating a prototype for the core interaction of our game using gesture control and a webcam - image processing/pose prediction. We intend to set up a demonstration of the space using a singular panel to begin with, and a projection of a sample from the environment. Using this and a example of the music played, we will stage the experience and gather feedback/comments from user testers!
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GOALS FOR THE DAY​
By the end of today, we should have successfully setup an immersive space to further demonstrate gameplay and conducted a series of testing to gather feedback from users to evaluate the effectiveness of our experience. From these tests we expect to have a greater understanding of the changes we can make and how we can improve.
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TEAM WORK - WHERE DO WE BEGIN?
We plan to begin by setting up a demonstration of the gesture control interaction simply by using an interactive webcam, connected to a projector. From here, we can experiment with projecting our visuals onto the screen and testing with our audience.
MINI PLAN FOR THE DAY
Wednesday 23rd March
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Set-up space with projector and single panel/screen
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Demonstrate gesture control interaction, projected onto screen
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Project visual sample onto screen
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Set-up mini experience for testers to gather feedback
TASK 1
SPACE SETUP​
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TO DO - Single panel & Projector
We must firstly set-up the space the way we intend for the experience to appear. As we previously discussed, it's necessary for us to start with a singular screen and gradually make our way up to 3-4 (if this is possible). To begin, we need to set up a screen which will represent the wall of a structure/room that we will be using for our project. We will then place our 'short throw' projector (as discovered in the last few weeks) 40 cm away from the wall to be able to project onto the screen.
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REQUIREMENTS
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A singular panel/wall/screen
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Short Throw Sanyo XGA Projector
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PURPOSE & EXPECTATIONS FROM PROTOTYPE:
From this prototype, we expect to have a successfully setup projector and screen. This will be the first step before prototyping our core interaction onto the wall, enabling players to interact with it physically. This prototype is to simply ensure our setup is successful and to note down of any issues that might come from it.
THE SETUP​
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PROCESS:
Using one of our panels on campus, we taped large sheets of paper together to form a plain white base, which was great to project on in a dark room. This also meant that there were no rough edges or marks on the walls that may have interfered with projection.
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We then set up the 'Sanyo XGA Short Throw Projector' 40 cm away from the panel to allow us to project as our next step.
EVALUATION & REFLECTION​
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It was easy to set-up and thankfully we have the resources available to us whenever we need it. In order to continue using the projector we must contact media stores and extend the time we borrow it which we should do after the Easter Break. The setup for now does its job and the next step will be to test with interactive projections as planned.
TASK 2
TESTING THE CORE INTERACTION​
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TO DO - Demonstrate ability of gesture control using our setup
For this next prototype, we need to project an interactive display onto our screen/panel and test the ability to use gesture control through webcam! As we previously concluded, our choice for interaction is gesture control/motion sensor, meaning players will interact through physical motion rather than input using a controller. For now, we will be testing the ability to physically move to interact to evaluate whether or not this is effective, in terms of the experience we are trying to achieve.
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REQUIREMENTS
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A singular panel/wall/screen
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A dark / low lit room
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Short Throw Sanyo XGA Projector
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Laptop/PC
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HDMI Cable
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HDMI - USBC Adapter
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PURPOSE & EXPECTATIONS FROM PROTOTYPE:
The purpose of this prototype is to test the core interaction of our game. In this case we will simply be testing body movement captured through a webcam and translated into a digital environment - which will be projected onto the panel. From this prototype, it's expected that we will be able to interact with a projection on screen through simple body movement. Using this, we'll be able to evaluate whether or not the core interaction is feasible/successful and effective.
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QUESTIONS TO ASK:
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Is the interaction easy/intuitive?
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Is the interaction fun/playful?
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Is the interaction immersive? - Therefore make us feel relaxed?
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Is the interaction interesting?
TESTING: THE SETUP​
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PROCESS:
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Setting up the laptop - We have previously researched an interactive online game called "Skyfall and Handtrack.js" which is essentially where balls fall from the sky and you are required to move a platform through gesture in order to catch the balls. It's a simple mechanic however, does a great job at demonstrating the use of gesture control in our experience. The code for this interaction can also be found attached to the game link. Because of this, we projected this basic interaction onto our panel using a laptop, HDMI cable and Sanyo Projector.
