This work builds upon the foundation established by J. Forrester's original Beer Game and demonstrates how modern technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and concepts of Serious Games (SGs) can elevate traditional learning tools to a new level of effectiveness. We present a VR-based SG version of Forrester's Beer Game to teach about the Bullwhip Effect in supply chain contexts, providing a rich decision context to students. The project integrates role-specific mini-games for each participant in the supply chain: retailer, wholesaler, distributor, and brewery (i.e., manufacturer). A user study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and usability of the developed VR SG. The results of the user study support the educational value and technical stability of the system while also identifying clear directions for future development. The findings highlight the importance of balancing game length and challenge level to sustain user engagement over multiple rounds. Developers should aim to optimize mini-game durations and incorporate adaptive difficulty to maintain motivation. Additionally, embedding educational content more intuitively within the gameplay, rather than through passive text, is essential to enhance flow and knowledge retention.

Toxicity is still a big problem in the games industry. The development is rather simple, but still painful. What could we do? Toxicity and hate speech remain constant challenges in various online communities, including live-streaming platforms such as Twitch. In this paper, we explore a lightweight, Pythonbased chat bot that integrates Twitch's IRC interface with the Google Perspective API to assess the toxicity of live chat messages in real time. The tool is designed for streamers seeking a minimaleffort moderation assistant and includes a graphical interface for monitoring per-channel toxicity metrics. To evaluate the system's effectiveness, we conducted an offline analysis using a toxic comment dataset. Our results show that the API can broadly distinguish toxic from non-toxic messages, achieving a mean toxicity score of 0.73 for labeled toxic content and 0.11 for benign content. However, limitations such as domain mismatch, API rate restrictions, and lack of contextual understanding constrain real-world applicability of the integration. We discuss practical implications, ethical concerns, and paths for future work, including domain-specific dataset collection, threshold optimization, and user-centered evaluation. The findings highlight both the opportunities and limitations of integrating third-party AI services into real-time moderation workflows on platforms like Twitch.

This paper investigates how the car's systems can be integrated into entertainment experiences. Our experiment uses the vehicle's Vertical Dynamics (VD) actuators and interior light of a BMW i7. We aim to improve the immersion of players by integrating the automotive active suspension system into several game experiences. It is used to provide additional haptic feedback to players. In addition, we also use multi-color interior lighting to provide visual cues. We conducted a user study consisting of custom questions and the Player Experience Inventory (PXI) questionnaire. Users liked the experience and felt the haptic feedback correlated with their actions in-game. 16% of users experienced motion sickness when using the system. However, most of them to a mild extent. From the PXI, we could tell that the experience performed on par with the benchmark in regards to immersion. But the games need to be reworked by incorporating progressive feedback. We were able to show that a vehicle's VD actuators can be used to provide noticeable and in-synch haptic feedback. The average latency of around 120 ms of our setup proved to be a bottleneck, which needs to be addressed in future work.

This paper explores the development of a mobile Augmented Reality (AR) Serious Game (SG) designed to educate people with type 2 diabetes during their hospital stay by providing them with knowledge about diabetes-related nutrition. Using the Unity game engine with the AR Foundation framework combined with proven design guidelines, the SG NutricARe was developed. It contains a puzzle game that teaches players about the relevance of nutrition and how to substitute unhealthy food. The game includes AR cooking tutorials in which the player prepares and cooks recipes to increase user engagement and learning. An initial study was conducted to evaluate the game's effectiveness. Participants could not directly match the target group of NutricARe due to ethical restrictions. The results indicate a successful and enjoyable SG that educates players on nutrition. NutricARe received a high System Usability Score (SUS) of 81.6 and outperformed the Player Experience Inventory (PXI) benchmark in areas such as “Mastery” and “Progress Feedback”. Although the AR features did not demonstrate statistical significance in contributing to learning benefits, they notably improved user engagement and enjoyment, especially for less experienced users. The findings suggest that improvements in autonomy, immersion, and User Interface (UI) elements can optimize both user experience and educational results.

Rehabilitation for patients with muscle dystrophy is based on performing a lifelong program of regular exercise in coordination with the therapist. However, traditional physiotherapy can be repetitive and boring, which can lead to frustration. In recent years, Serious Games for Exercise Rehabilitation (SGER) have shown promise in making these repetitive tasks more engaging. This paper targets how Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) can be used to create fun and motivating SGER. The development process was supported by a rehabilitation team in a neuromuscular research-clinical center responsible for muscle dystrophy treatment. Therefore, medical knowledge comes from clinicians, including a doctor, with the goal of designing immersive environments that encourage therapeutic movements by playing. Based on VR and AR, 15 mini-games were designed to replace traditional rehabilitation exercises, focusing on improving upper limb movement and adaptability to different types of muscle dystrophy. These games were tested with 15 patients in the presence of a doctor to acquire feedback. The results show that the patients were satisfied with the games specifically chosen for their type of disease. With future improvements, those games can be improved and integrated into the therapy plan. This work provides a foundation for the use of game-based systems in realworld rehabilitation.

