Figure 1: With aVRness, users can choose between displaying real-world objects through fitting placeholders (Anchor Mode), or a faded view of the real world (Gradient Passthrough Mode) to increase their safety and avoid collisions during VR locomotion.

Virtual Reality (VR) promises to enable people to fully immerse themselves in virtual worlds.However, the body-centricity of VR results in accessibility concerns for people with physical disabilities.In our work, we build on existing research that focuses on physical accessibility and discuss the digital layer that includes the design of avatars and virtual worlds, and the experiential layer that addresses the experience that VR provides for people with physical disabilities.We present findings from a qualitative study (N=16) that combined semi-structured interviews with hands-on exploration of state-of-the-art VR hardware and applications.Leveraging Qualitative Content Analysis, our results show that physical, digital, and experiential accessibility concerns are often intertwined and must be seen in conjunction.Additionally, we show that application contexts (e.g., gaming or social VR) shape accessibility concerns and preferences.On this basis, we contribute a nuanced discussion of the complexity of VR accessibility and examine context-specific accessibility preferences using the examples of VR gaming and social VR that need to be accounted for to create accessible and enriching VR experiences.

The positive effect of visual embellishments such as juiciness on player experience (PX) is well-recognized. However, little is known about non-interactive visual embellishments (e.g., decorative background images or game objects players cannot interact with) and their implications for PX. This paper introduces lushness, a novel concept referring to non-interactive visual elements in games that are leveraged for decorative purposes. We present results from a study with 31 participants who played four versions of a 2D platformer game with varying levels of lushness: (a) no lushness, (b) low lushness, (c) moderate lushness, and (d) extreme lushness. Results demonstrate positive effects of increased lushness on PX, in particular on audiovisual appeal and overall attractiveness of the game. However, we did not observe differences regarding other aspects of PX, e.g., player competence or cognitive load. Our findings suggest that lushness enhances PX on a surface-level, improving the visual appeal of games without significantly impacting other areas of PX. Designers and researchers can benefit from the informed use of lushness in the development of games to ensure visual appeal, an aspect which we critically appraise for appropriateness in different game genres and contexts of play.

Competitive play in the multiplayer online battle arena game (MOBA) League of Legends (LoL) is a popular and engaging form of leisure.While it is well-understood what draws players into such games, less is known about the process of disengagement from play sessions in competitive multiplayer settings.However, disengagement is a necessary part of play, and one that has a significant impact on player experience.Our work addresses this knowledge gap through an exploratory interview study that examines the disengagement experiences of regular LoL players (n=8) and coaches (n=2).Leveraging grounded theory, our preliminary results identified four key contributors to the experience of disengagement: (1) satisfaction and frustration related to player performance, (2) team dynamics and social interaction, (3) individual and social aspirations, and (4) the role coaching in the structure of play sessions.These themes structure the complex dynamics of player experience at the end of play sessions.Building upon our initial findings, we propose a lens on disengagement in competitive online multiplayer games, adding nuance to the existing body of literature that has examined disengagement in single-player settings.

As the gaming industry advances, it seeks increased immersion. Concurrently, recent advancements in speech recognition substantially enhanced its accuracy, creating opportunities for speech-based interactions in gameplay. Integrating speech into single-player games with non-player characters (NPCs) introduces a new social dimension. Yet, like toxicity in social media and multiplayer games, anti-social behavior can infiltrate NPC interactions, generating a toxic gaming atmosphere. We designed a speech-based game called “A Day at the Office” and conducted a within-subject study with 26 participants to explore player interactions with NPCs possessing different human qualities. Furthermore, we introduced courtesy-based game mechanics, where NPCs react to players’ choice of words and loudness, investigating player experiences. Results revealed that participants spoke differently with NPCs based on their human qualities, such as gender and hierarchical roles. Moreover, the courtesy-based interactions fostered greater cognitive engagement, suggesting that tactful interactions contribute to enhanced immersion and presence in the game.

