GEM (Gameplay Evaluation Method) is a near real-time gameplay analysis system that lets us view the interactions of the thousands (or more) users of our game(s). This can include what areas of the game they are currently in, what activities they are engaging in, what their scores are at various points of activity, as well as other data.
Brief Visual and Auditory Distractions are interjected frequently in Sky Village – Trail of Spells to enable the learning brain to stop and integrate what it has just experienced, and refresh in preparation for more learning. GEM data indicates to the game developer how effective these distractions are for promoting the player’s progress.
GEM monitors the gamer’s progress and readiness to advance to new material via its aspect called Adaptive Content Casting (ACC). According to GEM data of a gamer’s progress, ACC adjusts the difficulty, speed and the success of game player to fit the needs of the player.
GEM is used to generate parental reports about their child’s engagement with the game. The gameplay data of each of the players is recorded on our servers for us to analyze. Theoretically, we can save several months’ worth of data this way.
And with the depth of data that GEM collects, we have access to information on how the child is developing in their reading abilities. We can also use GEM to calculate various pieces of information the parent will want to know — such as the child’s reading speed, comprehension rate, words they are having difficulty with, and more.
GEM is invaluable for watching and validating our game design decisions, and more importantly, for seeing where players are not engaging sufficiently. Where is the player confused about what to do next? Are they losing interest? How many Spells have they collected? Have they discovered the secret door we had placed on the map? Or are they just stuck? As we gather this information, we can improve the game continuously.
Once we have perfected GEM, and with some further development, we should be able to format GEM to license to other game developers. Every game developer wants to know the details of how their audience is interacting with their product.