Table of Contents
The ability to learn and consider more effectively enables a person to make better decisions, which equips them to handle challenging situations. A player's reflexes, vision, and ingenuity are enhanced by gaming. The purpose of gaming is to develop a video game that requires players to become proficient with a variety of weapons used by law enforcement, rescue personnel, and enemies. This project involves the development of a first-person shooter video game, a genre of video game in which combat is predominantly focused on the use of firearms and other weapons and is viewed through the protagonist's eyes.
We intend to concentrate on the condition of the sluggish eye, in which both eyes are unable to focus effectively. First-person shooter games enable the player to experience events from the viewpoint of the protagonist. Due to its similarity to other shooter games, this genre is classified as an action game. Advanced 3D and pseudo-3D graphics have been a hardware development challenge since the inception of the genre, and multiplayer gameplay has been a key factor. First-person shooters are three-dimensional sniper games with a first-person perspective, allowing the user to observe the action through the eyes of the player character. They differ from third-person shooters in that the user can typically see the character they're controlling from behind. Combat, which primarily entails weapons, is the design's primary focus.
Guidance Professor: Dr. Debashreet Das, School of Computer Science and Engineering, VIT Vellore.
The group for our Human Computer Interaction project consists of -
| Sl.No. | Name | ID Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Krishalaani | 20BCE2142 |
| 2 | Arjun Das | 20BDS0129 |
| 3 | Jay Jain | 20BDS0286 |
| 4 | Arsath Wahaab | 20BDS0319 |
- Entertainment: FPS games provide a source of entertainment for millions of people around the world. Our game, being lightweight does not require very high graphics to run. Hence, it can prove to be a viable source of entertainment for those who do not want to spend heftily on gaming set-ups such as expensive laptops or gaming consoles.
- Stress relief: FPS games can provide a safe and healthy way to relieve stress. Playing an immersive FPS game can help players forget about their real-world problems and provide a sense of control and accomplishment. This can be especially helpful for individuals who have high-stress jobs or deal with anxiety. Hence this game can be beneficial to those dealing with stress and anxiety.
- Improved decision-making skills: The game requires players to make quick and effective decisions under pressure, which can improve decision-making skills in real-life situations. Players must evaluate their surroundings, analyze the situation, and make a decision that will help them achieve their objectives and proceed forward with the game.
- Cognitive development: FPS games require players to use a variety of cognitive skills, including problem-solving, memory, attention, and spatial reasoning. These skills can be useful in many areas of life, such as work, school, and personal relationships. Thus, this game can prove to be useful for cognitive development of individuals.
- Treating Amblyopia / Lazy Eye: Amblyopia is a type of poor vision that usually occurs in 1 eye, causing problems in focusing since both eyes cannot work together. This condition becomes harder to solve, especially after the age of 8 years. Even before that, it is a long and tedious process. Our game aims to help in the treatment of this disorder by providing a platform where players need to focus on targets (enemies), which spawn quickly as the game progresses. This, with time, improves the capability of the weak eye to focus better and hence, helps in treating Amblyopia.
- Improve motor skills: The game requires players to use a variety of motor skills, such as aiming, shooting, and moving quickly. These skills can be useful in many areas of life, such as sports or physical labor jobs. It can also be used by individuals with weak motor skills.
- Reflex development: The game requires players to react quickly to changes in their environment. This can help develop quick reflexes that can be useful in sports, driving, and other activities. It also improves hand-eye coordination and reaction time.
- Improve spatial awareness: The game requires players to have a good sense of spatial awareness, which is the ability to perceive the environment and understand how objects relate to each other in space. This can be useful in many areas of life, such as driving, navigation, and architecture.
