OBJECTIVES
After this lesson, students will be able to:
• Identify the Eight Golden Rules of Human-Computer Interface
Design
• Identify the need for functional consistency, shortcuts, feedback,
closure, error prevention, easy reversal of actions, feeling in
control, and avoiding memory overload.
WORDS TO KNOW
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Shell Menus
Checkpoint
Cheat Codes
Timeout
Ergonomics
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
The 8 Golden Rules of HCI
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Strive for consistency
Enable frequent users to use shortcuts
Offer informative feedback
Design dialogue to yield closer
Offer simple error handling
Permit easy reversal of actions
Support internal locus of control
Reduce short-term memory load
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency
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Similar situation should have consistent sequences of
actions.
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Identical terminology should be used in prompts, menus,
and help screens.
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Consistent commands should be used throughout the
game.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency – Readable Text
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Font – Sans Serif offers best readability
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Size – Children and older adults need larger text
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Color – Contrast between text and background or game
frame.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency – Readable Text
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Sans Serif vs. Serif
Serif
San Serif
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency – Readable Text
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Contrast
High Contrast
Low Contrast
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency – Readable Text
All sorts of
wrong going on
here!
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency – Layout
• Functional - Parts of the HUD should remain
in place unless the game story dictates a
change.
• Navigable - Layout should also help with
player navigation through arrows or other
guidance systems. If you player is going the
wrong way, the layout should warn them.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency
Inputs
• Button pressed actions should remain the
same for the whole game.
Outputs
• Outputs, menus, colors, fonts, navigation,
button locations, and overall game layout
should be similar throughout the game.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency
Outputs
• Shell Menu – A non-menu item displayed
outside of gameplay, such as the title frame,
credits, and cut scenes. Loading and saving
the game is commonly done with a shell
menu.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Consistency
Outputs
• Note on Shell Menus – The shell menu
should remain the same each time, even if an
option is not available at the time of game
play, it should be shown, but greyed out to let
your player know they have not unlocked that
yet.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Shortcuts
Keeping the player from having to restart the
game each time they loose.
• Checkpoint – A point on the gameplay
timeline where the player will be returned if
they run out of health or life.
• Placed after each difficult or time
consuming task.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Shortcuts
• Cheat codes – Commands used during game
development so parts of the code can be
tested without having to play the entire game.
• Not usually meant for the public but
sometimes they are leaked out. This
causes questions about “gamer ethics.”
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Feedback
Whenever a player inputs some sort of action,
output information, or feedback, should be
received.
• A “boing” sound for jumping
• Cheering from a crowd for good action, booing for
bad action
• Roll over button to explain the function or
purpose.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Closure
A sense of conclusion to the game and its story.
You should give your player a signal that they
are going the right direction or warnings if they
are not. You can usually do this through
dialogue. Cut scenes can also provide closure.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Errors
Design the game so a player cannot make a
serious error, but if they do, the game should
offer solutions for the player to handle the
error.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Errors - Output
Check for output prevention. Did your player get
stuck and can’t “get out” of a situation?
• Timeout – When the game resets after a
period of inactivity.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Errors - Input
• Input errors such as a users logging in with an
incorrect username or password need to be
checked.
• Program a controller with buttons spaced far
enough to avoid pressing two buttons at the
same time.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Errors - Input
• Input devices should follow ergonomic design
principles
• Ergonomic – The study of how the body
works and how humans interact with tools
and environment.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Errors – Input
6 principles of Interface Ergonomics
• Design for comfort
• Reduce force
• Reduce Reach
• Limit excessive and repetitive motion
• Reduce fatigue
• Stretch the player
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Undo Actions
Allow players to undo actions. This allows the player
to explore gameplay knowing that nothing will be
permanent to their gameplay.
• Try on different armor or weapons without having
to restart the game.
• Save game at every checkpoint to eliminate the
chance of a player forgetting. With this, if an error
is made, they can undo by going back to that
check point.
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Sense of Control
Players like to feel they are in control of the
game. Design the game to make the player the
initiator of actions rather than responding to
game directions.
• Give you player freedom to explore and make
choices
APPLYING THE HCI TO GAME DESIGN
Memory Overload
Remember there is a limit to what players can
process and hold in short-term memory. Keep
the interface simple. Allow sufficient time
through gameplay to learn the button codes
and sequences of actions.