Whether the Use of Vibration Improves User Experience Leading to Better Targeting in V-Archery Game - Coursework Example

?Novel Report on the game V Archery V-Archery is a game that is played by more than one players and it measures the ability of the game users to make precised aims at the target. The game player is referred to as the archer, and participates by stringing the bow. In this case, the stringing is stimulated. The game is linked to archery, which is considered as one of the three offensive skills that are weapon based. The skills govern bows’ use and are raised by the use of such bows as well as crossbows. This paper is about the V-Archery and tries to find out whether the use of vibration improves the user experience leading to better targeting. To find the answer to this hypothetical question, the research has been done in a systematic process to find all the necessary data required to accept or reject the hypothesis. To do this, the research comes up with a points based location of the game target in which the various colors used in the target represent different accuracy levels of the game player, the archer. Highest scores are achieved when the archer aims at the middle of the target. The scores decrease as targets hit further from the middle of the target. The different colors used in the target represent different scores and an archer would want to aim the colors closest to the middle of the target possible to earn the highest points possible. The scores used include 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10. The target is aimed using a track arrow, whose tip and direction is controlled by the player. Precision of the arrow is controlled by both TUI and effects of vibration (Hansard 1841). A player chooses the game using specified criteria. The precision is influenced by a number of factors that include vibration, which increases precision according to the research results. Design Concept The design concept includes the research question, which brings out the hypothesis being proved or disapproved. The design concept also structures the tested idea of the game as well as the purpose of the experiment done on the game. The experiment was done to point out whether vibration effects increased the user precision through enhanced experience. Research question The research question extracts a general picture of the research including the objectives and hypothesis. The research question is used to guide the research through all steps in the experiment and report writing. The research question in this case is: Does the use of vibration improve the user experience and lead to better targeting? Research Objective The research objective is structured from the research question. The research objective provides guidance for whatever has to be done. This includes the methodologies used, the data collected, and the techniques used in data analysis in order to obtain effective results. The objective of the research is: To find out whether the use of vibration improves the user experience and lead to better targeting Prototype The research uses a fixed process in order to obtain effective results about the relationship between vibration and improvement of vibration and the resulting effect on user experience and improved targeting. The prototype in this case is the V-archery game, which include the bows, the tracked arrows, the player (archers), the target, and location. The combination of all these components forms the v-archery game. The bows are used to exact pressure from where the track arrows are released to hit the game target (Klopsteg 1963). The player or archer achieves better target depending on his or her use of the bow and track arrows. The track arrow has a sharp tip used to hit the target but it is controlled by its tail. The precision of the arrow is mainly controlled by TUI and the vibration effect as the research finds out. The Prototyping Process The prototyping process includes the use of vibration within the game and the criteria used to choose the game. In the use of vibration in this game, a uniform vibration is first felt when the archer is aiming the game target. This only happens at the start of the game. Varying degrees of vibrations feedbacks are realized after the track arrow hits the game target. The arrow hit on the target with respect to the target spot (Klopsteg 1963). Again, a vibration effect would be felt whenever the track arrow misses the target but all the results are recorded for providing answer to the research question. In the establishment of the required results of the research, a special criterion for choosing the game is used. The criteria used involve the testing of vibration effect and comparing it another version of the game that has no vibration. A Tangible User Interface is then used in controlling the aiming of the game target (Hansard 1841). The use of Arduino is applied in order to provide the expected feedback effect. A tactile effect principle is then implemented, which include line length or curvature detection used in the definition of hepatic paths or barriers through a simple boundary that is two-dimensional. Tangible Interactions In this research, tangible interaction in the v-archery game involves the factual information presented by the research experiment. The experiment procedure included two tests, which were test 1 and test 2. The aim of test one was to vision feedback only while test two was done to establish the vibration feedback. In test 1, tangible results were established. The game was set in an easy way with hardly any vibration feedback. All other components of the game remained intact with all users being evaluated with