Researchers

James Robb

Master’s Student, Player Experience

Projects

Affective Evaluation of Games & Interactive Media

Games User Research

Developing and Analysing Adaptive, Enjoyable, and Engaging Human-Computer Interfaces

Publications

Year 2017

The Impact of Health-Related User Interface Sounds on Player Experience

@article{Robb2017,
abstract = {Background. Understanding how sound functions on informational and emotional levels within video games is critical to understanding player experience of games. User interface sounds, such as player-character health, are a pivotal component of gameplay across many video game genres, yet have not been studied in detail. Method. To address this research gap in user interface sounds, we present two studies: The first study examines the impact of the presence or absence of player-health sounds on player experience. The second study explores the impact of the types of sound used to indicate player health. We use mixed methods with qualitative and physiological measures. Results. Our results reveal that despite the presence of visual cues, sound is still important to game design for conveying health-related information and that the type of sound affects player experience.},
author = {Robb, James and Garner, Tom and Collins, Karen and Nacke, Lennart E.},
doi = {10.1177/1046878116688236},
journal = {Simulation {\&} Gaming},
month = {jun},
number = {3},
pages = {402--427},
publisher = {SAGE Publications},
title = {{The Impact of Health-Related User Interface Sounds on Player Experience}},
url = {http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1046878116688236},
volume = {48},
year = {2017}
}

Background. Understanding how sound functions on informational and emotional levels within video games is critical to understanding player experience of games. User interface sounds, such as player-character health, are a pivotal component of gameplay across many video game genres, yet have not been studied in detail. Method. To address this research gap in user interface sounds, we present two studies: The first study examines the impact of the presence or absence of player-health sounds on player experience. The second study explores the impact of the types of sound used to indicate player health. We use mixed methods with qualitative and physiological measures. Results. Our results reveal that despite the presence of visual cues, sound is still important to game design for conveying health-related information and that the type of sound affects player experience.

Year 2014

Design guidelines for Gamifying reading applications

@inproceedings{7405433,
  author={R. R. {Wehbe} and J. {Robb} and J. {Clarke} and J. {Costa} and L. E. {Nacke}},
  booktitle={2014 IEEE Games Media Entertainment}, 
  title={Design guidelines for Gamifying reading applications}, 
  year={2014},
  volume={},
  number={},
  pages={1-4},
  doi={10.1109/GEM.2014.7405433}}

Reading competes with an increasing number of leisure activities like video games. Consequently, written language skills are receding. Thus, motivating people to read is a problem that seems well-suited to gamification (i.e., the use of game design to motivate people to read). To investigate ways in which to gamify reading, we conducted a survey pilot study about how adding game mechanics to reading would encourage people to read more. We investigated the social nature of people talking about reading and the process of recommending books. We interviewed a gender-balanced group of participants to obtain more information about their reading habits for leisure, work, or academia. Our results indicate that people are reading for self-improvement purposes and not primarily for social reasons.

Developing Iconic and Semi-Iconic Game Controllers

@inproceedings{nacke2014developing,
Abstract = {We propose the notion of semi-iconic game input (i.e., sharing some properties of game objects instead of being a complete iconic representation of them) and investigate influence of controller representation on player experience. In particular, we developed game controllers at different degrees of realism (symbolic, semi-iconic, and iconic). We present the developed controllers and initial usability findings.},
Address = {Toronto, ON, Canada},
Author = {L. E. Nacke, J. P. Costa, D. L. Kappen, J. Robb, and D. Buckstein},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of chi play 2014},
Doi = {10.1145/2658537.2661327},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Developing-Iconic-and-Semi-Iconic-Game-Controllers.png},
Organization = {ACM},
Pages = {435-436},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Developing Iconic and Semi-Iconic Game Controllers},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/developing-iconic-and-semi-iconic-game-controllers},
Year = {2014},

We propose the notion of semi-iconic game input (i.e., sharing some properties of game objects instead of being a complete iconic representation of them) and investigate influence of controller representation on player experience. In particular, we developed game controllers at different degrees of realism (symbolic, semi-iconic, and iconic). We present the developed controllers and initial usability findings.

Engaged by Boos and Cheers: The Effect of Co-Located Game Audiences on Social Player Experience

@inproceedings{kappen2014engaged,
Abstract = {Little is currently known about the influence of co-located player audiences on gameplay experience. Social player experiences are important to understand in co-located gaming scenarios, because these experiences relate to player performance. Player-audience relationships have been studied before, but prior research focused on player attributes and typology. In our study, we investigated the effect of different co-located audience types (silent, positive, negative) and no audience on player experience. For the study, we contribute a video game specifically developed for two-player, co-located gameplay and findings from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Our findings show that both -- negative and positive audience activity -- drove players to become more engaged in the video game. In contrast, silent audiences made players feel unnerved and less engaged in gameplay. Our paper is the first to study of the relevance of co-located audience influence on player experience, which is important for understanding the design of co-located games.},
Address = {Toronto, ON, Canada},
Author = {D. L. Kappen, P. Mirza-Babaei, J. Johannsmeier, D. Buckstein, J. Robb, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of chi play 2014},
Doi = {10.1145/2658537.2658687},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Engaged-by-Boos-and-Cheers-The-Effect-of-Co-Located-Game-Audiences-on-Social-Player-Experience.png},
Organization = {ACM},
Pages = {151-160},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Engaged by Boos and Cheers: The Effect of Co-Located Game Audiences on Social Player Experience},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/engaged-by-boos-and-cheers-the-effect-of-co-located-game-audiences-on-social-player-experience},
Year = {2014},

Little is currently known about the influence of co-located player audiences on gameplay experience. Social player experiences are important to understand in co-located gaming scenarios, because these experiences relate to player performance. Player-audience relationships have been studied before, but prior research focused on player attributes and typology. In our study, we investigated the effect of different co-located audience types (silent, positive, negative) and no audience on player experience. For the study, we contribute a video game specifically developed for two-player, co-located gameplay and findings from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Our findings show that both -- negative and positive audience activity -- drove players to become more engaged in the video game. In contrast, silent audiences made players feel unnerved and less engaged in gameplay. Our paper is the first to study of the relevance of co-located audience influence on player experience, which is important for understanding the design of co-located games.

