KEY FACTORS IN USABILITY EVALUATION FOR COMPUTER GAME

The computer game industry has managed to become the fastest growing segment of the entertainment industry nowadays. However, only a very low number of computer game products manage to cover the costs of production and generate earnings. According to traditional marketing wisdom, customers' preferences are a core issue in creating successful products, and the design process in game is crucial for guaranteeing garners.' satisfaction. This research aimed to explore key factors for the game design based on the new framework of the usability evaluation. We examined the usability in Massively Multi-player Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs) and reviewed literatures related to games simultaneously. We identified eighteen usability issues in MMORPG and presented its recommendation relevant to the issues. Moreover, the results of the study showed fifty four key factors composed of game interface, game play, game narrative, and game mechanics for the game design. The research is concluded with key implications to support the early stage of the design process in game.