- Risk assessment: The game often presents players with risks and consequences for their actions. Playing these games can help individuals develop better risk assessment skills, which can be useful in many areas of life, such as finance, business, and personal safety
To achieve the project objective, we make use of the following tools and technologies –
- Unity
- Blender
- Unreal Engine
- VS Code
- GitHub
- Epic Games Launcher
- Visual Scripting
- 3D Modeling
- VFX
- C# language
The game involves the following actors:
- Player
- Enemy: Boar, Cannibal
- Player Weapons
- Player, Enemy Health
- Player Stamina
The character has an option to choose from 6 weapons to use against the enemies. The player can aim and shoot the enemies. The player has motion controls which involve moving forward, backward, left & right, jumping, crouching, sprinting. The enemies have four states which include: Idle, Running, Attacking, and Dead state. Once the enemy notices/ detects the player it will move from idle state to running state. Once it reaches the player it will transition to an attacking state. Both the player and the enemy have a health stat. The player also has a stamina stat which decreases when the player sprints.
The workflow is defined as follows:
- Creation of the Player/ Character
- Adding Movement control and some idle animation to the character.
- Mouse Control
- Weapon Control
- Attributes/ Properties of each weapon (ex. Damages dealt)
- Bullet Speed
- Aiming Stats
- Switching between Weapons
- Enemy creation and control
- AI parameter for spawning enemies.
- Damage parameter configuration:
- Damage to enemies based on weapons used
- Damage to the player from enemies
- Damage to enemies based on accuracy of aim
- Health parameter configuration
- Creating the Map environment.
- Stats UI/ Health & Damage overlays
- Adding Sound and VFX effects.
- Creating some NPC
Overview:
- The first step in creating a first-person shooter game in Unity is to construct a new project using the "3D" template. After creating a new project, you must import the necessary assets, such as 3D models for the protagonist character, weapons, and opponents, as well as textures, materials, and scripts.
- Next, we must construct the player character or the character that the user will control throughout the game. The player character will require a 3D model, animations, and scripts to control movement and behavior. Weapons, which are the objects that the player will use to attack adversaries, and enemies, which are the objects that the player will combat against in the game, are created using the same method.
- After constructing the necessary game elements, we must design the game's 3D levels, which the user will play on. We can construct levels using the Unity editor, which allows us to add elements, objects, and assets.
- The next step is to add the necessary user interface elements, such as the vitality meter, stamina bar, and any other information the player must see. Utilizing the Unity editor, UI elements can be added to a game.
- After creating the game elements and adding the necessary UI elements, we must evaluate the game to ensure that all elements are functioning correctly. We can test a game by playing it ourselves or by having others play it. During testing, we should look for flaws, errors, and any other issues that could negatively impact the player's experience.
- Creating a first-person shooter game in Unity entails a series of stages, including the creation of game elements, levels, and UI elements, and evaluating the game prior to its release. Creating an enjoyable and engaging game is a complex process that requires attention to detail and a creative mindset.
Steps:
- The first stage in developing a game is to define the game's concept. Our game is a first-person shooting game that involves fighting a horde of enemies that are classified as cannibals and boars.
- The next step is importing all the assets and configuring each element in the game.
- The next step is to configure the player's character. This involves developing the movement, health states, damage parameters, and animations. The characters' animations are produced using Unity's animation tools.
- Once the character is configured, we will configure the weapons and their respective animations, damages, aiming, and shooting controls.
- To control the enemy movement, detection, and attack pattern we make use of an enemy manager script that uses Unity’s built in AI system to control the enemies based on the defined parameters.
- Sound effects and music are essential to a first-person shooter's immersive experience. Now we include all the weapons sounds, character footsteps sound, enemy sounds, VFX has such muzzle bursts.
- Once all the internal configurations are finished, we move on to designing the user interface. This involves creating the health bar, stamina bar, and WASD controls.
- Once the interface is designed, we then create a simple start menu that provides the user with the option to look up the user controls or start playing the game.
Nielsen's ten heuristics are a set of criteria for assessing user interface design. These algorithms may be used in a variety of software applications, including first-person shooter games. Each of Nielsen's ten criteria is shown here in relation to the design of fps.
- Visibility of system state: It is critical in a first-person shooting game to offer players with clear feedback about their status in the game. Displaying the health state and stamina state of the player's character.
- System-to-real-world match: In first-person shooting games, implementing realistic scenarios and damage models helps improve the game's immersion and realism. Our game's map is set in a forest which can be easily comprehended by anyone. Moreover, the weapons used also resemble the ones that exist in real life, for example shotgun, revolver, wooden spear, etc.
