Новое исследование: разработчикам игр следует анализировать действия игроков, а не их отзывы

Game developers should look at what players do, not what they say in feedback, says new study As validation throughout development becomes more important, playtesters should be judged by their actions and behaviour as much as the feedback they leave in a survey. Gaming and creating games feels more uncertain now than it has in periods prior. A lot of titles feel like they're make or break for a studio, which means that feedback is becoming an increasingly vital part of the development process. However, according to new research from New Zealand playtesting service Playful, developers shouldn't be focusing as much on what players say as they should look at what players do. Player behaviour is a much more important marker of how they're actually experiencing a game. Playful founder Jeremy Sweetman calls this "The Invisible Player." That player isn't any one person, but they are a list of behaviours that will show how people interact with a developers' game. "Players don't always tell you what's wrong. But they show you. They pause before making a decision. They ignore a feature you thought was obvious. They solve a puzzle in a way you never expected. They quietly stop playing. Those moments often reveal more than any survey ever could," Sweetman explained in a press release. Without players always saying what they're doing in a game, it can be challenging to recognise those behaviours. But, if developers rise to meet that challenge, they'll be better off in the long run. It's difficult to predict how a game will be received when it's released to the public, but by looking at how players interact with a game, when they switch on and off, hopefully it'll be a bit less tricky.