Towards gameplay analysis via gameplay metrics

TLDR

Game industry research is shifting from informal user‑testing to modern usability methods, with gameplay metrics—instrumentation data on user‑game interaction—emerging as a novel, under‑explored research tool. This paper aims to use gameplay metrics to inform analysis of gameplay during commercial production and research. The authors present case studies of major titles Kane & Lynch and Fragile Alliance to illustrate the approach.

Abstract

User-oriented research in the game industry is undergoing a change from relying on informal user-testing methods adapted directly from productivity software development to integrating modern approaches to usability- and user experience testing. Gameplay metrics analysis form one of these techniques, being based on instrumentation methods in HCI. Gameplay metrics are instrumentation data about the user behavior and user-game interaction, and can be collected during testing, production and the live period of the lifetime of a digital game. The use of instrumentation data is relatively new to commercial game development, and remains a relatively unexplored method of user research. In this paper, the focus is on utilizing game metrics for informing the analysis of gameplay during commercial game production as well as in research contexts. A series of case studies are presented, focusing on the major commercial game titles Kane & Lynch and Fragile Alliance.