Scaling the Level of Difficulty in Single Player Video Games

Abstract

Abstract. In this this paper, we discuss the interest and the need to evaluate the difficulty of single player video games. We first show the importance of difficulty, drawing from semiotics to explain the link between tension-resolution cycles, and challenge with the player's enjoyment. Then, we report related work on automatic gameplay analysis. We show through a simple experimentation that automatic video game analysis is both practicable and can lead to interesting results. We argue that automatic analysis tools are limited if they do not consider difficulty from the player point of view. The last section provides a player and Game Design oriented definition of the challenge and difficulty notions in games. As a consequence we derive the property that must fulfill a measurable definition of difficulty.

Video Game Control Dimensionality Analysis

“…One of the important elements of a good game design is the issue of how to tackle the games to be difficult enough so that the players can feel enough challenges [3]. Measuring difficulty is thus a fundamental part of game design [2,3,8].…”

“…Measuring difficulty is thus a fundamental part of game design [2,3,8]. However, no precise definition of difficulty for games can be found and neither do the proper methodology or tools to measure difficulty exist [3].…”

“…Measuring difficulty is thus a fundamental part of game design [2,3,8]. However, no precise definition of difficulty for games can be found and neither do the proper methodology or tools to measure difficulty exist [3]. Games presented in today's market lack dynamic game-balancing factors and often the traditional 'easy-medium-hard' description of difficulty measurement is followed [29].…”

“…Since scaling of difficulty is important and many previous studies in psychology and game design have shown that a lot more can be done during the design of the difficulty slope of the games (see [2,3,15,16]). It is thus worth investigating how the CD of the video games controller leaves an impact on measuring the difficulty of games.…”

AI for dynamic team-mate adaptation in games

“…A few among them include the algorithmic increase of speed in Tetris (and many other classic arcade games), increase of opponent aggression in the game of Halo, adaptive opponent attack in Max Payne, removal of the radar in Metal Gear Solid with level up, improved combo attack in Street Fighter, and adaptive zombie spawning in Left4Dead. Research has explored different metrics of player performance [2], [3] or means of increasing the difficulty for the player [4].…”