A Practical Study of the Use of Traps in a Modern 3D Role-Playing Game
By: Rebecca Richards
Supervisor: Michael McCoy
Masters of Interactive Technology degree conferred May 4th, 2011
Thesis / Project completed: March 3rd, 2011

Traps in video games serve an important purpose in providing environmental hazards in level design.  While traps can increase tension in the level, some players still report loathing traps.  This study examines the use of traps throughout gaming history, singling out three specific games for close study.  The literature review also observes how previous research into surprise and difficulty in games can shed some light on how players could also react to traps in a modern 3D role-playing game.  

The study uses Fallout 3 to study more effective use of traps and delves into the reactions 22 testers had to a level containing 27 traps of various types and purposes. This process uncovered patterns in player’s reactions to traps that could serve a purpose in the future for more effective level design and further studies into traps.

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