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Google's VR Poker and High Five mini-games teach players how to be nice

A virtual shopping experiment leads Google's Daydream Labs to ruminate on fostering positive social experiences through gaming.

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While video games create a digital or virtual space in which players can exercise their curiosity, that same curiosity can sometimes cause other people to feel unsafe or uncomfortable. In considering how game designers can create social experiences that are fun, easy to use, and also safe and comfortable for all participants, Google's Daydream Labs has been conducting a number of experiments.

So writes Robbie Tilton, a User Experience Designer with Google VR,posting to Google's online developer blog. "Everyone should feel safe and comfortable in [virtual reality]," he explains. "If we can anticipate the actions of others, then we may be able to discourage negative social behaviour before it starts."

Daydream Labs' Shopping demo allowed two participants to enter a virtual store and inspect the items displayed inside. Hats, glasses, and other accessories can be picked up and tried on, or placed somewhere else.
Friends might place hats on each other's heads, but as Tilton pointed out, there were no limits on where those items could go.

If one person blocked the other's vision with a misplaced piece of headwear, the other person's vision would be restricted. If they couldn't get the virtual hat off again, they'd just stop playing altogether. That wasn't what the VR team was aiming for, so they tried again with a card game.

In this version of poker, each player is a card-playing dog. They can place bets and play cards. They can even get up and walk around. But if they do, they lose influence and their own experience is devalued: the screen fades from color to black-and-white and they are no longer visible to the other player. A corrective highlight draws their attention back to their seat at the table.

That was enough to discourage players from stealing chips or invading personal space. But how to encourage positive behaviour? "Try giving them an incentive," Tilton suggested.

Another mini-game could tell when players' virtual hands touched at high speed. When they did -- whether as a high five, fingertip tap, or fist bump -- the game made a slapping sound and provided a sparkly visual effect.
"It sounds simple, but people loved it."

"Meanwhile, if you tried to do something more aggressive, like punching an avatar's body, nothing would happen. You can guess which behaviour people naturally preferred," Tilton said.

 

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