Dissertation: Introduction (part 1)

So, as you might have read, I'm a final year BSc (Hons) student studying IT at Blackpool and The Fylde College. For my dissertation it is required that I keep a log book to track my research progress. This is a document that may be requested by Lancaster University to assist their assesment of my work. This is the introduction then to give a brief overview of what it is that I am studying for this piece of work. It is a very brief summary of the Interim Report which was submitted and presented on December 13, 2007.

In mid 2007 we bought a Nintendo Wii. Although not practiced as often as I might like any more, I have had games consoles as far back as a Binatone “Bat ‘n’ Ball” TV game and an Atari VCS in the late 1970s and early 1980s up until buying an Xbox 360 soon after they launched in 2005. My wife has played a few online flash games but has never taken any interest in the Xbox.
The success and popularity of the Nintendo Wii in our house has amazed me. My wife now plays several games, our friend’s children use it, friend’s parents, who have never played a video game in their lives, have played it - and enjoyed themselves! Most satisfying from my perspective however, is that my sister-in-law who has Down's Syndrome can also play some of the games and it is this that has inspired me to choose this area for my research.

She has developed her skills to a level where she can compete with others at the ten pin bowling and boxing disciplines of the ‘Wii Sports’ game. Unfortunately, she is not able to play the elements of Wii Sports that require fast reaction times such as baseball and tennis. The learning process was surprisingly quick, something which could be attributed to any combination of factors.

There is a clear natural mapping from the movement used in ‘real’ ten pin bowling to that required to play Nintendo’s version, they are extremely similar. The same applies to the boxing discipline. The Wii Remote also provides the user with both audio and haptic feedback. While the audio is not great it is something which is thought useful as the meaning of such feedback has been learnt. She finds this especially helpful because of her poor eyesight.

Another contributing factor is that she is motivated to play, and consequently learn, because she can be competitive and win. It could be argued that there is little fun to be had in continuous defeats, or possibly easy victories, so being competitive is important. Another positive aspect is that some games are quite physical and this helps to provide some exercise which has been disguised as fun. This again relates to her motivation.

Focus of Investigation

The initial aim for this research was to compare personal experience with a study of others with the aim of determining whether Nintendo Wii’s method of control actually does make it possible for users of different abilities and experience levels to compete and enjoy video games where they may not have done previously. After considering this carefully it has been rejected due to the impracticallities of performing large amounts of user testing. This would be extremely timeconsuming and time is very precious at the moment. There is also a problem with accessing the hardware required to perform a thorough comparison between the three current games consoles - the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3.

Below are listed some observations and opinions which have been formed from the personal experiences described in the first section of this report. It is these which will form the basis for the investigation.

• The complexity of video games console controllers has increased over the thirty-five years that industry has existed and has now reached a peak.


• Nintendo have realised this and in the Wii Remote they have produced a simplistic, intuitive interface which allows for increased user involvement in the game playing experience.


• The Wii Remote allows for an intuitive, natural movement, which is therefore easier to learn and remember. This has attracted a new audience to video games, from people who have previously had little interest to those who have not been able to participate due to physical or cognitive limitations.


• There currently exists a definite split in the directions taken by the three major games console producers. Strategically, Microsoft and Sony, appear to have targeted a more mature audience with their more technically advanced consoles while Nintendo is a more family-friendly and sociable activity.


• Due to the growing complexity of controllers it is likely that the next generation of video games consoles will follow the example set by Nintendo and provide a less complex means of interaction resulting in a more intuitive and natural experience for the user.

It is proposed that by investigating and analysing the historical development of games console control methods and interaction devices, current and emerging technologies, marketing strategies and retail trends alongside the views of the consumers themselves it will be possible to make considered predictions regarding the future direction of the industry.

That's the idea then. There'll be more about this in a post coming soon as I think that's enough for any reader to be going on with for now...