Achievement User Testing
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Testing was undertaken reagrding both the design of the achievement badges and the UI achievement popup to recgonise user’s beliefs, expectations, and thoughts. This was achieved through various testing periods; user testing survey and in person user testing/ paper prototype.
Interviews were conducted with 3 users, aiming to gather an insight into user expectation regarding whether to incorporate story mode of infinite mode. Further, validation was gained for the achievement.
- The implementation of achievements was validated, users would expect and want to have have the capability to earn badges as they are something that they value and believe them to create a more challenging and exhilerating game play.
- For this sprint, story mode will be followed. Not all users would expect to continue to progress the game past the stage of the final boss. Further, they appreciate and value the story of a game.
- Would be a good idea in furture sprints, generate a reward system that allows for users to recieve tools and instruments that could possible help them in gameplay. This is something that users would expect to recieve.
- After successfully completing the final boss enemy night, what would you expect to happen in regards to the game play?
- After losing against the final boss enemy night and crystal health = 0% (game over), what would you expect to happen?
- Would you expect this game style to be story mode or infinity mode? Why?
- What key characteristics do you value in a video game? (i.e. if they are challenging, if they make you feel like you have made progress/ something to be proud about)
- What do achievements mean to you? Are they something you value? (trophies, badges, medals etc.)
- Considering this type of video game, would you expect it to have achievements/ badges that can be earnt?
User 1
- Unlock something that could be used in repeat runs, potential “final stand” to see how far i could get. Definitely would need some sort of modifier either way to give replayability.
- Restart from day one, or have some sort of checkpoint I can work towards during the day.
- Could go either way. But generally I'd expect it to have an overarching story that has an eventual endpoint.
- In a game like this I'd want something challenging, the ability to feel powerful and replayability.
- Something on the side that's nice to have but not central to the game, although they can also make me feel positive when used as a rewards system.
- Definitely
User 2
- Continue to replay to continue to reach a higher score, possibly move onto the next stage - another level of difficulty
- Game restart, back to the first day
- Story mode? Maybe more levels/ more day and night cycles
- Exhilarating, exciting, make me feel as if i am accomplishing something
- Incentive almost for me to continue to try and attempt the game until i am able to achieve all of the achievements
- Yes!
User 3
- Would expect the game to restart or progress to another level.
- Game over graphics and then restart from the boss enemy level.
- Story mode so that the game feels like it has a progression and the user can engage with the story
- If they are challenging but also give you options to play easier or like more freely. Also value unexpected twists and rewards for doing small tasks.
- Achievements mean anything that shows progress about doing some sort of task.
- Yes, would make it more rewarding
User testing was completed through a survey form, targeting those who meet the classification of the target audience. The survey received 12 respondents, allowing for a substantial understanding of user expectation and preference to be gathered. The survey aimed to received feedback on the icon design for category types: Resources, Kills, Buildings, Upgrades, Game, and Miscellaneous. Various icons were created to allow for the particpant to choose the one of best fit.
The icons in which received the largest number of participants believing it to represent the achievement type, will be implemented to meet user expectations and consequently, dismiss confusion.
- Resource Icon: Wood
- Upgrade Icon: Arrow
- Kill Icon: Sword
- Game: Scroll
- Miscellaneous: Question Mark
- The background colour of the badges will be mixed, allow for further differentiation between categories. Colours implemented for the background will aim to highlight the type.
This design choice was considered however, it was reviewed during implementation and decided that it would not be received as desired– not noticeable. Therefore, the findings from this question were not implement and instead it was chosen to add a simple but effective fraction to represent the user’s achievement progression. This instead will undergo user testing to test effectiveness.
- The colours gold, silver, and bronze will be implemented within the badge design to show to users the progression of the badge achievement when acceptable – the statistic achievements as they have various components which must be achieved for the users to obtain the badge.
- Statistic achievements are split into 4 requirements
- Brown: normal badge colour, bronze: user has completed the second stage, silver: user has completed the third stage, gold: the user has completed the last stage and consequently, will have fully completed the achievement
- Which icon do you believe to best represent ‘Resource Achievements’?
- Which icon do you believe to best represent ‘Upgrade Achievements’?
- Which icon do you believe to best represent ‘Building Achievements’?
- Which icon do you believe to best represent ‘Kill Achievements’?
- Which icon do you believe to best represent ‘Game Achievements’?
- Which icon do you believe to best represent ‘Miscellaneous Achievements’?
- Which colour scheme option do you best believe to suit the theme and style of the game? (icons are placeholders)
- Do the colours gold, silver, and bronze symbolise/ represent anything to you?
