Project Details

Affective Evaluation of Games & Interactive Media

People

Lead

Lennart Nacke
Director of the HCI Games Group

Participants

Marim Ganaba
Master's Student and UX Researcher

Mike Schäkermann
Master's Student

Gustavo Fortes Tondello
Ph.D. Researcher, Personalization of Gameful Interactive Systems

Jose Rodriguez
Master's Student

Rina Wehbe
Ph.D. Student, Errors, Perception of AI, Health Games

Giovanni Ribeiro
Master's Student, Games User Research

Henk-Jan de Groot
Lab Intern, Server Magician, and Specialist of Nontraditional Time Zones

Pejman Mirza-Babaei
Affiliated Faculty

Naeem Moosajee
Master's Student in Games User Research, Digital Wizard

Pedro Nogueira
External Ph.D. Student at University of Porto, Portugal

James Robb
Master’s Student, Player Experience

Melissa Stocco
Undergraduate Researcher

Samantha Stahlke
Lab Assistant, Charlatan of Doom, Official Comma Wrangler of the HCI Games Group

Publications

Year 2015

Data Synchronization in Games User Research

@inproceedings{Wehbe2015a,
Abstract = {By overlapping information from a variety of techniques, researchers are able to gain a better overall picture of the user experience. In Games User Research (GUR) a variety of methodologies are in use ranging from qualitative approaches (e.g. interviews), quantitative approach (e.g. metrics), as well as, physiological approaches (e.g. electroencephalography (EEG)). With the combination of different techniques, synchrony of data collection becomes essential. In the presented paper, details such as sampling rate, marker placement, and time stamps are discussed.},
Address = {London, UK},
Author = {R. R. Wehbe and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Gur tool design jam},
File = {::},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Introducing-the-Biometric-Storyboards-Tool-for-Games-User-Research.png},
Keywords = {Data,Games User Research (GUR),Mixed Measures,Physiological Measures,Sampling Rates,Synchronization,Time Stamps},
Title = {Data Synchronization in Games User Research},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/data-synchronization-in-games-user-research},
Year = {2015},

By overlapping information from a variety of techniques, researchers are able to gain a better overall picture of the user experience. In Games User Research (GUR) a variety of methodologies are in use ranging from qualitative approaches (e.g. interviews), quantitative approach (e.g. metrics), as well as, physiological approaches (e.g. electroencephalography (EEG)). With the combination of different techniques, synchrony of data collection becomes essential. In the presented paper, details such as sampling rate, marker placement, and time stamps are discussed.

Games User Research and Physiological Game Evaluation

@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.

Year 2014

Fuzzy Affective Player Models: A Physiology-Based Hierarchical Clustering Method

@inproceedings{nogueira2014fuzzy,
Abstract = {Current approaches to game design improvements rely on time-consuming gameplay testing processes, which rely on highly subjective feedback from a target audience. In this paper, we propose a generalizable approach for building predictive models of players' emotional reactions across different games and game genres, as well as other forms of digital stimuli. Our input agnostic approach relies on the following steps: (a) collecting players' physiologically-inferred emotional states during actual gameplay sessions, (b) extrapolating the causal relations between changes in players' emotional states and recorded game events, and (c) building hierarchical cluster models of players' emotional reactions that can later be used to infer individual player models via fuzzy cluster membership vectors. We expect this work to benefit game designers by accelerating the affective play-testing process through the offline simulation of players' reactions to game design adaptations, as well as to contribute towards individually-tailored affective gaming.},
Address = {Raleigh, NC, United States},
Author = {P. A. Nogueira, R. Aguiar, R. A. Rodrigues, E. C. Oliveira, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of AIIDE 2014},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Fuzzy-Affective-Player-Models-A-Physiology-Based-Hierarchical-Clustering-Method.png},
Pages = {132-138},
Publisher = {AAAI},
Title = {Fuzzy Affective Player Models: A Physiology-Based Hierarchical Clustering Method},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/fuzzy-affective-player-models-a-physiology-based-hierarchical-clustering-method},
Year = {2014},

Current approaches to game design improvements rely on time-consuming gameplay testing processes, which rely on highly subjective feedback from a target audience. In this paper, we propose a generalizable approach for building predictive models of players' emotional reactions across different games and game genres, as well as other forms of digital stimuli. Our input agnostic approach relies on the following steps: (a) collecting players' physiologically-inferred emotional states during actual gameplay sessions, (b) extrapolating the causal relations between changes in players' emotional states and recorded game events, and (c) building hierarchical cluster models of players' emotional reactions that can later be used to infer individual player models via fuzzy cluster membership vectors. We expect this work to benefit game designers by accelerating the affective play-testing process through the offline simulation of players' reactions to game design adaptations, as well as to contribute towards individually-tailored affective gaming.

Introducing the Biometric Storyboards Tool for Games User Research

@inproceedings{mirza2014introducing,
Abstract = {Evaluating and communicating affective user experience in games is an important component of the growing field of games user research (GUR). An important goal for the game industry and researchers alike is the successful unification of physiological measurements and player experience reports to generate meaningful insights, which is challenging due to the varying natures of the data. In this paper, we present a tool that facilitates GUR with a method called Biometric Storyboards (BioSt). The tool allows GUR professionals to visualize relationships between changes in a player's physiological state, a player's self-reported experience, and in-game events. This paper focuses on the BioSt development stages and the final BioSt tool that we present to facilitate the creation implementation of BioSt and its analysis procedure.},
Address = {Toronto, ON, Canada},
Author = {P. Mirza-Babaei and L. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of ieee gem 2014},
Doi = {10.1109/GEM.2014.7048098},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Introducing-the-Biometric-Storyboards-Tool-for-Games-User-Research.png},
Keywords = {Current measurement,Data visualization,Electromyography,Games,Muscles,Physiology,Prototypes,affective evaluation,games design,games user research,physiological evaluation,user experience,video games},
MendeleyTags = {Current measurement,Data visualization,Electromyography,Games,Muscles,Physiology,Prototypes},
Pages = {1-7},
Publisher = {IEEE},
Title = {Introducing the Biometric Storyboards Tool for Games User Research},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/introducing-the-biometric-storyboards-tool-for-games-user-research},
Year = {2014},

Evaluating and communicating affective user experience in games is an important component of the growing field of games user research (GUR). An important goal for the game industry and researchers alike is the successful unification of physiological measurements and player experience reports to generate meaningful insights, which is challenging due to the varying natures of the data. In this paper, we present a tool that facilitates GUR with a method called Biometric Storyboards (BioSt). The tool allows GUR professionals to visualize relationships between changes in a player's physiological state, a player's self-reported experience, and in-game events. This paper focuses on the BioSt development stages and the final BioSt tool that we present to facilitate the creation implementation of BioSt and its analysis procedure.