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Setting up the projector - In order to set this up, we had to connect a macbook to the projector via a HDMI - USBC adapter and positioned the projector appropriately. From our previous experiment with a short throw ratio, we know the projector must be 40cm away from the wall, so we made sure there was enough space around it to prevent overheating. We then had to adjust the scale of our projection - which is the advantage of using a short throw projector! Using the 'keystone' button and 'zoom out' button, I adjusted the size of our projection to make sure it fit nicely on the panel provided. To keep in mind - the size of our final deliverable will be much bigger than this panel, but the scale is not a problem as it can be easily adjusted.
OUR INITIAL SET UP
Game link:
​PROBLEMS FACED
An initial issue we faced was that the darkness of the room meant the webcam of the macbook was unable to pick up our movement. This was an issue as it's ideal for the room to be as dark as possible to get the best possible projection. As well as this, lighting is an important aspect of immersion so should avoid it being too light in the room.
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OVERCOMING THE ISSUE
PROBLEMS FACED
To overcome the issue, we adjusted the lighting on one side of the room which meant the macbook webcam was able to identify our faces and positioning in the room. It also meant that the room was dark enough to create a good quality projection and still achieve that same sense of immersion.
SECOND SETUP
DEMONSTRATES PROJECTION OF THE GAME:
"Skyfall and Handtrack.js"
TESTING: CORE INTERACTION
​PROCESS:
Kiera and I both tested the interaction for this game and during the process discussed our thoughts regarding it. From the video you can see Kiera demonstrating how her physical movement is being translated into the virtual world, as she is able to control the platform in the direction of the falling balls. This is through image processing/pose prediction as researched during previous weeks - the webcam in the laptop picks up the movement of the player.
KIERA INTERACTING WITH THE PROJECTION USING MOTION:
EVALUATION​
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QUESTIONS
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Is the interaction easy/intuitive? - Because I was aware of how the game worked, I had no problem understanding the method of input. Although, even with no previous knowledge I am certain that anyone would understand the concept of this game and eventually come to realise they have control through physical movements - within the first few minutes. It was nice not having to use any form of input like a bulky controller, it felt more natural and I liked this aspect of it.
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Is the interaction fun/playful? - I definitely enjoyed using my body to interact with the projection because it's something that you don't get to use often. The gameplay itself wasn't too impressive yet using motion is what kept me engaged. I found myself enjoying the simplicity of the interaction and was in awe at the way I could move to influence the game on screen. I would definitely say it was enjoyable but to increase the level of 'playfulness' i would have liked to do more.
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Is the interaction immersive? - I found myself playing for at least 10 minutes straight. There was something about being able to slowly move and remain focused that helped me wind-down for a while. It was nice to zone out and just be in control of simple movement, this is what I liked the most about it. It was certainly immersive, especially because what I was in control of was presented directly in front of me on screen. Consequently, it helped me remain relaxed and calm during the experience, as I was so infatuated by my abilities on screen. We are definitely working along the right lines for the experience, and I am excited to experiment with more than 1 screen, I think this would be extremely useful for the level of immersion we are trying to achieve.
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Is the interaction interesting? - Because I was so entertained, it helped me remain interested throughout. I was interested by the way it picked up my movement and found myself experimenting with this rather than focusing on the gameplay itself. I was fascinated by the way the platform followed my motion whether that was insanely fast or gentle and slow. It was great to test this and see what I was capable of using this method of interaction.
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It was great to be able to test motion sensor ourselves as it's something I am certainly not used to. I was fascinated by the way it worked despite its simplicity, and I enjoyed experimenting with movement in a space similar to how ours will be set-up. Overall, it was useful to be able to set this up in a way that resembled what our final deliverable might look like and it's reassuring knowing that it is possible! Working our way up and tackling our problems in individual stages has definitely made it easier for us to comprehend how to go about things and it's made the process a little easier to manage.
WHAT WENT WELL?
We were able to successfully project gameplay onto a screen using our own basic setup which means anything above this is certainly possible. We now know that we are able to project our gameplay experience onto a wall (or more) with the ability to interact through webcam/pose prediction. This gave me confidence in knowing we have the basics down, which means we can progress onto the next stage!
WHAT DIDN'T GO WELL?
We had an issue with the lighting of the room and the cameras inability to recognise a player present, but we overcame this by adjusting the lighting and it's something we will consider when thinking about the structure of our room and lighting at the Arcade Event. In addition to this, it was brought to our attention that the way the equipment is set up is not the most attractive! We will definitely have to consider ways to disguise cables and find an appropriate position for the laptop to sit, with a clear view of the player.
