Yay!! After collecting more feedback from potential users, i summarised the results and finished the feedback page~
Now my minisite 1 is completed!
Some feedback September 10, 2007
I updated my main website with a link to my minisite 1 from the DECO1200 section. I also provided links to this blog and minisite 2 and 3 (still under construction). Anyways here are some of the results for my feedback questions (I still need to ask more people!! Especially females).
Male, 18
1. Is the layout of the application(inital prototype) user friendly? e.g efficient, easy to use/navigate, etc.
The navigation is logical.
2. What do you think of the visual aesthetics of the prototype?
The interface looks clean enough but how would you enter text?
3. Do you want side arrows to remain available? Would it make the game too easy?
Keep the side arrows, it’ll make the game go fast, thus more challenging.
4. Does this game sound fun/boring/alright? When would you play it?
The game sounds challenging but it could be enjoyable when playing with friends.
*Optional question: Can you think of any further improvements/ideas you may have?
- one side clearance mines
- 50% clearance mines (of one side of the screen only)
Male, 18
1. Is the layout of the application(inital prototype) user friendly? e.g efficient, easy to use/navigate, etc.
yeh its easy to navigate and understand.
2. What do you think of the visual aesthetics of the prototype?
abit too plain.
3. Do you want side arrows to remain available? Would it make the game too easy?
Yes.
4. Does this game sound fun/boring/alright? When would you play it?
it sounds alright.
*Optional question: Can you think of any further improvements/ideas you may have?
- avatar can give you stats like umm protection agains bombs (defence) or like reducing the amount of gappy lines produced
- different type of bombs like ones that make ur opponents blocks fall falster for a while. A good bomb should be like, make the opponent’s directions go in reverse.
- clearling lines of the same block colour should let you get more points or something
Male, 19
1. Is the layout of the application(inital prototype) user friendly? e.g efficient, easy to use/navigate, etc.
it is easy to navigate and is very clear.
2. What do you think of the visual aesthetics of the prototype?
abit too plain, needs more colours?
3. Do you want side arrows to remain available? Would it make the game too easy?
Yes but i wouldn’t mind trying the game without them. Without the arrows it’d make the game harder.
4. Does this game sound fun/boring/alright? When would you play it?
sounds quite fun and interesting. It’d be a type of game which i would continue to return to. I would play it when im bored? for leisure.
Male, 18
1. Is the layout of the application(inital prototype) user friendly? e.g efficient, easy to use/navigate, etc.
pretty user friendly…mayb too much info in that little window.
2. What do you think of the visual aesthetics of the prototype?
simple and neat.
3. Do you want side arrows to remain available? Would it make the game too easy?
Yes.
4. Does this game sound fun/boring/alright? When would you play it?
yea i would play it..i enjoy a good game of tetris 
Male, 19
1. Is the layout of the application(inital prototype) user friendly? e.g efficient, easy to use/navigate, etc.
Its easy to use, all the menu buttons you need are on the side and everything is available in a few clicks.
2. What do you think of the visual aesthetics of the prototype?
It looks simple, but its a little plain in my opinion. perhaps you could add some more colours and pictures of like tetris blocks. and also on this resolution (im in the arch lab) its a tiny iframe that takes up less than 1/10 of the screen (well its very small).
3. Do you want side arrows to remain available? Would it make the game too easy?
Yes. No it wouldn’t.
4. Does this game sound fun/boring/alright? When would you play it?
game sounds fun. i would play it whenever im doing nothing like on the train. I would like play it 24/7 to get the best items and stuff.
Finished initial prototype September 9, 2007
Okay I’ve finished all the pages for my initial prototype =) Some pages have links, buttons and checkboxes you can click, etc. These tests the functions of each section e.g. the login page, add friends page, entering a games room,etc. I also updated the prototype page from minisite 1 so that you can click a link to make the initial prototype popup in a new window. The popup tutorial was thanks to Lissaexplains.com. This site was where i first learnt html when i was in yr 8 XD
Now I just got to find my potential users again and ask questions for feedback.
Oh and I also created new pixel icons for links to my blog, home page and minisite 2 & 3 (those minisites are still under construction).
Tetro Tetrii~ September 7, 2007
Hmm i started working on my prototype pages =] Oh and i thought of a name for my application, Tetro Tetrii! XD Bah, sounds weird, i know ._.
Say Hi~ xP
Left creature is Tetro, and Tetrii is the right blob o__o I added the header ‘Tetro Tetrii’ and those pixel creatures i made on the minisite 1.
EDIT: I just finished the layout+main page of my prototype =D Just got to work on the individual pages. Heres how it looks so far;
Minisite 1 layout done! September 6, 2007
Okaay i finished my minisite 1 layout! I also finished my initial design idea page.
For my layout I used pixel grass/land blocks I had previously drawn last year christmas for my past website layout. I used to made websites as a hobby >_> and i still draw pixel graphics for fun. Anyways I decided to use pixel icons (to go with the land blocks) as links/navigation for the minisite 1. This is to make the site more appealing and cute xD
I also made this:
I think for each minisite, i’ll make this picture progress i.e. the block will change? or something like that =)
Oh and I still haven’t thought of a name for my application! +_+ hmm.. For now im leaving that empty space for the header.