Unified Visualization of Quantitative and Qualitative Playtesting Data

@inproceedings{mirza2014unified,
Abstract = {A major challenge in studying player experience is tying together the results of quantitative and qualitative games user research (GUR) data. For example, combining data from players' physiological measures with questionnaire or interview results and in-game movement data into a single report is not straightforward because the underlying data is often in different formats. Visualization techniques can facilitate the understanding of relationships among these data sets. Although various visualization techniques have already been introduced in GUR, most of these techniques only focus on displaying large amounts of data captured directly via telemetry without integrating qualitative or contextual data on players' emotional experience. Hence, here we propose a novel visualization approach to triangulate the above mentioned mixed data sources.},
Address = {Toronto, ON, Canada},
Author = {P. Mirza-Babaei, G. Wallner, G. McAllister, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of chi ea 2014},
Doi = {10.1145/2559206.2581224},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Unified-Visualization-of-Quantitative-and-Qualitative-Playtesting-Data.png},
Organization = {ACM},
Pages = {1363-1368},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Unified Visualization of Quantitative and Qualitative Playtesting Data},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/unified-visualization-of-quantitative-and-qualitative-playtesting-data},
Year = {2014},

A major challenge in studying player experience is tying together the results of quantitative and qualitative games user research (GUR) data. For example, combining data from players' physiological measures with questionnaire or interview results and in-game movement data into a single report is not straightforward because the underlying data is often in different formats. Visualization techniques can facilitate the understanding of relationships among these data sets. Although various visualization techniques have already been introduced in GUR, most of these techniques only focus on displaying large amounts of data captured directly via telemetry without integrating qualitative or contextual data on players' emotional experience. Hence, here we propose a novel visualization approach to triangulate the above mentioned mixed data sources.

Year 2013

A Hybrid Approach at Emotional State Detection: Merging Theoretical Models of Emotion with Data-Driven Statistical Classifiers

@inproceedings{nogueira2013hybrid,
Abstract = {With the rising popularity of affective computing techniques, there have been several advances in the field of emotion recognition systems. However, despite the several advances in the field, these systems still face scenario adaptability and practical implementation issues. In light of these issues, we developed a nonspecific method for emotional state classification in interactive environments. The proposed method employs a two-layer classification process to detect Arousal and Valence (the emotion's hedonic component), based on four psychophysiological metrics: Skin Conductance, Heart Rate and Electromyography measured at the corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus major muscles. The first classification layer applies multiple regression models to correctly scale the aforementioned metrics across participants and experimental conditions, while also correlating them to the Arousal or Valence dimensions. The second layer then explores several machine learning techniques to merge the regression outputs into one final rating. The obtained results indicate we are able to classify Arousal and Valence independently from participant and experimental conditions with satisfactory accuracy (97\% for Arousal and 91\% for Valence).},
Address = {Atlanta, GA, United States},
Author = {P. A. Nogueira, R. A. Rodrigues, E. Oliveira, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of WI-IAT 2013},
Doi = {10.1109/WI-IAT.2013.117},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/A-Hybrid-Approach-at-Emotional-State-Detection-Merging-Theoretical-Models-of-Emotion-with-Data-Driven-Statistical-Classifiers.png},
Organization = {IEEE},
Pages = {253-260},
Publisher = {IEEE},
Title = {A Hybrid Approach at Emotional State Detection: Merging Theoretical Models of Emotion with Data-Driven Statistical Classifiers},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/a-hybrid-approach-at-emotional-state-detection-merging-theoretical-models-of-emotion-with-data-driven-statistical-classifiers},
Volume = {2},
Year = {2013},

With the rising popularity of affective computing techniques, there have been several advances in the field of emotion recognition systems. However, despite the several advances in the field, these systems still face scenario adaptability and practical implementation issues. In light of these issues, we developed a nonspecific method for emotional state classification in interactive environments. The proposed method employs a two-layer classification process to detect Arousal and Valence (the emotion's hedonic component), based on four psychophysiological metrics: Skin Conductance, Heart Rate and Electromyography measured at the corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus major muscles. The first classification layer applies multiple regression models to correctly scale the aforementioned metrics across participants and experimental conditions, while also correlating them to the Arousal or Valence dimensions. The second layer then explores several machine learning techniques to merge the regression outputs into one final rating. The obtained results indicate we are able to classify Arousal and Valence independently from participant and experimental conditions with satisfactory accuracy (97\% for Arousal and 91\% for Valence).

A Regression-Based Method for Lightweight Emotional State Detection in Interactive Environments

@article{nogueira2013regression,
Abstract = {With the popularity increase in affective computing techniques the number of emotion detection and recognition systems has risen considerably. However, despite their steady accuracy improvement, they are yet faced with application domain transferability and practical implementation issues. In this paper, we present a novel methodology for modelling individuals' emotional states in multimedia interactive environments, while addressing the aforemen- tioned transferability and practical implementation issues. Our method relies on a two-layer classification process to classify Arousal and Valence based on four distinct physiological sensor inputs. The first classification layer uses several regression models to normalize each of the sensor inputs across participants and experimental conditions, while also correlating each input to either Arousal or Valence. The second classification layer then employs decision trees to merge the various regression outputs into one optimal Arousal/Valence classification. The presented method not only exhibits convincing accuracy ratings -- 89\% for Arousal and 84\% for Valence - but also presents an adaptable and practical ap- proach at emotional state detection in interactive environment experiences.},
Address = {Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, Portugal},
Author = {P. A. Nogueira, R. A. Rodrigues, E. Oliveira, and L. E. Nacke},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/A-Regression-Based-Method-for-Lightweight-Emotional-State-Detection-in-Interactive-Environments.png},
Journal = {Proceedings of epia 2013},
Publisher = {Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg},
Title = {A Regression-Based Method for Lightweight Emotional State Detection in Interactive Environments},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/a-regression-based-method-for-lightweight-emotional-state-detection-in-interactive-environments},
Year = {2013},

With the popularity increase in affective computing techniques the number of emotion detection and recognition systems has risen considerably. However, despite their steady accuracy improvement, they are yet faced with application domain transferability and practical implementation issues. In this paper, we present a novel methodology for modelling individuals' emotional states in multimedia interactive environments, while addressing the aforemen- tioned transferability and practical implementation issues. Our method relies on a two-layer classification process to classify Arousal and Valence based on four distinct physiological sensor inputs. The first classification layer uses several regression models to normalize each of the sensor inputs across participants and experimental conditions, while also correlating each input to either Arousal or Valence. The second classification layer then employs decision trees to merge the various regression outputs into one optimal Arousal/Valence classification. The presented method not only exhibits convincing accuracy ratings -- 89\% for Arousal and 84\% for Valence - but also presents an adaptable and practical ap- proach at emotional state detection in interactive environment experiences.

