R Notebook

Game Overview

CandyCrush is a game that requires very to little to no cognitive load on the brain. However, the game is very stimulating when comes to sound and visual design.

Electrodermal Activity and heart rate is are perfect for the analysis on the game such as CandyCrush. Since the game’s success depends on stimulation on an autonomic level.

Data Collection Method

Participants are asked to play CandyCrush on Windows 10 with one hand. The other hand is connected with Shimmer GSR device that can record GSR and heartbeat data.

Shimmer GSR device

Beside GSR and heart rate data, gameplay is also being recorded. On the recording, the point where the participant is looking at are also shown.

Screenshot from gameplay video.

Video data and eye tracking data can significantly help us with the interpretation of the data.

Data Analysis

Participant 1

dygraph(participant1,main = "Participant 1")%>%
  dyRangeSelector(height = 20) %>%
  dyAxis("y",valueRange = c(50,350))%>%
  dyAxis("x",label = "Time(s)")%>%
  dySeries("HeartRate", label = "Heart Rate",fillGraph = TRUE)

Display Data.

There is a massive GSR drop between 500~506s. According to the video, the participant beat the game on 490s and after that particpant aren’ required to do anything at all untill 511s.

The is a sign of relive. This sign also indicate that the preivous level are very hard.

Conclusion

EDA is an effective way of measuring experience. Especially the excitement of the subject. However, the context is crucial. Because of the changes in excitement maybe vary, and it is hard to tell if the change is a good thing or not.

One interesting finding is the great sense of relieve on participant 1. This sign is tough to capture or stated using a non-biometric method. The sign of relieving indicate that previous level might be too hard. This information can be beneficial when comes to game design.

Heart rate, however, is a bit lackluster, the reason behind it might be CandyCrush don’t stress body too much and is a bright theme game. Heart rate may be helpful in a more stimulus game.

Reflection

More potention with auto annotaion

CandyCrush is a game rely heavily on sound and visual feedback. If the game researcher can work with the game developer can work together and work together and create an auto-annotation system. Say create a marker every time a sound play, the game researcher can find out which sound is more effective.

Compensate for GSR lag

EDA response takes time and it may vary to individuals. If a stimulus(large sound for example) can be placed at the beginning of the game. It will help researcher pinpoint EDA response latency.