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
Because of the positioning of the projector and other specifics, it meant we lost a lot of room in terms of where the player was stood. This means, we must reconsider the scale of the room and if we don't use a room, the positioning of our individual walls/panels. We learned that more room is necessary for the player to be able to interact, but this issue can be easily resolved if we use 2 larger walls rather than 4.
NEXT STEPS​
Now we have our setup ready, it's time to experiment with a simple visual projection. As I have been creating environment concepts I have a few basic illustrations for what the environment could look like which would be great to test with! Once we have projected this onto the panel, we can provide user testers with a sample of music and allow them to zone out into our immersive safe space! We intend to create a basic plan for our testers which aims to gather feedback and suggestions to improve.
TASK 3
PROTOTYPING VISUAL PROJECTION​
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TO DO - Prototype a projection of a basic environment concept
Using my environment concepts, we plan to project this onto our panel, accompanied by a sample of relaxing music to set the tone of our experience. Later, we must also test with around 2-3 user testers to gather comments on the experience and make changes if need be. For the purpose of this test, we won't be allowing them to interact just yet, firstly we want to evaluate the effectiveness of our essential experience. But to begin, we must project an illustration of the mountains onto the panel.
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REQUIREMENTS
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A singular panel/wall/screen
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A dark / low lit room
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Short Throw Sanyo XGA Projector
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Laptop/PC
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HDMI Cable
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HDMI - USBC Adapter
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Environment Concepts
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PURPOSE & EXPECTATIONS FROM PROTOTYPE:
The purpose of this is to see what our visuals look like projected in a space and eventually test this against a sample of music with playtesters. This will allow us to evaluate whether or not our target audience enjoys our experience or not, and if not, why so? We expect to gather feedback from a handful of playtesters which will lead us to make changes in order to improve, which may be in terms of the visual itself or the intimacy of the experience.
TESTING: VISUAL PROJECTION​
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PROCESS:
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Setting up the laptop - We firstly projected one of my mountain illustrations onto our handmade wall/panel in a low lit room.
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Setting the tone - As we do not currently have a sample of the soundtrack to experiment with (in production) I sampled a piece of music from the Sound Bible I made for our sound designer, which is a great example of what the track should sound like in the space. This will give testers an idea of what they will hear and see in the space.
QUICK REFLECTION​
​First impressions of this was wow! I really liked the appearance of the illustration on a larger scale and although it was drawn on an A5 size, the quality was not bad at all. But to get it crisper for the final outcome, it will certainly be necessary to draw bigger around an A4 size. I liked how the details of the drawing were visible as this is what I was most attracted to. I can't wait to see this combined with other elements of the environment and little intricate animations to bring it to life too.
DEMONSTRATION OF PLAYER INTERACTING WITH ENVIRONMENT USING THEIR HANDD/PALM:
​PROCESS:
Demonstration of interaction - I filmed Kiera pretending to interact with the visual display, to demonstrate our expectations for the final deliverable. It will be good to use this as a starting point into the 'construction' of the space and to refer back to during development.
EVALUATION
WHAT WENT WELL?
We were able to successfully project an environment concept onto the panel through an easy set-up. Compared to using a media player a couple of weeks ago, it was much easier to use a HDMI connected to a laptop, especially considering we will be using webcams! We both agreed we liked the appearance of the visual projection and we are happy with our chosen art style. However, we did agree it should be more detailed and drawn at a bigger scale.
WHAT DIDN'T GO WELL?
The quality of projection wasn't the best it could have been and we believe this is due to the initial scale of the sketch. Because of this, we have agreed that for asset creation we must draw on size A4 paper and adjust the scale of the mountains if need be. But by doing this, the quality will be significantly better and look more crisp once projected. This will be more satisfying for players and more appealing to look at.
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
Overall, it was brought to my attention that I will have to adjust the scale for our final deliverable and update the Art Bible accordingly. We also learned that we are able to project our own image onto the panel and adjust the scale if we need to. From the prototype you can see the smallest size of the projection was too big for the screen, but this is not a problem as we aim to project onto bigger walls anyway.
NEXT STEPS​
​First next steps for this will be to test with our playtesters! Before we do this, we must note down the questions we will ask and set a basic plan for the entire process. What is the aim for our test and what do we want to find from it?
