BRIEF 3 - UCI Visit - Analysing an Arcade Machine

When I entered the UCI centre there were lots of arcade machines with flashing lights and bright colours. I suppose this is to catch the public's attention to come to their machine and spend money. As it is an amusement centre, the main objective of the machines is to make money by gettng as many customers as possible and the way to do this is to attract them to the machine, and then have sustainability to keep their attention and want to play even more. The more enticing a machine is, the more likely people are to see it and use it. As I observed the machines that were available, the majority of them were either based on a popular film (Fast and The Furious, House Of The Dead, Adamas Family), or resembled something in the real world (e.g. Gun, Motorbike, Car Seat and Gears, Basketball Net). I suppose people are more likely to want to play these games if they already have a knowledge of the game or can relate to it in some way.

I eventually chose 'Super Bikes' arcade machine. This is a motorbike game based on the bikes from the 'Fast and the Furious' films. It offers many features to attract the user's attention. There are flashing lights, and a funky arcade stand. It boasts realistic to life features. The object you use to play the game is shaped like a real motorbike, and operates in pretty much the same way, as it uses the handle bars to change gears, and lean into the bike to turn corners, unlike one of the other bike machines in the centre that stood still and had a swivel base to turn corners. Almost everybody is familiar with how a motorbike works, and would take this into practise when using the game for the first time. Experienced motorbike riders will have more of an idea of how to ride the bike though, as it is based on the functions of a real bike. On the bike there is an electronic speed dial, which is the feature on most modern motorbikes. Onscreen features offer a rev counter and gear changes.

The user starts the game by inserting a £1 coin into the slot that is hidden down at the machine in front of the bike. The game then starts by asking you to select a bike and any extras you want to add. You are then placed at the start of the race track at the starting line. There is a count down and when the lights go green, you have to turn the gear knob on the handle bar to accelerate, and steer by rocking in the direction you want the bike to tilt onscreen. It is a battle to finish in the highest position and in the best time. There is a best time table at the end where you can add your name to if you get a good enough time. This gives the game longetivity as it gives people incentive to come back and play the game to get a better time and fight the best place.

I believe this game to be aimed mostly at teenagers that might be interested in the film or into bikes or computer games in general. Young users may be too small for them to sit on the bike and have their feet touch the floor. It is more of an entertainment based machine than an education machine like at Techniquest.

At the start of the game, the machine is controlling you, prompting you to pick from the available options, but when the race starts you are in total control of the game, controlling what happens onscreen by the actions you do.

VIDEO - This is a link to the video of me playing on the game: