iPad vs Paper Prototypes: Does Form Factor Affect Children’s Ratings of a Game Concept?

Abstract

The development and evaluation of prototypes is an important part of game development. This study aimed to establish whether the form factor, either paper or an iPad, would affect children’s ratings of a prototype game. The 42 participants were aged between 7 and 11 and used the Fun Toolkit to measure user experience. The results showed that the form factor had little influence over their overall ratings of the game concept. However, the children rated the aesthetics higher on the paper version compared to the iPad, despite the graphics being identical, suggesting a potential effect of the form factor on this aspect of the prototype. Participants were also asked if they would pay to download the game as a measure of engagement, but their comments indicated that parental controls might influence the results when evaluating monetary transactions with children.