作者：Raymond Usher

这项研究调查的是音频在电脑游戏中的重要性。针对这个目标，我们设计了一个实验，比较研究参与者在有音频和无音频的环境下玩相同游戏的情况。参与者对游戏的生理反应被记录下来，包括呼吸波动、心率、呼吸频率和皮肤温度。

对参与者的心率和呼吸频率的分析显示，那些玩带有音频的游戏的人拥有更高层次的激发状态（游戏邦注：心率和呼吸频率综合值），由此呈现了游戏中音频促进玩家融入的能力。

参与者

阿伯泰大学的12名学生参加了此次研究。所有的参与者都有过玩电脑游戏的经验，但是对研究所选择的这款游戏，他们几乎未曾体验过。

资料

实验性测试在阿伯泰的HIVE中进行，6米背投屏幕、7.1环绕音效和可调节光照可以用来呈现绝妙的游戏体验。

参与者的生理反应用生理信号系统记录。生理信号系统可以记录一系列生理属性，包括心率、呼吸频率和皮肤温度。

研究选用了3款游戏供参与者体验：《星噬》；《横冲直撞：终极杀戮》；《失忆症：黑暗后裔》。

这些游戏题材各异（包括赛车和生存威胁），玩法类型也各不相同（包括驾驶和第一人称射击）。

图1 星噬(from gamasutra)

《星噬》的目标是将代表你的单细胞有机体（亮蓝色球体）推到其他较小的尘埃（暗蓝色球体）中，将其吞噬。如果与比你较大的尘埃碰撞，那么你自己就会被吞噬，游戏结束。喷射物质可以改变移动的轨迹。根据作用力与反作用力，玩家的尘埃会朝物质喷射相反的方向移动，但是喷射物质也会导致尘埃缩小。

图2　横冲直撞:终极杀戮(from gamasutra)

《横冲直撞》是款赛车游戏，侧重于破坏性的竞速，拥有精妙的物理引擎。比赛会在各种不同的地方展开，从繁忙的街道到暴雨水渠。玩家与11个由电脑控制的对手比赛，整场比赛需要围绕赛道跑许多圈。腾空和撞击其他汽车能够让速度获得额外的大幅提升。

图3 失忆症:黑暗后裔(from gamsutra)

《失忆症：黑暗后裔》讲述的是手无寸铁的主角探索一个黑暗且令人产生不祥之感的城堡，在其中躲避各种怪物和其他障碍，同时游戏还包含解决谜题的内容。游戏是第一人称视角，玩家扮演Daniel随故事进展经历Brennenburg Castle的不同关卡，从Rainy Hall开始直到到达城堡的最深处，寻找城堡的所有者Alexander。

过程

实验性测试从参与者签署同意表格开始，他们在表格中承诺同意参与实验，理解实验的组成内容并声称对该实验毫无疑问，这是阿伯泰实验指导的要求。签署同意表格后，参与者学习如何佩戴生理信号系统。佩戴上生理信号系统后，设备就会开始记录生理属性。

参与者依次玩《星噬》、《横冲直撞》和《失忆症》这3款游戏。在每次开始玩游戏前，参与者必须处在冷静状态，这点通过生理信号系统来确认。如果参与者不是以休憩状态开始玩游戏，那么就很难断定游戏对生理反应所产生的影响。

有音频和无音频的条件交替使用，如果某个参与者玩有音频的游戏，那么下个参与者就玩无音频的游戏。所有参与者玩的都是这3款游戏中相同的关卡和场景。在《星噬》中，参与者玩的是两个任务为成为最大尘埃的关卡。在《横冲直撞》中，参与者使用的都是首个赛道（游戏邦注：比赛需要绕赛道跑4圈）和相同的汽车。在《失忆症》中，所有参与者的任务是导航通过游戏的开放关卡。

结果

游戏1

对参与者反应的分析专注于心率和呼吸频率，这是衡量激发状态的变量。根据测试条件，参与者被分成两组：音频和无音频。

图4显示的是两组在玩首个游戏期间的心率对比。

图4：音频组和无音频组心率比较示意图(from gamasutra)

在游戏开始时，两组的心率都在75bmp（游戏邦注：“bmp”指每分钟跳动次数）左右。音频组玩游戏的时间更长，但是心率的趋势是不断提升，心率的最大值和最小值也都高于无音频组（游戏邦注：音频组最大值为84bpm，最小值为68bpm；无音频组最大值为78bpm，最小值为61bpm）。

