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Quantitative & Qualitative Research Methods

Quantitative & Qualitative Research Methods


In order for me to quantify and qualify my ideas/experiments, I realised it was high time to create a selection of questionnaires, one in the form of a playtesting for my mini project and the other as an online form in order to gather numerical data based on peoples likes and dislikes about select game attributes, which I politely asked others to fill out.

Qualitative

As of current my project is nowhere near completion, but with this data hopefully, I can complete to a concise set of ideas (in the form of seperate design documents) in which I can put my upmost attention. 

 From the seelection of forms that I had recieved it suddenly became conclusive  that people were not enjoying it, picking out basic errors as bugs rather than seeing past the aesthetics, and all in all not necessarily having fun. So with this I had to construct a quantitative document (found below) in order to boil down what people would consider to be their particular likea and dislikes found within video games.

Granted a few of my proposed questions were chosen in order to create systems that I would consider comfortable in creating.

Additionally, after showing some peers an art style I am trying to go for (for my current sci fi portal-like game) they suddenly became a little bit more invested in the platform and did give me some criticism in the sense that I should try and consolidate some art assets in order for it to seem a little less "test-level" like.

Below you will find a link to see the document, but be warned, it is too simple, but still constructive.

Quantitative

Unlike my former document, my quantitative form gained a significant amount more responses due to its online presence, and without having to play my game in order to answer questions.

Below you will find a link to see the form

VERSION 1

VERSION 2 -(edited due to some unnecessary questions).... feel free to answer.

As an outline to inform you of my selective questions here is my synopsis for each question.
Question 1:

My initial idea for this question was to find a fair amount of interest within a certain number of game genres, with the addition that the selected genres are ones that I have a particular interest in creating for a final project.

But, for me to justify why I have chosen that particular genre was the main reason for this question, as I would like to work within abounds to which the majority have had a vote and are probably more inclined to play, with another addition of trying to make it universal. They were also required to pick 3.

 The genre's given:

  • Shooter - Call of Duty
  • RPG - Fallout 
  • Strategy - Command & Conquer
  • Puzzle - Portal
  • Online - Runescape
  • Solo - Witcher 3
  • 3rd Person ONLY - Ratchet & Clank
  • 1st Person ONLY - Dishonoured
  • Action - The Last of Us
  • Platformer - Little Big Planet
  • Combat - Tekken
  • Artistic - Everybody's Gone To the Rapture

 Question 2:

For question 2, I thought to question hat people consider to be the main key elements to have within a game, to which they could select 5. Primarily, I was questioning what sort of systems found within video games that people find to keep them hooked, such as:

Achievement Systems Trophies - Playstation, Achievements - Xbox, to possible in-game rewards

Sound Although, questionable by some people to be an obvious system to add in, my interpretation of sound would be the use of:-

2D sounds [persistent] - such as UI, background music and simple effects
3D sounds [volumetric] - in the form of attenuated sound, so that as objects move from each other the sound either climbs or falls.

Collectables In-game rewards for secret items

Primary

Rare Finds:- usually require certain playthrough goals / special skills to claim

Currency:- A primary currency is somewhat formed within a lot of game platforms, closely followed up by a shop so that we are aware that we can buy things from the treasure and trinkets we have found, also with the addition of the shop showing items just out of our reach unless we collect more - prime selling technique.
Possible currencies: Shards, Bones, Runes, Coins, Moolah, Souls, Tings.
Secondary
Enhancement:- After collecting a certain item or meeting a certain requirement the player may be rewarded with a valuable extra, which could be for the meantime or indefinitely

Indefinite Enhancement
Sand Clouds: With this particular enhancement once the player collects the sand cloud, it incrementally adds a partition of a new bar (Sand tanks - which are used in order to use special abilities) - 48 total.