An Introduction to EEG Analysis Techniques and Brain-Computer Interfaces for Games User Researchers

@inproceedings{wehbe2013introduction,
Abstract = {Games User Research (GUR) can provide meaningful insights into the study of games. As a part of GUR, we focus on the area of cognitive psychology and discuss electroencephalography (EEG) as an evaluation technique for games. We want to introduce game researchers to EEG when studying the cognitive side of player experience and discuss how it can benefit game studies. In this paper, we review EEG techniques before providing researchers with information about general EEG setup and methodology, EEG data collection, preparation, and analysis. Techniques reviewed have been used in medical applications, research, brain-computer interaction (BCI) and human-computer interaction (HCI) applications. In addition, future ideas for applications of EEG techniques in game studies are discussed. We outline how to use different EEG analysis techniques for game research and it is our hope to make these techniques more understandable for the game studies community and to demonstrate their merit for games user research.},
Address = {Atlanta, GA, United States},
Author = {R. R. Wehbe and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of digra 2013},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/an_introduction_to_eeg_analysis_techniques_and_brain-computer_interfaces_for_games_user_researchers.png},
Organization = {DiGRA},
Pages = {1-16},
Publisher = {DiGRA},
Title = {An Introduction to EEG Analysis Techniques and Brain-Computer Interfaces for Games User Researchers},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/an-introduction-to-eeg-analysis-techniques-and-brain-computer-interfaces-for-games-user-researchers},
Year = {2013},

Games User Research (GUR) can provide meaningful insights into the study of games. As a part of GUR, we focus on the area of cognitive psychology and discuss electroencephalography (EEG) as an evaluation technique for games. We want to introduce game researchers to EEG when studying the cognitive side of player experience and discuss how it can benefit game studies. In this paper, we review EEG techniques before providing researchers with information about general EEG setup and methodology, EEG data collection, preparation, and analysis. Techniques reviewed have been used in medical applications, research, brain-computer interaction (BCI) and human-computer interaction (HCI) applications. In addition, future ideas for applications of EEG techniques in game studies are discussed. We outline how to use different EEG analysis techniques for game research and it is our hope to make these techniques more understandable for the game studies community and to demonstrate their merit for games user research.

An Introduction to Physiological Player Metrics for Evaluating Games

@incollection{nacke2013introduction,
Abstract = {Evaluating affective user experience in games is an important component of the growing field of game user research, because compelling gameplay experiences incorporate meaningful and, therefore, emotional player decisions. This makes evaluating player emotions and player visceral physiological reactions a fascinating field of study for game researchers. With their recent success in the human factors domain, physiological metrics, which complement game metrics, have been successfully used to study player engagement and emotion in research and industry. This chapter provides a brief introduction to and primer of physiological measures currently used in game research and discusses the benefits and challenges of this quantitative method of game user research.},
Author = {L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Game analytics - maximizing the value of player data},
Chapter = {26},
Doi = {10.1007/978-1-4471-4769-5_26},
Editor = {M. {Seif El-Nasr}, A. Drachen, and A. Canossa},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/an_introduction_to_physiological_player_metrics_for_evaluating_games.png},
Isbn = {1447147685},
Pages = {585-619},
Publisher = {Springer London},
Title = {An Introduction to Physiological Player Metrics for Evaluating Games},
Url = {http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4471-4769-5_26},
Year = {2013},

Evaluating affective user experience in games is an important component of the growing field of game user research, because compelling gameplay experiences incorporate meaningful and, therefore, emotional player decisions. This makes evaluating player emotions and player visceral physiological reactions a fascinating field of study for game researchers. With their recent success in the human factors domain, physiological metrics, which complement game metrics, have been successfully used to study player engagement and emotion in research and industry. This chapter provides a brief introduction to and primer of physiological measures currently used in game research and discusses the benefits and challenges of this quantitative method of game user research.

EEG-Based Assessment of Video and In-Game Learning

@inproceedings{wehbe2013eeg,
Abstract = {People often learn game-related information in video games by taking turns playing and watching each other play. This type of in-game learning involves both observation and imitation of actions. However, games are also made to be learnt individually during gameplay. Our study seeks to assess which is more effective for learning: just playing a game yourself or watching somebody play it first. We compare two gameplay situations: playing a digital game before watching a game-play video and playing a digital game after watching a gameplay video. Using a between-participants design, to measure learning effectiveness we recorded Mu rhythms, which are indirectly linked to mirror neuron activation during imitation learning. We also analyze hemispheric frontal alpha asymmetry. Our results indicate that presentation order of the video game matters and players are more aroused when watching a gameplay video before playing.},
Address = {Paris, France},
Author = {R. R. Wehbe, D. L. Kappen, D. Rojas, M. Klauser, B. Kapralos, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of CHI EA 2013},
Doi = {10.1145/2468356.2468474},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/eeg-based_assessment_of_video_and_in-game_learning.png},
Organization = {ACM},
Pages = {667-672},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {EEG-Based Assessment of Video and In-Game Learning},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/eeg-based-assessment-of-video-and-in-game-learning},
Year = {2013},

People often learn game-related information in video games by taking turns playing and watching each other play. This type of in-game learning involves both observation and imitation of actions. However, games are also made to be learnt individually during gameplay. Our study seeks to assess which is more effective for learning: just playing a game yourself or watching somebody play it first. We compare two gameplay situations: playing a digital game before watching a game-play video and playing a digital game after watching a gameplay video. Using a between-participants design, to measure learning effectiveness we recorded Mu rhythms, which are indirectly linked to mirror neuron activation during imitation learning. We also analyze hemispheric frontal alpha asymmetry. Our results indicate that presentation order of the video game matters and players are more aroused when watching a gameplay video before playing.

Guided Emotional State Regulation: Understanding and Shaping Players' Affective Experiences in Digital Games

@inproceedings{nogueira2013guided,
Abstract = {Designing adaptive games for individual emotional experi- ences is a tricky task, especially when detecting a player's emotional state in real time requires physiological sensing hardware and signal processing software. There is currently a lack of software that can identify and learn how emotional states in games are triggered. To address this problem, we developed a system capable of understanding the fundamen- tal relations between emotional responses and their eliciting events. We propose time-evolving Affective Reaction Mod- els (ARM), which learn new affective reactions and manage conflicting ones. These models are then meant to provide in- formation on how a set of predetermined game parameters (e.g., enemy and item spawning, music and lighting effects) should be adapted, to modulate the player's emotional state. In this paper, we propose and describe a framework for modulating player emotions and the main components in- volved in regulating players' affective experience. We ex- pect our technique will allow game designers to focus on defining high-level rules for generating gameplay experi- ences instead of having to create and test different content for each player type.},
Address = {Palo Alto, CA, United States},
Author = {P. A. Nogueira, R. A. Rodrigues, E. C. Oliveira, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of aiide 2009},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Guided-Emotional-State-Regulation-Understanding-and-Shaping-Players-Affective-Experiences-in-Digital-Games.png},
Pages = {51-57},
Title = {Guided Emotional State Regulation: Understanding and Shaping Players' Affective Experiences in Digital Games},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/guided-emotional-state-regulation-understanding-and-shaping-players'-affective-experiences-in-digital-games},
Year = {2013},

