An Analysis of Game Environments As Measured by Fractal Complexity.

The aesthetics of the games environment can sometimes be of secondary consideration to gameplay. This research is concerned with the reception of the 'pictorial space' by the viewer and how the viewer's experience may be modified either positively or negatively, by variance in the level of complexity within the scene. Previous participant studies by the authors and others, point to preference ranges of two dimensional images by viewers. This paper draws from those conclusions to analyze existing game artwork using proprietary box counting methods to reveal levels of complexity as measured by fractal dimension. The outcomes of the modest research and analysis presented are potentially valuable in confirming the importance of careful attention to the crafting of game environments and a healthy balance between content creation and procedural generation. The research also posits that fractal analysis can be a valuable tool in early stage testing for experience and interaction design and ultimately help in contributing to a meaningful experience for the game player.