A General Exergaming Interface: Impact upon Heart Rate, Enjoyment and Immersion across Multiple Games (Preprint)

Abstract

Computer games have been celebrated for their success in the entertainment sector in recent decades but are also linked to exacerbating an unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle. Exergames and the enabling exergaming systems have been developed to find the balance between entertainment and health. In prior work, a general exergaming system that interfaces commercial console games with an elliptical walker and console controllers was developed and demonstrated effective in achieving cardiovascular exercise while playing. However, the interplay between a particular choice of traditional non-exertion games and the general elliptical control scheme remained unexplored.

To answer the questions as follows: 1) Are there systematic and consistent differences between games as to how an elliptical walker control scheme impacts a player’s enjoyment of (and immersion in) the game and a player’s exertion levels? 2) Is the exertion of a player of a level that would meet some or all their needs in maintaining cardiovascular fitness? 3) Can this lead to guidance for players about ‘suitable’ games depending upon their goals via an exertion control scheme?

Thirty-two participants were recruited to play six games with different characteristics on the elliptical walker-based exergaming system. The games were Monster Hunter World, Slime Rancher, The Forest, Rocket League, The First Tree, and The Stanley Parable. Heart rate data were collected throughout the experiment. Questionnaires prior and after play were conducted to identify influencing factors and rating subjective experience including perceived enjoyment and exertion during each game, and the suitability of each game to be used in association with the exergaming system. An evaluation framework for identifying game suitability in conjunction with the exergaming system was proposed by regressing game suitability with identified contributing factors (perceived enjoyment, exertion, and immersion).

The First Tree and Rocket League enabled higher exertion levels according to heart rate data. Rocket League was rated more entertaining based on enjoyment and immersion ratings followed by The Stanley Parable. With the exertion level enabled by a game, the minimum requirement for cardiovascular health according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) can be met via as short as 0.6 hour of play hours per day. Rocket League stood out and was evaluated most suitable by the regression model in conjunction with the general exergaming system. This was confirmed by the suitability rated by participants.

It was demonstrated that game choice has a significant impact on the effect of the elliptical walker-based general exergaming system in both entertainment and exertion aspects. It is achievable for a player to reach the WHO recommendations for cardiovascular health through the exergaming interface. Enjoyment, immersion, and exertion have been demonstrated to be valid predictors to provide a reliable indication of game suitability on the elliptical walker-based exergaming system.

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