Incude: Heuristics for enhancing spectator experience in streamed games

Abstract

Current video game titles are primarily designed for players rather than for the experience of those watching the play. Whilst there has been considerable work on understanding the needs of players and their experiences, much less has been done to understand video game ‘audiences’. This paper describes how a Game Audience Experience Survey (GAES) was designed to determine the key aspects of design that would enhance audience experience of streamed games. The Game Audience Experience Survey was completed online by 257 viewers of streamed game content and the results are analyzed against five themes that inform the design of games for audience experience. From the analysis, and following an iterative conversation with five game developers, a ten-item heuristic set (InCuDe) is presented. This heuristic set highlights the need for attention to the interface, the possibilities for customisation and the design of the game and the. We present the survey findings and the heuristics as contributions.