Designing adaptive games for individual emotional experi- ences is a tricky task, especially when detecting a player's emotional state in real time requires physiological sensing hardware and signal processing software. There is currently a lack of software that can identify and learn how emotional states in games are triggered. To address this problem, we developed a system capable of understanding the fundamen- tal relations between emotional responses and their eliciting events. We propose time-evolving Affective Reaction Mod- els (ARM), which learn new affective reactions and manage conflicting ones. These models are then meant to provide in- formation on how a set of predetermined game parameters (e.g., enemy and item spawning, music and lighting effects) should be adapted, to modulate the player's emotional state. In this paper, we propose and describe a framework for modulating player emotions and the main components in- volved in regulating players' affective experience. We ex- pect our technique will allow game designers to focus on defining high-level rules for generating gameplay experi- ences instead of having to create and test different content for each player type.

How Does It Play Better? Exploring User Testing and Biometric Storyboards in Games User Research

@article{mirza2013does,
Abstract = {Improving game design is a hard task. Few methods are available in games user research (GUR) to test formally how game designs work for players. In particular, the usefulness of user tests (UTs) for game designers has not been fully studied in the CHI community. We propose a novel GUR method called Biometric Storyboards (BioSt) and present a study demonstrating how a Classic UT and a BioSt UT both help designers create a better gameplay experience. In addition, we show that BioSt can help designers deliver significantly better visuals, more fun, and higher gameplay quality than designing without UTs and that classic UTs do not provide this significant advantage. Our interviews support the idea that BioSt provides more nuanced game design improvement. The design implication is that a game designed with the BioSt method will result in high gameplay quality.},
Address = {Paris, France},
Author = {P. Mirza-Babaei, L. E. Nacke, J. Gregory, N. Collins, and G. Fitzpatrick},
Doi = {10.1145/2470654.2466200},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/How-Does-It-Play-Better-Exploring-User-Testing-and-Biometric-Storyboards-in-Games-User-Research.png},
Journal = {Proceedings of CHI 2013},
Pages = {1499-1508},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {How Does It Play Better? Exploring User Testing and Biometric Storyboards in Games User Research},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/how-does-it-play-better-exploring-user-testing-and-biometric-storyboards-in-games-user-research},
Year = {2013},

Improving game design is a hard task. Few methods are available in games user research (GUR) to test formally how game designs work for players. In particular, the usefulness of user tests (UTs) for game designers has not been fully studied in the CHI community. We propose a novel GUR method called Biometric Storyboards (BioSt) and present a study demonstrating how a Classic UT and a BioSt UT both help designers create a better gameplay experience. In addition, we show that BioSt can help designers deliver significantly better visuals, more fun, and higher gameplay quality than designing without UTs and that classic UTs do not provide this significant advantage. Our interviews support the idea that BioSt provides more nuanced game design improvement. The design implication is that a game designed with the BioSt method will result in high gameplay quality.

Year 2012

Biometric Storyboards: Visualising Game User Research Data

@inproceedings{mirza2012biometric,
Abstract = {Player experience is difficult to evaluate and report, especially using quantitative methodologies in addition to observations and interviews. One step towards tying quantitative physiological measures of player arousal to player experience reports are Biometric Storyboards (BioSt). They can visualise meaningful relationships between a player's physiological changes and game events. This paper evaluates the usefulness of BioSt to the game industry. We presented the Biometric Storyboards technique to six game developers and interviewed them about the advantages and disadvantages of this technique.},
Address = {Austin, TX, United States},
Author = {P. Mirza-Babaei, L. E. Nacke, G. Fitzpatrick, G. White, G. McAllister, and N. Collins},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of chi ea 2012},
Doi = {10.1145/2212776.2223795},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Biometric-Storyboards-Visualising-Game-User-Research-Data.png},
Organization = {ACM},
Pages = {2315-2320},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Biometric Storyboards: Visualising Game User Research Data},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/biometric-storyboards-visualising-game-user-research-data},
Year = {2012},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Biometric-Storyboards-Visualising-Game-User-Research-Data.pdf},
BdskUrl2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2212776.2223795}}

Player experience is difficult to evaluate and report, especially using quantitative methodologies in addition to observations and interviews. One step towards tying quantitative physiological measures of player arousal to player experience reports are Biometric Storyboards (BioSt). They can visualise meaningful relationships between a player's physiological changes and game events. This paper evaluates the usefulness of BioSt to the game industry. We presented the Biometric Storyboards technique to six game developers and interviewed them about the advantages and disadvantages of this technique.

Year 2011

Directions in Physiological Game Evaluation and Interaction

@inproceedings{nacke2011directions,
Abstract = {Physiological sensors are becoming cheaper and more available to game players. This has led to their increased usage in game research and the game industry, where applications range from biofeedback games to design evaluation tools supporting game user researchers in creating more engaging gameplay experiences. This paper gives a brief overview of these current directions of game industry and research threads.},
Address = {Vancouver, BC, Canada},
Author = {L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of the bbi workshop at chi 2011},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Directions-in-Physiological-Game-Evaluation-and-Interaction.png},
Title = {Directions in Physiological Game Evaluation and Interaction},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/directions-in-physiological-game-evaluation-and-interaction},
Year = {2011},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Directions-in-Physiological-Game-Evaluation-and-Interaction.pdf}}

Physiological sensors are becoming cheaper and more available to game players. This has led to their increased usage in game research and the game industry, where applications range from biofeedback games to design evaluation tools supporting game user researchers in creating more engaging gameplay experiences. This paper gives a brief overview of these current directions of game industry and research threads.

