This week’s lecture focused on user accessibility and its significant impact on our game development process. Each game we create is unique, reflecting the diverse range of players who engage with them. Our gaming community includes individuals with various abilities, including those with disabilities, which is an essential consideration in our game design. Many disabled individuals stay home and interact with video games in a way that suits them rather than participating in outdoor activities. Recognizing this reality has led us to seriously consider how we can incorporate accessibility features into our games, ensuring that both disabled gamers and the general gaming population feel confident and included while playing. To address this, our group has actively begun brainstorming ideas aimed at enhancing the accessibility of our game.
As the week progressed, we continued our research into user testing and quality assurance (QA), building on the knowledge gained from a previous activity. During our discussions, we identified key distinctions between QA and user testing. QA testing primarily focuses on whether the game functions correctly and meets technical standards, while user testing emphasizes the player’s overall experience during gameplay. This realization underscored the importance of prioritizing user experience alongside technical accuracy.
User tests assess how smoothly a game operates and help identify specific bugs that must be addressed before release. With this understanding, we began preparing for gameplay testing and explored user interactions that could influence player engagement. In this context, I partnered with my classmate Hayley to play a classical Indian puzzle game called “Moksha Spiritual Puzzles.”
This activity highlighted the critical role of game testing and gave us valuable insights into best practices for game development. Playing the puzzle game taught us several key lessons, such as effectively managing wait times to reduce player frustration, adjusting controller sensitivity to accommodate various player preferences, and minimizing obvious visual errors that could detract from the gaming experience. This experience inspired us to adopt a more immersive and player-centric approach to our game design process.
Additionally, since my illustrations were well-received by the group, they encouraged me to finalize which designs I should create for the game. To achieve this, they held a vote to select the illustrations they believed would be the most impactful. Following their feedback, I dedicated the weekend to producing the finalized drawings, ensuring they aligned with our game vision while enhancing its accessibility and appeal.