Game Playtesting 1 - ETEC-526
Ami Stovall posted Sep 5, 2021 9:31 AM
1. How did you feel?
I am tech-savvy and usually quick to figure things out, so initially, gaining access to this game online was straightforward and intuitive. However, once the game was installed and the “get started” screen appear, the comics were too busy and didn’t flow in a linear fashion (if you will) and priority, which told the adult in me that those areas of the game weren’t necessary. Then once I got to the beginning mission of the first quest, where usually I would dive in because I personally “learn things by doing,” I read through the legend of very brief instructions, and as I am generally not known for being a “gamer,” and I thought, “Ok, now to begin playing!” I was a bit nervous about using the keyboard, and remembering which “keys” did what, as a “lefty,” brought on some initial panic and discomfort. Also, besides the motivation that this was an assignment for a grade in a graduate course, looking at the graphics, the terribly busy gaming background, and the “legend” of instructions, there was personally no motivation for me even to want to press “start!” However, I did proceed, and immediately I got very frustrated because using the keyboard keys on the right-handed side of the keyboard to manipulate the character through the gaming environment was highly uncomfortable for me to navigate with ease throughout the game. I can remember thinking as I was struggling to navigate the character with much agony and mental anguish, “I would rather have a root canal done without anesthesia than continue on with this game!” Then I laughed a bit in frustration and continued to struggle through each of those missions of two required quests of that game. As for the emotions that this game evoked for me, the ultimate benefit of the result/winning the game did not outweigh the risk, struggle, frustration, and effort! It reminded me of the early days of watching the Wheel of Fortune weeknights with my mom and dad. I would watch with the understanding of knowing that the rule was the contestant when spinning the giant/heavy wheel, that it must go all the way around once for that spin to count, or your turn was forfeited; I remember one particular night, they had a big tall, muscular guy standing next to a short, elderly woman, and I kept watching that woman attempt to spin that vast, heavy wheel completely around without success. She struggled repeatedly throughout that game to spin that wheel. I was so frustrated for her because I felt she was at an unfair advantage being too short of reaching the wheel quickly and probably didn’t even weigh as much as the wheel itself to spin it around the board successfully. Every time Pat Sajak would say, I’m sorry “Jane,” you didn’t spin the wheel all the way around the board. So, needless to say, this woman didn’t “win” the game or any prizes. I was so bummed about that way back then, and it frustrated me watching that lady struggle on national T.V. Fortunately, not long after that, the Wheel of Fortune changed those rules to make the playing field more level for all participants moving forward.
2. What did you learn?
For me, I immediately considered the game design and whether all gamers/learners would have equal access and opportunity at the gaming controls (keyboard, in this case). Whether or not you are a gamer isn’t as crucial in the game design as whether the game that is made available to gamers/learners provides equal opportunity for all gamers/learners. The struggle I had as a “lefty” in manipulating those specific keyboard keys with the right-handed dominant hand as the only option was a problem for me as the dexterity and fine motor skills of my right hand are more of a struggle right off the bat and put me (at least initially) at an unfair advantage. So, if this were a game being used as a learning tool in my classroom, I would be concerned that not all users were playing on the same level playing/learning ground to start with. As an educator, I would be concerned that this may significantly frustrate and/or deter some gamers/learners from even starting or even persevering past the physical struggle to get to the solution of the learning problem being analyzed through the game setup in the situation. I know that for me to create an educational game, I would want to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks and undue struggles…. Every learner should have an equal opportunity to learn and enjoy the process of learning!
--Ami
ETEC-526