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The game is designed to train older people to complete fast stepping
sequences which will improve the likelihood that they can recover from a potential fall by being able to take a response step quickly before the fall
happens.
The use of lunging exercises in the game will help player¶s balance recovery
skills and work to develop muscles that are not being targeted with already
existing short-stepping exer-games in development.
One critical attribute of the game is incorporating a measure of performance
(a scoring system) that players can use to track their progress in completingthe assigned exercises. Additionally, researches and practitioners can use
more precise data recorded from the user, like following their exact
movements when the succeed or fail at completing an assigned lunge, to
better identify patients that are most likely to fall and understand what
physical response characteristics make people most susceptible to falls.
Thematic Summary
We wanted to unite all of the elements of our game into a common theme
that our target audience appreciates and that is not already used as a theme
for other exer-games designed for older people. All of the interview subjects
that we spoke with agreed that travel is one of their interests, and they would
enjoy viewing scenic photography when playing anexer-game.
In this game, players will lunge forward to step on and collect money icons,
which move across the screen towards the players¶ feet. Upon stepping on
the icons, tiles of the hidden picture are uncovered and the player¶s score
increases. However, players must also move their feet to avoid bad icons,
which will have a negative effect on their score.
The game also includes mental activities like identifying the hidden picture
or answering travel-related questions, which will have a positive effect on
the idea of competing against others,citing it as another primary
motivation for playing exer-games.
Menu Screen iiPlayers choose one of two differentgame modes in which to play.
In µTimed Levels¶, players will spend
a set amount of time lunging to reveal
ahidden image. Then, at the end of the allotted time, players can guess
the pictureto earn extra points before
moving to another picture.
In µComplete the Picture¶, players will continue to uncover tiles of a particular background image until every tile of the puzzle is revealed, and the picture isentirely visible. Only upon completion, players can start on a new image.
Background Research
One test subject in particular explained how he is interested in unveiling everytile of a picture, even if he recognizes what the picture is already, since he is
motivated by completing tasks in their entirety. As such, players have the
option of completing the entire picture, or including the additional mentallystimulating challenge of guessing a partially revealed picture in the timed
Icons enter the game view from either the left or the right, approaching the
player¶s left or right foot, which are shown on the screen. The player lunges
to step on or evade the icons as they approach the middle section of the
screen. Three different game bit icons enter the screen view:
Positive Icon, plays a pleasant noise if collected
When players step on this symbol, they uncover a tile from the
hidden picture and earn money, increasing their score.
Negative Icon, plays an unpleasant noise if collectedWhen players step on this symbol, they will lose money, bringing
their score down.
Bonus Icon, plays noise signifying bonus round if collected
When players step on this symbol, they will be asked a bonus
travel trivia question to increase their score if answered correctly.
Background Research
Interview subjects liked the idea of having both positive and negative objects
in the game. Subjects thought that the added element would cause them tothink and respond, making the activity less tedious. Similarly, they think that
having trivia questions and hidden picturespromote using their brain, thus
distracting them from the leg movements, making it easier to perform the
activity. Subjects also provided feedback regarding potential scenic photos
they liked as well as which of a group of icons they identified as being most
Costello and Edmonds (2005) µA Tool for Characterizing the Experience of
Play¶ define key player pleasures that are identified within the game µStepAround the World¶. The element of µdiscovery¶ is best illustrated by actively
gaining coins to reveal a piece of the picture that is displayed on the screen. To
deepen the discovery element a sound is emitted every time the user progressesthrough the game and reveals tiles of the picture, a form of positive feedback.
µDifficulty¶ is also a player pleasure that is relevant to the game aesthetics of µStep Around the World¶. Essentially, the goal for users is to measure their
performance and progress up the gaming difficulty levels. The difficulty is
associated with increasing speed of steps, a greater presence of negative icons,
and more challenging trivia questions.
µCompetition¶ was an important element when doing our initial research. Anoverall view between subjects interviewed revealed a liking to goals being
defined and rewarded. In this context, goals are defined as completing the level,
physically gaining points to reveal all the tiles or by guessing what country the picture was from. The multi-player aspect of the game also struck a chord with
the majority of the subjects. Essentially, if a competitive element like multi
players could be added to the game, the more likely the user would be driven to play. This would not only facilitate in social engagement but also give the
player a sense of achievement or willingness to play again.
µThe lens of surprise¶ (Kaufmann, 2008), is illustrated firstly by once again thetiles of the picture being revealed as the player progresses. Secondly, the
element of surprise is displayed with bonus icons travelling across the screen
simultaneously with negative and positive icons. If the player steps on the
bonus icon this gives the player a chance to gain points by answering a travel
related question. These trivia questions are different each time and become
more challenging as the difficulty increases. The reward and punishment
system associated with the game bits is designed to make the player experiencemore satisfying. By integrating the hidden picture with the player¶s score and
physical movements, all associated with the travel theme, players are morelikely to enjoy the exer-game, thus playing it frequently and benefiting their
The player starts by attaching a bundle of infrared lights to the toes of their
shoes. The bundle of LEDs is setup so that lights will be pointed at many
different angles, to improve the N intendoWii Camera¶s ability to identify the player¶s foot.
Next, the player situates a Wii Camera aimed at their feet. (Note: using twocameras setup orthogonal to one another is a potential future advancement that
could improve the accuracy of the Wii¶s readings.) The Wii Camera will
transmit information about the positions of the LEDs to theWii
.
The Wii is connected to a computer via USB, and using the Osculator software
on the computer, the data about the LEDs location is converted to numerical x-
y-z coordinates in space for the game software to use.
The computer is connected to a screen in front of the player, so that they canview the game display on the screen in front of them (including a projection of
where their feet are located on the game display). When players step outside of
the area where their feet are supposed to be positioned during play, the screen
border flashes and a voice instruction plays to the user to indicate that theystepped out of bounds and must return their feet to the appropriate zone.
Background Research
Based on the experience of game designers at Neuroscience Research
Australia, using multiple LEDs arranged at different angles or using multiple
cameras arranged orthogonally help improve the reliability of the sensor readings to generate more accurate data about the players when used with the
Wii Camera.
Also, the interview subjects like the idea of being alerted when they are not
standing where they are supposed to, since, in other games, they often
inadvertently shift their feet away from the position where they are supposed to be without realizing it, and end up being penalized for it in their score.Having
the player¶s feet displayed on the screen helps to resolve this issue.