The Audio Adventurer: Design of a Portable Audio Adventure Game

  • Authors:

  • Philip Mendels;Joep Frens

  • Affiliations:

  • Designing Quality in Interaction group, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands 5612 AZ;Designing Quality in Interaction group, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands 5612 AZ

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Fun and Games
  • Year:
  • 2008

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Abstract

In this paper we describe the design of a portable device for playing audio adventure games. This device enables the player to explore an audio world, interact with it, and solve challenges while a narrative evolves. To avoid the difficulties that can arise when freely navigating open spaces in audio-only worlds, we structured our audio world as a network of paths. Different ways of panning the audio to fit this model are proposed. Two initial rotational devices for navigating the audio world were created and evaluated: a relative and an absolute one. The relative one was worked out to a final prototype. Inventory functionality was added to increase the interactive possibilities and to make the device more expressive. Initial reactions were positive, but additional content and experiments are needed to investigate whether the Audio Adventurer can offer a long-lasting immersive and engaging experience.