Comparing Interfaces (2024)

1. Shareable — Shareable interfaces give us the ability to work and collaborate in groups without it being a struggle for everyone to interact and give input. I do not think that a shareable interface would be appropriate for Snake simply because the game is designed for only one person. The research issue of whether “shareable surfaces can facilitate new and enhanced forms of collaborative interaction compared with what is possible when groups work together using their own devices” would not be an issue with Snake because of this reason. However, if the game were to be changed to support multiple users playing at once, one design issue that would be raised is players getting in the way of each other. For example, imagine two users playing together on a smart board where they used their hands to guide the snake by touching the screen. If both players tried to avoid an obstacle at the same time they could get in each other’s way which would hurt the game play experience.

Tangible — In my opinion, a tangible interface is the most appropriate out of the three for a game like Snake. After I read the section that discussed Tangible interfaces, the first thing that popped in my head was the deer hunting arcade game that is probably at every Dave and Busters ever. One key design aspect mentioned in the book is deciding on what kind of coupling to use between the physical action and effect. I think solving this problem would be simple for a game like Snake because the user is just interacting with the snake and nothing else. For example, the user could hold a pointer that controls the snake based off which direction and how fast the user moves it. If the user runs into an obstacle, a sound or visual affect could be shown to inform the user that they have lost. Another key design issue that was mentioned was deciding on what physical artifact the user would use to play the game. For a game like Snake, the object would have to be easy to hold onto and control like a laser pointer.

Wearable — Unlike a sharable interface, implementing a wearable interface could most likely be done easily. However, unless the user wants to be physically active while playing the game I do not think it would be the best choice. One issue that is raised for wearable interfaces is how comfortable the user will be while using it. Something like a light shirt or jacket would be much more comfortable for the user rather than a snake outfit. Using a jacket with buttons would not be necessary for Snake because the only thing they can do is move the snake around the screen. If the user wanted buttons, there would be no point in using a wearable interface as they would be much better off using a controller. If a user was to use a pair of goggles or head set control the snake, they may not play for that long because moving your head continuously would get annoying. When it comes to hygiene, creating a wearable interface that is washable would not be a problem for a game as simple as Snake. For example, the user could wear a vest that has velcro for attaching the necessary sensors, when it comes time to wash the user could remove the sensors and throw the vest in the machine.

2. Hypothetical Scenarios

Shareable — Users could use a shareable interface when playing the game at the same time (two snakes). There could be a large smart board targeted toward young adults where they stand side by side and control their own snake. Each user keeps their hand engaged with the board while playing and controls their snake by moving it along the board. The users would be competing against one another to see who can survive the longest. One way to avoid the issue of the users getting in each other’s way is to use a board long enough where the screen can be divided without bringing down the gameplay experience.

Tangible — The tangible object being used could be a simple laser pointer and this would be targeted toward elderly people. I chose them as my target audience because the laser pointer would be simple to use as all they would have to do is move their hand in the direction they wish to move the snake. The user would stand in front of a motion detector or sensor device that would track the movement of the laser. The snake would respond to the speed and location of the laser and vibrate whenever the user runs into an obstacle.

Wearable — Users would wear a vest where the sensors would Velcro on. My target audience for this would be young children as they would likely enjoy wearing the vest and being active while playing the game. Users would wear the vest and move to trigger a reaction with the snake on the screen. The snake would respond to not only the direction that the user moves in but also to the speed that the user demonstrates. When the user runs into an obstacle, the vest would vibrate to signal the user that the game is over. Users would be able to take turns playing by easily taking off the vest and giving it to another person. The vest could be washed by removing the sensors from the velcro straps and machine washing it.

3. Certain design issues will need to be addressed depending on which type of interface is being used and how many users are playing. If the game was to be played on a shareable device between multiple users. The best device to use would be a smart board that stands vertically because there would be enough room for two people to stand comfortably. However, another design problem that occurs is whether the screen should be split or if the users should share a screen. The best solution is to have the screen be split where each user interacts with their own side of the screen because this way the users would not get in each other’s way. When designing a tangible interface, it is best to have the user interact with a laser pointer because they can use the laser to always be certain about where they are pointing on the screen. Perhaps there could be a setting to turn off the laser for the users who find the pointer annoying. When designing a wearable interface, it is best to only allow one user to play at a time. This is because if two users were playing at once they could run into each other which would bring down the game experience or even cause an injury. Also, it would be best to keep the vest light to keep the user comfortable and agile while playing the game.

Overall, it is probably better to only let one person play the game at once no matter the interface being used. I believe this because playing games with multiple users or split screens almost always brings down the gameplay experience than if it was only one person.

4. Designing the shareable interface of the Snake game would provide the functionality of letting multiple users play at once on a large screen. However, because the screen is so large the users would have a hard time playing as they must stand an arms distance away to interact with the interface. The benefit of playing on your phone or laptop is being able to see the entire screen at once and playing on a large screen while standing an arm’s length away would ruin the experience. Because of this problem, the sharable interface is inferior to the other types of interfaces. The tangible interface is probably the best way to play the game as anybody can do it and the user can sit a reasonable distance away from the screen. This interface is better than the wearable as the user does not have to wear any type of device and has the laser to see exactly how the snake will respond to their movements. One negative aspect of this design is the laser interfering with the user’s play. A way to avoid this could be allowing a setting where the user can turn off the laser and just use the pointer itself. The wearable interface provides the user with a chance to be active while playing the game. It also gives the user a unique experience as they wear a vest that simulates the snake. The con to this design is that it only seems reasonable to younger children as adults probably wouldn’t want to put on a velcro vest and run around the living room.

With respect to how it is played on the PC and phone, the tangible interface is certainly the best way to play simply because the user can see the entire screen and will always know exactly where they are directing the snake.