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Feature: 'Better Games Through Usability Evaluation and Testing'

Today's in-depth feature focuses on usability evaluation in video game development, which is important for locating non-technical problems during the design and developme...

Simon Carless, Blogger

June 23, 2005

1 Min Read
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Today's in-depth feature focuses on usability evaluation in video game development, which is important for locating non-technical problems during the design and development process. Sauli Laitinen, who works as an Usability Specialist at Adage Corporation in Finland, argues for more formal usability testing in games, showing examples from his work on Frozenbyte's Shadowgrounds. Laitinen's introduction to his piece explains: "No one wants to play games that are either frustrating or difficult for the wrong reasons. The best way to make sure that unintended problems do not hinder enjoying the game is to take usability into account in game development. This article presents how this can be done and what kind of results to expect. Usability is an integral part of software development and has been so for the past 20 years. For one reason or another, usability has not gained similar popularity in game development. This, however, is about to change. Ease of use and optimal user experience are already important in games and will become even more so in the future." You can now read the full Gamasutra feature on the subject (no registration required, please feel free to link to the article from external websites).

About the Author

Simon Carless

Blogger

Simon Carless is the founder of the GameDiscoverCo agency and creator of the popular GameDiscoverCo game discoverability newsletter. He consults with a number of PC/console publishers and developers, and was previously most known for his role helping to shape the Independent Games Festival and Game Developers Conference for many years.

He is also an investor and advisor to UK indie game publisher No More Robots (Descenders, Hypnospace Outlaw), a previous publisher and editor-in-chief at both Gamasutra and Game Developer magazine, and sits on the board of the Video Game History Foundation.

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