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
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 main...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Electronics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/2/281 |
| _version_ | 1797344231382056960 |
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| author | Kim Martinez David Checa Andres Bustillo |
| author_facet | Kim Martinez David Checa Andres Bustillo |
| author_sort | Kim Martinez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:59:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9bf46f01988a41fa904a83255532019d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:59:22Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Electronics |
| spelling | doaj.art-9bf46f01988a41fa904a83255532019d2024-01-26T16:12:58ZengMDPI AGElectronics2079-92922024-01-0113228110.3390/electronics13020281Development of the Engagement Playability and User eXperience (EPUX) Metric for 2D-Screen and VR Serious Games: A Case-Study Validation of Hellblade: Senua’s SacrificeKim Martinez0David Checa1Andres Bustillo2Department of History, Geography and Communication, Universidad de Burgos, 09001 Burgos, SpainDepartment of Computer Engineering, Universidad de Burgos, 09006 Burgos, SpainDepartment of Computer Engineering, Universidad de Burgos, 09006 Burgos, SpainResearch 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/2/281serious gamesgame designgame evaluationgame engagementvirtual reality |
| spellingShingle | Kim Martinez David Checa Andres Bustillo 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 Electronics serious games game design game evaluation game engagement virtual reality |
| title | 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 |
| title_full | 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 |
| title_fullStr | 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 |
| title_full_unstemmed | 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 |
| title_short | 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 |
| title_sort | 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 |
| topic | serious games game design game evaluation game engagement virtual reality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/2/281 |
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