深入分析发现，心率上的这种差异是显著的（曼-惠特尼检验p<0.001）。

图5显示两组呼吸频率在游戏期间的对比（游戏邦注：音频组呼吸频率的最大值和最小值分别为25bpm和7bpm，无音频组分别为21bpm和2bpm）。分析显示，与心率不同的是，呼吸频率之间的差别并不显著（曼-惠特尼检验p=0.182）。

图5：音频组和无音频组呼吸频率比较示意图(from gamasutra)

游戏2

图6显示音频组和无音频组在玩第2款游戏（即《横冲直撞》）时的心率情况。图形显示，两组间有明显的差异，音频组在游戏期间的心率远高于无音频组（游戏邦注：音频组最大值为91bpm，最小值为57bpm；无音频组最大值为77bpm，最小值为64bpm）。进一步分析数据显示，这两组间的差别明显（游戏邦注：曼-惠特尼检验p<0.001）。

图7显示两组在游戏过程中的呼吸频率变化情况。在游戏期间，两组的呼吸频率都有波动，音频组的呼吸频率最大值和最小值略高于无音频组（游戏邦注：音频组最大值为24bpm，最小值为14bpm；无音频组最大值为22bpm，最小值为12bpm）。数据分析发现，两组间的差异很明显（曼-惠特尼检验p<0.001）。

图6：心率比较示意图(from gamasutra)

图7：音频组和无音频组在游戏2期间呼吸频率比较示意图(from gamasutra)

游戏3

图8显示音频组和无音频组在玩第3款游戏（游戏邦注：即《失忆症：黑暗后裔》）时的心率情况。图表显示，音频组在整个游戏过程中心率都高于无音频组。音频组和无音频组的心率最大值分别为90bpm和77bpm，心率最小值分别为77bpm和52bpm。进一步数据分析发现，两组心率间有显著的差异（曼-惠特尼检验p<0.001）。

图9显示音频组和无音频组在游戏过程中的呼吸频率对比情况。图形显示，音频组的整体呼吸频率（最大值为27bpm，最小值为10bpm）要高于无音频组（最大值为16bpm，最小值为6bpm）。数据分析显示，呼吸频率间的差异也是显著的（曼-惠特尼检验p<0.001）。

图8：游戏3过程中音频组和无音频组心率比较示意图(from gamasutra)

图9：游戏3过程中音频组和无音频组呼吸频率比较示意图(from gamasutra)

总结

首先，总结下实验结果。在游戏1期间，音频组与无音频组相比，心率显著较高，呼吸频率略高。在游戏2期间，音频组的心率和呼吸频率都显著高于无音频组。

最后，在游戏3期间，音频组的心率和呼吸频率也都显著高于无音频组。这些发现显示，游戏中的音频能够增加玩家的激发层次，生理反应的提升（即心率和呼吸频率）便是证据。

如果从游戏的角度来考虑，游戏1（即《星噬》）的结果显示，这款游戏让音频组产生相对较低的心率（数值为68bpm）和最低的呼吸频率（数值为7bpm）。尽管这些值较低，但仍然高于无音频组。

这些数值较低最有可能的原因在于，《星噬》是款低压游戏。关卡参与者需要完成的任务并不具有很大的挑战性，而且音频让人放松，因而参与者没有变现出任何紧张感。

在游戏2（即《横冲直撞》）中，与无音频组相比，音频组呈现出最高的心率（数值为91bpm）和略高的呼吸频率。出现如此高数值的原因在于，《横冲直撞》是款令人兴奋的竞速游戏，音频（游戏邦注：比如引擎轰鸣声、碰撞音效和背景摇滚音乐）会让人产生更大的兴奋感。此外，参与者在游戏中的表现也会影响生理反应。比如，如果玩家胜利，他或许就会产生兴奋感（心率和呼吸频率都会增加）。如果玩家在游戏中失败，他们可能就会产生挫败感，这也会让心率和呼吸频率增加。

游戏3（即《失忆症》）最好地呈现了游戏中音频产生的影响。与无音频组相比，游戏期间音频组的心率和呼吸频率显著较高。游戏过程中没有敌人也没有战斗，只有探索的内容，结果显示音频能够增加玩家在游戏中的沉浸度。

纵观各组对所有游戏的反应，结果显示音频组在所有游戏中的心率和呼吸频率最大值都高于非音频组（游戏邦注：3款游戏的心率最大值分别为84bpm、91bpm和90bpm，呼吸频率最大值为25bpm、24bpm和27bpm）。无音频组在3款游戏中的心率最大值几乎相同（分别为78bpm、77bpm和77bpm）。两组间心率的差异显示游戏中音频对玩家的影响。

为进一步探索游戏中音频的影响力，还有其他利用与上述相同方法论的研究，但是使用商业游戏有助于构建专门游戏环境。专门游戏环境的优势在于控制几乎所有内容的能力。这种环境可以用于探索音频的质量或现实性等层面与玩家反应间的关系。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

How Does In-Game Audio Affect Players?

