Focus on Cooperation: A Face-to-Face VR Serious Game for Relationship Enhancement

Exploring effective approaches to enhance face-to-face interactions and interpersonal relationships is an important topic in the applications of affective computing. According to the co-actualization model, we propose a face-to-face co-participation serious game for relationship enhancement, with a focus on battling COVID-19. Moreover, a prototype system is developed using an immersive virtual environment and a low-cost brain-computer interface. Through this system, a dynamic flow experience enhancement tool is utilized to involve partners in the cooperative task. To evaluate the system performance, two studies are conducted with schoolmates as participants. Study 1 compares the cooperative and competitive modes, and demonstrates that the former elicited higher level of decision-making challenge and affections, which are beneficial for forming relationships. Study 2 further examines the effect of the dynamic flow enhancement tool in the cooperative task and the results show its effectiveness in promoting flow experience, perceived closeness, and intimacy in relationships. Given this short-term participation, participants felt a greater sense of closeness and intimacy than they had before the test. In conclusion, our proposed system is effective in enhancing schoolmate relationships.