Android/ iOS RPG Game UI

1. Android/iOS RPG Game UI CS 352, W12 Eric Happe, Daniel Sills, Daniel Thornton, Marcos Zavala, Ben Zoon

2. Project Overview The purpose of this project is to design a user interface (UI) for a mobile game applicationthat runs on various touch screen Android/iOS devices. The application in question is a Roleplaying-genre game (RPG) where the player moves a character in the world and performing turn-based events.

3. What's the problem? • There are thousands of games in the market that use Android/iOS touch screen capabilities for users to control the game. • Most have poorly developed UIs • Created with an attempt to create a control structure similar to gamepads used for console gaming. • There has been a lack of consideration of how to effectively design a touch control system that is engaging and satisfying for the players of these games Image Source: http://www.androidpit.com/en/android/blog?tag=Malware

4. How would this help Users? • By creating a usable UI, android and iOS market shoppers would have a larger variety of options as to which games to download. • The user would also have a more pleasing experience playing the game instead of experiencing frustration and anger due to the poor usability of the interface. Image Source: http://www.mrthaibox123.com/?p=1060

5. Target Users The target users for this project are people (gamers, students bored in class, etc.) who find it interesting to play fantasy RPG/action games that use Android/iOS touch screen capabilities for users to control the game and meet the following criteria. • Know how to use a general Android/iOS application. • Own and android phone or some way to run Android/iOS applications. • Have access to the network to download the game. • Do not have a disability that prevents them from performing common Android/iOS tasks (reading text and graphics, performing multi-touch gestures, etc.) • Can read English

6. User Input • Interviewed two users • Both users are “typical” college students • Both users own a smartphone device • Both users play RPG games • Both users prefer to play games in short sessions rather than long ones • User #1 does not like complicated interfaces • User #2 hates touch commands that are close to the physical device buttons • User #2 prefers simple character interactions • In conclusion: Both users prefer simple interfaces with straightforward commands

7. UI Evaluation: Planning • We want to make sure our users know how to equip weapons, use the “wheels”, and save the game. • We also want the user to remember what items, weapons, and spells are equipped. • Our UI elements must be away from the device buttons to avoid accidentally closing the application. • This also includes not cluttering the UI • Touch events and actions should be simple and intuitive to the user.

8. UI Evaluation: Results Using CogTool, we tested our users with the prototype of our UI: • Our users were able to find the main menu button and select it • Our users were able to find where items and weapons can be equipped • However, both users went to the Items menu first to equip weapons • The wheel menus, though confusing at a glance, were understood of their use • Because the menu buttons where highlighted, our users knew which menu they were in • Our users intuitively knew how to fight monsters and understood touch screen commands • Because our battle menu is different, our users criticized that the ‘menu’ button was misleading and should be called ‘battle menu’

9. Arranged Buttons in a way that would allow for better playability of the user. • Source: http://campuslife.asus.com • Bad designs that helped determine what would be the best way to arrange buttons.

10. Button Arrangement • Source: http://www.techwench.com/

11. Arranged Buttons on the top and mainly to the left side of the screen.

12. Button Highlights only after User clicks on it • Changed the way in which the user was given feedback from the buttons (menus) • Originally when a user would enter a menu there would be buttons that were auto highlighted. • confusion for user • Made user believe his options were restricted to highlighted buttons. • Found user was not being given the appropriate feedback trough user interview and evaluating the interface using Nielson's heuristics. • Violating the principle of feedback • Justify the new design of our menus with the principle of feedback

13. Easy way to undo/go back • Menus within the game have a easy way to . • Exit Button in every submenu • User allowed to go back if user decides that he went to the wrong menu. • Allows for easy exploring of the menu system • User does not get trapped on a menu where the only way to get out is to exit the entire game • Justify this design by Heuristic Evaluation and user interview observations • User control and freedom:the system supports a undo/redo option • Users found it simple to navigate trough the menus with exit and back buttons

14. Menu Consistency • Menus have consistent appearance throughout • Internal Consistency • Buttons all round and look more clickable • Chunking utilized to group like options • Main menu button removed during battle, replaced with specialized mini-wheel • Prevent users from doing some things during battle, such as saving

15. Colors / Background • Menu background was changed to a semi-transparent view of the game • Selected list items are now highlighted clearly

16. Selection Feedback • New large icon indicates the option the user has selected • Reduce previous confusion about this

17. System provides concepts from RPG games that are familiar to the user • Wanted to emphasize recognition vs. recall. • Better for the user to spend more time playing the game than spending time learning how to player. • If user can understand how to play easily then it is more likely that user will continue playing the game. • Determined this using Heuristics evaluation focusing on Match between system and the real world

18. Element Selection • In our original design, the item/magic/enchant wheels would default to some element in the wheel. • Our new design defaults with no element selected, which requires the user to choose an element. This reduced confusion as to what element was actually in use.

19. Conclusion From our previous prototypes, we have made improvements to our user interface. • Evaluating our users gave us an idea of an interface RPG gamer can use • From prototyping, we are able to determine the button layout and touch commands for our users • Our core UI principles: • feedback (such as button highlighting) • visibility (finding the buttons) • Consistency (along RPG games) • We created a final prototype that follows these principles

20. Conclusion

21. Questions?