The Main Menu User Test

Background and Goals

We have designed and implemented some new features for the general gaming experience:

• The new Main Menu design.
  • How does the new Main Menu look like?
  • How does it affect the understanding from the player to the game?
• The new background of the game.
  • The new background picture which shown while playing the game.
  • How does it affect the emotion of the player while playing the game?

This user test is to get enough feedback to improve our design aesthetic.

Process

Our survey is divided into two parts:

1. Potential target population:

• We invite them to have a look at the main menu and watch the gaming process.
• Experience the real game flow
• After the end, we interviewed a few questions about the background of the main menu and the game stage.

2. Professional developer/designer:

• We will tell them directly where we need to test
• Show them prototypes
• Ask them for advice

Key Questions

Potential target population:

• What do you think the background can affect the player's emotion？
• After viewing the design, how would you rate those two background pictures?
• What do you think needs to be improved？

Professional developer/designer:

• Do you think a more suitable background will make the game more enjoyable?
• From the aesthetic point of view, what do you think needs to be improved?
• What do you think needs to be improved？

Result (Sprint2 Only)

User 1: Student A

• Thoughts: New background pictures are great.
• Like: I like the new background, which goes well with the game story.
• Not so good: No, I like it.
• Comment: Just like it, and wish to see the game becoming easier.

User 2: Student B

• Thoughts: Cool features.
• Like: I can feel the topic from the welcoming page which tells me that there is a more thrilling atmosphere.
• Not so good: Somehow too dark.
• Comment: Excellent job.

User 3: Student C (who has attended the user test for the last sprint)

• Thoughts: Good background picture, and overall more enjoyable than the first sprint.
• Like: Nice background which goes well with the theme of the game.
• Not so good: Too hard because too many obstacles are on the air and I can't make it to avoid a hit.
• Comment: Good design work, I like it, but still needs improvement.

User 4: Professional Student D

• Thoughts: Attractive and enjoyable.
• Like: The background design is really attractive, I can't stop clicking the "start" button to have a try at the game.
• Not so good: The picture of the gaming stage is quite dark.
• Suggestion: Overall good, keep going.

User 5: Professional Student E

• Thoughts: Cool design.
• Like: The main menu picture tells me that this game is all about escaping under the threat of the UFO. It is a great presentation.
• Not so good: A little bit of contradiction to have that the UFO is seen above the tree on the main menu but the UFO is set to on the city while playing the game.
• Suggestion: It is better to choose a better picture.

User 6: Professional Student F

• Thoughts: Brilliant background for both Main Menu and the game platform.
• Like: Good pictures for both the main menu and the gaming stage.
• Not so good: Nothing to complain about in terms of the aesthetic design.
• Suggestion: Keep going, and try to make the game easier to play.

Summary

• This is just a simple user test since the topic of the test is all about aesthetic design. Every participant highly rated the new background design for both the Main Menu and the gaming stage. The Main Menu is on the role of welcoming the player since it is the first page that the player will see when they start the game. Many participants said the main menu background can effectively express the topic of the game story and render a kind of thrilling feel. It is proof of how the aesthetic design can cooperate with other features to make the game more enjoyable.
• The background on the gaming stage is also upvoted by some participants due to its attractiveness. Like the main menu background, the gaming stage background is even more thrilling which helps the player to keep concentration on the game. It is a kind of silent feature but works like the main one.