Authors:
Sayeda Akthar
1
;
Muhammad Islam
2
;
Nabila Islam
2
;
Farzana Sadia
3
and
Mahady Hasan
2
Affiliations:
1
Department of Computer Science, Independent University Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
;
2
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Independent University Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
;
3
Faculty of Electronic Engineering & Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Perlis, Malaysia
Keyword(s):
Usability Heuristics, Nielsen Usability Technique, Game Development, Game Usability, Usability Problems.
Abstract:
The field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research has developed numerous procedures and techniques to ensure high usability when developing software. Usability in video games is also considered to be important, so it is crucial to ensure that game systems comply with usability standards. However, research has overlooked software development, specifically the stage of game development. Additionally, large gaming firms and game developers tend to keep their procedures and techniques secret. Professional reports have revealed the "ugly face" of the gaming industry. Bangladesh’s slowly expanding game development sector comprises a significant number of small-to-medium-sized businesses and start-ups. These businesses require practical, developer-centric solutions to guarantee usability as they may lack the funds to engage usability specialists to oversee it. This article discusses the concept of game usability, including current research on usability techniques for game production. T
he study involved conducting polls, heuristic scoring studies, and speaking with several game developers. Twelve usability heuristics were created based on the Nielsen usability technique and the stages of game software development, which help in preventing typical usability problems in games. A preliminary analysis of the heuristics indicates that they can assist in identifying game-specific usability problems that may otherwise go unnoticed.
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