Player-Game Interaction Through Affective Sound

@article{nacke2011player,
Abstract = {This chapter treats computer game playing as an affective activity, largely guided by the audio-visual aesthetics of game content (of which, here, we concentrate on the role of sound) and the pleasure of gameplay. To understand the aesthetic impact of game sound on player experience, definitions of emotions are briefly discussed and framed in the game context. This leads to an introduction of empirical methods for assessing physiological and psychological effects of play, such as the affective impact of sonic player-game interaction. The psychological methodology presented is largely based on subjective interpretation of experience, while psychophysiological methodology is based on measurable bodily changes, such as context-dependent, physiological experience. As a means to illustrate both the potential and the difficulties inherent in such methodology we discuss the results of some experiments that investigate game sound and music effects and, finally, we close with a discussion of possible research directions based on a speculative assessment of the future of player-game interaction through affective sound.},
Address = {Hershey, PA, United States},
Author = {L. E. Nacke and M. Grimshaw},
Chapter = {13},
Doi = {10.4018/978-1-61692-828-5.ch013},
Editor = {M. N. Grimshaw},
Isbn = {161692828X},
Journal = {Game sound technology and player interaction: concepts and developments},
Pages = {264-285},
Publisher = {IGI Global},
Title = {Player-Game Interaction Through Affective Sound},
Url = {http://www.igi-global.com/chapter/game-sound-technology-player-interaction/46796},
Year = {2011},
BdskUrl1 = {http://www.igi-global.com/chapter/game-sound-technology-player-interaction/46796},
BdskUrl2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61692-828-5.ch013}}

This chapter treats computer game playing as an affective activity, largely guided by the audio-visual aesthetics of game content (of which, here, we concentrate on the role of sound) and the pleasure of gameplay. To understand the aesthetic impact of game sound on player experience, definitions of emotions are briefly discussed and framed in the game context. This leads to an introduction of empirical methods for assessing physiological and psychological effects of play, such as the affective impact of sonic player-game interaction. The psychological methodology presented is largely based on subjective interpretation of experience, while psychophysiological methodology is based on measurable bodily changes, such as context-dependent, physiological experience. As a means to illustrate both the potential and the difficulties inherent in such methodology we discuss the results of some experiments that investigate game sound and music effects and, finally, we close with a discussion of possible research directions based on a speculative assessment of the future of player-game interaction through affective sound.

Year 2010

Brain, Body and Bytes: Psychophysiological User Interaction

@inproceedings{GSMTNJ_CHI2010,
Abstract = {The human brain and body are prolific signal generators. Recent technologies and computing techniques allow us to measure, process and interpret these signals. We can now infer such things as cognitive and emotional states to create adaptive interactive systems and to gain an understanding of user experience. This workshop brings together researchers from the formerly separated communities of physiological computing (PC), and brain-computer interfaces (BCI) to discuss psychophysiological computing. We set out to identify key research challenges, potential global synergies, and emerging technological contributions.},
Address = {Atlanta, GA, United States},
Author = {A. Girouard, E. T. Solovey, R. L. Mandryk, D. Tan, L. E. Nacke, and R. J. K. Jacob},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of CHI EA 2010},
Doi = {10.1145/1753846.1754167},
File = {::},
Isbn = {978-1-60558-930-5},
Keywords = {affective computing,body,brain,brain-computer interfaces,bytes,hci,interaction,physiological computing,psychophysiological signals,ui},
MendeleyTags = {affective computing,body,brain,bytes,hci,interaction,physiological computing,ui},
Pages = {4433-4436},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Brain, Body and Bytes: Psychophysiological User Interaction},
Type = {Conference proceedings (article)},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/brain-body-and-bytes-psychophysiological-user-interaction},
Year = {2010},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Brain-Body-and-Bytes-Psychophysiological-User-Interaction.pdf},
BdskUrl2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/1753846.1754167}}

The human brain and body are prolific signal generators. Recent technologies and computing techniques allow us to measure, process and interpret these signals. We can now infer such things as cognitive and emotional states to create adaptive interactive systems and to gain an understanding of user experience. This workshop brings together researchers from the formerly separated communities of physiological computing (PC), and brain-computer interfaces (BCI) to discuss psychophysiological computing. We set out to identify key research challenges, potential global synergies, and emerging technological contributions.

Correlation Between Heart Rate, Electrodermal Activity and Player Experience in First-Person Shooter Games

@inproceedings{Drachen2010,
Abstract = {Psychophysiological methods are becoming more popular in game research as covert and reliable measures of affective player experience, emotions, and cognition. Since player experience is not well understood, correlations between self-reports from players and psychophysiological data may provide a quantitative understanding of this experience. Measurements of electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate (HR) allow making inferences about player arousal (i.e., excitement) and are easy to deploy. This paper reports a case study on HR and EDA correlations with subjective gameplay experience, testing the feasibility of these measures in commercial game development contexts. Results indicate a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between psychophysiological arousal (i.e., HR, EDA) and self-reported gameplay experience. However, the covariance between psychophysiological measures and self-reports varies between the two measures. The results are consistent across three different contemporary major commercial first-person shooter (FPS) games (Prey, Doom 3, and Bioshock).},
Address = {Los Angeles, CA, United States},
Author = {A. Drachen, L. E. Nacke, G. Yannakakis, and A. L. Pedersen},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of ACM Siggraph 2010},
Doi = {10.1145/1836135.1836143},
Editor = {R. Wainess and S. N. Spencer},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Correlation-Between-Heart-Rate-Electrodermal-Activity-and-Player-Experience-in-First-Person-Shooter-Games.png},
Keywords = {affective gaming,analysis,digital games,entertainment,fps,games,human-centered design,player experience,psychophysiology,user experience (UX),user studies,ux},
MendeleyTags = {entertainment,fps,games,player experience,ux},
Pages = {49-54},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Correlation Between Heart Rate, Electrodermal Activity and Player Experience in First-Person Shooter Games},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/correlation-between-heart-rate-electrodermal-activity-and-player-experience-in-first-person-shooter-games},
Year = {2010},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Correlation-Between-Heart-Rate-Electrodermal-Activity-and-Player-Experience-in-First-Person-Shooter-Games.pdf},
BdskUrl2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/1836135.1836143}}

Psychophysiological methods are becoming more popular in game research as covert and reliable measures of affective player experience, emotions, and cognition. Since player experience is not well understood, correlations between self-reports from players and psychophysiological data may provide a quantitative understanding of this experience. Measurements of electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate (HR) allow making inferences about player arousal (i.e., excitement) and are easy to deploy. This paper reports a case study on HR and EDA correlations with subjective gameplay experience, testing the feasibility of these measures in commercial game development contexts. Results indicate a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between psychophysiological arousal (i.e., HR, EDA) and self-reported gameplay experience. However, the covariance between psychophysiological measures and self-reports varies between the two measures. The results are consistent across three different contemporary major commercial first-person shooter (FPS) games (Prey, Doom 3, and Bioshock).

