An Interaction Design Model for a Petri Net based Behavior Editor

In the context of Game Design, to define behaviors and choreographies of actors in a game or simulation context can be a challenging and complex programing task. This paper proposes an interaction model for a Petri Net behavior editor to be used as a visual language for game behavior modeling. A proof of concept prototype implementation of the proposed interaction model was created and validated with formal usability lab tests. In spite of some usability issues, most users were able to complete the proposed game behavior definition tasks using the editor interface. We think this provides evidence to reinforce the case that Petri Nets can be used to advantage in the game modeling process and, when coupled with a runtime simulation, can provide an interesting immediate feedback loop for faster design and experimentation.