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Enhancing Spatial Perception and User Experience in Video Games with Volumetric Shadows

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Computer-Human Interaction. Cognitive Effects of Spatial Interaction, Learning, and Ability (OzCHI 2013)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 8433))

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Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the use of volumetric shadows for enhancing three-dimensional perception and action in third-person motion games. They offer an alternative to previously studied cues and visual guides. Our preliminary survey revealed that from the games that require Kinect, 37 % rely primarily on a third-person view and 9 % on a first-person view. We conducted a user study where 30 participants performed object reaching, interception, and aiming tasks in six different graphical modes of a video game that was controlled using a Kinect sensor and PlayStation Move controllers. The study results indicate that different volumetric shadow cues can affect both the user experience and the gameplay performance positively or negatively, depending on the lighting setup. Qualitative user experience analysis shows that playing was found to be most easy and fluent in a typical virtual reality setting with stereo rendering and flat surface shadows.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Finnish Doctoral Program in User-Centered Information Technology (UCIT) and Helsinki Institute of Science and Technology Studies (HIST).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Media Technology, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

    Tuukka M. Takala, Perttu Hämäläinen, Mikael Matveinen & Taru Simonen

  2. POEM Research Group, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Jari Takatalo

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  1. Tuukka M. Takala
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  2. Perttu Hämäläinen
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  3. Mikael Matveinen
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  4. Taru Simonen
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  5. Jari Takatalo
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Correspondence to Tuukka M. Takala .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia

    Theodor Wyeld

  2. Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia

    Paul Calder

  3. Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia

    Haifeng Shen

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Takala, T.M., Hämäläinen, P., Matveinen, M., Simonen, T., Takatalo, J. (2015). Enhancing Spatial Perception and User Experience in Video Games with Volumetric Shadows. In: Wyeld, T., Calder, P., Shen, H. (eds) Computer-Human Interaction. Cognitive Effects of Spatial Interaction, Learning, and Ability. OzCHI 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 8433. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16940-8_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16940-8_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16939-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16940-8

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