Interactions and Actions in One Touch Gesture Mobile Games

TL;DR

This study analyzes touch gestures and interaction models in popular one-touch-gesture mobile games to inform better game design and enhance player engagement.

Contribution

It provides an empirical analysis of gestures, actions, and interaction models in popular 1TG mobile games, offering insights for future game development.

Findings

Identified common touch gestures in popular 1TG games

Mapped gestures to in-game actions and interaction models

Provided a development guide based on observed interactions

Abstract

A player plays a game by sending messages into the game world using an interaction technique. These messages are then translated into actions performed on or by game objects towards achieving the game's objectives. A game's interaction model is the bridge between the player's interaction and its in-game actions by defining what the player may and may not act upon at any given moment. This makes the choice of interaction technique, its associated actions, and interaction model critical for designing games that are engaging, immersive, and intuitive to play. This paper presents a study focused on One-Touch-Gesture mobile games, with the aim of identifying the touch gestures used in popular games of this type, the types of in-game actions associated with these gestures, and the interaction models used by these games. The study was conducted by reviewing 77 of the most popular games in the last two years through playtesting by two researchers. The results of the study contribute to existing knowledge by providing an insight into the interactions and actions of popular 1TG games and providing a guide to aid in developing games of the type.