Affective Evaluation of Games & Interactive Media
Evaluating user experience with affective measures is a field of growing importance in the human factors domain, because the emotional effects of engaging technology, such as movies, mobile networked devices, games and new media, are not well understood. Within this research theme, we are developing and validating robust new methods for physiological evaluation of user engagement components in digital games and new media. In the past, Dr. Nacke has worked in-depth on psychophysiological methods for evaluating player experience, such as brain waves, muscular and skin responses, cardiovascular measures, respiration, eye gaze paths, and pupil dilation. In addition to measuring physiological responses, we are also using full body motion tracking, facial tracking and recognition, behavioral logging techniques, video observation, and subjective responses.
People
Lead
Participants
Rina WehbePh.D. Student, EEG Analysis of Gameplay Comprehension 
Henk-Jan de GrootLab Intern, Server Magician, and Specialist of Nontraditional Time Zones 
Samantha StahlkeLab Assistant, Charlatan of Doom, Official Comma Wrangler of the HCI Games Group
Publications
Year 2015
Lennart E. Nacke. 2015. Games User Research and Physiological Game Evaluation. In Regina Bernhaupt. Eds.
Game User Experience Evaluation. Springer International Publishing, 63-86.
doi:10.1007/978-3-319-15985-0_4 @incollection{Nacke2015,
abstract = {This chapter introduces physiological measures for game evaluation in the context of games user research (GUR). GUR consists of more than playtesting game; it comprises a collection of methods that allow designers to bring their creations closer to the initial vision of the player experience. With the prices of physiological sensors falling, and the advancement of research in this area, physiological evaluation will soon become a standard tool in GUR and game evaluation. Since mixed-method approaches are of increasingly prominent value, this chapter describes core GUR methods with a special focus on physiological evaluation, keeping in mind both benefits and limitations of the approach in academic and industrial applications.},
author = {Nacke, Lennart E},
booktitle = {Game User Experience Evaluation},
chapter = {4},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-15985-0_4},
editor = {Bernhaupt, Regina},
isbn = {978-3-319-15985-0},
mendeley-groups = {HCI Games Group Publications},
pages = {63--86},
publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
title = {{Games User Research and Physiological Game Evaluation}},
url = {https://hcigames.com/download/games-user-research-and-physiological-game-evaluation},
year = {2015}
}This chapter introduces physiological measures for game evaluation in the context of games user research (GUR). GUR consists of more than playtesting game; it comprises a collection of methods that allow designers to bring their creations closer to the initial vision of the player experience. With the prices of physiological sensors falling, and the advancement of research in this area, physiological evaluation will soon become a standard tool in GUR and game evaluation. Since mixed-method approaches are of increasingly prominent value, this chapter describes core GUR methods with a special focus on physiological evaluation, keeping in mind both benefits and limitations of the approach in academic and industrial applications.
