Dynamic Game Balancing by Recognizing Affect

  • Authors:

  • Tim J. Tijs;Dirk Brokken;Wijnand A. Ijsselsteijn

  • Affiliations:

  • User-System Interaction Program, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands 5600MB;Philips Research Laboratories Europe, Eindhoven, The Netherlands 5656AE;Human-Technology Interaction Group, Department of Technology Management, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands 5600MB

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

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Dynamic game balancing concerns changing parameters in a game to avoid undesired player emotions, such as boredom and frustration. This is e.g. done by adjusting the game's difficulty level to the (increasing) skill level of the player during the game. Currently, most balancing techniques are based on in-game performance, such as the player's position in a race. This is, however, insufficient since different types of players exist, with different goals, preferences and emotional responses. Therefore, to deal effectively with a player's emotions, a game needs to look beyond the player's performance. This paper provides an overview of two groups of potentially useful sources for dynamic game balancing: Overt behavior and physiological responses. In addition, we present EMO-Pacman, a design case that aims to implement these new balancing techniques into the game Pac-Man.