Raymond Usher

This study investigated the importance of audio in computer games. To do this an experiment was designed that compared groups of participants that played the same games with and without audio. Participants’ physical responses to the games were recorded via a bioharness that recorded participant’s breathing wave, heart rate, respiration rate and skin temperature.

Analysis of the heart rate and respiration rate of participants showed that those playing games with audio had a higher level of arousal (a combination of heart rate and respiration rate) and demonstrated the immersion capabilities of audio in games.

Participants

12 students from the University of Abertay participated in the study. All participants had experience in playing computer games but little or no experience in the games selected for the study.

Materials

Experimental trials were conducted in Abertay’s HIVE facility, which provides a six meter rear projection screen, 7.1 surround sound and adjustable lighting providing a great gaming experience.

Participants’ physical responses were recorded with a bioharness (more info available here). The bioharness records a range of physical attributes including heart rate, breathing rate, and skin temperature.

Three games were selected as stimuli for participants to play: Osmos; FlatOut Total Carnage; Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

These games provided a range of genres (racing to survival horror) and play styles (driving to first person shooter).

The aim of Osmos is to propel yourself (bright blue orb), a single-celled organism (mote), into other smaller motes (dark blue orbs) to absorb them. Colliding with a mote larger than yourself will result in being absorbed yourself, resulting in a Game Over. Changing course is done by expelling mass. Due to conservation of momentum, this results in the player’s mote moving away from the expelled mass, but also in their mote shrinking.

FlatOut is a racing game with an emphasis on demolition derby-style races, and features a sophisticated physics engine. Races take place in a range of locations from busy street to storm water drains. Players race against 11 computer-controlled opponents in races consisting of multiple laps. An additional speed boost can be gained by going off jumps and crashing into other cars.

Amnesia: the Dark Descent features an unarmed protagonist exploring a dark and foreboding castle while avoiding monsters and other obstructions, as well as solving puzzles. The player plays and sees through the eyes of Daniel, making their way through the different levels of Brennenburg Castle as the story progresses, starting off in the Rainy Hall and eventually making their way into the deepest depths of the castle in their search for Alexander, the owner of the castle.

Procedure

The experiment trials began with participants signing a consent form, where they agreed to take part in the experiment, understood what the experiment would consist of, and stated they had no problem with projected images, as required by Abertay’s experiment guidelines. Following the signing of the consent form, participants were instructed how to wear the bioharness. Once the bioharness was on, recording of physical attributes began.

Participants played each of the three games in order: Osmos, FlatOut, and Amnesia. Before starting each game, participants had to be in a resting state; this was monitored with the bioharness. If participants were not in a relaxed state when they began the game, it would be challenging to determine the effects of gaming on physical responses.

Participants alternated between the audio and no-audio conditions, where one participant would play the three games with audio and the next participant would play the three games without audio. All participants were given the same levels/locations in all three games to play. For Osmos, participants were given two levels where they were tasked to become the largest. For FlatOut, all participants were given the first race (four laps) and the same car. Finally, for Amnesia, all participants were tasked with navigating through the open level of the game.

Results

Game 1

Analysis of participant responses focused on heart rate and respiration rate as variables demonstrating arousal. Participants were divided into two groups based on testing conditions: audio and no-audio.

Illustration 4 shows a comparison of the groups’ heart rate over the duration of playing the first game.

At the start of the game both groups had a heart rate around 75 beats per minute (bpm). The Audio group played the game for longer, but also demonstrates a consistently higher heart rate throughout, and had greater maximum and minimum heart rate values (audio group maximum 84bpm, minimum 68bpm; no-audio group maximum 78bpm and minimum 61bpm).

Further analysis found this difference in heart rate to be significant (Mann-Whitney, p<0.001).

Illustration 5 shows a comparison of groups’ respiration rate during game play (maximum and Minimum respiration rate of 25bpm and 7bpm for audio group, respectively and 21bpm and 2bpm for no-audio group, respectively). Analysis showed, unlike heart rate, a significant difference was not found (Mann-Whitney, p=0.182).

