Transdiegetic Sound and auditory immersion in an asymmetrical cooperative game Charlie Volland-Butler School of Computer Science University of Lincoln Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science by Research In Computer Science Supervisor: Dr Khaled Bachour January, 2019 1 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr Khaled Bachour for his support and supervision throughout this project. His advice has been beneficial to the work and without his encouragement I would likely lack the motivation to finish this research. I would also like to thank Dr Richard Wetzel for his supervision of my work, and for showing initial interest in the project which guided this research in the right direction. I would like to thank Dr Chris Headleand and Kieran Hicks for their insight and advice which has been a great help as well. Many thanks to my friends and family for their love and support during my studies. Declaration I confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. Signature: Name: Charlie Volland-Butler 2 Abstract This research is looking to determine how sound interaction, in particular transdiegetic sound, as a core mechanic affects player immersion in an asymmetrical cooperative game. Sound design is crucial for increasing player immersion within single player game experiences, but the issues arises in a multiplayer context where communicating with other players can break this in-game immersion There is rich potential of exploring the game design possibilities of separating the sensory modalities between two players and exploring how the restricted information is conveyed and consequently how this affects player immersion. This research expands upon this by examining the interplay between four game design patterns; transdiegetic sound, player communication, asymmetrical gameplay and immersive experiences. This project developed a game which requires one player to wear a pair of headphones and be prevented from viewing the game screen. The other player is able to see the game screen and have the controls to move around the game environment but is not able to hear audio cues from within the virtual space; this only being audible to the player wearing the headphones. The research suggests that the novel design approach highlights how current methods of measuring player immersion such as questionnaires may not always be appropriate due to the assumptions they contain within the questions they ask. The results also suggests that whilst the relationship between transdiegetic sound and asymmetrical gameplay may not appear to be significant, there is an interplay between these mechanics that influences the immersive experience for the player. This project proposes that future work considers this interplay and avoids attempting to analyse how a design pattern determines player immersion in isolation but that it considers how it behaves it relation to the other design choices within the game. 3 Contents Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 2 Declaration ........................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract ................................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6 Background .......................................................................................................................... 6 Motivation............................................................................................................................ 7 Research Question ............................................................................................................... 7 Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 8 Thesis Structure ................................................................................................................... 8 Related Work ................................................................................................................. 9 Defining Immersion .............................................................................................................. 9 Measuring Player Immersion ............................................................................................. 11 Immersion and Sound ........................................................................................................ 13 Sound Design in Horror Games .......................................................................................... 17 Collaborative Horror experiences .................................................................................. 19 Audio Games ...................................................................................................................... 20 Audio Games for the visually impaired .......................................................................... 22 Developments of HRTF Audio ............................................................................................ 23 Defining Transdiegetic Sound ............................................................................................ 24 Voice Input in Games ......................................................................................................... 27 Speech-based Player Communication ............................................................................... 32 Cooperation in multiplayer games..................................................................................... 35 Asymmetrical Gameplay .................................................................................................... 36 Hidden Profiles ................................................................................................................... 37 Design and Implementation ......................................................................................... 38 Design Objectives ............................................................................................................... 38 Aesthetic Choices ............................................................................................................... 41 Layout Design ..................................................................................................................... 42 Implementation ................................................................................................................. 43 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 44 Participants ........................................................................................................................ 44 Task .................................................................................................................................... 45 Procedure ........................................................................................................................... 45 Risks and Concerns ............................................................................................................ 46 4 Study Hypothesis ............................................................................................................... 46 Results ......................................................................................................................... 46 Data Collection ................................................................................................................... 47 Scoring the IEQ ................................................................................................................... 47 Thematic Analysis .............................................................................................................. 47 Player Communication ................................................................................................... 49 Audio Immersion ............................................................................................................ 51 Graphics and Imagery .................................................................................................... 52 Emotional Connection .................................................................................................... 53 Sense of in-game interaction ......................................................................................... 54 In-Game Progression ...................................................................................................... 55 Playability ....................................................................................................................... 56 External Distraction ........................................................................................................ 57 Discussion........................................................................................................................... 57 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 61 Thesis Summary ................................................................................................................