Items testing

Background and Goals

We have designed different kinds of pickable items and implemented some of their functions:

• First Aid Kit：Increase the upper limit of life value
• Banadge：Restore the health value
• Apple：Restore the hunger value
• Water：Restore the thirsty value
• Syring：Detoxify
• Magic Potion：Invincible stamina The goal of user testing is to evaluate and optimize pickable items to improve user gaming experience

Process

To conduct our user testing we did the following:

• Invited at least 3 users to test the game.
• Observe the process of the user playing the game and pick up items
• Show the item images after the trial play and interview users
• Collect feedback from users

Additionally, we invite members from other teams of the project to do testing.

• Inform the experience content to tester.
• The tester conducts the test individually.
• Carefully observe the emotions, expressions and other states of the experiencer in the process.
• Collect all feedback.

Key Questions

1. What do you think this item is?
2. What kind of function do you think this item has?
3. How do you think it can be improved?

Result

User 1

Observation

The user was curious about the appearance of game items and successfully completed the game.

Feedback

• It is easy for users to understand what each item is
• It is easy for users to imagine the functions of most items, but few items caused confusion
• Need to prompt the name and function of the item

User 2

Observation

The user quickly tried the game and picked up the items

Feedback

• The user correctly understand the meaning of most items
• The user can guess the function of most items
• The user expects to have more interesting items

User 3

Observation

The user tried the game and picked up all the items he saw.

Feedback

• The user is not sure about the meaning of some items
• The user cannot distinguish the difference between some item functions.
• The user is curious and expects some explanation about items

Summary

Most participants will be able to play the game without a problem, but there will be some users who are unsure of the effects of the item, whether it is a gain or a loss when they encounter it. As one participant suggested, it might be useful to add item profiles.

Almost all participants liked the prop design. However, there are only 6 items completed so far, and we will continue to add more items in future installments.

As more than one participant mentioned in their answers, the items currently have only a few effects -- they want to add more items to make the game more playable.