Release: 2011
Platform: Xbox 360 & Kinect
Studio: Harmonix
Publisher: Microsoft, MTV Games
dancecentral.com

The second game in the Dance Central series expanded upon what worked for its predecessor, with a multiplayer option and better training mode.

Cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes were created, with moves designed to keep players from bonking into each other.  Many players appreciated the game's athleticism and features to track fitness were included.

Significant improvements were made to the practice mode, "Break It Down".  Players were now able to rewind or skip a move through gesture or voice control.  The inclusion of UI functionality during gameplay gave the player more control over their session, but required careful handling to ensure that ordinary dancing was not misread by the system.

Dance Central had created a standardized workflow for creating dance routines, which we now complimented with a standardized system of evaluation. Each song level was assessed by playtesters, iterated upon, and tested again for playability issues before release.  This assured that the detection system would be flexible and its definition of dance moves would be informed by real players.


My contributions included...

• Researching how new and existing players learned and memorized moves.
• Designing a standardized cycle of iteration for fine-tuning routines.
• Monitoring Kinect detection for new issues specific to multiplayer and recommending solutions.

 
Typical design questions

• How do players want to collaborate?  When do they want to compete?
• Can players tell when they've done well or poorly?  Do they understand what went wrong or how to fix it?
• What features could help them learn moves more easily and accurately?