• Disengagement is a multicausal player choice, not a design failure • Disengagement can be supported by various game design features • Internal, external, motivational, emotional factors influence dis(engagement) • (Dis)engagement triggers, supports and suppressors are identified Engagement is often viewed as the holy grail of digital experiences, particularly video games, while disengagement is seen as a consequence of poor design. This study attempts to flip the script, exploring disengagement as a natural part of the user journey rather than a failure of game design. Focusing on the popular open-world game Minecraft, the research investigates dynamics triggering engagement and disengagement in the multiplayer mode through the lenses of established frameworks like the Process Model of Engagement as well as the Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics model. Semi-structured focus-group interviews conducted with 15 participants analyzed using Mayring's content analysis revealed social connections, novelty, progression, goal-driven gameplay, and adrenaline-fueled combat as key drivers that keep players hooked. Yet, the very act of achieving goals, absence of friends, overplay, setbacks, skill gaps, negative interactions, and the demands of the real world can trigger a powerful urge to disengage. Far from a design flaw, this research expands the body of literature suggesting that disengagement is a vital component of user autonomy. By redefining success beyond mere engagement metrics, the study paves the way for responsible gaming practices that empower players to make informed choices about their level of involvement. It beckons us to embrace a holistic vision of genuinely sustainable, ethical, and meaningful digital experiences that respect user autonomy and cultivate healthy engagement patterns.

Interactive technology and games provide promising methods for wheelchair skills training. This paper introduces RollAbility, a rehabilitative game for powered wheelchair skills training aimed at children and teenagers with complex movement disorders. The game combines clinical best practices and standardized training protocols with player experience goals. Developed through an iterative process with rehabilitation experts and game designers, RollAbility utilizes the Wheelchair Skills Training Program [Kirby et al. '23] and integrates key insights from Aufheimer's [CHI '23] motivation studies in physical therapy to ensure both therapeutic and engaging gameplay. Evaluated through exploratory sessions with children, therapists, and clinical experts, results show that RollAbility effectively merges clinical protocols with an engaging game format. However, balancing player autonomy and therapist guidance remains a critical consideration. This work offers a blueprint for designing therapeutic games that align clinical protocols with engaging player experiences.

Ending a gaming session can be challenging for children and parents/guardians. Although many tools exist to monitor and restrict playtime, many do not adequately communicate session progress to children, and do not effectively involve guardians in the process. This is a missed opportunity for families to develop media literacy, and can also lead to conflicts and fights about playtime. To open up conversation about playtime management as a shared responsibility between children and guardians, we present "Schlusslicht"’ – an ambient display that seeks to facilitate a shared awareness of progression of a gaming session and remaining time between guardians and children, and can be leveraged to further explore how we can best support children when disengaging from play sessions. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khEdN9C9Sgw

Playing cooperative games is recognised as a positive social activity. Yet, we have limited means to rigorously define or communicate the structures that govern these experiences, hindering attempts at consolidating knowledge and limiting the potential of design efforts. In this work, we introduce the Living Framework for Cooperative Games (LFCG), a framework derived from a multi-step systematic analysis of 129 cooperative games with contributions of eleven researchers. We describe how LFCG can be used as a tool for analyses and ideation, and as a shared language for describing a game’s design. LFCG is published as a web application to facilitate use and appropriation. It supports the creation, dissemination and aggregation of game reports and specifications; and enables stakeholders to extend and publish custom versions. Lastly, we discuss using a research-driven approach for formalising game structures and the advantages of community contributions for consolidation and reach.

The games research community has developed substantial knowledge on designing engaging experiences that draw players in. Surprisingly, less is known about player disengagement, with existing work predominantly addressing disengagement from the perspective of problematic play, and research exploring player disengagement from a constructive designer perspective is lacking. In this paper, we address this gap and argue that disengagement from games should be constructively designed, allowing players to exit play sessions in a self-determined way. Following a two-phase research approach that combines an interview study ( n =16) with a follow-up online survey ( n =111), we systematically analyze player perspectives on exiting play sessions. Our work expands the existing notion of disengagement through a characterization of exit experiences, a lens on disengagement as a process, and points for reflection for the design of games that seek to address player disengagement in a constructive way.

Representation of disability in games is important to facilitate inclusive experiences. In our work, we address this issue through an exploration of the representation of ADHD in games. First, we engage in interviews with 15 young people with ADHD to understand their lived experience of ADHD and their perspective on its integration in games. Second, we formulate considerations for the design of games that include ADHD in a way that aligns with their experience. Finally, we apply the guidelines to develop three game concepts and evaluate them with the initial group of young people to critically appraise our design considerations. The results show that nuanced representation of ADHD requires careful deliberation, that lived experience should be leveraged with care, and that game design must be mindful of the challenges associated with identifying the fine line between disability simulation and adequate representation.