- Icon design that participants believed to represent/ associated with ‘Resource Achievements’
Wood: 6, Gold Coin: 3, Hammer: 1, Other: 1 (suggestion of a pickaxe) - Icon design that participants believed to represent/ associated with ‘Upgrade Achievements’
Arrow: 10, Star: 2, Lightning Bolt: 0 - Icon design that participants believed to represent/ associated with ‘Building Achievements'
Building: 5, Hammer: 7 - Icon design that participants believed to represent/ associated with ‘Kill Achievements'
Scull: 5, Sword: 7, Shield: 0 - Icon design that participants believed to represent/ associated with ‘Game Achievements'
Scroll: 9, Shield (Atlantis Crystal): 3, Shield: 0 - Icon design that participants believed to represent/ associated with ‘Miscellaneous Achievements'
Shield (Atlantis Crystal): 2, Question Mark: 6, Gold Coin: 4 - 8 particpants believed the mixed colour scheme (option 2) to best fit the theme and game style, while 4 preferred option 1. With the mixed colour scheme, it allows for users to not only develop an association with the icon to the achievement type, but also the background colour. The colours implemented aim to represent the category (e.g., resources - green, upgrade - purple etc.)
- Majority of users believed the colours gold, silver, and bronze to represent the achievement of first, second, third place. Few beliefs skewed, some believing them to represent money and the status of wealth associated. This was a very broad question and in hindsight could have been segmented into smaller more precise questions. However, this allowed for a general understanding to be created and will be tested further, regarding users’ values associated with the colours.
Testing was completed on 5 random participants who fit the target audience description, the information acquired was adequate to recognise and implement features discovered regarding user expectation and belief. Reoccurring findings were analysed, and consequently implemented appropriately. Users were given certain tasks with their actions being observed, trying to recognise both points of confusion and ease. These findings greatly impacted the final design.
- Change the tab structure to a 2 column layout, allows for a more pleasing design dismissing a clustered environment, further, allows for the icons to be larger. Efficient.
- Addition of the numbered stage boxes, showcasing the users progression for the statistic achievement types. These will turn green once completed, if not it will remiain 'empty' which will be represented by a neutral colour.
- 2 column layout of the achievements will allow for more information to be displayed at once, dismissing a scroll functionality. Therefore, users do not have to go searching for certain achievements.
- Due to the new system, a summary button will have to be created, designed in a way which makes it look like a clickable button. This will be positioned centre of the box, top.
- Tick and lock icon will be recreated to fit the overall design of the page better, incorporating the colours red and green.
- Notification popup will be located top centre of the screen, appearing for a short amount of time and then disapearing, seemless and subtle.
- You’re in the game play session, please access the achievement page.
- Please go to the kill achievements and find the users progression completion
- How would you expect the interface to demonstrate that the achievement has been completed?
- What does the shaded and lock icon represent to you?
- Please drag the notification to where you would expect it to appear on the screen.
- Please access the total progression of all achievement types.
- Observing the 3/4, what does it mean to you? What does it represent?
- All users were able to locate the achievement icon, successfully obtaining the achievement information. Further, users successfully identified the icon that represents the kill achievements, user expectation met considering the icon was chosen because of user testing.
- Users had no trouble locating the overall progression considering centred position on the page, further drawing the attention of the user is the bright green colour.
- Users listed similar and common features, completed; tick, complete text, golden star, date completed. Not completed; cross, lock, red colour, shaded out
- All users positioned the notification popup top centre; this is no doubt a result of their previous interactions with other video games. Further, the surrounding buttons limit the area in which the notification could be positioned, this is not doubt the best location to reduce a messy and clustered screen. No hesitation.
- All users located the summary page in an effort to find all of the achievements and their individual progression. User expectation met, limiting confusion and frustration as they try and find that information.
- More than half of the users believed that the ¾ represented how good a user completed a certain achievement, to then they would be able to continue to attempt to do the achievement at a higher standard and therefore, gain 4/4. Something like a grade system. This was not the intention, rather it was supposed to represent the statistic progression of the user.
The objective of the testing session is to gain insight into the implemented designs and functionality of the achievement page. This was achieved through two session of testing, pre user testing which commenced prior to any work had been done to understand areas of improvement, functionality, and possible missing features – evaluating if it adheres to user expectation. Consequently, changes were applied because of the results obtained and the analysis. Then post user testing was completed – after the features had been developed, it was essential to check if users still responded to the achievements in a positive way.
The two sessions of testing included each time of 5 participants who fit the target audience description.
