Tetrinomicon: A Multiplayer Tetris Game - User Interface Analysis | Papers Software Development

Noah Cohen

CS 465

Heuristic Analysis

Tetrinomicon: a multiplayer Tetris game for the Xbox 360 where players earn special

blocks by clearing lines and can use these blocks on themselves or their opponents.

Special blocks come in many varieties, but fall into four categories: attack, defense,

summon block with special properties, or uber-powered. It can be played with either two

local players or one local player and up to three networked players. The below sketches

and information are all from the 1 local, 3 networked situation.

Information the user must keep track of: The status of their own field, the status of their

opponent’s fields, the special blocks that they have at their disposal, those that they can

harvest from their field, those that their opponents can harvest from their fields, who they

are targeting, and when special blocks are used. The history of special block usage

against the local player is shown as bar graphs on each of the opponents’ fields – that is,

as a network player uses a red special block, the red bar on their ‘aggression meter’

grows a bit.

The attached sketch may help clarify the basic view of the game and how information is

presented. <Apparently, my scanner has difficulties reading… anything. I will bring a

sketch to class>

1) Validity of System Status

Users are informed of nearly all actions within the game as it is played. The status of each

field, all line clears, and all special block usage is always visible. The history of special

block usage as it relates to the local player is also displayed as bar graphs on the

aggressor’s field. Whom the user is targeting is displayed as a persistent, translucent

target image hovering over the targeted field. As network players use special blocks, their

target and an image of the block used become briefly visible to the local player. The

special blocks available to a player are sorted by type and displayed in queues.

All feedback is immediate to the user input. Any time an action does not receive

immediate feedback should be considered as an error.

2) Match between system and real world

There is no language used in the in-game interface, and the language in the menus and

options is concise and understandable. Many of the concepts shown are new to players

familiar with Tetris, but once seen, are readily understood.

3) User control and freedom

Without solid controls, games become difficult and frustrating. Players can select

between a few control schemes to use what suits their play style and intuition. Short of a

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Noah Cohen CS 465 Heuristic Analysis Tetrinomicon: a multiplayer Tetris game for the Xbox 360 where players earn special blocks by clearing lines and can use these blocks on themselves or their opponents. Special blocks come in many varieties, but fall into four categories: attack, defense, summon block with special properties, or uber-powered. It can be played with either two local players or one local player and up to three networked players. The below sketches and information are all from the 1 local, 3 networked situation. Information the user must keep track of: The status of their own field, the status of their opponent’s fields, the special blocks that they have at their disposal, those that they can harvest from their field, those that their opponents can harvest from their fields, who they are targeting, and when special blocks are used. The history of special block usage against the local player is shown as bar graphs on each of the opponents’ fields – that is, as a network player uses a red special block, the red bar on their ‘aggression meter’ grows a bit. The attached sketch may help clarify the basic view of the game and how information is presented. <Apparently, my scanner has difficulties reading… anything. I will bring a sketch to class>

Validity of System Status Users are informed of nearly all actions within the game as it is played. The status of each field, all line clears, and all special block usage is always visible. The history of special block usage as it relates to the local player is also displayed as bar graphs on the aggressor’s field. Whom the user is targeting is displayed as a persistent, translucent target image hovering over the targeted field. As network players use special blocks, their target and an image of the block used become briefly visible to the local player. The special blocks available to a player are sorted by type and displayed in queues. All feedback is immediate to the user input. Any time an action does not receive immediate feedback should be considered as an error.
Match between system and real world There is no language used in the in-game interface, and the language in the menus and options is concise and understandable. Many of the concepts shown are new to players familiar with Tetris, but once seen, are readily understood.
User control and freedom Without solid controls, games become difficult and frustrating. Players can select between a few control schemes to use what suits their play style and intuition. Short of a

full crash, users can back out of any area easily, using conventions common to Xbox games.

Consistency and standards All block motions are controlled with the left hand (with the exception of rotation, which is handled on the triggers) and all targeting & attacking is done with the right hand. In menus, A and Start are always taken as “Accept” whereas B is always taken as “Cancel” or “Go Back”
Help users recognize, diagnose and recover from errors. The user is only in the position to fix one possible type of error – network errors. All errors are reported, though little diagnostic or repair work can be done on the user end due to the nature of the Xbox 360 console. Where appropriate, “Reset to Defaults” functionality is provided.
Error Prevention It is not easy to make errors due to the focused nature of the game’s scope. (This does not include strategic or block placement errors due to incorrectly gauging where a block is placed, though subtle vertical guides are provided to speed play)
Recognition rather than recall There are a large number of types of special blocks, each with their own distinct icon. However, due to the limited size of the blocks, limited information can be presented on them. Efforts are made (through magnification and animation, as well as coloring and icons) to distinguish special blocks from normal ones. The icons on blocks do correspond to their function, though how well they correspond is a subject that requires more user testing.
Flexibility and efficiency of use Shortcuts are not really valid in this type of application. Providing shortcuts or other accelerators in-game would provide unfair advantages to experienced users, who are already likely to have an advantage over new players. Additionally, menus are Spartan and not very deep, so accelerators are not needed.
Aesthetic and minimalist design? The design is not exactly minimalist, due to the volume of information that must be presented to the player at all times, but it does not present unnecessary information to players. The color schemes used emphasize the role that special blocks play in the game, and are pleasing to the designer. More user testing is required in this area as well.

Player plays until she has a few special blocks in her queues, two red “attack” blocks, and a green “beneficial” block. Player uses right stick to target opposing player, hits B (red) button twice to use the red special blocks. She then targets herself and hits A (green) button to use the benefical block on herself. Player sees a target appear on her own field, sees an attack block within it. She knows she has been attacked, by whom and with what before she even sees the effect on her own playing field. This continues until the game ends. Once the game ends, the player is returned to the Title screen, and can continue playing or return to the Arcade.

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