Command Systems And Player-Avatar Interaction In Successful Fighting Games In Light Of Neuroscientific Theories And Models Alan D.A. Mattiassi Department of Humanities and Cultural Heritage, University of Udine Udine, Italy [email protected] ABSTRACT is still mediated by platforms that use devices such as Videogames allow the player to control an avatar with a gamepad/joystick/keyboard and mouse. Here, the player who virtual body that shares biological features with his or her acts on the input device is limited to finger, hands and, at own physical body. In neuroscience models of cognition in most, arms. The visual representation of the avatar’s action which perception, execution and imagination of movements that results from the inputs of the player is only seldom are tightly related has recently emerged. As such, I approach related with the actual movement that the player performed, the study of human-fighting game interaction by using though. Indeed, an avatar’s kick, punch, shot, shift, jump, neuroscience theories and models. Fighting games are based run, interacting or most other actions would be enacted with on martial arts and thus seem the perfect case study for this a motor scheme that would be rather different from button purpose. In a comparison between Street Fighter, Tekken, pressing if it was the player’s in-person actual performance Mortal Kombat and Soulcalibur command systems, different (even full-body in comparison with single finger tapping). features will be analyzed alongside some of the Game designers and developers need to approach the neuroscientific findings that may be useful in understanding problem of how do players learn and execute sequences of not only how players’ cognitive processes differ in these inputs that are translated in the correct avatar’s actions, but games, but also design flaws that interfere with the players are rather different from them. A growing body of studies in experience. neuroscience is devoted to areas that are relevant to Author Keywords understanding players mediated interaction with avatars. In Fighting games; command system; spatial compatibility; particular, studies in spatial perspective-taking and perspective-taking; embodied cognition. embodied cognition allow the analysis of many crucial elements of avatar controlling. I’ll apply some of the ACM Classification Keywords emerging concepts in this field to a specific videogame genre H.5.m. Information interfaces and presentation (e.g., HCI): that is a particularly interesting case study: the fighting Miscellaneous. games. First, I’ll briefly define the genre and analyze how INTRODUCTION the most successful (and thus played and known) franchises When controlling an avatar in a virtual space, a player acts of fighting games best titles meet the definition criteria. on a device that translates his or her movements into avatar’s Then, I’ll analyze the most important features and actions. Many modern games abandon the classic differences of titles from these franchises that appeared on button/stick (or button/mouse) configuration to move to the the market in a comparable time window, focusing on the realm of gestures or full body tracking (Wii, Kinect, virtual command system. Then, I’ll introduce neuroscientific reality as a whole come to mind as obvious examples), thus findings that may be needed for understanding crucial issues directly mapping player’s movements into avatar’ in player-command system interaction on the basis of the movements, but the vast majority of the gaming experience features described. DIGITAL FIGHTING GAMES Digital fighting videogames have been published since the beginning of the videogame industry [3]. Harper [5] offered a working definition of features for games to be classified in the genre: 1-being focused on martial arts-based one-on-one combat, mostly melee 2-including standard attacks and moves that are common among the characters (avatars as GHITALY17: 1st Workshop on Games-Human Interaction, April 18th, 2017, Cagliari, Italy. called in the fighting game community) and an additional Copyright © 2017 for the individual papers by the papers' authors. Copying permitted number of special ones specific to each character 3- for private and academic purposes. This volume is published and copyrighted by its editors. displaying the parameters of the match graphically on the screen 4-being competitive games that is, focusing on even if the player controls only one at time (“tagging” out winning over the opposing character 5-allowing for one, i.e. making one leave the playground, in order to take multiplayer competition. In addition to these points, some control of the partner); however, they still retain the assumptions must be explicated: 6-the gameplay is based on possibility of playing just one character at time and the same real-time action (i.e. not turn-based gameplay) 7-the focus of control system of the previous chapters. the outcome of the match must be the winning or losing (no Including standard attacks and moves that are common matter if barely or by dominating – if this is a factor, it must among the characters and an additional number of special be minor). In light of this definition, I wanted to look at ones specific to each character games that fall in this genre, specifically those having a Almost characters in a specific game have a number of proven success history and are available on the same gaming commands that perform the same actions, even if the platform in order to be comparable on common ground. As execution may differ slightly. This reduces the players such, I selected the best-selling fighting games franchises of cognitive load, since once the standard patterns are learned, all time as of data available on June 2017 [16]. They are all basic operations for all characters don’t need to be re- Tekken (Bandai Namco Entertainment), with 47.6 million learned. In addition, each character has a number of unique sales, Street Fighter (Capcom), with 38 million sales, Mortal attacks (and, sometimes, movements). These “special” Kombat (NetherRealm Studios – Warner Bros. Interactive attacks have command inputs that differ in the sequence of Entertainment), with 35 million sales and Soulcalibur buttons, in timing, in the conditions in which they work and, (Bandai Namco Entertainment), with 13.38 million sales. most importantly, in the effects; this increases the strategic Games from these franchises are available on the PlayStation depth of the game. 3 (Sony) gaming console platform. A case could be made for inclusion of Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo), with 39 million Displaying the parameters of the match graphically on the sales, but the game focus is different from the others in that screen The selected games are very similar in the display of the it requires primarily displacing the opponent, while in the match parameters: the main parameter is the “health” of each other franchises positioning is part of the strategy but not fighting character, since one it drops to zero that character is what declares the winner; moreover, no game from this deemed the loser of the game (and the one that made it drop franchise is available on PlayStation 3. All the selected to zero, consequently, the winner). This parameter is franchises published their first game more than 20 years ago displayed as a “life bar” in the upper part of the screen and is (Street Fighter in 1987, Mortal Kombat in 1992, Tekken in depleted when the character is hit, simulating damage being 1994 and Soul Blade, the first of the Soulcalibur saga, in taken. The number of games one in the current match is 1996), with many sequels and chapters still being published another parameter that all games display (the winner of the to this days (Street Fighter V, 2016; Mortal Kombat XL, match is, usually, the first to reach 2 out of 3 games). In all 2016; Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, 2017; Soulcalibur: Lost games but Tekken, a “charge bar” is used, indicating the Swords, 2014, even if it is only a single-player chapter). In access to a larger movelist when the charge reaches certain order to compare games with similar levels of advancement thresholds (each game has a specific formula to replenish the in technology and design, I selected those published in a charge bar and how to “spend” charges). All games have comparable time-window: Ultra Street Fighter IV (2014, the other graphic indicators such as flashings, sparks, visual last revised version of the 2009 Street Fighter IV and the last post-processing effects and other means to display in-game chapter of the franchise for PlayStation 3), Mortal Kombat circumstances that are game-specific but not relevant to the (2011, a reboot of the original 1992 game with current current study. technology), Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011, a version of the previous Tekken 6 with added modality of team fighting, Being competitive games that is, focusing on winning over the last Tekken on PlayStation 3) and Soulcalibur V (2012, last opposing character multiplayer fighting game from the franchise). All games strictly meet this criterion. Some modalities offer other focuses, but are variants of the main game mode. All the selected games fall into the working definition given above. Each of them has some peculiarity: Allowing for multiplayer competition All games meet this criterion. Being focused on martial arts-based one-on-one combat, mostly melee. The gameplay is based on real-time action (i.e. not turn- All games are martial arts-based, but some are more inspired based gameplay) by existing techniques (Tekken) and others are more focused All games meet this criterion. on sheer violence (Mortal Kombat). Either most characters The focus of the outcome of the match must be the winning within each game (Soulcalibur), or almost none (Street or losing (no matter if barely or by dominating – if this is a Fighter, Tekken), use weapons.