To virtualize or not? The importance of physical and virtual components in augmented reality board games

Abstract

Whereas traditional games have employed entirely physical interfaces, computer games provide a generally virtual alternative. Motivated by interest in supporting conventional gameplay in the computer environment, we investigate the benefits of game interaction techniques based on gestures applied to tangible objects, comparing the user experience with that resulting from more virtualized interaction. Our study is applied in the context of a German-style board game, Settlers of Catan. Significant findings indicate a preference for tangible components for complex interaction tasks. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.