A Timing Problem: What Effect Does a Timer have on the Perceptions of Gamers in Recollection of Play Experiences?
By: Kenneth Dilks
Supervisor: Paul Toprac
Masters of Interactive Technology degree conferred December 18, 2010
Thesis / Project completed: January 9, 2011

Player experiences drive modern level design in many ways. Designers focus on the elements that players see, hear, and interact with. Using age-old adage “Show Me, Don’t Tell Me,” modern designs infuse their game spaces with specifically crafted and placed narrative content, such as objects, sounds, and lighting. These elements allow the player to infer story instead of being told story. Timers and encounters in game worlds challenge the player, pace progression through a game space, and enhance player experience. Timers must be carefully planned early in design, or the space may not be fully compatible with the pacing of the timer. When used in game spaces, how does the player perceive the timer, and how does that timer affect the player’s understanding of their surroundings?

This thesis explores the effects of timers and timed encounters on the perception of narrative elements in level design. This study used two groups of testers, timed and untimed, to explore the various questions presented in this thesis. The goal was to discover the change in player recollection based on the player’s timed or untimed experience.The results of this research reinforces that certain types of players enjoy timed encounters more than other types of players. Additionally, this thesis developed a method for measuring the interred story players create from elements within a space.

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