Learning to play: the design of in-game training to enhance videogame experience

As the videogame industry continues to boom, the increase in production resources and game design experience has led to the development of increasingly more complicated games. Current videogames require the manipulation of complex physical and virtual interfaces. In-game training is now critical to the enjoyment of sophisticated and challenging game experience. The thesis first reviews the process of discovery that identified the types and capabilities of a variety of in-game training strategies. It then details the development and testing of an effective in-game training system that improves player performance without negatively affecting the experience of play. Two critical success factors are highlighted: the type of training and the timing of the training. Finally, the thesis positions games as examples of training systems that effectively engage users, and therefore as sources for educational design concepts that can increase our potential to make learning a truly rewarding experience.