Currently, interaction concepts for mobile games are either based on touch or on physical gestures. This work proposes and evaluates different interaction concepts to control the movement of an avatar in a real-time AR game.

Evaluation of Interaction Methods for a Real-Time Augmented Reality Game Frederic Pollmann, Dirk Wenig, Mareike Picklum and Rainer Malaka

Augmented reality is a way to enhance mobile games and can be easily implemented on today’s powerful smartphones. Developers need to consider additional constraints when choosing the input method for such an AR game. We implemented three control methods for a mobile AR multiplayer fighting game using a virtual joystick, a touch interface and continuous crosshair tracking. We evaluated the effect of the control methods on the game experience with 43 participants and conducted a survey using a questionnaire for intuitive use (QUESI [1]) and individiual interviews. We found significant differences between two of the three implemented input methods, but in the interviews the test persons did not prefer the control method with the highest survey score.

Frederic Pollmann, Dirk Wenig, Mareike Picklum and Rainer Malaka (2013) Evaluation of Interaction Methods for a Real-Time Augmented Reality Game In ICEC 2013: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Entertainment Computing. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8215, 120-125. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg. 10.1007/978-3-642-41106-9_14 | BibTex

Player Control in a Real-Time Mobile Augmented Reality Game Mareike Picklum, Georg Modzelewski, Susanne Knoop, Toke Lichtenberg, Philipp Dittmann, Tammo Böhme, Volker Fehn, Christian John, Johannes Kenkel, Philipp Krieter, Patrick Niethen, Nicole Pampuch, Marcel Schnelle, Yvonne Schwarte, Sanja Stark, Alexander Steenbergen, Malte Stehr, Henning Wielenberg, Merve Yildirim, Can Yüzüncü, Frederic Pollmann, Dirk Wenig and Rainer Malaka

Controlling virtual characters in AR games for modern smartphones is even more challenging than controls for ‘pure’ VR games because the player has to keep the AR world in view. We propose six interaction concepts based on combinations of both physical and virtual buttons and sensor input and suggest an evaluation according to game experience criteria.

Mareike Picklum, Georg Modzelewski, Susanne Knoop, Toke Lichtenberg, Philipp Dittmann, Tammo Böhme, Volker Fehn, Christian John, Johannes Kenkel, Philipp Krieter, Patrick Niethen, Nicole Pampuch, Marcel Schnelle, Yvonne Schwarte, Sanja Stark, Alexander Steenbergen, Malte Stehr, Henning Wielenberg, Merve Yildirim, Can Yüzüncü, Frederic Pollmann, Dirk Wenig and Rainer Malaka (2012) Player Control in a Real-Time Mobile Augmented Reality Game In ICEC 2012: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Entertainment Computing. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 7522, 393-396. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg. 10.1007/978-3-642-33542-6_36 | BibTex