Designing Affective Games with Physiological Input

@article{nacke2010designing,
Abstract = {With the advent of new game controllers, traditional input mechanisms for games have changed to include gestural interfaces and camera recognition techniques, which are being further explored with the likes of Sony's PlayStation Move and Microsoft's Kinect. Soon these techniques will include affective input to control game interaction and mechanics. Thus, it is important to explore which game designs work best with which affective input technologies, giving special regard to direct and indirect methods. In this paper, we discuss some affective measurement techniques and development ideas for using these as control mechanisms for affective game design using psychophysiological input.},
Address = {Leuven, Belgium},
Author = {L. E. Nacke and R. L. Mandryk},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Designing-Affective-Games-with-Physiological-Input.png},
Journal = {Proceedings of Fun and Games BiosPlay Workshop 2010},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Designing Affective Games with Physiological Input},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/designing-affective-games-with-physiological-input},
Year = {2010},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Designing-Affective-Games-with-Physiological-Input.pdf}}

With the advent of new game controllers, traditional input mechanisms for games have changed to include gestural interfaces and camera recognition techniques, which are being further explored with the likes of Sony's PlayStation Move and Microsoft's Kinect. Soon these techniques will include affective input to control game interaction and mechanics. Thus, it is important to explore which game designs work best with which affective input technologies, giving special regard to direct and indirect methods. In this paper, we discuss some affective measurement techniques and development ideas for using these as control mechanisms for affective game design using psychophysiological input.

Electroencephalographic Assessment of Player Experience: A Pilot Study in Affective Ludology

@article{NackeSG2010,
Abstract = {Psychophysiological methods, such as electroencephalography (EEG), provide reliable high-resolution measurements of affective player experience. In this article, the authors present a psychophysiological pilot study and its initial results to solidify a research approach they call affective ludology, a research area concerned with the physiological measurement of affective responses to player-game interaction. The study investigates the impact of level design on brainwave activity measured with EEG and on player experience measured with questionnaires. The goal of the study was to investigate cognition, emotion, and player behavior from a psychological perspective. For this purpose, a methodology for assessing gameplay experience with subjective and objective measures was developed extending prior work in physiological measurements of affect in digital gameplay. The authors report the result of this pilot study, the impact of three different level design conditions (boredom, immersion, and flow) on EEG, and subjective indicators of gameplay experience. Results from the subjective gameplay experience questionnaire support the validity of our level design hypotheses. Patterns of EEG spectral power show that the immersion-level design elicits more activity in the theta band, which may support a relationship between virtual spatial navigation or exploration and theta activity. The research shows that facets of gameplay experience can be assessed with affective ludology measures, such as EEG, in which cognitive and affective patterns emerge from different level designs.},
Author = {L. E. Nacke, S. Stellmach, and C. A. Lindley},
Doi = {10.1177/1046878110378140},
Issn = {1046-8781},
Journal = {Simulation & gaming},
Keywords = {affect,affective ludology,affective_computing,bci,biofeedback,biometric,boredom,brain,brain_and_body,challenge,eeg,effects,emotion,enjoyment,flow,flow_experience,game,gamedesign,gameexperience,gamemetrics,gameplay,gameplay experience,games,geq,gxp,hci,human_brain,immersion,methodology,metric,player experience,quantitative,questionnaire,research,science,theory,userexperience,ux},
MendeleyTags = {affect,affective ludology,affective_computing,bci,biofeedback,biometric,boredom,brain,brain_and_body,challenge,eeg,effects,emotion,enjoyment,flow,flow_experience,game,gamedesign,gameexperience,gamemetrics,gameplay,gameplay experience,games,geq,gxp,hci,human_brain,immersion,methodology,metric,player experience,quantitative,questionnaire,research,science,theory,userexperience,ux},
Number = {5},
Pages = {632-655},
Title = {Electroencephalographic Assessment of Player Experience: A Pilot Study in Affective Ludology},
Type = {Journal article},
Url = {http://sag.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/1046878110378140v1 http://sag.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/42/5/632},
Volume = {42},
Year = {2010},
BdskUrl1 = {http://sag.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/1046878110378140v1%20http://sag.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/42/5/632},
BdskUrl2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1046878110378140}}

Psychophysiological methods, such as electroencephalography (EEG), provide reliable high-resolution measurements of affective player experience. In this article, the authors present a psychophysiological pilot study and its initial results to solidify a research approach they call affective ludology, a research area concerned with the physiological measurement of affective responses to player-game interaction. The study investigates the impact of level design on brainwave activity measured with EEG and on player experience measured with questionnaires. The goal of the study was to investigate cognition, emotion, and player behavior from a psychological perspective. For this purpose, a methodology for assessing gameplay experience with subjective and objective measures was developed extending prior work in physiological measurements of affect in digital gameplay. The authors report the result of this pilot study, the impact of three different level design conditions (boredom, immersion, and flow) on EEG, and subjective indicators of gameplay experience. Results from the subjective gameplay experience questionnaire support the validity of our level design hypotheses. Patterns of EEG spectral power show that the immersion-level design elicits more activity in the theta band, which may support a relationship between virtual spatial navigation or exploration and theta activity. The research shows that facets of gameplay experience can be assessed with affective ludology measures, such as EEG, in which cognitive and affective patterns emerge from different level designs.

More Than a Feeling: Measurement of Sonic User Experience and Psychophysiology in a First-Person Shooter Game

@article{Nacke2010b,
Abstract = {The combination of psychophysiological and psychometric methods provides reliable measurements of affective user experience (UX). Understanding the nature of affective UX in interactive entertainment, especially with a focus on sonic stimuli, is an ongoing research challenge. In the empirical study reported here, participants played a fast-paced, immersive first-person shooter (FPS) game modification, in which sound (on/off) and music (on/off) were manipulated, while psychophysiological recordings of electrodermal activity (EDA) and facial muscle activity (EMG) were recorded in addition to a Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ). Results indicate no main or interaction effects of sound or music on EMG and EDA. However, a significant main effect of sound on all GEQ dimensions (immersion, tension, competence, flow, negative affect, positive affect, and challenge) was found. In addition, an interaction effect of sound and music on GEQ dimension tension and flow indicates an important relationship of sound and music for gameplay experience. Additionally, we report the results of a correlation between GEQ dimensions and EMG/EDA activity. We conclude subjective measures could advance our understanding of sonic UX in digital games, while affective tonic (i.e., long-term psychophysiological) measures of sonic UX in digital games did not yield statistically significant results. One approach for future affective psychophysiological measures of sonic UX could be experiments investigating phasic (i.e., event-related) psychophysiological measures of sonic gameplay elements in digital games. This could improve our general understanding of sonic UX beyond affective gaming evaluation.},
Author = {L. E. Nacke, M. N. Grimshaw, and C. A. Lindley},
Doi = {10.1016/j.intcom.2010.04.005},
Issn = {09535438},
Journal = {Interacting with computers},
Keywords = {action video games,affective gaming,emotion,entertainment,gameplay experience,psychophysiology,sonic user experience (ux),sonic ux,ux},
MendeleyTags = {emotion,gameplay experience,psychophysiology,sonic ux,ux},
Number = {5},
Pages = {7},
Title = {More Than a Feeling: Measurement of Sonic User Experience and Psychophysiology in a First-Person Shooter Game},
Url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.intcom.2010.04.005},
Volume = {22},
Year = {2010},
BdskUrl1 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.intcom.2010.04.005}}