TASK 4
TESTING PLAYER EXPERIENCE​
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TO DO - Test the effectiveness of the experience with 2-3 playtesters
To start off, we must test the experience with playtesters to gather feedback and suggestions for improvement. We will plan our tests beforehand involving what we will ask testers and how we will record the different effects of our environment. To finish off the day, we must evaluate our tests and consider whether or not we are fulfilling our essential experience/project goals.
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From our User Testing lecture with Steve Bromley (Week 5 of my Notion), he taught us the importance of planning before testing to ensure the users are kept as comfortable as possible and to make sure we have a suitable, professional plan in place. To begin our testing session, I plan to note down the requirements for each test and the questions we might ask players.
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REQUIREMENTS
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A singular panel/wall/screen
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A dark / low lit room
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Short Throw Sanyo XGA Projector
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Laptop/PC
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HDMI Cable
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HDMI - USBC Adapter
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Environment Concepts
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Sample of music
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Voice Recorder
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Bean bags/chairs
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PURPOSE & EXPECTATIONS FROM TESTS:
The purpose of the upcoming series of tests is to measure how effective our experience is both emotionally and physically. As we aim to achieve both emotional and physical regulation from our experience, it'll be necessary to measure both of these factors and evaluate whether or not we influenced players in a positive way. We expect to gather results on heart rates as well as opinions on the overall experience and what can be changed to better it - this way we can ensure our experience is as effective as possible.
PLAN BEFORE TESTS:​
WHAT INFORMATION WILL WE BE GATHERING?
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​We will be measuring the effectiveness of our gameplay experience.
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Understand whether or not the experience encourages emotional and physical regulation, or not.
HOW WILL WE GATHER THIS INFORMATION?
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Heart rate monitor (Apple Watch/FitBit) to measure the heart rate of users before and after the experience.​
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Questionnaires to understand personal opinions and preferences regarding the experience and its set-up.
QUESTIONS TO ASK:​
These questions can depend on the responses of players, but can be tailored to suit them and will also be expanded in discussion.
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How are you feeling in this present moment? - Elaborate.
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Opinions/comments on audio/visuals - anything you'd like to add?
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Comment on the method of interaction - using gesture.
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Level of interest - interaction to influence musical experience.
PLAN FOR TESTS:​
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Set-up experience - ​Project visuals (mountains) onto screen, accompanied by relaxing piano music.
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Measure users heart rates - ​Use Apple Watch to measure the heart rate of our user before providing them with any more information.
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Prepare User - ​Sit the user down comfortably and outline the basis of the experience, not giving too much away.
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The Process - ​Allow players to sit comfortably for around 5-6 minutes, listening to the music and taking in the details in the environment.
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Measure users heart rates - ​Measure heart rates for the last time and note down.
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Question time - ​Allow for players to talk about how they feel in that moment and ask questions according to their responses.
CONDUCTING USER TESTS
​1. Setting Up
​TEST 1
Wednesday 23rd March
​TESTER: Tim
DURATION OF TEST: 10 minutes​
PROCESS:
We firstly began by outlining the basis of what we expected from Tim in terms of how long the experience would last and what will happen after. We sat him down comfortably on a bean bag and began to take his heart rate. After this, we sat down in a quiet room and sat observing the environment for around 6 minutes, and listened to soothing music in the background.​
HEART RATE BEFORE: 88 BPM
SETTING UP THE HEART RATE MONITOR:
HEART RATE AFTER: 71 BPM
ANALYSIS:
Tim's heart rate decreased by 17 BPM which suggests Tim's body was settled during the experience, resulting in a lowered heart rate. This is a big difference between starting and ending BPM, suggesting the experience made him feel calm and relaxed, as intended.​
​GATHERING FEEDBACK
After monitoring his heart rate, we allowed him to continue sitting in the space with a view of the landscape and asked a few questions. I recorded the conversation using 'voice memos' and plan to evaluate his comments further now.​
QUESTIONS: TEST FEEDBACK
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How are you feeling in this present moment? - Elaborate.
Immersed. Exploring and vibing. Goosebumps here and there, unsure why. Music affects him more than visuals. He can imagine visual/sound can affect people differently. He finds music more important.
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Opinions/comments on audio/visuals - anything you'd like to add?