Prototype layout plan + more questions September 2, 2007
Hmm today I planned how i’ll make the layout of my initial prototype. The navigation/links will be on a vertical bar on the left, with the content in inline frames on the right.
I also made some more questions to ask potential users once I’ve finished my initial prototype.
Prototype layout
1. Is the layout of the application(inital prototype) user friendly? e.g efficient, easy to use/navigate, etc.
If it isn’t, what should be improved?
2. What do you think of the visual aesthetics of the prototype?
Game function
1. Do you want side arrows to remain available? Would it make the game too easy?
2. Does this game sound fun/boring/alright? When would you play it?
*Optional question: Can you think of any further improvements/ideas you may have?
Pixels of my main website August 31, 2007
Weee, I finished the pixel layout of my main website!! It looks abit tiny.. doesn’t it? and i used random pixel pictures i have drawn in the past. I hope the links are visible..=x beh. Maybe i’ll re-make a new layout for it later on. I put my links to facebook and myspace too.
Some results and progress August 30, 2007
I started coding the html for my main website’s index page ; its still under construction.
Today I asked some potential users my user requirement questions~ Here are the results I got today:
Female, 18 yrs old
1. Is playing tetris by yourself more fun than playing against other people?
No its not, definitely fun with other people.
2. Do you like meeting new people online?
Its alright, i guess.
3. Does the double sided tetris game sound too hard to you?
Nah doesn’t sound too hard.
Female, 19 yrs old
1. Is playing tetris by yourself more fun than playing against other people?
Yes.
2. Do you like meeting new people online?
Sometimes when im in the mood.
3. Does the double sided tetris game sound too hard to you?
Sounds fun rather than hard.
Male, 18 yrs old
1. Is playing tetris by yourself more fun than playing against other people?
Against others of course.
2. Do you like meeting new people online?
Yes.
3. Does the double sided tetris game sound too hard to you?
It sounds abit strange and weird to me.
Male, 19 yrs old
1. Is playing tetris by yourself more fun than playing against other people?
No.
2. Do you like meeting new people online?
Yes.
3. Does the double sided tetris game sound too hard to you?
Doesn’t sound hard since i can multitask =D
Male, 18 yrs old
1. Is playing tetris by yourself more fun than playing against other people?
Against others for sure.
2. Do you like meeting new people online?
Yes as long as other people aren’t creepy and are nice.
3. Does the double sided tetris game sound too hard to you?
It does sound hard but intriguing.
Male, 18 yrs old
1. Is playing tetris by yourself more fun than playing against other people?
Out of single player or multiplayer, I’d prefer multiplayer.
2. Do you like meeting new people online?
Meeting people online is always fun. In games it makes the gaming experience more enjoyable.
3. Does the double sided tetris game sound too hard to you?
It sounds fairly simple to me.
Most of the potentials users said they found multiplayer tetris more fun. Majority didn’t mind meeting new people online and didn’t think the game sounded hard.
Some rough planning.. August 28, 2007
Today I started drawing some drafts of the basic layout of my minisite 1.
I have decided to create my prototype on a separate html page which popups in a new window when you click a link on the minisite 1. I’ll make the size of the popup similar to this iPhone tetris game (from previous blog ‘Tetris on the iPhone’, Aug 11, 2007). Like i said in my presentation 1, my prototype will display how each page works through the use of buttons, tables, text and links. For the game section of the prototype I’ll create a gif animation of explaining how the game works.
Now i gave to find some of my potential users (ages between 10 to 30) and ask the following questions:
1 Is playing tetris by yourself more fun than playing against other people?
2 Do you like meeting new people online?
3 Does the double sided tetris game sound too hard to you?
Then I can determine user requirements =D!
For the graphics of my minisite, i’ll draw pixel people (since pixel graphics will be used in the actual application in the future ;D + i love drawing pixels). The content will be displayed in inline frames.
After presenting August 24, 2007
After my presentation today, Adam suggested that instead of having to use a finger to rotate the block (by dragging in a circle), the iPhone can be shaked to one side slightly? I think i’ll use this idea since Emma said that the tetris blocks might be too small on the screen for a person’s finger… but then Michael said the iPhone screen is pretty big anyways? Hmmm.. I did think of using a shaking method to rotate the block (in the earlier blog entry called ‘Tetris </3′, August 5, 2007) but that was like shaking the iPhone continously and I wasn’t sure if it would work out? But then Adam told me that there was XYZ accelerometers in the iPhone just like the Wii and they would be able to pick up movements. Hahaha why am i so slow? I didn’t know the iPhone had these accelerometers XD!!
Well I guess i’ll have to research about these accelerometers later.
Ohhh and i think, it was Rob or either Kaz (or was it Michael?), who suggested that I broaden my target audience since alot of people do play tetris x] So I think i’ll change my target audience to 10 to 30 years old.