The combination of psychophysiological and psychometric methods provides reliable measurements of affective user experience (UX). Understanding the nature of affective UX in interactive entertainment, especially with a focus on sonic stimuli, is an ongoing research challenge. In the empirical study reported here, participants played a fast-paced, immersive first-person shooter (FPS) game modification, in which sound (on/off) and music (on/off) were manipulated, while psychophysiological recordings of electrodermal activity (EDA) and facial muscle activity (EMG) were recorded in addition to a Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ). Results indicate no main or interaction effects of sound or music on EMG and EDA. However, a significant main effect of sound on all GEQ dimensions (immersion, tension, competence, flow, negative affect, positive affect, and challenge) was found. In addition, an interaction effect of sound and music on GEQ dimension tension and flow indicates an important relationship of sound and music for gameplay experience. Additionally, we report the results of a correlation between GEQ dimensions and EMG/EDA activity. We conclude subjective measures could advance our understanding of sonic UX in digital games, while affective tonic (i.e., long-term psychophysiological) measures of sonic UX in digital games did not yield statistically significant results. One approach for future affective psychophysiological measures of sonic UX could be experiments investigating phasic (i.e., event-related) psychophysiological measures of sonic gameplay elements in digital games. This could improve our general understanding of sonic UX beyond affective gaming evaluation.

Wiimote vs. Controller: Electroencephalographic Measurement of Affective Gameplay Interaction

@inproceedings{Nacke2010,
Abstract = {Psychophysiological methods provide covert and reliable affective measurements of user experience (UX). The nature of affective UX in interactive entertainment is currently not well understood. With the dawn of new gaming consoles, scientific methodologies for studying user interaction in immersive entertainment (e.g., digital gaming) are needed. This paper reports a study on the influence of interaction modes (Playstation 2 game controller vs. Wii remote and Nunchuk) on subjective experience and brain activity measured with electroencephalography (EEG). Results indicate that EEG alpha and delta power correlate with negative affect and tension when using regular game controller input. EEG beta and gamma power seem to be related to the feeling of possible actions in spatial presence with a PS2 game controller. Delta as well as theta power correlate with self-location using a Wii remote and Nunchuk.},
Address = {Vancouver, BC, Canada},
Author = {L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of Futureplay 2010},
Doi = {10.1145/1920778.1920801},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Wiimote-vs.-Controller-Electroencephalographic-Measurement-of-Affective-Gameplay-Interaction.png},
Isbn = {9781450302357},
Keywords = {affective computing,digital games,eeg,electroencephalography,electroencephalography (EEG),entertainment,games,hci,interaction,psychophysiology,user experience,user experience (UX)},
MendeleyTags = {affective computing,digital games,eeg,electroencephalography,entertainment,games,hci,interaction,psychophysiology,user experience},
Month = {may},
Pages = {159-166},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Wiimote vs. Controller: Electroencephalographic Measurement of Affective Gameplay Interaction},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/wiimote-vs-controller-electroencephalographic-measurement-of-affective-gameplay-interaction},
Year = {2010},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Wiimote-vs.-Controller-Electroencephalographic-Measurement-of-Affective-Gameplay-Interaction.pdf},
BdskUrl2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/1920778.1920801}}

Psychophysiological methods provide covert and reliable affective measurements of user experience (UX). The nature of affective UX in interactive entertainment is currently not well understood. With the dawn of new gaming consoles, scientific methodologies for studying user interaction in immersive entertainment (e.g., digital gaming) are needed. This paper reports a study on the influence of interaction modes (Playstation 2 game controller vs. Wii remote and Nunchuk) on subjective experience and brain activity measured with electroencephalography (EEG). Results indicate that EEG alpha and delta power correlate with negative affect and tension when using regular game controller input. EEG beta and gamma power seem to be related to the feeling of possible actions in spatial presence with a PS2 game controller. Delta as well as theta power correlate with self-location using a Wii remote and Nunchuk.

Year 2009

Affective Ludology, Flow and Immersion in a First-Person Shooter: Measurement of Player Experience

@article{Nacke_AL2009,
Abstract = {Gameplay research about experiential phenomena is a challenging undertaking,given the variety of experiences that gamers encounter when playing and whichcurrently do not have a formal taxonomy, such as flow, immersion, boredom, andfun. These informal terms require a scientific explanation. Ludologists alsoacknowledge the need to understand cognition, emotion, and goal- orientedbehavior of players from a psychological perspective by establishing rigorousmethodologies. This paper builds upon and extends prior work in an area forwhich we would like to coin the term "affective ludology." The area isconcerned with the affective measurement of player-game interaction. Theexperimental study reported here investigated different traits of gameplayexperience using subjective (i.e., questionnaires) and objective (i.e.,psychophysiological) measures. Participants played three Half-Life 2 game leveldesign modifications while measures such as electromyography (EMG),electrodermal activity (EDA) were taken and questionnaire responses werecollected. A level designed for combat-oriented flow experience demonstratedsignificant high-arousal positive affect emotions. This method shows thatemotional patterns emerge from different level designs, which has greatpotential for providing real-time emotional profiles of gameplay that may begenerated together with self- reported subjective player experience descriptions.},
Author = {L. E. Nacke and C. A. Lindley},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Affective-Ludology-Flow-and-Immersino-in-a-First-Person-Shooter-Measurement-of-Player-Experience.png},
Journal = {Loading},
Keywords = {3dve,Game design,affect,affective computing,affective_computing,attention,biofeedback,biometric,effects,emg,emotion,emotional,enjoyment,experience,experimentation,flow,flow_experience,game design,gamedesign,gameexperience,gamemetrics,gameplay,gameplay experience,games,immersion,physiology,playability,player experience,psychophysiology,user experience,ux},
MendeleyTags = {3dve,affect,affective computing,affective_computing,attention,biofeedback,biometric,effects,emg,emotion,emotional,enjoyment,experience,experimentation,flow,flow_experience,game design,gamedesign,gameexperience,gamemetrics,gameplay,games,immersion,physiology,playability,player experience,psychophysiology,user experience,ux},
Number = {5},
Title = {Affective Ludology, Flow and Immersion in a First-Person Shooter: Measurement of Player Experience},
Type = {Journal article},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/affective-ludology-flow-and-immersion-in-a-first-person-shooter-measurement-of-player-experience},
Volume = {3},
Year = {2009},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Affective-Ludology-Flow-and-Immersino-in-a-First-Person-Shooter-Measurement-of-Player-Experience.pdf}}

Gameplay research about experiential phenomena is a challenging undertaking,given the variety of experiences that gamers encounter when playing and whichcurrently do not have a formal taxonomy, such as flow, immersion, boredom, andfun. These informal terms require a scientific explanation. Ludologists alsoacknowledge the need to understand cognition, emotion, and goal- orientedbehavior of players from a psychological perspective by establishing rigorousmethodologies. This paper builds upon and extends prior work in an area forwhich we would like to coin the term "affective ludology." The area isconcerned with the affective measurement of player-game interaction. Theexperimental study reported here investigated different traits of gameplayexperience using subjective (i.e., questionnaires) and objective (i.e.,psychophysiological) measures. Participants played three Half-Life 2 game leveldesign modifications while measures such as electromyography (EMG),electrodermal activity (EDA) were taken and questionnaire responses werecollected. A level designed for combat-oriented flow experience demonstratedsignificant high-arousal positive affect emotions. This method shows thatemotional patterns emerge from different level designs, which has greatpotential for providing real-time emotional profiles of gameplay that may begenerated together with self- reported subjective player experience descriptions.