Explore environment. Would add more details in the environment to keep people interested and "let imagination run free". Environment is nice but thinks white is a bit too harsh, not very relaxing. Would prefer a warmer colour, maybe a beige. Small animations and details would be nice. Water running, birds on trees. Small elements to look at and focus on. Points of interest would be good.
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Comment on the method of interaction - using gesture.
Definitely interesting and unique. Not many opportunities to interact this way so definitely interested in it and curious to try it out. He would also happily sit and chill. Would almost feel lazy and would want to chill, interacting with gesture might stop that. Wouldn't want to do as many movements, struggle to balance this.
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Level of interest - interaction to influence musical experience.
Curious if it influences musical experience, wants to try more. Musical elements are important and audio elements triggers emotional response more than visual. If there's a way to do this then he's more inclined to try it.
TEST EVALUATION​
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ENGAGEMENT
Tim thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was happy to take a moment out of the day to wind-down. He enjoyed sitting and observing the environment as he felt immersed by both the visuals and the music. He said that audio elements triggers his emotional response a lot more than visual, so this was more important to him in that moment. For further suggestions, he liked the idea of small details in the environment/points of interest that he can get lost in, such as birds on trees.
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GAMEPLAY
Tim was happy to just sit and observe the environment as the music played, but when we told him about the choice of interaction and how he would have influence over the audio elements, this sparked interest and he was curious to give it a go. He touched on the fact that if gameplay required too much from him he wouldn't want to play, as he'd feel lazy and would prefer to chill in that moment. Because of its audio effect, he said he's more inclined to play.
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HEART RATE
As seen from his heart rate above, his BPM dropped a significant amount, which suggests this was a successful test and resulted in feelings of calm, making him feel settled and comfortable in the space.
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FURTHER FEEDBACK & IMPROVEMENTS
To improve the visual design, Tim suggested making the environment a little warmer, consisting of more beige tones. He said that the bright white was too harsh for him and didn't find this comforting/relaxing, but again the music affected his emotional response more than the visual did. In addition to this, he suggested adding small animations into the environment to engage focus.
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​TEST 2
Wednesday 23rd March
​TESTER: Patrick
DURATION OF TEST: 10 minutes​
PROCESS:
For the next test, we set the experience up the same and allowed Patrick to get comfortable before we began. We gave him a choice of seating and talked him through the test before we started.​
HEART RATE BEFORE: 72 BPM
HEART RATE AFTER: 70 BPM
ANALYSIS:
Patrick's BPM decreased from 72 to 70 BPM, resulting in a 2 BPM decrease. This suggests that there was an element to the experience that made Patrick feel settled and comfortable although, it may have been ineffective. This could've been a result of being uninterested, bored or confused. I can assume this as a response to his feedback.​
​GATHERING FEEDBACK
After monitoring his heart rate, we allowed him to continue sitting in the space with a view of the landscape and asked a few questions. I recorded the conversation using 'voice memos' and plan to evaluate his comments further now.​
QUESTIONS: TEST FEEDBACK
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How are you feeling in this present moment? - Elaborate.
Relaxed.
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Opinions/comments on audio/visuals - anything you'd like to add?
Artstyle is very minimalistic, personally think the white against the black is too harsh. Static image, not too much engagement currently. Not a lot of detail meaning it's not stimulating enough and there's a lot to be designed. The audio peaks every now and then so creates a harsh reverb. (Only a sample) Unsure about mountain environment, could be quite nice but could be too many elements or too much happening. A larger screen around would be better to spread all of these elements out. Would like secret gems around the space to notice something new. Depends on person to person e.g. rainfall maybe.
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Comment on the method of interaction - using gesture.
Adds level of interactivity however, there isn't much to it. Could be exhausting to the arm, maybe something that has a chain effect instead. (Tapping maybe) Isn't very relaxing if you are required to exercise.
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Level of interest - interaction to influence musical experience.
Depends on the mood in the moment. Would be more inclined to interact depending on his mood. Likes the concept of being a conductor. Doesn't want to work for his reward during times of stress. Can see how people would prefer to sit and relax and listen to music.
TEST EVALUATION​
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ENGAGEMENT
Patrick said he struggled with engagement because there wasn't much going on in the space. He'd prefer if there were more details and more screens, to spread these elements out. He provided us with a lot of feedback for each question such as, found that the level of interactivity wasn't enough for him and therefore, wouldn't keep him engaged. I feel this is something that needs to be properly tested rather than using imagination. He also commented on the audio, which luckily was just a brief example of what is yet to come. I am convinced we can turn Patrick's opinions around!
