Usability Assessment Heuristics in New Genre Videogames

In this paper, we introduce a new set of heuristics that can be used to carry out usability studies on new genre video games. The definition new genre games refers to video games that use specific and unique equipment or are part of a general software category such as platforms of social networking. Based on video game usability problems stated in game reviews on relevant Web sites and in earlier scientific researches, heuristics were developed to help resolve usability problems in gameplay and game interface level. In addition usability problems concerning new genre video games were identified through an integrated experimental procedure that took place in HOU´s quality assessment laboratory or in players´ own place by using suitable software developed by the Software Quality Research Group (SQRG) to simulate laboratory functions. Once the heuristics had been developed, they were applied on the observation procedure during the players´ encounters with the games Wii Sports and Pet Society (used inside the famous networking platform Facebook). The validity of heuristics is tested through two different usability evaluating methods; users logging and heuristic evaluation.