1. Dynamic Difficulty in Video Games
Senior Project - Computer Science – 2007
Dynamic Difficulty in Video Games
Matt Carlson
Advisor – Prof. Burns
Abstract
Although there have been prior attempts at implementing dynamic difficulty in video games, they have generally received negative feedback from users. Users often feel that dynamic difficulty removes the sense of accomplishment from a game by attempting to give everyone the same experience. Thus, this project takes a different approach by adjusting difficulty only when the user is frustrated with their experience. The ultimate goal of this project, then, is to determine what conditions typically indicate user frustration so that we may determine when to appropriately adjust the difficulty of the game.
Overview
First, users were tested on their desired skill level on either the static or dynamic setting. In dynamic mode, settings that have a direct skill correlation are adjusted in real time. The amount of change made was based on the current skill level of the game. Thus, the goal of these changes was to adjust to the user without removing the challenge of their selected skill level. Beyond this, the game also records user data that has no direct skill correlation (ie. walking in circles) in order to monitor overall frustration. After the test, users indicate whether they were bored or frustrated with the game at any point. This data is then used in connection with the user's responses in order to determine what scenarios, if any, commonly indicate used frustration.
Start
Results
Although the sample size was somewhat limited, we were able to draw a few conclusions from the data. First, directly adjusting skills in real-time seemed to have a minimal impact on gameplay. There was very little difference between static and dynamic difficulty. However, when analysing what generally causes user frustration, we found that users are primarily motivated by a sense of accomplishment, regardless of the number of failed attempts. If the user found a secret or killed a high percentage of monsters in a level, they were generally less frustrated than users who did not find these secrets, or users who did not explore all parts of the levels.
Monitor User
Performance
Is user performance
above or below expected
level? No
Yes
Can we directly adjust
the game to impact
performance?
Yes No
Adjust setting
in game
Adjust frustration score
Is the user frustrated? No
Yes
Adjust overall
difficulty