Physiological Acrophobia Evaluation Through In Vivo Exposure in a VR CAVE

@inproceedings{costa2014physiological,
Abstract = {Acrophobia (i.e., the fear of heights) is commonly treated using Virtual Reality (VR) applications. Patients that suffer from this clinical condition can experience extreme levels of anxiety, stress, and discomfort, even at relatively low heights. VR computer-assisted virtual environments (CAVEs) have been found to be highly immersive and successful in the treatment of acrophobia. The general method of evaluating therapy progress is through self-reported questionnaire measures. However, these are subject to participant bias. Physiological measures, on the other hand, could provide a more objective way of assessing acrophobia. To our knowledge, psychophysiological measures are not commonly used in the evaluation of acrophobes and their therapy progress within CAVEs. Thus, we present a CAVE application for acrophobia treatment, which includes a physiological feedback mechanism to assess patient progress. It also permits patient movement to facilitate increased presence and immersion. In this application, players sequentially gain access to increasing heights as they successfully progress through lesser heights, as assessed through the evaluation of their physiological responses to VR stimuli.},
Address = {Toronto, ON, Canada},
Author = {J. P. Costa, J. Robb, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of IEEE GEM 2014},
Doi = {10.1109/GEM.2014.7047969},
Img = {http://hcigames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Physiological-acrophobia-evaluation-through-in-vivo-exposure-in-a-VR-CAVE.png},
Keywords = {Acrophobia,Biofeedback,Buildings,CAVE,Electroencephalography,Games,In vivo,Medical treatment,Physiological Measures,Physiology,Virtual Reality,Virtual reality},
MendeleyTags = {Buildings,Electroencephalography,Games,In vivo,Medical treatment,Physiology,Virtual reality},
Pages = {1-4},
Publisher = {IEEE},
Title = {Physiological Acrophobia Evaluation Through In Vivo Exposure in a VR CAVE},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/physiological-acrophobia-evaluation-through-in-vivo-exposure-in-a-vr-cave},
Year = {2014},

Acrophobia (i.e., the fear of heights) is commonly treated using Virtual Reality (VR) applications. Patients that suffer from this clinical condition can experience extreme levels of anxiety, stress, and discomfort, even at relatively low heights. VR computer-assisted virtual environments (CAVEs) have been found to be highly immersive and successful in the treatment of acrophobia. The general method of evaluating therapy progress is through self-reported questionnaire measures. However, these are subject to participant bias. Physiological measures, on the other hand, could provide a more objective way of assessing acrophobia. To our knowledge, psychophysiological measures are not commonly used in the evaluation of acrophobes and their therapy progress within CAVEs. Thus, we present a CAVE application for acrophobia treatment, which includes a physiological feedback mechanism to assess patient progress. It also permits patient movement to facilitate increased presence and immersion. In this application, players sequentially gain access to increasing heights as they successfully progress through lesser heights, as assessed through the evaluation of their physiological responses to VR stimuli.

Year 2013

Time's Up: Studying Leaderboards for Engaging Punctual Behaviour

@inproceedings{costa2013time,
Abstract = {In the workplace, an individual's punctuality will not only have an effect on how a person is viewed by colleagues, but will also reverberate on their productivity. Being late for a meeting can be disruptive to the working team, costing everyone time and causing the individual to miss valuable information. Little has been done to improve the punctuali- ty of working teams. Therefore, we were interested in stud- ying the effectiveness of leaderboards, a common gamifica- tion technique, for improving punctuality of participants to regular work meetings. Leaderboards were comprised of data collected by monitoring the arrival times of the partici- pants, which influenced their scores in the leaderboards. We found that leaderboards themselves did not promote punc- tuality of every participant, but gave rise to various gameful social comparisons. These gameful social comparisons that emerged among participants when using leaderboards for our meetings were reported to be the cause of their punctu- ality improvements.},
Address = {Stratford, ON, Canada},
Author = {J. P. Costa, R. R. Wehbe, J. Robb, and L. E. Nacke},
Booktitle = {Proceedings of gamification 2013},
Organization = {ACM},
Pages = {26-33},
Publisher = {ACM},
Title = {Time's Up: Studying Leaderboards for Engaging Punctual Behaviour},
Url = {https://hcigames.com/download/time's-up-studying-leaderboards-for-engaging-punctual-behaviour},
Year = {2013},

In the workplace, an individual's punctuality will not only have an effect on how a person is viewed by colleagues, but will also reverberate on their productivity. Being late for a meeting can be disruptive to the working team, costing everyone time and causing the individual to miss valuable information. Little has been done to improve the punctuali- ty of working teams. Therefore, we were interested in stud- ying the effectiveness of leaderboards, a common gamifica- tion technique, for improving punctuality of participants to regular work meetings. Leaderboards were comprised of data collected by monitoring the arrival times of the partici- pants, which influenced their scores in the leaderboards. We found that leaderboards themselves did not promote punc- tuality of every participant, but gave rise to various gameful social comparisons. These gameful social comparisons that emerged among participants when using leaderboards for our meetings were reported to be the cause of their punctu- ality improvements.