While a growing number of households contain home assistants, they mainly remain voice-only devices where the virtual agent is not represented visually. The visual representation of the agent is limited to the device's housing and abstract light animations that signify the assistant's state to its users. However, the audio channel is limited in conveying information beyond semantic content. Embodied virtual assistants can enhance interaction with conversational interfaces by adding a visual layer to further convey personality and human characteristics. In this work, we conducted an online survey (N=78) to explore people's preferences for visualizing humanoid assistants. Our findings suggest that participants prefer an agent who appears mature, healthy, competent, and attractive. Furthermore, demographic similarities between the users and agents are wished for the agent to look more relatable. We discuss these findings and their implications for the design of virtual humanoid home assistants.

The use of procedural content generation (PCG) in the context of video games has increased over the years as it provides an economical way to generate game content whilst enhancing their variety and replayability. For city-building games, this approach is often utilized to predefine map layouts, terrains, or cityscapes for the player. One core aspect of facilitating enjoyment in these games comes from creative expressivity. PCG, in this context, may support creativity by lowering the technical complexity for content creation, or it may hinder creativity by taking away control and freedom from the user. To examine these potential effects, this paper investigates if PCG has an impact on players' creativity in the context of VR city-building games. We present a VR prototype that provides varying degrees of procedural content: No PCG, terrain generation, city generation, and full (city + terrain) generation. In a remote user study, these conditions were compared regarding their capability to support creativity. Statistical tests for equivalence revealed that the presence of PCG did not affect creativity in any way. Our work suggests that PCG can be a useful integration into city-building games without notably decreasing players' ability to express themselves creatively.

Many serious games are most effective when played regularly; however, little is known about how individual game elements support player adherence over time. This work draws on evidence from existing frameworks and game design theories as well as from the design of casual games to investigate how individual game mechanics affect player attrition in a serious game. We implemented a math-learning game in which we could individually layer various game mechanics, and over the course of 3 weeks, 99 participants played one of six versions: Baseline, Rewards, Novelty, Completion, Waiting, or Blocking. We compared the game versions by analyzing the players’ performance as well as behaviour. Using survival analysis, we identified that the addition of Completion and Blocking mechanics facilitated the strongest sustained engagement. These findings are congruent with existing theories of player experience and promote the development of guidelines on designing for sustained engagement in serious games.

Questionnaires are among the most common research tools in virtual reality (VR) user studies. Transitioning from virtuality to reality for giving self-reports on VR experiences can lead to systematic biases. VR allows to embed questionnaires into the virtual environment which may ease participation and avoid biases. To provide a cohesive picture of methods and design choices for questionnaires in VR (inVRQ), we discuss 15 inVRQ studies from the literature and present a survey with 67 VR experts from academia and industry. Based on the outcomes, we conducted two user studies in which we tested different presentation and interaction methods of inVRQs and evaluated the usability and practicality of our design. We observed comparable completion times between inVRQs and questionnaires outside VR (nonVRQs) with higher enjoyment but lower usability for \inVRQs. These findings advocate the application of inVRQs and provide an overview of methods and considerations that lay the groundwork for inVRQ design.

Questionnaires are among the most common research tools in virtual reality (VR) evaluations and user studies. However, transitioning from virtual worlds to the physical world to respond to VR experience questionnaires can potentially lead to systematic biases. Administering questionnaires in VR (inVRQs) is becoming more common in contemporary research. This is based on the intuitive notion that inVRQs may ease participation, reduce the Break in Presence (BIP) and avoid biases. In this paper, we perform a systematic investigation into the effects of interrupting the VR experience through questionnaires using physiological data as a continuous and objective measure of presence. In a user study (n=50), we evaluated question-asking procedures using a VR shooter with two different levels of immersion. The users rated their player experience with a questionnaire either inside or outside of VR. Our results indicate a reduced BIP for the employed inVRQ without affecting the self-reported player experience.

Dealing with fear of falling is a challenge in sport climbing. Virtual reality (VR) research suggests that using physical and reality-based interaction increases the presence in VR. In this paper, we present a study that investigates the influence of physical props on presence, stress and anxiety in a VR climbing environment involving whole body movement. To help climbers overcoming fear of falling, we compared three different conditions: Climbing in reality at 10 m height, physical climbing in VR (with props attached to the climbing wall) and virtual climbing in VR using game controllers. From subjective reports and biosignals, our results show that climbing with props in VR increases the anxiety and sense of realism in VR for sport climbing. This suggests that VR in combination with physical props are an effective simulation setup to induce the sense of height.