Buffs And Debuffs Testing - UQdeco2800/2021-ext-studio-2 GitHub Wiki

Background and Goals

We have implemented the function of buffs/debuffs and designed the expression form of buffs/debuffs:

• Effects of each buff:
• When the items are used for the player.
  • Increase the health limit.
  • Increase the health value (+10).
• Effects of each debuff.
• When the player hits a different Obstacle.
  • Decrease speed. (Knock)
  • Decrease health.
• Interaction with character.
  • These effects will show in the character.

This user test is to get enough feedback to improve our function and effect model.

Process

Our survey is divided into two parts:

1. Potential target population:

• We invite them to watch the prototype of each of our buffs/debuffs and its animation manifestations
• Experience the actual game flow
• After the end, we interviewed a few questions about buffs/debuffs

2. Professional developer/designer:

• We will tell them directly where we need to test
• Show them prototypes and animation effects
• Ask them questions about each part of buffs/debuffs

Key Questions

Potential target population:

• What do you think is the role of buffs/debuffs in the game？
• After watching the effects of buffs/debuffs and experiencing the game, what buffs/debuffs do you like the most?
• What do you think needs to be improved？
• What kind of buffs/debuffs do you expect to appear in the future？

Professional developer/designer:

• Do you think the manifestation of this buff is consistent with its function?
• From the aesthetic point of view, what do you think needs to be improved?
• From the principle of interaction, do you think the manifestation of these buffs/debuffs is reasonable?

Sprint-1 Result

User 1: Student A

• Thoughts: The automatic debuffing is too quick
• Like: Medical aid boxes are easy to find and catch. Drinking water from the rain in the air is cool.
• Not so good: The health goes down too quickly and makes the game pretty hard.
• Comment: Hopefully the health condition can keep for a longer.

User 2: Student B

• Thoughts: Pretty hard to play.
• Like: Feels real in terms of the trigger of buffs and debuffs. Vivid graphic design in terms of the buffs and debuffs effects.
• Not so good: Some medical aid boxes are put at the same location as the obstacle.
• Comment: It would be better if the random location of medical aid boxes will be in a suitable place.

User 3: Student C

• Thoughts: I don't think the character should lose health index when standing on the obstacle, like the brick.
• Like: Quite real while hitting the monster. Good animation of buffs and debuffs.
• Not so good: Losing health when sliding on the brick.
• Comment: Too hard to play on the current situation.

User 4: Professional Student D

• Thoughts: Sometimes I can't catch the health aid box.
• Like: Fairly good in any aspects that are supposed to be achieved. Good animation.
• Not so good: Not sensitive to catch the health aid box.
• Suggestion: Move those boxes to somewhere more reasonable.

User 5: Professional Student E

• Thoughts: Hard to keep the character living longer, since there is a high chance of hitting the obstacle.
• Like: It is good that hit the obstacle will reduce the health condition. Good graphic design for buffs and debuffs effects.
• Not so good: Too many brick obstacles and the character is too easy to die due to hitting the bricks.
• Suggestion: Don't reduce the health condition or modify the degree of health change when hitting the obstacle.

User 6: Professional Student F

• Thoughts: Cool design of buffs and debuffs effect, lots of medical boxes to find which is easier to play.
• Like: Drinking water and eating food in the air is awesome, I like it.
• Not so good: Why losing health numbers when walking ON the bricks? Shouldn't be hitting them and cause health loss?
• Suggestion: The character should be OK when walking on the brick which means not to regard walking on the brick as "hitting an obstacle".

Sprint-1 Summary

• After interviewing six students (result above), many participants claimed that the health reduction is too quick, probably because the degree of thirsty is too high. They are all highly valued the graphic design of buffs and debuffs effect and the animation effect of them.
• Some students upvote the random medical box as they are everywhere and easy to find, however, some medical boxes are in the duplicated location with obstacles.
• Many students found that hitting an obstacle is easy to happen which makes the game hard to play.
• Professional students like the effect of eating food and drinking water in the air. On the other hand, they also pointed out the random location of medical boxes should be rationalised.
• Professional students said the character should be allowed to walk on the brick without losing health condition, the debuff should apply only when the head of the character hits the brick.
• Some participants wish to see a clear description for buffs and debuffs since they did not understand the rule of the game at the first glance of the game.
• In summary, all responders give their praise to the buff and debuff effects, but some minor issues also have been raised for us to modify for future design. We thank everyone who participates in our test evaluation and every feedback will be valued.

