Short answer

Designers should prioritize intuitive and precise aiming and tracking mechanisms in touchscreen FPS controls, potentially exploring novel input solutions beyond standard virtual joysticks and buttons.

Field: Human Factors
Source: Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University (2013)
Method: Heuristic Evaluation
Evidence: Strong effect

Current touchscreen interfaces for first-person shooter games on mobile devices often hinder effective gameplay due to limitations in target acquisition and tracking. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2013 study published in Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University. Using Heuristic evaluation, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should prioritize intuitive and precise aiming and tracking mechanisms in touchscreen FPS controls, potentially exploring novel input solutions beyond standard virtual joysticks and buttons.

Study

Human FactorsHigh ImpactStrong effect

Touchscreen FPS controls suffer from poor target acquisition and tracking

Current touchscreen interfaces for first-person shooter games on mobile devices often hinder effective gameplay due to limitations in target acquisition and tracking.

Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University · 2013

Key Findings

01The effectiveness of touchscreen controls for FPS games on the iPod Touch was found to be lacking.
02Target acquisition and tracking were identified as particularly problematic areas.
03Findings align with existing research on touch input for FPS games.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing controls for mobile games, especially those requiring precise aiming, conduct user testing to specifically measure target acquisition speed and accuracy, and iterate on designs that improve these metrics.

Project actions

01When evaluating game controls, focus on specific actions like aiming, moving, and reacting.
02Consider creating your own set of criteria (heuristics) if existing ones don't fit your specific design problem.

Method & Evidence

AimTo evaluate the effectiveness of touchscreen controls in first-person shooter games on mobile devices, specifically focusing on target acquisition and tracking.

MethodHeuristic Evaluation

ProcedureA heuristic evaluation was conducted on three first-person shooter games available on the iPod Touch, examining nine different control modes. New heuristics were developed specifically for analyzing the properties and effectiveness of these touch-based controls.

ContextMobile gaming, specifically first-person shooter (FPS) genre on touchscreen devices (e.g., iPod Touch).

Variables

IVType of control mode, specific game.

DVEffectiveness of controls, ease of target acquisition, ease of target tracking.

CVDevice used (iPod Touch), genre of game (FPS).

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Developed novel heuristics tailored to the specific context of mobile FPS controls.
+Provided a detailed breakdown of control mechanisms used in actual game titles.

Limitations

The specific device used (iPod Touch) might have different touch sensitivity or screen size compared to modern smartphones. The games tested are from 2013 and may not reflect current game design practices.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the heuristic evaluation depends on the consistency of the evaluators and the clarity of the developed heuristics. Validity is supported by the alignment of findings with related research, but could be strengthened by direct user testing.

Think critically

Given the limitations of touchscreens for precise input, what alternative or supplementary control methods could be integrated into mobile FPS games to improve the player experience?

Design Principles

"User interface controls for action-oriented games on touchscreens must provide high precision and responsiveness for critical actions like target acquisition and tracking."

This highlights a critical gap in user experience for a popular game genre on a widely adopted platform. Designers must address these control deficiencies to create more engaging and functional mobile gaming experiences.

What This Means for Your Design

Playing shooting games on a phone screen is hard because it's difficult to aim and keep your target in sight. The way we touch the screen to control these games isn't good enough for fast action.

How to use in your project

1.Use this study to justify the need for user-centered control design in your own game or interactive application project.
2.Refer to the findings on target acquisition and tracking to support your analysis of existing control schemes or the development of new ones.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights significant challenges in touchscreen control design for first-person shooter games, particularly concerning target acquisition and tracking (Hynninen, 2013). The study's findings suggest that current implementations often fall short of user expectations for precision and responsiveness in fast-paced gameplay. This underscores the importance of user-centered design principles when developing interactive systems, especially for genres demanding high levels of control accuracy.

Source

Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University

First-Person Shooter Controls on Touchscreen Devices: a Heuristic Evaluation of Three Games on the iPod Touch

journal · 2013

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about touchscreen fps controls suffer from poor target acquisition and tracking?: Designers should prioritize intuitive and precise aiming and tracking mechanisms in touchscreen FPS controls, potentially exploring novel input solutions beyond standard virtual joysticks and buttons. Evidence: Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University (2013).
Why does "Touchscreen FPS controls suffer from poor target acquisition and tracking" matter for design?: This highlights a critical gap in user experience for a popular game genre on a widely adopted platform. Designers must address these control deficiencies to create more engaging and functional mobile gaming experiences.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers should prioritize intuitive and precise aiming and tracking mechanisms in touchscreen FPS controls, potentially exploring novel input solutions beyond standard virtual joysticks and buttons.
What were the main findings?: The effectiveness of touchscreen controls for FPS games on the iPod Touch was found to be lacking.. Target acquisition and tracking were identified as particularly problematic areas.. Findings align with existing research on touch input for FPS games.
What research method was used?: Heuristic Evaluation.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2013 journal from Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing controls for mobile games, especially those requiring precise aiming, conduct user testing to specifically measure target acquisition speed and accuracy, and iterate on designs that improve these metrics.
What are the limitations?: The study was limited to a specific device (iPod Touch) and a limited number of games, which may not be representative of all touchscreen devices or FPS titles. The heuristics developed were novel and may require further validation.