Information Technology Reference
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use or have a user interface (UI) that does not fully support necessary interactions
prevent the player from becoming immersed in game play. To help us clarify cate-
gories of different types of user interaction, Galloway (2006) identifies a quadrant
of gamic qualities: diegetic and nondiegetic machine and operator acts. A diegetic
machine act is atmospheric or ambience, contributing to the overall experience of
a game and is classified as a process. A diegetic operator act is the player's move-
ments or expressive acts—the actions of the player—which is classified as play.
A nondiegetic machine act is a “disabling or enabling act,” such as goals, level-
ing, or “game over” and is classified as code. Lastly, a nondiegetic operator act is
a “configuration” act, where the player manipulates the game (machine) such as
“pushing pause” to suspend the game. This is classified as algorithm (Galloway,
2006). Galloway's identification of game qualities, or what he calls “tendencies,”
suggests that specific combinations are better at sustaining the immersiveness of
game play and other combinations may detract. Depending on the game content, a
higher ratio of nondiegetic operator acts may not create as an immersive environ-
ment as diegetic operator acts because the player is focused on the external qualities
of the game, the machine, rather than expressive acts. User-centered design is sensi-
tive to the players' focal points that involve active participation and problem solving
or passive interpretation
in relation to the purpose
of the game. This is not to say one
combination is better than another; arcade games may utilize nondiegetic machine
acts more readily than other genres because the game play and user interactions
can support that type of design. For example, a “game over” function works best in
replayable games that do not contain content where the player invests a lot of time;
because loss of the investment may not make the game worth replaying. Considering
the user experience in terms of these quadrants reveals the types and combinations of
interactions in relation to the content that successfully engage players in game play.
It also reveals that an unbalanced ratio applied to the wrong content type results in
a poor user experience.
Considering the structure of the user experience through these terms, designers
can identify the ways in which the player is engaged with the content and how the
player is interacting with the game. One key component that shapes how the player
interacts with the game is the UI. A UI that is difficult to use or that inconsistently
represents content can deter player engagement because it prevents him or her from
being able to predictably access information or perform actions necessary to suc-
ceed. As the toolset that facilitates the player's interaction with the game, the UI
is also a vehicle that allows the player to demonstrate comprehension of content
through the execution of the objectives.
For example, in a puzzle game such as Bejeweled, a player demonstrates compre-
hension of content through game progression; align similar gems which will award
points, continue game play, and increase difficulty. The player's comprehension is
further demonstrated as the player's strategy adapts to the difficulty of the puzzle,
without which the game would not continue. In more complex game designs, such as
an RPG, players demonstrate comprehension of in-game content by correctly mod-
ifying and using character skills in different situations. As the player successfully
masters a circumstance or completes a quest, the situations become increasingly
