Vanishing scares: biofeedback modulation of affective player experiences in a procedural horror game

Citation:

Nogueira, P. A. , Torres, V. , Rodrigues, R. , Oliveira, E. , & Nacke, L. E. . (2016). Vanishing scares: biofeedback modulation of affective player experiences in a procedural horror game. Journal on Multimodal User Interfaces, 10(1), 31–62. doi:10.1007/s12193-015-0208-1

Abstract:

To understand the impact of emotionally driven games on player experience, we developed a procedural horror game (Vanish) capable of run-time level, asset, and event generation. Vanish was augmented to interpret players' physiological data as a simplified emotional state, mapping it to a set of adaptation rules that modify the player experience. To explore the effects of adaptation mechanisms on player experience, we conducted a mixed-methods study on three different versions of the game, two of which integrated varying biofeedback mechanisms. Players' affective experiences were objectively measured by analysing physiological data. Additionally, subjective experience was recorded through the use of the Game Experience Questionnaire. Our study confirmed that biofeedback functionality had a statistically significant effect on the ratings of player experience dimensions: immersion, tension, positive affect, and negative affect. Furthermore, participants reported noticeable differences in player experience, favouring the added depth present in the biofeedback-enabled iterations of the game. In the future, these conclusions will help to develop more immersive and engaging player experiences.

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