This work addresses the limitations of traditional 2D collaboration tools in automotive design, where complex 3D model reviews require immersive spatial interaction. We developed a metaverse-based collaborative platform for automotive design processes using Unreal Engine 5, addressing three research directions: (1) core requirements for automotive design collaboration, (2) effectiveness of immersive technologies in such professional workflows, and (3) an empirical user study of test scenarios comparing the platform as a conventional PC application to an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experience. Xstudio enables real-time interaction with 3D models and advanced functionalities for design teams. We evaluated the effectiveness of the tool through user studies and technical performance analysis. The expert study of 11 employees, who were part of the engineering department of BMW (a European car manufacturer), was designed to evaluate the usability of the features using the System Usability Score (SUS), which scored a promising value of 76 (VR) and 74 (PC). The NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) resulted in 40.1 for VR and 37.7 in PC mode. A set of quantitative analyses with factors such as task completion time (TCT), error rates (ER), and user interaction metrics (UIM) were applied in the comparison of VR and PC modes. The result shows that the VR mode has higher TCT than the PC mode, but in contrast, VR has a higher interaction rate to complete the task, input precision, and the multi-step manipulation can be optimized. We summarize the findings in guidelines for future research in the collaborative car design process. Key technical contributions include a modular Entity-Component-System architecture for dynamic tool customization and hybrid VR/PC interactions. In the domain-specific automotive engineering space, both application types complement each other, offering efficiency (PC) or immersion (VR) for specific tasks. Future work will focus on UI/UX refinements with rigorous validation in follow-up studies. Specific improvements will include streamlined menus, snap-based selection aids, and pointer-locking tools to address precision challenges.

In this project, the full spectrum provided by Milgram’s RealityVirtuality Continuum is utilized to enhance presence, usability, and interactions in an authentic Virtual Reality (VR) supermarket simulation used as a standardized evaluation platform for mHealth apps. We introduce a unique Unity-based modeling platform for supermarket environments and the option to design high-quality customized products. To achieve that, solutions are demonstrated by focusing on a recognizable replica of a discounter and utilizing Augmented Virtuality (AV) to include a physical smartphone in the virtual simulation. The user is able to manipulate the simulation from within the smartphone app through this versatile, highly usability-centered controller. To achieve reliable tracking of the smartphone screen, we propose a hybrid approach, which combines fiducial marker tracking with data acquired through a WiFi connection between the VR system and the smartphone. Furthermore, the AV concept is utilized to build scenarios for Mixed Reality (MR) use cases such as simulated AR to navigate to a chosen product in the market. After an initial pre-study with important insights to strengthen the platform, a broad user study involving the physical smartphone with a simulated AR scenario has been conducted. The goals with 30 participants were to evaluate spatial presence, involvement, experienced realism (IPQ), and usability of the system (SUS). Results showed ”Good” (SUS) usability and recorded data as well as the participants’ feedback brought important insights. We plan to release this unique VR supermarket platform to contribute to the science community and mHealth industry.

Serious games as learning activities have been studied and found to be valuable even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the school outages, a math exercising serious game, covered by this work in progress paper, has been suggested. The aim of the serious game is to teach and exercise basic mathematical techniques through engaging game activities. In order to best achieve this, knowledge in the fields of serious game design and didactic from previous works will be applied. As of this writing, the game is still in the earliest stages of development.

Virtual Reality (VR) offers significant potential for public speaking training. Virtual Reality Speech Training (VR-ST) helps trainees develop presentation skills and practice their application in the real world. Additionally, participants with public speaking anxiety can improve their presentation skills in a safe virtual environment without fear of judgment. Another benefit is direct feedback based on gamification principles, which provides users with information about their performance during training and allows for the adjustment of behavior in real-time. However, it is not yet clear if direct feedback based on visualization through icons is accepted by participants, such that it may support learning transfer in VR training applications. As a result, we set out to investigate how direct feedback in a VR -ST affects the participants' technology acceptance based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). We conducted a between-subjects experimental study in order to compare a VR-ST with direct feedback (n = 100) with a simulation-based VR-ST (n = 100). The resulting MANOVAs demonstrated a preference for the direct feedback version for all TAM determinations, showing that direct feedback offers benefits to trainees by improving technology acceptance, independent of location and without supervision by trainers. Further results show that VR-ST is generally more accepted by participants without public speaking anxiety. Our findings indicate that developers of VR public speaking applications should focus on the inclusion of meaningful direct feedback and consider individual differences between users in order to optimally implement training measures.

