The Fingerstroke-Level Model Strikes Back: A modified keystroke-level model in developing a gaming UI for 4G networks

ACM CHI (2013)

Kiburm Song, Jihoon Kim, Yoonhan Cho, Ahreum Lee, Hokyoung Ryu

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Abstract: With the 4G mobile technology, LG U+ established a new business model, inter-network mirroring game service that allows PC and mobile game users to play against each other. However, due to an unsolicited input command design for touch-sensitive UIs, it is hard to adjust competitive levels between them. The traditional Keystroke-Level Model (KLM) was not applicable to predict the task performance in the touchsensitive user interface. This case study thus proposed Fingerstroke Level Model (FLM), and analyzed the internetwork mirroring game - ‘Freestyle II™’ with FLM. The empirical study confirmed the effectiveness and efficiency of FLM, and suggested how HCI methods can improve the design of mobile gaming user interface.
The gaming trend in Korea has rapidly aligned to the mobile platforms. The carrier network service providers in Korea ask a new business model that can attract more mobile users, in particular, via mobile games. Yet, game developers still focus on PC-based games, thanks to the short lifespan of mobile games. Furthermore, mobile games have very limited functionalities thanks to the limited input mechanism and computational power, so game users are not much hooked into the mobile game in itself. A world first commercialized 4G (LTE) carrier network provider, LG U+, thus launched a mirroring game service for PC-game players to soft-land on the mobile platform. Game development companies, JCE™ and CCR™, designed the touch-sensitive UIs for the mirroring service, only to fail. No empirical studies could be made due to the fast development lifecycle, so mobile game task performance was predicted by the classic KLM model [1], only to fail to reasonably predict. Therefore, a new KLM-like model is required for the touch-sensitive UI.
Link to read more, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWQJ7UIK5h8