- Achievement progression bar for both the summary page and each specific achievement type
- Summary Page: entailing of all the achievements completed (from all category types) in comparison to the attainable amount
- Achievement type: possible a percentage, the number of resources obtained from each statistical achievement type plus the others
- Larger title fonts, for both title and ‘Achievement’ title to follow the design guidelines created to encourage a consist design across the various teams
- Since it is an important feature in signifying to users the current page, it should not doubt be larger to reduce confusion and searching for features demonstrating the achievement category
- design guidelines created by the ux/ui team committee
- To signify to users the page in which they are currently on, the tab icons will ben shaded/ not shaded – users are able to quickly understand, meeting user expectations
- Removal of the icons on each of the badge content boxes, redundant and unnecessary – will allow for greater space to be create. Content will not be clustered and overwhelming for the user
- Participants were able to easily identify and navigate the kills page – demonstrating that the implemented icon is easily recognisable and therefore, allows for users to easily navigate through the different categories with ease
- Dismisses a frustrating user experience, icons remain the same – repeat game players are not frustrated
- The only indication about the current page recognised by users was the badge icon and title of the page, nothing on the tab system gives any indication. Could become annoying
- Users would expect and enjoy a progression bar, creates a fun element which they can continue to achieve along same game play. Creates individual sense of achievement and if they have friends that play, friendly competition may be created
- Users would expect/ want some form of tab signifier on the left tab, suggestions: highlighted box or icons become highlighted
- Reduces frustration and confusion, creating a positive easy experience
- Please navigate to the kills achievement page.
- How do you know what page you are on currently?
- Do you believe that users should be able to observe their achievement completion?
- If so, do you believe that achievement progression should for be only specific for each specific category, only the total amount of achievements achieved/ the number achievable, both, neither?
- Are there any features that you believe are missing?
- Any overall points of feedback regarding the design/ functionality?
User 1
- Easily finds the kills page, due to the “distinct” icon design – signifies res with blood and war
- The “kills” page title as well as the icons on each of the badge boxes
- Yes, I find it really rewarding in games when I can see how far I have progressed and able to see how much more I must do
- Both, I would find it very interesting to see how many achievements I have completed in total – puts things in perspective. If you were to implement one, progression bar for each specific category
- I would expect a current tab signifier – maybe a coloured box behind the icon, visually very easy to understand
- Add current page signifier, to make it clear and not confusing which page the user is on
User 2
- Red colour captured their attention quickly, eyes filtered from left to right – found the kill category quite quickly
- Small page title text and badge icon
- Yes, it’s a fun feature
- Both, thinks they would both improve user experience – suggestions: considering there is the summary page, could put the overall achievements completed there
- Not anything they can think of
- Make the page titles larger, didn’t grab attention – too small. Icons on the badge boxes may be unnecessary – little cluttered
User 3
- Scanned all the icons briefly and then chose the correct kills icon – associated the sword with attacking/ war
- Kills title
- Yes, personally really enjoy when a game has that feature – adds to creating a positive user experience
- Probably both, would be good
- Shaded icon for those pages not being used
- Make the title text larger, too small. Also, active tab – highlight the current icon page others are shaded out.
User 4
- Located, no confusion – supporting the implemented icon design
- Page title, icons
- It’s a cool feature which makes it more fun, compare against my friends to see who has achieved the most
- Both
- Another way to easily recognise which page I am on, suggestion: light coloured box appears behind the current tab
- Larger title text, remove icons on the badge boxes – a lot going on, not necessary if you have a way to signify a current tab.
User 5
- Done
- Kills title
- Yes
- Both, good way to encourage friendly competition between friends as well as promotes user progression and reward almost
- Visual way to showcase the page I am on, would expect something on the tab category icons – draws my attention so that would be suitable and expected – shaded/ not shaded icons, highlighted box
- As mentioned above
- Users were able to once again easily recognise the page in which they are currently on as a predominant result of the implemented highlighted icon tab signifier, the page title reinforces the expected page
- All users’ expectations surrounding the consequence of selecting another page were correct
- This is a universal design feature which many users would have seen, not only in video games, but day to day interactions with both technology and life. These expectations can be created and therefore experienced
- Users confirm that it is successful design and implementation
- What achievement page are you currently on? How are you aware of this?
- What would you expect to change visually if you were to click on the resource badge icon?
- Do you believe this to be a successful design element which successfully demonstrates the current page?
User 1
- Buildings page, first aware of it due to the highlight of the badge contrasting against the shaded not current page achievement icons, page title
- The shade would be removed for the page icon selected
- Yes, meets user expectations – not confusing, very standard design feature
User 2
- Building – hammer icon is lighter than the others, title
- Resource icon would become highlighted/ lighter in comparison to the rest – building icon would become shaded
- Successful as it is a simplistic though effective design, many users understand what it signifies
User 3
- Hammer Icon – Building achievements and centred page title
- Page title would change, Resource icons becomes highlighted and the page changes – showcasing all resource achievements
- Yes, very necessary to decrease user confusion – makes it easy to recognise the page you are on
User 4
- Buildings – highlighted hammer icon (contrasts against the other shaded icons) and page title (black colour, stands out against the light neutral background colour, centred position)
- Resource badge highlighted
- Yes, very successful and common design
User 5
- Building page, page title and hammer icon. Little unsure about the exact representation of the hammer, however the page title removed confusion
- As the page changes, the resource icon is highlighted
- Yes, necessary!