RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Development of the Engagement Playability and User eXperience (EPUX) Metric for 2D-Screen and VR Serious Games: A Case-Study Validation of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
A1 Martínez García, Kim
A1 Checa Cruz, David
A1 Bustillo Iglesias, Andrés
K1 Serious games
K1 Game design
K1 Game evaluation
K1 Game engagement
K1 Virtual reality
K1 Videojuegos
K1 Video games
K1 Realidad virtual
K1 Virtual reality
AB Research into the design of serious games still lacks metrics to evaluate engagement with the experience so that users can achieve the learning aims. This study presents the new EPUX metric, based on playability and User eXperience (UX) elements, to measure the capability of any serious game to maintain the attention of players. The metric includes (1) playability aspects: game items that affect the emotions of users and that constitute the different layers of the game, i.e., mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics; and (2) UX features: motivation, meaningful choices, usability, aesthetics and balance both in the short and in the long term. The metric is also adapted to evaluate virtual reality serious games (VR-SGs), so that changes may be considered to features linked to playability and UX. The case study for the assessment of the EPUX metric is Hellblade, developed in two versions: one for 2D-screens and the other for VR devices. The comparison of the EPUX metric scores for both versions showed that (1) some VR dynamics augmented the impact of gameplay and, in consequence, engagement capacity; and (2) some game design flaws were linked to much lower scores. Among those flaws were low numbers of levels, missions, and items; no tutorial to enhance usability; and lack of strategies and rewards to increase motivation in the long term.
PB MDPI
SN 2079-9292
YR 2024
FD 2024-01-08
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10259/9518
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10259/9518
LA eng
NO This work was partially supported by the GruaRV project (Reference Number INVESTUN/18/BU/0002) of the Consejería de Industria, Comercio y Empleo of the Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FPU18/04688).
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
RD 06-ene-2025