Sound for Fantasy and Freedom - Game Sound Technology and Player Interaction: Concepts and Developments - page 26

Judging from the volume and type of work
built on and derived from Csíkszentmihályi's
flow principle, it can be argued that the concept
is relevant in the context of computer games.
Andrew Polaine (2005) has written about The
Flow Principle in Interactivity . This work does
not relate to computer games per se, but is
closely related to the subject in that it connects
flow with both “willing suspension of disbelief”
(a term borrowed from narratives in theater and
film) and the experience of play. The GameFlow
model developed by Sweetser and Wyeth builds
directly on the concept of flow and is a model for
evaluating computer games from an enjoyment
perspective. Another example is Kalle Jegers'
(2009) “Pervasive GameFlow” model that takes
Sweetser's and Wyeth's GameFlow concept to the
pervasive game arena. A final example is Cowley,
Charles, Black, and Hickey's (2008) USE model
(User, System, Experience) that looks at games,
player interaction, and flow from an information
system perspective.
Built on the Flow concept, Sweetser and Wy-
eth's GameFlow model consists of eight elements
for achieving enjoyment in games. The model
can be used both when designing new games and
when evaluating existing game concepts. In sum-
mary, according to Sweetser and Wyeth, games
must keep the player concentrated through a high
workload. At the same time, the game tasks must
be sufficiently challenging and match the skill
level of the player. The game tasks must have clear
goals and the player must be given clear feedback
on progression towards these goals. Enabling
deep yet effortless involvement in the game can
potentially create immersion in the game. Accord-
ing to Sweetser and Wyeth, experiences can be
immersive if they let us concentrate on the task
of the game without effort. “Effortlessly” can, in
this context, be interpreted in several ways: one
way to think about it is in terms of how true to
real life a gaming experience is and how trans-
parent the interaction with the game creating the
experience it is. How the GameFlow model can

be used in sound design for games is covered in
more detail below.
A number of research projects report on sound
and audio's ability to create rich, strong and im-
mersive experiences using mobile platforms that
give physical freedom to the users. These projects
also support the general idea that sound and audio
are well suited for use in the design of computer
game experiences based on the GameFlow model.
Reid, Geelhoed, Hull, Cater, and Clayton report on
a public, location-based audio drama called Riot
1831 . The evaluation of the project showed that a
majority of the users had rich and immersive expe-
riences created from the sounds of an audio-based
narrative. Based on the results from this project,
the authors argue that “immersion is a positive
determinant for enjoyment (and vice versa)” (Reid,
Geelhoed, Hull, Cater, & Clayton, 2005). It should
be noted that the drama took place in a square in
Bristol, UK, which gives this project similarities
to pervasive and location-based games where
the virtual gameworld and the physical world of
the player are blended. Friberg and Gärdenfors
(2004) report on a project in which three audio-
based games (what the authors term TiM games)
were developed. Based on audio communication
with the users, the authors report that these games
give the users spatial freedom, encourage physical
activity and open up possibilities to create new
types of interfaces for input to the game. Ekman
et al. report on the development of a game for a
mobile platform (Ekman et al., 2005). They point
out that sound and audio can indeed be used to
create immersion, but also that the use of sound
does not automatically create immersion. Great
care must be taken when designing the game
sounds and the developers must also carefully
select the best technology and equipment to play
back the game audio to get the desired effects.
In two projects, the Interactive Institute's Sonic
Studio has investigated how sound in games can
be used to bring the user's own fantasy into play
to create new gaming experiences (Liljedahl,
Lindberg, & Berg, 2005; Liljedahl, Papworth, &