In-Game Intoxication: Demonstrating the Evaluation of the Audio Experience of Games with a Focus on Altered States of Consciousness

In this chapter, we consider a particular method of specifically evaluating the user experience of game audio. To provide a domain of game audio to evaluate, we focus on an increasingly occuring phenomenon in game; that of the altered state of consciousness. Our approach seeks to evaluate user experience of game audio from normal gameplay and gameplay that features altered states. As such, a brief background to person-centered approaches to use experience evaluation is presented and then we provide a detailed description of the method that has been adopted in this chapter: the use of personal construct theory via repertory grid interviews

Small-Scale Exertion in Sports Video Games

Sports video games should be inherently competitive, but they fall short in providing competition between player skills. The translation of real-world physical activities to a game controller and the emphasis on statistical simulations in traditional sports video games leads to a limited opportunity for expertise development, individual differentiation, and fatigue. These are three very important aspects of real-world sports that are lacking in sports video games. One possible solution to these difficulties is to use small-scale exertion. This method requires the design of an input mechanic that requires only the use of hands and fingers (or feet). We created two small-scale exertion sports video games (Track and Field Racing and Jelly Polo) and ran four studies to compare our small-scale exertion games to traditional rate-based sports video games. Qualitative and quantitative results suggest that using small-scale exertion increases the amount of expertise development, individual differentiation, and fatigue in sports video games. Results also suggest small-scale exertion controls are more engaging than traditional rate-based controls. By using small-scale exertion to add physicality into sports video games, we are able to increase richness, competitiveness, and realism in order to create a game which is competitive, in terms of player skill, and sport-like

Development of novel data representations for virtual reality exergames

Being physically active is important to people of all ages for supporting health and wellbeing. Engaging in regular physical activity has been shown to foster growth and development, improve physical and cognitive functions, relieve mental stress and depression, and reduce the risks of developing chronic diseases [1, 2, 3]. However, participation in physical activity can be low, especially among older adults living with dementia (OAwD), due to lack of motivation, safety and cost concerns, physical and cognitive limitations, and poor access to appropriate exercise opportunities [4, 5]. In addition to providing sustainable motivations in promoting physical activity engagement, virtual reality (VR) exergames have the potential to collect quantified, objective, and complementary information about the exergaming sessions through the use of motion-based technologies. While several studies have shown the potential of VR exergames as complementary interventions for exercise therapy in clinical practice, there has been limited research exploring how VR exergames can be used as tools to manage and administer exercise programs using the information collected in exergaming sessions. This research explores metrics related to the performance of a person and creates data visualizations for the information collected through Exerfarm Valley, which is a head-mounted display virtual reality (HMD-VR)exergames system developed in part through this thesis work. The data visualizations resulting from this thesis research are intended to be used by exercise professionals in evaluating the client's performance during an exercise program and manage exercise therapy. The identified metrics for representing the player's performance during exergaming sessions could be applied to other exergames, potentially providing useful information about the client's status and exergaming sessions to exercise professionals. To the author's knowledge, this research represents the first data visualisations to be created for HMD-VR exergames through multi-disciplinary collaboration using user-centered design methods