Virtual Reality (VR) has been gaining importance due to its numerous advantages as an immersive technology for learning applications. Next to being used in fields like manufacturing, transportation, communication, retail and real estate, it has also increased in significance for human resources development. Virtual human training programs offer exposure to difficult situations without supervision in a safe and controlled environment, as they simulate nuanced interpersonal situations and therefore allow users to gain new skills and apply them to real-life situations. Furthermore, VR training engages employees in a training session by being presented with a realistic situation designed to challenge and engage them. Practising in a controlled virtual environment also allows for easy and objective measurements of user development and the identification of strengths and weaknesses. In this paper, we evaluate if there is acceptance for practising a presentation in a VR-Speech Training (VR-ST) session using six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) and if the 44 participants of this study improved, from a subjective point of view, valuable soft skills needed to give a convincing presentation in real life. We observed a positive tendency in the acceptance and effectiveness of the VR-ST.

Most AR games focus primarily on static augmentation, leaving out the potential for rich and tangible interactions. Recently, with the creation of the Superhuman Sports genre, new AR games emerged with the goal to extend the sports experience by utilizing technology. With the understanding of various related projects towards physical object interaction in AR and with the rich selection of sensors in mobile devices, we want to present two innovative visions in the direction of AR Sports Games: 1.Floating Ball: A ball shaped object is augmented and while flying in a circular pattern, two players are competing against each other by interacting with it. 2.Augmented Drone: Resulting out of the experiences with the Floating Ball, a competitive game concept with a drone as a versatile augmented game ball will be presented. We want to utilize the results as a step towards a competitive multi-player AR Sports Game based on mobile devices. In both concepts, one device is functioning as a Tangible AR Interface with the task to let the player manipulate the flying path of the physical ball. For this purpose, the ball is incorporated into the augmented world to create a realistic, perceivable playing experience.

In this paper both receptive and productive Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Realty (VR)-Concepts to teach art are presented and discussed. Receptive means learning about art as an (immersed) spectator while productive means offering opportunities for own mixed reality artistic creations. The prototypes presented are pioneer research in terms of VR and AR, so called Mixed Reality (MR), informed art education. One of the core aims is to exemplify art educational applications by exploring usage of MR beyond traditional. The three MR based art educational concepts presented here invite users to experience art in heterogenous spatial contexts. MR is used here to highlight semantics of historically and art historically relevant spaces offering immersive as well as creative and participatory ways of learning. Three prototypes of MR informed art education are presented. First, a AR-based art history city guide is described with integration of teacher-based evaluation. Art is taught here in an interdisciplinary approach as situated learning experience visiting Munich's art historical sites and architecture. Teachers' attitudes towards AR/VR-based art history learning were conducted after trial of one of the applications. According to the educator's feedback, motivation, attention but also spatial imagination and perception are estimated to be fostered. Next, an AR-based installation of a missing painting by Franz Marc is presented conveying complex meanings of both architecture in art historical context as well as the art work itself. Finally, an immersive VR-art educational concept integrating two paintings of Caspar David Friedrich is described, offering sequential ways to inform about the painting's iconography. When it comes to implementing MR-concepts in day-to-day practice, media competence as well es technology acceptance or media cultural negotiations are vital aspects beyond the questions of it-technological equipment and infrastructure.

In this paper we present two different approaches with Mixed (Virtual and Augmented) Reality to give pupils an understanding of ancient Greek culture and history in a motivating way. We identify the possibilities of AR in a museum for ancient statues to represent virtual information and to guide the visitor. Moreover, we discuss typical issues of mobile and stationary Virtual Reality (VR) systems in the context of public usage within schools and museums. Additionally, a new VR-streaming approach called SaMaXVR is presented that combines the benefits of mobile and stationary consumer ready VR systems in terms of usability, maintenance, safety and graphics-quality by mitigating many of their individual disadvantages when used in daily business. As this streaming solution consists of cost-effective hardware, this approach can be seen as a valuable and affordable alternative for schools, museums and students. To demonstrate its potential, an application was developed that visualizes complex 3D scans of cultural heritage in their former original environment to give users the possibility to travel back in time (and place) to see how the artifacts might have looked like in the past.