Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis

Chek Tien Tan; Sander Bakkes; Yusuf Pisan

doi:10.1145/2677758.2677765

Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis

Chek Tien Tan, Sander Bakkes, Yusuf Pisan

University of Technology Sydney

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Understanding player experiences is central to game design. Video captures of players is a common practice for obtaining rich reviewable data for analysing these experiences. However, not enough has been done in investigating ways of preprocessing the video for a more efficient analysis process. This paper consolidates and extends prior work on validating the feasibility of using automated facial expressions analysis as a natural quantitative method for evaluating player experiences. A study was performed on participants playing a first-person puzzle shooter game (Portal 2) and a social drawing trivia game (Draw My Thing), and results were shown to exhibit rich details for inferring player experiences from facial expressions. Significant correlations were also observed between facial expression intensities and self reports from the Game Experience Questionnaire. In particular, the challenge dimension consistently showed positive correlations with anger and joy. This paper eventually presents a case for increasing the application of computer vision in video analyses of gameplay.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	IE 2014 - Proceedings of the 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment
Subtitle of host publication	Fun and Games
Editors	Karen Blackmore, Keith Nesbitt, Shamus P. Smith
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
ISBN (Electronic)	9781450327909
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/2677758.2677765
Publication status	Published - 2 Dec 2014
Event	10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment, IE 2014 - Newcastle, Australia Duration: 2 Dec 2014 → 3 Dec 2014

Publication series

Name	ACM International Conference Proceeding Series
Volume	02-03-December-2014

Conference

Conference	10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment, IE 2014
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Newcastle
Period	2/12/14 → 3/12/14

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 ACM.

Copyright:
Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

Facial expressions analysis
Game design
Game user research
GEQ
Player experience
Video games

Access to Document

10.1145/2677758.2677765

Cite this

Tan, C. T., Bakkes, S., & Pisan, Y. (2014). Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis. In K. Blackmore, K. Nesbitt, & S. P. Smith (Eds.), IE 2014 - Proceedings of the 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment: Fun and Games (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series; Vol. 02-03-December-2014). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/2677758.2677765

@inproceedings{2f32199305844d9bb9a84830d2360888,

title = "Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis",

abstract = "Understanding player experiences is central to game design. Video captures of players is a common practice for obtaining rich reviewable data for analysing these experiences. However, not enough has been done in investigating ways of preprocessing the video for a more efficient analysis process. This paper consolidates and extends prior work on validating the feasibility of using automated facial expressions analysis as a natural quantitative method for evaluating player experiences. A study was performed on participants playing a first-person puzzle shooter game (Portal 2) and a social drawing trivia game (Draw My Thing), and results were shown to exhibit rich details for inferring player experiences from facial expressions. Significant correlations were also observed between facial expression intensities and self reports from the Game Experience Questionnaire. In particular, the challenge dimension consistently showed positive correlations with anger and joy. This paper eventually presents a case for increasing the application of computer vision in video analyses of gameplay.",

keywords = "Facial expressions analysis, Game design, Game user research, GEQ, Player experience, Video games",

author = "Tan, {Chek Tien} and Sander Bakkes and Yusuf Pisan",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 ACM. Copyright: Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.; 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment, IE 2014 ; Conference date: 02-12-2014 Through 03-12-2014",

year = "2014",

month = dec,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1145/2677758.2677765",

language = "English",

series = "ACM International Conference Proceeding Series",

publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery",

editor = "Karen Blackmore and Keith Nesbitt and Smith, {Shamus P.}",

booktitle = "IE 2014 - Proceedings of the 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment",

address = "United States",

}

Tan, CT, Bakkes, S & Pisan, Y 2014, Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis. in K Blackmore, K Nesbitt & SP Smith (eds), IE 2014 - Proceedings of the 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment: Fun and Games. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, vol. 02-03-December-2014, Association for Computing Machinery, 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment, IE 2014, Newcastle, Australia, 2/12/14. https://doi.org/10.1145/2677758.2677765

Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis. / Tan, Chek Tien; Bakkes, Sander; Pisan, Yusuf.
IE 2014 - Proceedings of the 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment: Fun and Games. ed. / Karen Blackmore; Keith Nesbitt; Shamus P. Smith. Association for Computing Machinery, 2014. (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series; Vol. 02-03-December-2014).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis

AU - Tan, Chek Tien

AU - Bakkes, Sander

AU - Pisan, Yusuf

PY - 2014/12/2

Y1 - 2014/12/2

N2 - Understanding player experiences is central to game design. Video captures of players is a common practice for obtaining rich reviewable data for analysing these experiences. However, not enough has been done in investigating ways of preprocessing the video for a more efficient analysis process. This paper consolidates and extends prior work on validating the feasibility of using automated facial expressions analysis as a natural quantitative method for evaluating player experiences. A study was performed on participants playing a first-person puzzle shooter game (Portal 2) and a social drawing trivia game (Draw My Thing), and results were shown to exhibit rich details for inferring player experiences from facial expressions. Significant correlations were also observed between facial expression intensities and self reports from the Game Experience Questionnaire. In particular, the challenge dimension consistently showed positive correlations with anger and joy. This paper eventually presents a case for increasing the application of computer vision in video analyses of gameplay.

AB - Understanding player experiences is central to game design. Video captures of players is a common practice for obtaining rich reviewable data for analysing these experiences. However, not enough has been done in investigating ways of preprocessing the video for a more efficient analysis process. This paper consolidates and extends prior work on validating the feasibility of using automated facial expressions analysis as a natural quantitative method for evaluating player experiences. A study was performed on participants playing a first-person puzzle shooter game (Portal 2) and a social drawing trivia game (Draw My Thing), and results were shown to exhibit rich details for inferring player experiences from facial expressions. Significant correlations were also observed between facial expression intensities and self reports from the Game Experience Questionnaire. In particular, the challenge dimension consistently showed positive correlations with anger and joy. This paper eventually presents a case for increasing the application of computer vision in video analyses of gameplay.

KW - Facial expressions analysis

KW - Game design

KW - Game user research

KW - GEQ

KW - Player experience

KW - Video games

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84955581634&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1145/2677758.2677765

DO - 10.1145/2677758.2677765

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:84955581634

T3 - ACM International Conference Proceeding Series

BT - IE 2014 - Proceedings of the 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment

A2 - Blackmore, Karen

A2 - Nesbitt, Keith

A2 - Smith, Shamus P.

PB - Association for Computing Machinery

T2 - 10th Australian Conference on Interactive Entertainment, IE 2014

Y2 - 2 December 2014 through 3 December 2014

ER -

Inferring player experiences using facial expressions analysis

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this