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Exploring user experience in game interface: a case study of The Sims 3

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The Computer Games Journal

Abstract

User interfaces are a crucial factor in successful computer games design. Well-designed user interactions in a computer game can enhance user experience in terms of playfulness, immersion and flow, resulting in better user engagement during game playing. The aim of this paper is to better understand the elements of user interface designs in games by measuring the user experience while engaged in playing the game. An experiment was conducted using The Sims 3, an extremely popular social and life simulation game featuring real 3D graphics, to measure various facets of user experiences while interacting with the game. A Game Engagement Questionnaire (GEQ) was customised and administered to 35 participants aged between 20 and 28, and their responses were analysed. The findings show that most participants enjoyed the game. Overall, participants provided positive feedback on the user interface.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Visual Informatics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43000, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Nazlena Mohamad Ali & Siti Zahidah Abdullah

  2. Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43000, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Juhana Salim

  3. Singapore University of Technology and Design, 20 Dover Drive, Singapore

    Hyowon Lee

Authors
  1. Nazlena Mohamad Ali
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  2. Siti Zahidah Abdullah
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  3. Juhana Salim
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  4. Hyowon Lee
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Correspondence to Nazlena Mohamad Ali.

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Ali, N.M., Abdullah, S.Z., Salim, J. et al. Exploring user experience in game interface: a case study of The Sims 3. Comput Game J 2, 6–18 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392333

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392333

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