- User control and freedom: Giving players several methods to fulfil goals or explore the game environment allows them to play the game in their own manner. Our game allows the user to select the weapon as per their choice
- Standards and consistency: Employing consistent design and interaction patterns across the game might assist users in understanding how to engage with the game. For eg. the standard movement key binds used in fps like w for forward, and spacebar for jump have been used in the game.
- Error prevention: It's critical in a first-person shooting game to build the interface to avoid mistakes and offer clear information to players when they do occur. For example, when the key 'w' is pressed, it is highlighted for the player to know that he/she is moving forward. Also, the health bar and sprint bar reduce according to the damage taken and stamina which acts as feedback for the user
- Recognition rather than recall: Using identifiable signs and symbols in a first-person shooting game might assist players in rapidly comprehending the game's dynamics. For example, instead of forcing the user to experiment with all the key binds, employing proper instructions for necessary functions in-game may assist players quickly and readily comprehend the game's mechanics.
- Flexibility and ease of use: In a first-person shooting game, offering players with several methods to complete tasks and optimizing the game's interface for ease of use may improve the playing experience. For example, giving players alternative shooting modes might assist optimize the game for varied play styles.
- Aesthetic and minimalist design: Using a clean and simple UI in a first-person shooting games may assist players in concentrating on the game's actions and goals. Using a basic, uncluttered interface that accentuates the player's character and the game environment, for example, might assist gamers in focusing on the action. We have tried to achieve this using a clean and simple map for ease of comprehension for the user
- Assist users in recognizing, diagnosing, and recovering from errors: In a first-person shooting game, giving players clear feedback and instruction when a mistake occurs may improve the gaming experience. Providing visual or aural indicators when a player receives damage with the help of a health bar or using sound effects when an enemy dies, for example, may assist players in recognizing and recovering from mistakes. With the help of these visual indicators, the players can monitor their movements, health status and stamina status.
- Help and documentation: In a first-person shooting game, making documentation and assistance materials easily accessible may improve the playing experience. In-game tutorials or tooltips, for example, may assist players learn the game's mechanics and interface.
Donald Norman's seven principles of design can be applied to the evaluation of the first-person shooter (FPS) game's user interface, as described in the provided text. Here's how each of Norman's principles can be related to the game's design:
- Visibility: The principle of visibility is evident in the game's display of the player's health and stamina status. Providing clear and easily accessible feedback about the character's status ensures that users are aware of their in-game condition.
- Feedback: Feedback is closely related to visibility. The game uses visual indicators like health and stamina bars to provide feedback to players. Additionally, it highlights the keypress (e.g., 'w') when the player makes a move, which helps users understand their actions and whether they are moving in the desired direction.
- Affordance: The concept of affordance is reflected in the use of recognizable signs and symbols, standard movement key binds (e.g., 'w' for forward), and realistic weapon designs. These elements make it easier for players to understand how to interact with the game and its mechanics.
- Mapping: Mapping is essential in FPS games, and it's described in the text. The game's map is set in a forest, which can be easily understood, providing a clear connection between the in-game world and the real world. This enhances the player's ability to navigate the environment and make sense of their surroundings.
- Constraints: While not explicitly mentioned in the text, the use of standard key binds and the availability of multiple weapon choices provide constraints that guide the player's actions and decisions. These constraints help prevent accidental or unintended actions.
- Consistency: The game maintains consistency in design and interaction patterns. It uses standard FPS movement controls (e.g., 'w' for forward) and provides clear instructions for essential functions, ensuring that players can easily recognize and recall how to interact with the game.
- Simplicity: The text indicates that the game aims for a clean and simple user interface, which aligns with the principle of simplicity. Aesthetic and minimalist design is mentioned as a way to help players focus on the game's actions and goals, reducing cognitive load.
These principles are applied to create an interface that is both intuitive and engaging for players.
Goals:
- Create a user-friendly interface for a first-person shooting game.
- Enhance the gaming experience by aligning with Nielsen's heuristics.
Operators and Methods:
Visibility of System State:
- Method: Display the health and stamina status of the player's character.
System-to-Real-World Match:
- Method: Implement realistic scenarios and damage models in a forest environment, using real-life weapons.
