3D Frontier Chess is a new variation of chess that that expands the game to a new dimension. This chess variation allows each chess piece to move in not only the x and y axis, but also the z axis. This game seeks to remedy a failed idea that was tried with physical chess boards. 3D Chess has failed in the past due to its complexity when played with physical pieces. By bringing it to a comprehensive 3D virtual space, 3D Frontier Chess is easy to understand and fun to play.
Objective
The goal of this study was to ensure that our menus and in-game experience cater to our audience. Our logos, menu design, menu organization and chess piece design were the four main focuses of this study that we were seeking to improve. We predicted that different sections of our audience may have troubles with different parts of the game based on their different experiences.
Approach
Since we were seeking to examine multiple aspects of our game, data was collected using a mixed-method approach. We used a Usability Test to find out how effective our logos communicated where they led. We used a Card Sort in order to see where people believed they would find different options in our settings menu. We conducted a User Interview and Usability Test to determine how easy it was for players to determine which piece was which and how to interact with them.
Given the nature of turning a chess variation into a video game, we separated our audience by two variables:
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Amount of Chess Experience
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Amount of Video Game Experience
Personas
1. Experienced chess player with no video game experience
2. Experienced chess player that regularly plays video games
3. Avid video game player who hasn't played chess since he was a child
4. Average Joe who does not play chess or video games
Journey Map
Results
After running a usability test on the main menu, we found that our icons were easily recognized by most users despite video game experience. From the User Interview we found that our in-game pain points did not stem from an inability to identify which piece was which. Even in the case of persona 3 and 4 which have little to no chess experience, they were able to identify all seven pieces correctly. We did notice a new problem of users struggling see when they were taking an opponent's piece versus simply moving their own piece. Our settings menu Card Sort showed us that the current layout of our settings menu is what most people would expect. Even those with minimal video game experience were able to mostly correctly sort the setting into our current format.
Impact
Most of our problems seemed to be universal across all users despite video game or chess experience. This research study allowed us to make changes within the main menu and in-game experience while gaining confidence in our current settings menu. The Usability Test uncovered that one of our icons on the main menu was confusing to most users, leading to a redesign of the "Change Stage" icon. The User Interview led to an improvement of our piece taking system in which the confirm button was redesigned into a "move" or "capture" button.