an exploration of menu techniques using a 3d game input device
Existing work on menu techniques has shown linear menus to be less efficient and reliable for menuing tasks when compared to radial menus. With the rise in popularity of 3D spatial interaction in console gaming, such as the Nintendo Wii, it is important to determine whether the existing findings still hold true when using a 3D pointing device such as the Wii Controller. Linear menus were compared with two other menu techniques: radial menus and rotary menus. Effectiveness was measured through task completion time and the number of task errors. A subjective measure was also taken to determine participant preferences. Participants performed faster and made fewer errors when using the radial menu technique. Radial menus were also preferred by participants. These results indicate that radial menus are an effective menu technique when used with a 3D pointing device. This appears to agree with previous work regarding radial menus and indicates that the usage of radial menus in gaming applications should be investigated further.
input devices video games usability 3d interaction user studies