User Control and Freedom:
- Method: Allow players to choose their weapons according to their preferences.
Standards and Consistency:
- Method: Use standard FPS movement key binds (e.g., 'w' for forward, spacebar for jump) for consistency.
Error Prevention:
- Method: Highlight the key ('w') when pressed to confirm the player's action.
- Method: Provide health and stamina bars that decrease when the character takes damage, offering clear feedback.
Recognition Rather Than Recall:
- Method: Use identifiable signs and symbols, and provide clear instructions for key functions to facilitate a quick understanding of the game's mechanics.
Flexibility and Ease of Use:
- Method: Offer multiple methods for completing tasks, such as alternative shooting modes, to accommodate various play styles.
Aesthetic and Minimalist Design:
- Method: Use a clean and simple UI to focus players' attention on the game's actions and goals.
- Method: Utilize a clean and simple map for easy comprehension.
Assist Users in Recognizing, Diagnosing, and Recovering from Errors:
- Method: Provide visual indicators (health bar) and sound effects (enemy death) to help players recognize and recover from mistakes.
Help and Documentation:
- Method: Make in-game tutorials and tooltips easily accessible to assist players in learning the game's mechanics and interface.
Selection Rules: The selection of methods aligns with the specific heuristic goals, ensuring that the user interface design adheres to Nielsen's heuristics. Methods are chosen to enhance user interaction, understanding, and error recovery within the FPS game.
The GOMS analysis of the text shows how the design of the FPS game's user interface aligns with Nielsen's heuristics by applying specific operators and methods to achieve the goals of creating a user-friendly and immersive gaming experience. The selection of these methods follows the principles set forth by Nielsen's heuristics, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation and enhancement of the game's interface design
The KLM (Keystroke-Level Model) is a way to estimate the time it takes for a user to perform tasks based on the number of keystrokes or actions required. KLM model estimating the time it might take a user to perform certain actions in this game:
-
Aim and Shoot (single target):
K (Keystroke) - Move the mouse to aim: 1
P (Pointing) - Aim: 1.1 seconds
K (Keystroke) - Shoot: 1
Time = K + P + K = 1 + 1.1 + 1 = 3.1 seconds -
Switch Weapon:
K (Keystroke) - Press weapon switch key: 1
Time = K = 1 second -
Reload:
K (Keystroke) - Press reload key: 1
Time = K = 1 second -
Navigate Menu:
K (Keystroke) - Navigate through the menu (per selection): 1
Time = K = 1 second per selection -
Navigate Inventory:
K (Keystroke) - Navigate through inventory items (per selection): 1
Time = K = 1 second per selection
In conclusion, the FPS game project for human-computer interaction subject was a success. The game was well-received by the students, and it helped them to learn about the principles of human-computer interaction in a fun and interactive way. The game was also able to teach the students about the importance of teamwork and communication.
There are several ways that the project could be improved in the future. One possibility would be to add more levels to the game. This would allow the students to play the game for longer and would also give them a chance to learn more about the different aspects of human-computer interaction. Another possibility would be to add more features to the game. This could include things like leaderboards, achievements, and online multiplayer. These features would make the game more challenging and would also allow the students to compete.
Overall, the FPS game project for human-computer interaction subject was a success. The game was well-received by the students, and it helped them to learn about the principles of human-computer interaction in a fun and interactive way. The game also helped the students to learn about the importance of teamwork and communication. There are several ways that the project could be improved in the future, but it is a good starting point for a project of this nature.
Here are some of the future scopes for the project:
- Adding more levels to the game: This would allow the students to play the game for longer and would also give them a chance to learn more about the different aspects of human-computer interaction.
- Adding more features to the game: This could include things like leaderboards, achievements, and online multiplayer. These features would make the game more challenging and would also allow the students to compete.
- Making the game more realistic: This could be done by adding more detailed graphics and by making the game physics more realistic.
- Making the game more challenging: This could be done by adding more enemies, making the enemies more intelligent, or making the levels more difficult.
- Making the game more social: This could be done by adding multiplayer features or by allowing the players to communicate with each other.
- Making the game more educational: This could be done by adding educational content to the game or by making the game more challenging.