(Illustration 4: Heart rate comparison of groups with and without audio)

(Illustration 5: Comparison of respiration rate of audio and no-audio groups)

Game 2

Illustration 6 shows a comparison of audio and no-audio groups’ heart rate while playing Game 2 (FlatOut). The graph shows a clear difference between the groups, with the audio group having a much higher heart rate throughout the game compared to the no-audio group (Audio group maximum 91bpm, minimum 57bpm and NO-audio group maximum 77bpm, minimum 64bpm). Further statistical analysis showed this to be a significant difference (Mann-Whitney, p<0.001).

Illustration 7 shows a comparison of the two groups’ respiration rate throughout the game. During game play both group show fluctuation in respiration rates with the audio group having a slightly higher maximum and minimum respiration rate (audio group maximum 24bpm, minimum 14bpm, and no-audio group maximum 22bpm, minimum 12bpm). Statistical analysis found the difference between groups to be significant (Mann-Whitney, p<0.001).

(Illustration 6: Comparison of heart rates)

(Illustration 7: Comparison of audio/no-audio groups’ respiration rate for Game 2)

Game 3

Illustration 8 shows a comparison of heart rates for the audio and no-audio groups while playing Game 3 (Amnesia: The Dark Descent). The graph shows that the audio group had a consistently higher heart rate throughout the game-play session. The audio and no-audio groups obtained maximum heart rates of 90bpm and 77bpm respectively, and minimum heart rate of heart rates of 74bpm and 52bpm, respectively. Further statistical analysis found the differences in heart rate to be significant (Mann-Whitney, p<0.001).

Illustration 9 shows a comparison of respiration rates throughout game-play for the audio and no-audio groups. The graph shows overall the audio group had a greater respiration rate (maximum rate of 27bpm and minimum rate of 10bpm) compared to the no-audio group (maximum 16bpm and minimum 6bpm). Statistical analysis found that the differences in respiration rate were significant (Mann-Whitney, p<0.001).

(Illustration 8: Comparison of audio and no-audio groups’ heart rate for Game 3)

(Illustration 9: Comparison of audio and no-audio groups’ respiration rate for Game 3)

Summary

Firstly, a summary of results: During Game 1, the audio group had a significantly higher heart rate and a slightly higher respiration rate compared to the no-audio group. During Game 2, the audio group had a significantly high heart rate and respiration rate than the no-audio group.

Finally, during Game 3 the audio group had significantly higher heart rate and respiration rate compared to the no-audio group. These findings suggest that the presence of audio in games can increase in player arousal, as shown by an increase in physical responses (heart rate and respiration rate).

Focusing on the games individually, starting with Game 1 (Osmos) the results show this game produced a low heart rate (68bpm) and lowest respiration rate (7bpm) for the audio group. While these values are low both were still higher than that produced by the no-audio group.

These values are low, most likely, because Osmos is a low-stress game. The levels participants were tasked with completing were not challenging, and the audio is relaxing — therefore, participants did not express any frustration.

During Game 2 (FlatOut), the audio group produced the highest heart rate (91bpm) and a slightly higher respiration rate compared to the No-audio group. The rationale for these high values is that FlatOut is an exhilarating racing game, more so with audio (engine noise, crash sound effects, and background rock music). Furthermore, participant performance in the game may affect responses — for example, if a player is winning, they may respond with excitement (increasing both heart and respiration rate), or if a player is losing they may become frustrated, also increasing heart and respiration rate.

Game 3 (Amnesia) best demonstrates the affect of audio in games. The audio group obtained significantly higher heart and respiration rates compared to the no-audio group during game play. This is more impressive given that in the section of game all participants played through, very little happens. There are no enemies and no fighting — just exploration — and the results suggest that audio can yet increase immersion in games.

Reviewing group responses to all games it shows the audio group produced a high maximum heart rate and respiration rate for all games (heart rate Game 1: 84bpm, Game 2: 91bpm and Game 3: 90bpm; respiration rate Game 1: 25bpm, Game 2: 24 and Game 3: 27bpm). The no-audio group produced consistent maximum heart rate values over the three games (Game 1: 78bpm, Game 2: 77bpm and Game 3: 77bpm). The difference in heart rates between the groups shows the effect audio in games has on players.

To further investigate the effect of audio in games another study could be conducted that utilizes the same methodology as the above study, but instead of using commercial games as stimuli could build a bespoke game environment for testing. The advantage of a bespoke testing environment is the ability to control almost everything. Such an environment could be used to investigate aspects such as quality or realism of audio and the responses of players. (Source: Gamasutra)