Nielsens 10 Heuristics

Snow Way in Hell

Bloodhound Studios
Jesus Olivares, John Miniel, Jerry Rauhuff,
Cody Rinehart, Wayne Work
Full Sail University

Abstract
The usability of a game is dependant on many
different factors. In order to assess the end product of
a game, the game is tested many times over to
locate, and solve, the problems that may plague it. In
Snow Way In Hell, we viewed many problems, in
the game as well as the menus, that could be
improved with easy and quick solutions.

Game Summary
Snow Way in Hell is a simple platformer that attempts to play like such
games as the original Super Mario. The player controls a Snowball
trying to escape the grips of Hell. It uses a constantly diminishing
lifebar to push the player forward through the level and forces them to
kill enemies to replenish their life. The player must also interact with
buttons to open locked doors as well as use snowballs to help boost
them through the air to various platforms. The game is fairly linear,
with only one path for the player to follow minus a few small detours to
find door unlocks. Enemies are largely painless to defeat and prove
little more than an annoyance to the player. Overall, Snow Way in Hell
is nothing more than a standard 2D platformer with no bells or whistles
to note.

Visibility of System Status

Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

There is no indica-on that larger enemies are taking damage from the player

Solu+on

Add an anima-on or sound eect for when the enemy is hit. (100% of the -me). Also add a
visual Damage Indicator above the enemys name when one is hit.

Reference Shot

Moderate
The players a7acks do not show any damage numbers or indica-on that a hit has been made.
This is seen specically on the larger Fire Elementals. The player does not know if the Fire
Elementals are damaged by snowballs at all un-l one randomly turns into snow.

Match Between System and the

Real World
Problem

Fire in the game is used as a tool to reach higher places instead of harming the Snowball
player

Ra+ng
Descrip+on

Moderate

Solu+on

Make it so that the snowballs put the re out for a short -me and create the smoke instead of
keeping the re burning while the Snowball is ying above it.

Reference Shot

The player must throw a snowball at re pits for them to push smoke out and ride the smoke
into the air. While this may work mechanically, it does not t within the connes of a real
world situa-on where re would melt the Snowball and confuses players.

User Control and Freedom

Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

There is no Level Select or ability for the player to choose where he wants to go.

Solu+on

Add a Level Select op-on to the Main Menu so the player can jump between levels or return
to areas he/she has been before.

Reference Shot

Important
The player always starts from Level 1 at the very beginning of the level. QuiPng the game
removes all checkpoint saves and there is no way for the player to go back to somewhere they
were before. This dissuades the player from ever quiPng the game and is disappoin-ng
because the player must start over from square one if they do quit.

Consistency and Standards

Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

Ac-ve enemies and sta-c obstacles look exactly the same

Solu+on

Switch the projec-le mechanic to the actual enemies themselves to be7er dis-nguish the
ac-ve enemies from background objects. Most of the background enemies arent within the
normal path of the player anyways so they are largely useless.

Reference Shot

Important
The enemies that you ac-vely ght in the game (Fire Elementals) are also used as a turret type
enemy that shoots projec-les at you. This can cause some confusion for the player, making it
somewhat dicult to dis-nguish between ac-ve enemies and background obstacles.

Error Preven+on
Problem

There is no reset that allows the player to return to the previous checkpoint if he/she gets
stuck.

Ra+ng
Descrip+on

Important

Solu+on

Give the player a menu prompt to press a key that restarts them at their previous checkpoint.

Reference Shot

In the screenshot below, the player shrunk and went into the dragon head. The player then
fell down from the ledge above and grew large again, which caused him to get stuck in the
gap. This occurs in several other places with the Grow/Shrink mechanic in the game.

Recogni+on Rather than Recall

Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

There is no indica-on of controls or a control structure for the player to use if needed

Solu+on

Provide a small control scheme/layout directly on the Main Menu, on the Pause Menu, or as a
sidebar in the game itself so the player can refer to it as needed.

Reference Shot

Important
The game has no control scheme layout for the player to see at any point during the game.
There are no indicators in the game that would show the player where to use certain abili-es
and no way for the player to know without trial and error of random bu7ons.

Flexibility and Eciency of Use

Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

No control remapping possible

Solu+on

Add a remapping capability to the Op-ons Menu to allow players to customize the control
scheme.

Reference Shot

Moderate
For advanced players, there is no way for them to remap the keys to be7er suit their playstyle
or hand placement.

Aesthe+c and Minimalist Design

Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

The Pause Menu comes up in a poor loca-on and is hard to nd

Solu+on

Place the Pause Menu in the middle of the screen when the Esc key is hit and darken the
background so that the bu7ons stand out against the game itself.

Reference Shot

Moderate
The Pause Menu comes up in the lower right hand part of the screen instead of the center of
the screen as two small white boxes with white text. This causes the player not to no-ce it
and/or makes the UI itself hard to read once you do nd it.

Help Users Recognize, Diagnose,

and Recover from Errors
Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

There are no indicators on the player for any enemy or obstacle damage.

Solu+on

Add some sort of visual conrma-on that the player takes damage such as a sprite anima-on
or the Snowball losing bits of snow.

Reference Shot

Important
There are no indicators when the player takes damage from any sources and the player does
not know if he is dieing from enemy damage or from the normal -ck of -me-based life loss.

Help and Documenta+on

Problem
Ra+ng
Descrip+on

The player has no idea of what to do or what objec-ves to accomplish

Solu+on

Add a simple Goals list to the Pause menu or in a sidebar in the game itself so that the
player can reference it at will.

Reference Shot

Important
There is no objec-ve list, task list, direc-onal arrow, or any other indicator as to what
direc-on the player should go or what objects/tasks are important in the level.

References
Isbister, K. (2012, February 25). Game Usability. CRC Press. Retrieved
from http://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/programming/gameprogramming/9780123744470
Nielsen, J. (1995, January 1). 10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface
Design. Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved from
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/