A Research on How to Enhance User Experience by Improving Arcade Joystick in Side-Scrolling Shooter Games

In the long-term observation, we’ve discovered that the joystick has high maneuverability, but players find it difficult to control when playing complex 2-D STG. The layout which is full of bullets and enemies is a huge challenge to players’ techniques and reactions. Furthermore, it influences the games’ difficulties and players’ willingness to play; we implemented shadowing observational method and questionnaire to come up with four key factors which were significant to this research. However, the experiment probed into the Human-Machine Interaction with regard to joystick and synergy between hardware and software. After the focus group with those subjects, we acquired a few pieces of feedback on how to improve the joysticks. Ultimately, in the conclusion of this research, we proposed two pieces of advice on the design of prototype of joystick. We’d like to improve the User Experience (UX) and Somatosensory Experience, and create a customized joystick for 2-D STG.