ABSTRACT
According to Isbister and Schaffer (2008), making a game (or software) usable means “paying attention to human limits in memory, perception, and attention; it also means anticipating likely errors that can be made and being ready for them, and working with the expectations and abilities of those who will use the software.” Usability is about considering the ability of the system image (i.e., what the user perceives and interacts with) to clearly convey information about what the system means and how it can be used. Given that it is humans who are playing games, game developers must take into account human capabilities and limitations to ensure their game is usable. This does not mean dumbing down the game, as we saw earlier when describing the main misconceptions about user experience (Chapter 10). It is about removing the unnecessary and unwanted frustrations that the system image can induce if it does not account for human perception, cognition, and motivation.
