SyncPulse: Tension Levels Synchronization in an Interactive Gaming Environment

Project Description

SyncPulse: Tension Levels Synchronization in an Interactive Gaming Environment is a project that explores how the synchronization of in-game events with a player’s tension levels can affect the gaming experience. The project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of altering game events in real time based on the physiological state of the user—in this case, their heart rate.

Developed using the Unity game engine, the project centered around a horror game where certain in-game events were triggered based on the player’s tension level, which was inferred through their heart rate. Events such as torch flickering, 3D ambient sounds, and jump scares were synchronized to the player’s physiological state to either raise or reduce tension. Other pre-determined events remained constant across all playthroughs for comparison.

Key Features:

• Heart Rate Integration: Players’ heart rates were monitored in real-time to synchronize in-game events like jump scares and ambient sounds.
• Dynamic Tension Induction: Tension levels were increased or decreased dynamically based on the player’s physiological state, providing a personalized experience.
• Unity Game Engine: The horror game was developed in Unity, with physiological monitoring components integrated into the gameplay to synchronize the experience.
• Replayability: The project also explored how synchronizing events to a player’s heart rate could enhance replayability by providing a fresh experience each time the game is played.

Research Objectives

The primary objective of this project was to assess the effectiveness of synchronizing in-game events with a user’s physiological state (heart rate) in inducing or reducing tension. The study also aimed to determine whether dynamic events, as opposed to pre-determined events, could enhance the player’s experience, especially in terms of tension and suspense.

Key questions addressed by the project include:

1. Can interactive environments, synchronized to physiological states, more effectively induce tension in players?
2. Do players experience a greater sense of tension from synchronized jump scares compared to pre-determined ones?
3. How can the synchronization of game events improve the replayability of horror or tension-driven games?

Findings

The project’s results revealed several key insights:

• Physiological Impact: The majority of participants exhibited an increase in heart rate following jump scares, confirming that interactive virtual environments can effectively induce tension.
• Enhanced Effects through Synchronization: Jump scares and other tension-inducing elements were more effective when synchronized with the player’s physiological state rather than being random or pre-determined. This allowed players with different resting heart rates to experience similar levels of tension.
• Replayability: Synchronizing tension-inducing events with a player’s heart rate increased the replayability of the game. Unlike pre-determined jump scares that lose their effect after multiple playthroughs, synchronized events remained impactful, as they adjusted to the player’s current state each time they played.

Conclusion

The SyncPulse project demonstrated that synchronizing in-game events with a player’s physiological state, such as their heart rate, is an effective method for inducing tension. This dynamic approach can enhance the emotional and psychological impact of interactive gaming environments, particularly in genres like horror.

Additionally, the project showcased how this method could improve replayability, as tension-inducing elements maintain their impact across multiple playthroughs. Further research could explore expanding this concept to other physiological indicators, improving synchronization algorithms, and applying these techniques to broader genres.

Contributors

• SH Student: Paul Revell
• Supervisors: Dr Abd Alsattar Ardati and Dr Xu Zhu

Artefact(s)

• SyncPulse Horror Game Prototype: A Unity-based horror game developed with real-time heart rate synchronization to dynamically alter tension levels.