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GAMEPLAY
In terms of gameplay, Patrick said he may struggle to keep his arm up to interact throughout the entire experience which almost proves that a 'Pause' UI button would be useful at this stage. This should allow players to take breaks if they feel they need, but the music should continue to play. He also commented on the fact that the level of interest in the interaction and gameplay depends on his mood, however, this game has been tailored to specifically help those struggling with anxiety and stress and therefore, we should be focusing on this primarily. Otherwise, I can understand how some may find it ineffective.
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HEART RATE
His heart rate lowered by 2 BPM which isn't as impressive as our result for Tim, but still shows a decrease! This could've been a result of many things, but a decrease in a high heart rate is still a positive thing!
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FURTHER FEEDBACK & IMPROVEMENTS
Further feedback is to focus more on the visual design. Similar to Tim, he commented on the white being too harsh, so we may need to potentially look into editing our drawings to have a warmer saturation/hue. This is something that can be easily edited once produced.​
​TEST 3
Wednesday 23rd March
​TESTER: Dylan
DURATION OF TEST: 10 minutes​
PROCESS:
For our final test, we executed this the same as the first two and began to monitor Dylans heart rate.​
HEART RATE BEFORE: 93 BPM
HEART RATE AFTER: 73 BPM
ANALYSIS:
Dylan's heart rate lowered from 93 to 73 BPM! This is extremely impressive and an exceptional result. From this result, it suggests that Dylan began potentially on edge, uncomfortable or stressed and overtime became more comfortable, settled and calm.​
​GATHERING FEEDBACK
After monitoring his heart rate, we allowed him to continue sitting in the space with a view of the landscape and asked a few questions. I recorded the conversation using 'voice memos' and plan to evaluate his comments further now.​
QUESTIONS: TEST FEEDBACK
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How are you feeling in this present moment? - Elaborate.
Began a little uncomfortable but now feel more relaxed and calm.
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Opinions/comments on audio/visuals - anything you'd like to add?
Unsure about the art style, likes the sketch. Would probably prefer colour because colours can achieve a lot, in terms of setting the tone in the space. Environment is good in general for being able to relax and detach from problems. Being in a green wilderness is relaxing.
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Comment on the method of interaction - using gesture.
Difficult technically to pick up the motion. May be more difficult to use hands but using body could be more interesting to perform alongside the music. Raising hand requires more effort.
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Level of interest - interaction to influence musical experience.
Sounds good. Interested in the idea of moving your body instead, and the idea of this can influence the music which is appealing, in terms of influencing the music.
TEST EVALUATION​
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ENGAGEMENT
Environment is great for detaching from problems and finds the wilderness relaxing. This combined with the music is appealing and he can see how the overall experience will help to calm players.
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GAMEPLAY
Feels that using full body motion would be better than just a hand, this requires more effort and feels it may be more effective if he was to be able to just gently sway to the music instead. Overall, interested in the method of interaction as he is used to controllers and more traditional methods of input.
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HEART RATE
His heart rate lowered from 93 to 73 BPM which is an amazing result. This suggests that Dylan found the main elements of the experience relaxing, therefore, we have made the right design choices.
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FURTHER FEEDBACK & IMPROVEMENTS
Further improvements included consider the use of colour in the environment as he felt it would bring the smaller details to life. He likes the idea of nature, green shades and white snow covering mountains.​
REFLECTION & EVALUATION OF TESTS​
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Overall, we gathered some great responses for our first proper set of playtests and recorded some contrasting results between them. Each player had a decrease in heart rate, suggesting that elements of our game had their desired effect on players. Testers were also interested in the method of interaction and curious to see how things would work, which is great to know.
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IMPROVEMENTS
In terms of how to improve, the art style was commented on by all three testers. They suggested including colour in the environment because they feel this would bring it to life as well as small animations within it too. We considered the use of colour before and had reasoning behind our choice, but we can test again using warmer saturation/hues, which will eliminate the problem of the lines appearing too harsh on a bright white background.
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NEXT STEPS
We've gathered some great results today and we are pleased with the outcome of these tests. For the rest of this week, we have a scheduled 'Tech Session' with James tomorrow afternoon as well as preparation for St.Marys Games Day.
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