respect to their abilities in hitting the targets, hitting off the targets, and getting high total scores after ten shots of track arrows. In the case of test two, the game was set in the same way but this time with a vibration feedback. Recording was also done on the ability of user to hit the targets, to hit off the targets, and manage to acquire high scores in the game. Evaluation Evaluation of the collected data and information was done with the aim of knowing the effect of vibrations whenever shooting targets and to understand the vibration effect on the game users. Evaluation was also done to make determination on whether visual feedback or vibration feedback contributes to better user experiences. The evaluation process covers the methodology, the used measures in the research experiment, as well as the obtained results for both cases of the game (Center for Civic Partnerships 2007). The two cases of experimenting in the game included setting the game without any vibration feedbacks and setting it with vibration feedbacks. Methodology The methodology involves the mode of data collection and data analysis. In data collection, sample survey technique was used to obtain more feedback about the v-archery game from students. The use of experiment was the basic source of data from 20 students who carried out the experiments. Ten of the students had half track arrows while the other ten students performing the experiment had did not have such arrows. The data was collected through a qualitative process, which had a scale detonated in the form of very poor, poor, fair, good, and very good. Each of the five scales represented a specific value used in the calculation of the game users experience factors (Center for Civic Partnerships 2007). The surveys used short questions and answers that gave a great way of establishing additional feedbacks about the v-archery game. In the surveys, students are asked whether they have tried the game of v-archery before. This question is meant to enhance uniformity and ensure that the precision is hardly affected by other variables other than vibration. Students were expected to have uniform experience in the game for fair results to be obtained. To find out whether students had some knowledge of the game, questions such as how they thought about the target movement and what they wanted to be improved on the game were asked in the surveys. Other questions asked to find out more about the knowledge they had in the game included what they thought about the game sounds, and the problems encountered while playing the game. All these questions were raised to find any possibility of other factor influencing the precision of the players other than the vibration effect. After the data was collected, an analysis was necessary to put it in a more meaningful way. The data analysis was done using ANOVA. ANOVA is method of data analysis that uses a single factor analysis of variances (Choudhury 2009). It is a statistical method for making simultaneous comparisons between two or more means and it yields values that can be tested to determine whether a significant relation exists between variables. In this case, the variables being analyzed included off-target, scores, and number of hits on off-targets. Off-targets involve the way increase in the vibration generates effects on archers’ off-targets. Measures Used Various measures were used in the research experiment as a way of enhancing accuracy in the results obtained to answer the research question. These measures made up the research variables used in the comparison to figure out the truth in the research hypothesis that the use of vibration will improve the experiences of user thereby leading them to better targeting. The measures used included off-targeting, the number of shots, and the scores obtained by every player in the game. Off-target was a measure affected by vibration aspect of the game. According to the research hypothesis, the use of vibration in the game improves user experience and contributes to better targeting. This means that increase in vibration as a variable reduced the cases of off-targets in all users playing the game. Results The results obtained were achieved through a planned process in the research experiment. The results obtained depended on the measures used, which included off-target shots, on target shots, and scores obtained. These results were presented in various ways including both data and graphs (Center for Civic Partnerships 2007). First, the graphical representation involved a graph on user score with and without vibration. The second graph showed results for the on target shots with and without vibration. On average, scores without vibration was found to be higher than scores with vibration. The on target shots without vibration were lower than on target shots with vibration in terms of user average. Conclusion The on target shots were low in a game set without vibration implying that the off-target shots were high instead. On the other hand, on target shots in a game with vibration feedback were high, which implies that the off-target shots were low. In this case, vibration seems to minimize the number of off-target shorts and increase the number of on target short. The implication in this case is that vibration has a positive effect on user targeting. The scores are not however highly dependent on the vibration effects. This happens because the values allocated to each color on the target are different and they are hardly determined by their proximity to the target center. The relationship between the vibration effect and the number of on target shorts is positive, which portrays an increased accuracy. In