Gamepad Design for Touch Generation: Evaluation of First-Person Shooter/Third-Person Shooter Game Control and Possibility of Touched-Based Control as Norm

Abstract

This research compares a Steam controller, a DualSense controller, two gestures on a prototype touchpad-implemented gamepad design, an iPad Pro, a Logitech G304 mouse with latency matching the iPad, and a Razer 8K gaming mouse using Fitts Task 2, 3D Aim Trainer for a performance and gameplay experience test in a Death Stranding firing range and gathers feedback on the devices. With the participants categorized by their gaming experience, the differences between the experienced groups are recorded in terms of performance and preference. The average result shows that the touch-based input has the potential of substituting a mouse when the latency condition is equal, and the players that already have touch-based FPS/TPS gaming experience tends to favor touch over a mouse input. However, the prototype controller designed to implement a larger touchpad did not meet the expectations in terms of performance and preference, but the knowledge, data and feedback gathered in this study will aid future touch-based gamepad designs in the emerging handheld console market.

Keywords

• HCI
• Fitts’ law
• game controller evaluation
• touchscreen
• mouse
• gyroscope