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Designing intergenerational play via enactive interaction, competition and acceleration

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Abstract

We report on the design process and the design rationales of a physical mini-game, to be played by seniors and youngsters. First, we explain that we seek enactive interaction, rather than physical action. Next, we elaborate on how competition correlates with social interaction, relying on FIRO theory. Then, we analyze how the sensor technology within the WiiMote affords acceleration. Via an evaluation of existing physical mini-games, seniors and youngsters empirically verify these three design rationales on enactive interaction, competition and acceleration. We conclude that these rationales result in ease-of-use, equality-in-ease-of-use and visibility-of-player-action, which in turn stimulate competition and consequently intergenerational play. Finally, we present the design and user evaluation of our physical mini-game, designed in accordance with these rationales.

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Notes

  1. Funded by IWT-Vlaanderen (IWT-nr.:60135 start:1/01/2007 end:1/01/2009), “e-Treasure—Gebruikergestuurd ontwikkeling van een digitaal spel voor kennisuitwisseling tussen senioren en jongeren.,” n.d.

  2. Blast From The Past! is the artistic translation of the Dutch title ‘De Grote Teletijdshow!’.

  3. Mini-games are short, self-contained games, based around a single principle [20].

  4. EnactiveNetwork.org.

  5. This problem is commonly known: the current acceleration sensor in the WiiMote does not allow for perfect synchronization, there is a gap between detecting an acceleration and the in game mapping. Nintendo announced that it will release the Wii MotionPlus, promising a true 1:1 response in their game play.

  6. Although the player’s main focus was on the screen, we had a strong impression that the other players were still in the peripheral vision.

  7. The Atomium was built for the national World Fair in 1958 and still functions as a symbolic building for many Belgians.

  8. Due to a sudden absence of one senior, a benevolent professor agreed to participate in one of the user tests.

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Acknowledgments

We like to thank all the seniors and youngsters who participated in the e-Treasure design process. Furthermore, this research project would not be possible without game developer Jelle Husson, usability specialists Gerrit Vos en Rogier Vermaut, digital artists David Molenberghs and David Dils and our project coordinator Stef Desmet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. eMedia Lab, GROUP T-Leuven Engineering College, (Association K.U.Leuven)/CUO, K.U.Leuven, Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000, Louvain, Belgium

    Vero Vanden Abeele

  2. eMedia Lab, GROUP T-Leuven Engineering College, (Association K.U.Leuven)/CMC, K.U.Leuven, Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000, Louvain, Belgium

    Bob De Schutter

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  1. Vero Vanden Abeele
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  2. Bob De Schutter
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Correspondence to Vero Vanden Abeele.

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Vanden Abeele, V., De Schutter, B. Designing intergenerational play via enactive interaction, competition and acceleration. Pers Ubiquit Comput 14, 425–433 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-009-0262-3

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