Engaging gameplay for audio games

Sammanfattning: This thesis presents an investigation of how to design engaging audio games. This was done by creating two prototypes. The first prototype was a rhythm based fighting game. As it was being developed it became clear that it did not differentiate itself enough from a large amount of already existing audio games. The second prototype was a first person shooter/adventure game utilizing 3D audio. The second prototype was evaluated by observing users playing the prototype and having them answer two questionnaires followed by an interview. Using spatial audio opens up a lot of possibilities. First person navigation using spatial audio is clearly possible, although how to implement it with a high degree of playability is in need of further study. When designing a first person audio game it is important to keep in mind that navigating, aiming etc. is more difficult than in video games. A slower pace seems suitable to this type of game. A lot of time and effort has to be put into the details when designing the gameplay of an audio game. Seemingly inconsequential things can be detrimental to the player’s enjoyment. Focus should be on perfecting the fundamental actions and challenges.