Affective Ludology: Scientific Measurement of User Experience in Interactive Entertainment

@misc{Nacke2009h,
Abstract = {Digital games provide the most engaging interactive experiences. Researching gameplay experience is done mainly in the science and technology (e.g., human-computer interaction, physiological and entertainment computing) and social science (e.g., media psychology, psychophysiology, and communication sciences) research communities. This thesis is located at the intersection of these research areas, bringing together emerging methodological and scientific approaches from these multi-faceted communities for an affective ludology; a novel take on game analysis and design with focus on the player. The thesis contributes to game research with three important results: the establishment of a objective/subjective correlation methodology founded on psychophysiological methods, the creation of a formal theoretical framework in which to conduct user experience (UX) research related to games, and the combination of results regarding cognitive and emotional factors for describing, defining, and classifying the interactive relationship between players and games. Two approaches for measuring gameplay experience are used in this thesis. First, objective assessment of physiological user responses together with automated event-logging techniques, so called game metrics, allows collecting essential player- and game-related variables for a comprehensive understanding of their interaction. Second, using psychometric questionnaires allows a reliable assessment of players' subjective emotion and cognition during gameplay. The benefit of psychophysiological methods is that they are non-intrusive, covert, reliable, and objective. To fully understand psychophysiological results, a correlation between subjective gameplay experience ratings and psychophysiological responses is necessary and has been done in this thesis and prior work it builds on. This thesis explores objective and subjective assessment of gameplay experience in several experiments. The experiments focus on: level design implications from psychophysiological and questionnaire measurements, the impact of form and age on subjective gameplay experience, the impact of game audio and sound on objective and subjective player responses, and the impact of game interaction design on and the relationship between experience and electroencephalographic measures. In addition, the thesis includes a theoretical framework for UX research in games, which classifies gameplay experience along the dimensions of abstraction and time. One remaining conceptual and empirical challenge for this framework is the huge variety of vaguely defined experiential phenomena, such as immersion, flow, presence, and engagement. However, the results from the experimental studies show that by establishing correlations between psychophysiological responses and questionnaire data, we are approaching a better, scientifically grounded, understanding of gameplay experience. Many possibilities open from here. More detailed analyses of cognition will help us understand to what extent gameplay experience depends on emotional or cognitive processing. In addition, the inclusion of more complex and detailed gameplay metrics data together with psychophysiological metrics will enable a comprehensive analysis of player behavior, attention, and motivation. Finally, the integration of new measurement technologies in interactive entertainment applications will not only allow a detailed assessment of gameplay, but also improve physical and mental interaction with future games.},
Address = {Karlskrona},
Author = {L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Ph.D. Thesis. Blekinge Institute of Technology},
File = {::},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Affective-Ludology-Scientific-Measurement-of-User-Experience-in-Interactive-Entertainment.png},
Keywords = {emotion,game design,games,interaction design,media psychology,physiologic measures,physiological computing,psychology,psychophysiology,user experience},
MendeleyTags = {emotion,physiological computing,psychophysiology},
Title = {Affective Ludology: Scientific Measurement of User Experience in Interactive Entertainment},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/affective-ludology-scientific-measurement-of-user-experience-in-interactive-entertainment},
Year = {2009},
BdskUrl1 = {https://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Affective-Ludology-Scientific-Measurement-of-User-Experience-in-Interactive-Entertainment.pdf}}

Digital games provide the most engaging interactive experiences. Researching gameplay experience is done mainly in the science and technology (e.g., human-computer interaction, physiological and entertainment computing) and social science (e.g., media psychology, psychophysiology, and communication sciences) research communities. This thesis is located at the intersection of these research areas, bringing together emerging methodological and scientific approaches from these multi-faceted communities for an affective ludology; a novel take on game analysis and design with focus on the player. The thesis contributes to game research with three important results: the establishment of a objective/subjective correlation methodology founded on psychophysiological methods, the creation of a formal theoretical framework in which to conduct user experience (UX) research related to games, and the combination of results regarding cognitive and emotional factors for describing, defining, and classifying the interactive relationship between players and games. Two approaches for measuring gameplay experience are used in this thesis. First, objective assessment of physiological user responses together with automated event-logging techniques, so called game metrics, allows collecting essential player- and game-related variables for a comprehensive understanding of their interaction. Second, using psychometric questionnaires allows a reliable assessment of players' subjective emotion and cognition during gameplay. The benefit of psychophysiological methods is that they are non-intrusive, covert, reliable, and objective. To fully understand psychophysiological results, a correlation between subjective gameplay experience ratings and psychophysiological responses is necessary and has been done in this thesis and prior work it builds on. This thesis explores objective and subjective assessment of gameplay experience in several experiments. The experiments focus on: level design implications from psychophysiological and questionnaire measurements, the impact of form and age on subjective gameplay experience, the impact of game audio and sound on objective and subjective player responses, and the impact of game interaction design on and the relationship between experience and electroencephalographic measures. In addition, the thesis includes a theoretical framework for UX research in games, which classifies gameplay experience along the dimensions of abstraction and time. One remaining conceptual and empirical challenge for this framework is the huge variety of vaguely defined experiential phenomena, such as immersion, flow, presence, and engagement. However, the results from the experimental studies show that by establishing correlations between psychophysiological responses and questionnaire data, we are approaching a better, scientifically grounded, understanding of gameplay experience. Many possibilities open from here. More detailed analyses of cognition will help us understand to what extent gameplay experience depends on emotional or cognitive processing. In addition, the inclusion of more complex and detailed gameplay metrics data together with psychophysiological metrics will enable a comprehensive analysis of player behavior, attention, and motivation. Finally, the integration of new measurement technologies in interactive entertainment applications will not only allow a detailed assessment of gameplay, but also improve physical and mental interaction with future games.