Evaluation of the Usability of Analog Joystick Movement in MSP-EXP432P401R Snake Game

Computer games can be used not only for entertainment but also for education. Embedded systems can be used to improve the gamified learning process by making the interaction with intended users more interesting. Texas Instruments development kits with booster plug-in modules can improve the outcomes of gamified learning. However, there is a lack of studies that explore the benefits and drawbacks of different input methods for gamified learning purposes. In this paper, a snake game was developed on the Texas Instruments MSP-EXP432P401R development kit that uses the analog joystick of the BOSTXL-EDUMKII plug-in module for controlling the snake. An experimental usability study was conducted on 61 3rd year university students, comparing the analog joystick to the computer keyboard, computer mouse, and mobile touchscreen input methods. The achieved results showed that the majority of students preferred the original computer keyboard input method and that more than half of the participants preferred the 90 -degree rotation of the snake compared to the 360 degree analog joystick. However, the analog joystick improved the gaming experience by 63.6 %, and many students made positive comments about its usability in general, indicating that its application for gamified learning may be possible for other types of games.