Puzzle games: player strategies across different interaction modalities

  • Authors:

  • Jaime Carvalho;Luís Duarte;Luís Carriço

  • Affiliations:

  • University of Lisbon, Campo-Grande, Lisboa;University of Lisbon, Campo-Grande, Lisboa;University of Lisbon, Campo-Grande, Lisboa

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Fun and Games
  • Year:
  • 2012

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Abstract

This paper presents the design of a puzzle game for the Android platform along with a study on puzzle solving strategies across different interaction modalities. Solving puzzles is among the oldest challenges and entertainment activities available to us. However, despite major technological advances, the design of such games has never provided individuals with challenges beyond visual puzzles. We capitalized on this opportunity to tackle the design of puzzles which go beyond visual cues, utilizing sound and vibration feedback as well to offer a fresh challenge to players. Along with the design of this game, our research focused on analyzing puzzle solving strategies applied by users. In particular, this paper details a study in which we analyzed if players apply the same strategy to solve a visual and a audio puzzle. Results point that players often opt to solve prominent areas first, leaving more abstract zones to the end, independently from the interaction modality involved.