Level Legibility: A Practical Exploration of Techniques to Improve Player Wayfinding

By: Jane Chung
Supervisor: Michael McCoy
Masters of Interactive Technology degree conferred December 13, 2008
Thesis / Project completed: April 23, 2009

As video game developers progress towards creating more open, non-linear game-worlds, the demand on the player to understand his avatar’s location increases. In non-linear worlds, such those found in massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) and sandbox games, the environmental layout offers players a variety of navigational choices. Open worlds enhance the player’s immersion by creating a sense that a world exists beyond the critical path. However, behavioral studies in geography and architecture have shown that plain, multi-path environments reduce people’s ability to wayfind—a consequence of which leads to frustration and stress. These studies also suggest that adding distinctive environmental features (e.g. landmarks, visual contrast, etc…) improves navigation by making the environment more legible to the eye.

This thesis project surveyed environmental design practices to find the most effective techniques to improve player wayfinding. It was developed over 4 months in the Source engine for Half-Life 2.

The project used survey results and task performance times to demonstrate that environmental design alone can support navigation a non-linear environment. Some design choices, such as classic landmarks, visual contrast, and audio cues, are both more effective and simple to implement. Other environmental elements, such as thresholds and hierarchies, did not result in improved performance times but require further testing and analysis to be fully understood.

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