Steve Mallory Breanna Turner

Professor Cassini Nazir May 6, 2014 !!

Cognitive Build-Up Team Fortress 2 Crafting Interface

!Team Fortress 2, a PC Game by Valve Software, is known for its carefully crafted visual

style. For a game that focused so mightily on the look the game, the interface appears to

almost have been an after-thought. The crafting interface is boring and difficult to use. This is

a hurdle for the new casual gamers. This presentation provides several prototypes that create a

more visually attractive and easier to use interface.

The redesigned interface prototypes were developed using KANO analysis. Additional

refinements were made by addressing the negative design principles. The principles addressed

are -

• Increased Attractiveness Bias: people will more often use something that looks good

• Increased Picture Superiority Effect: use more images that players recognize from play

• Increased Aesthetic Usability Effect: make the interface prettier; it will be easier to use

• Improved Color Selection: use a color palette closer to the game palette

• Improved Highlighting: better contrast through color use

• Recognition over Recall: image use over text

• Improved Chunking: better organization

• Lower the Cognitive Load: greater color and images

• Increased Forgiveness: make choices explicit

• Expand Personas: include casual gamers

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