This Blog shows information on my dissertation project at the University of Aveiro, MSc Multimedia Communication.
Dissertation:
"The project aims to prepare a FPS game that lets us use the source code and prepare it to send data from the logfiles of the player's interaction with the game and then cross them with the data from the evaluation of usability in videogames with eyetracker." (Veloso, 2010)
This work will be an input for the PhD of Samuel Almeida, and seeks to understand how the player interacts with the game through the data received by eyetracker.
Seizing the opportunity to program in Counter Strike Source to receive data on player performance during the game (into logfiles), and somehow cross the data with those of eyetracker.
The choice of this theme was based on the fact that I have a special interest in videogames and also the concern for improving the systems of interaction and game play in games. Another important factor was the fact that I work professionally in the area of user interaction and usability, two essential themes in this project.
Understanding the movements/reactions of the players from eyetracker technology and data returned by the game (logfiles), with the end of that later, after analyzing the data, we can resolve problems of interaction or even implemented in the games of the same gender (ex.: notice that certain areas of a map makes no sense to be built because the players never look/go there). In short it is a project that will help develop guidelines (guidelines) that may assist in improving the design and development of videogames. And it's certainly an interesting and challenging project which could help many videogame developers.
Objectives:
- Understand how to receive data from the logfiles (through use of the SDK - source development kit);
- Adapt the content of scenic games in order to realize the influence that certain objects have on player performance;
- Create a method that traverses the data from the logfiles of the game with data from an evaluation study with eyetracker.
Keywords (temporary):
games, taxonomy of games, game mechanics, rules, objectives, MDA model, game experience, game design
3 possible titles (temporary):
- Counter Strike Source - University of Aveiro
- Analysis system for video games
- Analysis methodology for video games - Game Experience
Not gonna do:
a study of the interaction and usability of the menus and options in the home game;
Perhaps I'll do:
implement a Counter-Strike Source mod of the University of Aveiro, which includes a UA campus map and some UA character features;
Do not have a clue:
whether or not I have to do tests with CounterStrike players width eyetracker technology
See more in WIKI Project: http://wiki.ua.sapo.pt/wiki/Counter-stri
*NOTE: UA means University of Aveiro