general, vibration and TUI manipulates the game. Haptic vibration leads to better targeting than the case of an ordinary implementation of the V-Archery game. The game is fan, and feedback enhances this fan, bringing in realism and immersion. Given such provisions of the V-Archery game based on the experimental data, the null hypothesis, which states that, “the use of vibration feedback leads to increased user experience,” is accepted while the null hypothesis, which states that only game contributes to better user experience is rejected. Individual Contributions My contributions in the experiment included initiation of the game idea and making arrangements for the evaluation. The idea would not have been implemented without my efforts, which included convincing my team about the idea and providing them with the necessary knowledge and material used in understanding the game better. Some members of the team viewed the experiment as difficult and almost impossible and it was my duty to make them give in to the idea. I took the initiative of reviewing the game and all its requirements. I had to start by pointing out the components of the game and the use of its component. In my explanation, I had to start with explanation of the location targets, which have different colors with each color denoting a different value used in coming up with the scores. The team needs to know how the scores are earned in which case I provided that each shot gave a unique value depending on the arrow location on the target. I explained to them that higher scores were achieved when one hit as closer to the middle of the target as possible. I also explained that vibration effect affected the arrow target by enhancing the experiences of the user although this was the research hypothesis, which the experiment indented to accept or reject. The next issue to point out was the players. I had to state their roles and how they would go about the program. I had to explain the criteria of choosing the game including the test of the vibration aspect of the game in comparison to a game without vibration. I had to explain that the Tangible User Interface is used specifically to control the aiming targets. I also had to explain to the team that we needed to make use of an Arduino box for the provision of vibration feedbacks. I also provided information on the tactile effect that had to be implemented. This explanation was part of my contribution to make the game idea clear to all member of the team. It was my obligation to make arrangement on the evaluation of the data obtained. In the evaluation, I first pointed out the aim of making the evaluation. I had to state that one of the aims of the evaluation was to know the effect of the vibrations when players were to shoot targets. The evaluation also aimed to make all members understand the effect of these vibrations on the player. Through the evaluation, it was possible for the team to determine whether visual feedback or vibration feedback can make any contribution in making the experiences of the game users better. I also had to point out the scope of the evaluation. The evaluation had to cover the methodology, all measures used in the experiment, and the results obtained. The methodology included all aspects of data collection techniques possible but in this case, only surveys and data from the experiment were used. The methodology also covered the data analysis process. In our case, the use of ANOVA was the best was of running the analysis. ANOVA provided the best option of all possible statistical methods that we found great for making simultaneous comparisons between two results means that included a vibration-based game and a game without vibration. It was the best statistical method that would yield values that could be tested to determine whether a significant relationship existed between vibration and the game user experience thereby enhancing his or her target precision. Other than the analysis, it was my obligation to present the experiment results in a clear way. I chose to use graphs. From the experiment, I learned much about the relationship between vibration and user precision as positive in the V-Archery game. Vibration enhances player experience thus making the player improve on his or her target ability. I also learned that experiments need adequate planning on time and money since these two factors provided great challenges to the team. Again, much is needed to be done on the evaluation section of the research. The presentation of data could have used detailed graphs that show the relationship among all variables. The graph on scores contradicts with the fact that higher scores are recorded when a player hits near the middle of the targets. A game with vibrations has better targets and the score should be high as well. This aspect is hardly shown in the presentation and should thus be improved. The presentation should also include a graph for the off-target shots with and without vibrations as well as how the number of on-target shots influences the game scores. Bibliography Center for Civic Partnerships. 2007. Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation Methods . Retrieved July 21, 2013, from http://www.civicpartnerships.org/docs/tools_resources/Quan_Qual%20Methods%209.07. htm Choudhury, A. 2009, June 6. ANOVA: Analysis Of Variance. Retrieved July 21, 2013, from http://explorable.com/anova Hansard, G. A. 1841. The Book of Archery: being the complete history and practice of the art, ancient and modern ... London. London: H. G. Bohn. Klopsteg, P. 1963. A Chapter in the Evolution of Archery in America . Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution. Read More