Sprint-2 Result

User 1: Student A

• Thoughts: New background is great.
• Like: I like the new background.
• Not so good: Too many monsters (or something else) are flying in the sky.
• Comment: Just like it, and wish to see the game becoming easier.

User 2: Student B

• Thoughts: Easy to play with cool features and excellent control system.
• Like: It is so real when hitting obstacles will cause a deduction of health level.
• Not so good: I can't find where to drink the water.
• Comment: It is overall good while some minor bugs are to fix.

User 3: Student C (who has attended the user test of Sprint 1)

• Thoughts: Easier to play and overall more enjoyable than the first sprint.
• Like: Good to see the disappearance of annoying bricks.
• Not so good: Too hard because too many obstacles are on the air and I can't make it to avoid a hit.
• Comment: Good design work, I like it, but still needs improvement.

User 4: Professional Student D

• Thoughts: Interesting and enjoyable.
• Like: The character will slow down after keeping going for a while.
• Not so good: Hitting from some obstacles are still hard to avoid.
• Suggestion: To add more food, water and medical box refill points.

User 5: Professional Student E

• Thoughts: Cool design. The game is so real.
• Like: The character can stop and have a rest.
• Not so good: No medical box can be found after a while of playing.
• Suggestion: It is better to see more medical boxes and food.

User 6: Professional Student F (who has attended the user test of Sprint 1)

• Thoughts: Getting better with annoying bricks gone.
• Like: Good improvement compares to the previous sprint. Unreasonable obstacles have been removed.
• Not so good: Hard to refill the hunger and thirst level.
• Suggestion: Keep going, and try to make the game easier to play.

Sprint-2 Summary

• After interviewing six students (result above), many participants claimed that the game was enjoyable. They are all highly valued for the graphic design of buffs and debuffs effect and their animation effect.
• Many students still complain that hitting an obstacle is easy to happen, making the game hard to play.
• Professional students like the effect of eating food and drinking water in the air. But, on the other hand, they also pointed out the medical box should appear all the way through the game.
• Professional students said unreasonable bricks had been removed, which is good. Some participants wish to see a clear description for buffs and debuffs since they did not understand the game's rule at first glance. This remains unchanged on Sprint2.
• In summary, all responders give their praise to the buff and debuff effects. Some minor issues from the previous sprint have been fixed and the game keeps getting upvoted. We thank everyone who participates in our test evaluation, and every feedback will be valued.

Sprint 4 Final Improvement and Interview Result

Participant 1

Easier to play and makes the character goes further.

Participant 2

Tiny changes can make big sense.

Participant 3

It is a playable change.

Participant 4

The change makes the game funnier.

System Usability Scale Evaluation

SUS Template

Participant 1

Participant 2

Participant 3

Participant 4

Brief Analysis

• In terms of the details:

Q1: There are 1 of 4 evaluators who choose Strongly Agree, 2 choose to Agree and 1 chooses Netural.

Q2: There are 1 of 4 evaluators who choose Strongly Agree, 3 choose Agree.

Q3: There are 3 of 4 evaluators who choose Strongly Agree, 1 chooses Agree.

Q4: All 4 evaluators choose Strongly Agree.

Q5: There are 1 of 4 evaluators who choose Agree, 3 choose Netural.

Q6: There are 1 of 4 evaluators who choose Agree, 2 choose Netural and 1 choose Disagree.

• Most evaluators think the change in DeBuff effects is necessary since the change makes the game funnier and more playable.
• Some evaluators don't agree that the change is evident to notice, probably because this change is a code-level work.
• All evaluators strongly agree that this change better cooperates with the game's emotional goal.

Sprint 4 Final Conclusion

• Our participants highly rated our improvement for this sprint. They think the improvement makes the game even more enjoyable and playable.
• The additional System Usability Scale evaluation helps us better understand how our users enjoy the design.
• Since we have reached the end of the semester and no further development will happen on this feature, there is no need to gain more improvement suggestions for this feature.
• We thank every participant who has joined our user testing evaluation.