Gameplay as Exercise (original) (raw)
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Exertion in interactive entertainment
2007
Incorporating exertion and physical activity into interactive entertainment has received increased attention over recent years. These exertion games, or exergames, require separate input devices and are often specific to a particular game, however, consumers and experts attribute unique benefits to them: they are believed to positively contribute to general health, fitness and weight management, encourage social interaction between players and can promote a more physically active lifestyle, in particular when used by children and teenagers. However, there are still many open questions in this domain, for example we still do not know what makes an exertion interactive experience successful in any of these areas. We are proposing a special interest group on exertion in interactive entertainment to bring researchers and industry participants with an interest in this together to further understand the role of physical activity in gaming and promote the area as distinct topic. The special interest group will encourage future collaborative efforts and promote reflection on issues in this novel and exciting area.
Exergames for adult users: a preliminary pilot study
Proceedings of the International Academic Conference …, 2010
This paper examines fitness videogames (exergames) and factors surrounding their adoption by novice users over 40, first through a literature review and then by discussing a pilot study. Digital games have been promoted as a way to reduce the barriers to embracing an ongoing exercise program. However, understanding the game's instructions also affects a novice player's gameplay experience. In the pilot study, reactions of novice players to two commercially available games with exertive interfaces were systematically analyzed so obstacles to communication between players and software could be identified. The social affordances of game design for adults over 40 are also discussed in order to develop protocols for a larger study analyzing how digital games can be used to sustain exercise adherence over time.
Physical Activity Motivating Games
ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 2012
ABSTRACT People’s daily lives have become increasingly sedentary, with extended periods of time being spent in front of a host of electronic screens for learning, work, and entertainment. We present research into the use of an adaptive persuasive technology, which introduces bursts of physical activity into a traditionally sedentary activity: computer game playing. Our game design approach leverages the playfulness and addictive nature of computer games to motivate players to engage in mild physical activity. The design allows players to gain virtual in-game rewards in return for performing real physical activity captured by sensory devices. This article presents a two-stage analysis of the activity-motivating game design approach applied to a prototype game. Initially, we detail the overall acceptance of active games discovered when trialing the technology with 135 young players. Results showed that players performed more activity without negatively affecting their perceived enjoyment of the playing experience. The analysis did discover, however, a lack of balance between the amounts of physical activity carried out by players with various gaming skills, which prompted a subsequent investigation into adaptive techniques for balancing the amount of physical activity performed by players. An evaluation of additional 90 players showed that adaptive techniques successfully overcame the gaming skills dependence and achieved more balanced activity levels. Overall, this work positions activity-motivating games as an approach that can potentially change the way players interact with computer games and lead to healthier lifestyles.
Considerations for the design of exergames
Proceedings of the 5th international conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques in Australia and Southeast Asia - GRAPHITE '07, 2007
Exergaming is the use of video games in an exercise activity. In this paper we consider game design for successful exergames. To do this, we review the history of exergaming and the current state of research in this field. We find that there exists some research aimed at evaluating the physical and health characteristics of exergames, but research on how to design exercise games is still in the early stages. From an analysis of this information, and drawing on established principles from sports science for the prescription of exercise programs, we then attempt to identify success factors to guide designers of exergaming systems.
The Health Fitness Journal of Canada, 2010
BACKGROUND: Physical activity and positive health behaviors are not usually associated with playing video games. "Exergaming", which requires whole body movement to interact with the video game, has the potential to change this negative relationship if it can be shown that people find it enjoyable. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to compare rating of enjoyment and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) between exergaming with Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and traditional treadmill walking, done at similar VO2. METHODS: Eighteen, 18--28 year old DDR novices participated in the investigation. All participants had two DDR practice sessions prior to testing. A Likert scale for enjoyment and the OMNI RPE scale were used to determine differences between isocaloric bouts of exergaming and treadmill walking sessions. Differences were statistically evaluated using paired t--tests. RESULTS: Participants reported a significantly higher (p<0.05) rating of enjoyment following the exergaming session while there was no statistical difference in RPE between exergaming and treadmill walking (at matched workloads). CONCLUSION: Due to exergaming's rising popularity, increasing accessibility and favorable enjoyment rating, exergaming is a valuable alternative to traditional modes of exercise for increasing regular participation in physical activity.
The promise of exergames as tools to measure physical health
Entertainment Computing, 2011
Exergames are popular video games that combine physical activity with digital gaming. To measure effects of exergame play on physical outcomes and health behaviors, most studies use external measures including accelerometry, indirect calorimetry, heart rate monitors, and written surveys. These measures may reduce external validity by burdening participants during gameplay. Many exergames have the capability to measure activity levels unobtrusively through monitors built into game equipment, and preliminary analysis indicates that exergame measures are significantly correlated with external measures of caloric expenditure, duration of play, and balance. Exergames also have unique capabilities to measure additional data, such as the game challenges, player movement, and levels of performance that affect aerobic activity. Researchers could capitalize on the data collected by the exergame itself, providing an efficient, unobtrusive, comprehensive measure of physical activity during exergame play. Ó
Video Games as Motivation for Exercise
2008
Using Microsoft's Flight Simulator X, we transform a recumbent exercise bike into a virtual aircraft to create a unique game-play experience. The prototype manipulates resistance to vary physical intensity to assist the player with achieving the objectives of the video game and reaching fitness goals.
The Role of Exergaming in Improving Physical Activity: A Review
Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2014
Background-The high prevalence of obesity in America can be attributed to inadequate energy expenditure as a result of high levels of physical inactivity. This review presents an overview of the current literature on physical activity, specifically through active videogame systems (exergaming) and how these systems can help to increase physical activity levels.
The health benefits of interactive video game exercise
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2007
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of interactive video games (combined with stationary cycling) on health-related physical fitness and exercise adherence in comparison with traditional aerobic training (stationary cycling alone). College-aged males were stratified (aerobic fitness and body mass) and then assigned randomly to experimental (n = 7) or control (n = 7) conditions. Program attendance, health-related physical fitness (including maximal aerobic power (VO2 max), body composition, muscular strength, muscular power, and flexibility), and resting blood pressure were measured before and after training (60%–75% heart rate reserve, 3 d/week for 30 min/d for 6 weeks). There was a significant difference in the attendance of the interactive video game and traditional training groups (78% ± 18% vs. 48% ± 29%, respectively). VO2 max was significantly increased after interactive video game (11% ± 5%) but not traditional (3% ± 6%) training. There was a significa...
Designing games to motivate physical activity
Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Persuasive Technology - Persuasive '09, 2009
Engagement with computer games causes children and adolescent users to spend a substantial amount of time at sedentary game playing activity. We hypothesise that this engagement can be leveraged to motivate users to increase their amount of physical activity. In this paper, we present a novel approach for designing computer games, according to which the users' physical activity reinforces their game character. This way the users are seamlessly motivated to perform physical activity while maintaining their enjoyment of playing the game.