Additionally in the same game the Fountains of Life: Which due to their enhancement of increasing the player's health are much more hidden, with only 10 total  - Prince of Persia: Sands of Time


Extras:- Bonus content usually found on the menu screens, which require certain in-game requisites met - collection of certain objects, killing X amount of enemies, completion times

Collection
Gold bolts (28 total): once a number have been found it unlocks special aesthetics for in-game play -  Ratchet & Clank


Level Selection Although usually found within a separate game menu to disseminate the levels, other game use HUB levels (which could have bespoke interaction within it, such as hidden levels: Lego Star Wars - Bounty Hunter Mini Game) that act as an intermediary level that the player will always revisit in order to proceed with their adventure.

 Literal Selection
A fond favourite of my childhood was the Level Select screen otherwise found in Rayman 2:The Great Escape, where after completing levels you would be sent to continue or re-do a level, in order to collect more Lums & Cages - both hidden collectables, and if all are completed at certain levels, a mini game with extra lums are unlocked, usually in the form of a race.


 To see the suggested Level Select, please go to 12:50 in order to see the first instance of it within the game.

HUB Level
As stated earlier, with Lego Star Wars, within its main HUB level you can access a hidden Bounty Hunter mini-game, where you act as a rebel bounty hunter with the requirement to find an alliance member in the fastest t time to gain maximum rewards, and gaining the ability to continue finding other alliance member for more rewards - Lego Studs & Gold Bricks.


 Here you will the YouTuber exploring the HUB with 99.8% completion, and also showcasing what happens after collecting all of the Gold Bricks. Be warned, some unsavoury language is on the video.

 Customisation This could be vanity based objects, to just swapping out items in order to gain better stats for the player (customisable enhancement). It is also much more common nowadays that if the object is changed, that is it also reciprocated with the player - eg: swapping out a torch for a sword, changes the item held in the player's hand.

 Customisable Enhancement
With this concept, you should consider this a primary way in which the player can interpret their decisions of equipment/setups used against problems found within the certain game. Such as Boss fights, Online Multiplayer load outs or general progression.

 A particular game that comes to mind, is the Final Fantasy series, being such an expansive world and continuous variations of enemies, in style and skill, there is always a constant shift with equipment preferences and fighting styles needed in order to progress successfully. Granted, along with the frustration of restarting a particular section it could be considered that this helps the user to learn how to adapt in order to proceed, with the bonus of gaining the satisfaction of learning new tricks.

I cannot begin to count the amount of times I tried to best the Emerald Weapon (an underwater boss with a 30 minute timer - if 0 is met its game over and cannot escape), until I found out a certain NPC required a special book, found by morphing (special skill) a specific enemy (GhostShip), which rarely spawns in a small area within the game, into a Guide Book, which upon returning it to the same NPC you obtain the Underwater magic, which negates the timer. To which it then solely relies on sustaining your characters.

 Vanity
A current prime example of vanity items claimed, from loot boxes (either as match rewards for profound skills or via micro-transaction) is found in Overwatch, in the forms of vanity skins for your characters.

Link to current list of available skins:

With the addition of a few other bespoke systems, such as a Bestiary (Enemy Database), Rich Storylines, Objectives and Progressive Difficulty. I am aware that some of these systems do seem somewhat obvious to have, but that doesn't mean that everyone necessarily enjoys them.
Question 3:

For question 3, I asked the user what they considered to be their main drive for continuing a game, to which I only gave them a small list of Explore, Craft, Collect or Kill. 

My reasons for choosing these select options, are that after playing a various amount of games over the years, you can sort of always boil it back down to the original 4X style created for games back in the 90s (turn-based), to a later enhancement (real-time) - a key example of this style is Sid Meyers: Civilisation.


If you are not familiar with the term 4X, it stands for "eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate."


Question 4:

For this question, my intentions were to see what some people would consider as deal breakers, what I mean by this are elements found within games that the user could consider as annoying or as simple as something they just think it could do without. Granted one that I expect to come up is to do with micro-transactions, but I really don't wish to go on about the ethics of money and that it should all be free, unfortunately the world doesn't work like that, but I can agree that Pay to Win systems that are in effect within some games (Mass Effect Multiplayer - Link Below) are a definite "NO!!!" in my book, just because it ruins the enjoyment of someone who is playing free because it is truly unfair, as it is favouring those who can pay opposed to can play.




