Mind Games: Improving Biofeedback Experiences In Applied Games Through The Use Of Metrics

Abstract

Biofeedback in games is gaining popularity amongst developers in the entertainment industry but still has not yet reached a large audience. A part of the problem is the use and applicability of the biofeedback devices. This thesis applies several biofeedback devices into applied games in a case study and addresses problems with these devices. Furthermore, this thesis takes an in-depth look at a particular biofeedback device, the Mindwave, which measures the attention of a player while playing. A problem with this device is that there is a delay between measuring and showing the feedback. The problem is twofold: First, there is a delay in the hardware because of the interval between measurements and second there is a delay in the hardware to get to the actual value of attention which gives players the feeling of not being in control. This thesis presents a solution for decreasing the feeling of delay for the player by using metrics. Metrics transform an input value to a more accurate output value giving the player the feeling of being more in control. To find the correct metric for a game which incorporates the Mindwave, the attention challenges and goals of the game are important to take into account. Finally, a case study is presented which is used to obtain user experience data through playtests. The data supports the claim that in order to create an interesting gameplay metric which gives the player the feeling of being in control, a developer should establish target attention values useful for their game and create a sigmoid-like curve according to these target values.