Precision of control as a function of control scheme: Implications for serious exertion games from a Flow perspective

Exertion based games have shown significant potential to influence health and well-being positively. Natural locomotion systems have been developed towards this end, however designing appropriate control schemes for such systems are particularly challenging as performance degradation might occur in terms of response time, precision and dexterity in consequence. This could affect the player's sense of control and thereby the gameplay experience negatively. This paper primarily focuses upon - taking objective measures of the precision of control a player experiences as the interface for a game is changed as a consequence of incorporating an exertion based control scheme. Four standard tests used in the psychology literature have been employed to understand the performance differences in terms of detection and speed of response, combined with precise `pixel accurate' motion and tracking of objects. Finally the implication of any potential degradation in control will also be discussed by framing the discussion within Csikszentmihályi's Flow model and a discussion of player skill/ability.