Question 5:

In this question, I was seeing what users considered as game satisfaction, in particular asking when and how do they feel like they are being rewarded for their efforts.

As previously about collectables within games, it more or less highlights the same idea, to which the user is actually explaining what they consider to be rewarding rather than just being given a reward. Although the use of giving the player a reward is certainly considered as a positive, as it is a reward, yet I was in the hope of some coming back with responses such as: figuring out a complex puzzle (Portal) in order to continue or learning a certain cryptic play style in order to find hidden treasures (such as Dishonoured).



 Question 6:

 For this question I considered that people will have certain things that usually frustrate them, for me, this is a great thing as I am wondering on what ways people interpret good design which is also positively engaging. So it questions the user if they consider these frustrations rewarding in any way, as I do plan on creating a rewards system, but to what end can the frustration be pushed so that it is still rewarding and does not make the player refrain from playing.


Personally, I would certainly agree with the question, being that with every great difficulty that presents itself, surely there must be something worthwhile or at least beneficial on the opposite side of this great obstruction. An example of mine would be the Dark Souls series moreover due to its exceptional difficulty straight from the offset, beginning with the player in an unknown environment and no weapons, to instantly finding a weapon an faced with an enemy, as you steadily progress within no more than 10 minutes you are faced with a great beast of a boss, that does take a significant amount of watching in order to evaluate its idle positions and attack styles in order to land an effective blow.


 Question 7:

I decided to question the user if they are inclined to follow the tutorial of a game, but with no specific itinerary as to what a tutorial is. 

It could be considered in a non-game context, is similar to following an IKEA how-to guide for flat-pack furniture or even if you are inclined to stick between a strict set of guidelines in order to attain a certain goal. 

In the context of being in game, could be boiled down to following a set of procedures to a state where the game show you the basics, a fond but artistic representation of this process can be found in Infamous: Second Son and Mad Max, in the sense that both use a wall colouring system to distinguish what can and cannot be used by the player. 


With Mad Max using a strict yellow coding system for its ledges and ladders, quite possibly due to it being a harsh colour when applied to a dark backing, a common feature shown on this platform.

Yellow on the gas canister, that has to be filled to some extent in order to use the balloon to survey the area.

Again, Yellow ladder and ledge to show it is scalable.

In contrast to Infamous who seem to strictly use it for ledges only, or at least the rockfaces found within the tutorial movement area of the game, in the form of white painted areas (part 1), wherein the later game, due to your character's powers, it becomes a lot more SFX orientated that have related traits to the powers of the character e.g. smoke for your wisp-like spirit dash ability or blast shards for the more aggressive blast type powers.(part 2)



Question 8:

As for this question, I was trying to get a feel for what people consider to break a game and its immersion, granted this can take in many forms such as:
  • General Bugs
  • Artistic errors
  • Useless mechanics
  • Overused or strenuous tasks
  • Unforgiving or Useless AI
  • Unskippable cutscenes
  • Ridiculous tutorials 

So I am preparing myself for a considerable amount of varying answers as it is essentially open-ended for the user to give me a true representation of what they personally don't like, rather than me giving my own list that may not take into account other problems thought by others.


Question 9:

Finally, I wished to see if interesting design choices make a game easier to remember. True, again this is another ambiguous question but I did only supply one example, for me, it would be the Crash Bandicoot bonus levels.

First off, with the additional partitions of the level exposed with additional boxes to claim, so that you are able to claim the Grey Gem at the end of the level by collecting all of the boxes, there is also a greater chance of succeeded with extra lives from the level, due to the addition of not losing lives if you are not successful on the bonus level, either from falling or blowing up on TNT or Nitro boxes, and the added benefit of infinite retries. 
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