Triggers and Responses to Simulator Sickness in Videogame Players

Data Collection and Analysis on Simulator Sickness Case Parameters in Susceptible Videogame Players

The objective of this research is the accumulation of gameplay data and simulator sickness background surveys for trend analysis, and individual simulator sickness trigger factor analysis for the test subjects involved. Rather than isolating specific variables for hypothesis formulation, this study will be attempting to collect an array of data that is a) both qualitative and quantitative, and b) observational and test subject-reported. The final results will consist of a list of possible trigger factors to avoid for individual subjects, and metrics showing the directional tendencies of players depending on the severity of their symptoms at the time.

The overall goal of this research is to better understand factors that contribute to simulator sickness, both in who it affects and why some gameplay experiences may cause it more than others. Operating from the basic assumption that the way a player moves through an environment affects how quickly that player gets sick, we will primarily be gathering data on how the player moves through the digital space and whether that behavior changes once they begin to feel sick.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Survey participants should have some experience with playing videogames or similar interactive simulations on 2D displays.
• At least one-half of research participants should have experienced simulator sickness at some point in recent memory (within the past year) in response to a simulated experience.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Players under 18 will be excluded from participating in the experimental portion of the project.
• manual dexterity deficit or inability to use the gameplay interface
• Non-English speakers
• Acute state of illness.