Hold and Feel! A Multiplayer Video Game System with Interpersonal Vibrotactile Feedback via Bracelet Controllers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a multiplayer video game system that uses bracelet controllers to enable interpersonal touch and vibrotactile feedback, enhancing social interaction between players through physical sensations.

Contribution

It presents a novel multiplayer game system integrating interpersonal touch and vibrotactile feedback via bracelet controllers to improve social interaction.

Findings

Players can control characters through touch

Players experience vibrotactile feedback indicating character position

The system enhances social interaction in multiplayer gaming

Abstract

Recent multiplayer video games (MPVGs) have increasingly incorporated social behaviors, such as gathering in the same place and facing each other, to enhance player interaction. This study aims to develop an MPVG system that facilitates social interaction through interpersonal touch between players. We present an MPVG system where two players wearing bracelet-type game controllers control a player character through touch to catch items and feel the position of the player character through vibrotactile sensations between their hands.