Literature Review — Motion psychology in design and gaming
Author Note
For my first (ever) literature review, I have attempted to focus on presenting an impersonal but thought-provoking method of delivering my information. Explaining the existing research with examples, and poses questions to you, the reader, on how this relates to your everyday lives; contextualising why this information is relevant, interesting, and is affecting us in ways we are slowly coming to realise.
I hope you enjoy as I did, learning why our minds interpret as they do. More excitingly, I find myself eager for opportunities to put this newfound knowledge into practise.
To enjoy the small project I developed to demonstrate the ideas behind the research conducted here, please visit:
https://duckpondfromscratch.itch.io/devlog-motionscapes
Statement
The creative industries have undergone drastic change in the recent, modern years. This can be largely attributed to the societal shift towards postmodernism, and also progressively increasing technological advancements. These (mostly) globalised changes have adversely affected the avenues in which creativity is generally expressed; for some mediums the changes have been considerable and more obvious than others. Our understanding in games development in particular, has been transformed from piecing together basic design principles, into a process of deeper and informed understanding behind every decision.
The psychology behind how our human minds subconsciously translate motion patterns and trajectory is well documented. However, the implementation of this knowledge through the creative medium of video games is a relatively recent notion, leaving much still to be explored. This review aims at observing the existing foundations in motion research, and attempts to translate this knowledge to how it may be critically and practically applied in a games design context. Even understanding at face value, which patterns provoke certain responses from an audience, is still an important threshold to cross as a designer. Knowing this information is providing oneself avenue to shift perspective, and dig deeper with design decisions and creative ideation.
A Direct Approach
The Affective Affordance of Motionscape (Feng, 2014) takes a refreshingly practical approach to researching visual motion graphics. A motionscape is a visual phenomenon composed of a group of coordinated objects with shared motion properties. Employing a wide variety of CGI 3D motionscape primitives, Feng conducted research on how a combination of motion factors in a graphic can have intentional and reliably consistent effects on audiences. They went on to visually demonstrate examples of their points, and collated the results of the practical testing and application of the research. The investigated visual motion properties include speed, direction, path curvature, scale, layout, shape, and viewpoint; each of these aspects denote a logical stem of visual imagery that our minds analyse and chemically react to on a subconscious level.
To better contextualise what Feng’s work seeks to comprehend, let us pose a question for a moment. We will — safely — assume that the act of witnessing fireworks provokes at least some level of an emotional and energetic response within us. Let us also assume that there is no sound, sky backdrop, or differing colours to the fireworks. Would the motion pattern of: many large scaled particles, shrinking over their lifetime, beginning from a central point expanding outward, at an exponentially decreasing velocity; still invoke a similar emotional response in us? Simply put, if stripped away of all non-motion-based components and associated practical implications, would the motion pattern alone, of a standard firework, still have an energising effect on us? Furthermore, would this effect still be similar if it were to take place underwater for example, with bubbles in place of sparks and fire?
Feng breaks down the visual complexity of each artifact to simplistic and understandable terms; lowering the assumed-knowledge barrier for absorbing this information. Individuals adopting a pragmatic approach towards applying informed theory to their work, in particular stand to gain much from Feng’s research.
The experience offered to consumers through the medium of game design is comparatively unique, in regards to the general creative industry. It is the level of player interactions, immersion, and the agency they feel within the game media they consume, that sets these worlds apart. Experiencing visual effects in film is to play witness through the looking glass — to experience the same effects in a gaming context is to be more personally affected by the implications represented in the scene; the agency and responsibility supplanted onto the consumer (the player). The Affective Affordance of Motionscape represents knowledge that can be applied to achieve deeper levels of immersion within gaming’s audiences; through informed psychological research, and a deeper understanding of what affects our minds, and how.
Continuing on this train of thought, we look into Beyond data: Abstract motionscapes as affective visualization (2017). Feng, Bartram, & Gromala argue on this topic; stating that by definition, information visualisation is the use of graphical and spatial representations of inherently abstract data to facilitate cognitive reasoning. They go on to say that the affective context in which this data is communicated is often accidental or given a low priority when it comes to critical consideration. Feng, Bartram, & Gromala (2017) go on to propose a set of empirically evaluated guidelines for communicating and effecting through motionscapes, and their application in the modern gaming technologies most focused on immersion, such as augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR). One might say these are the beginnings of laying new foundations, raising the expectations for what is to be considered strong and informed design in a progressively technical society.
This paints an important portrait of the ‘bigger picture’ regarding the relatively recent academic and research happenings; concerning how the paths of motion psychology and increasingly informed game design are beginning to merge. It is as if these notions have become the two different sides of the same coin; both in pursuit of applying more deeply informed knowledge towards creating immersive experiences. This may mark an industry shift that compliments the latest advances in VR technologies, due to their state of the art immersion properties.
An Analytical Approach
A similar line of research was conducted by Nakatani in 2005: Meaning from motion: exploring the affective properties of simple animation. This thesis conducted simple affective motion experiments utilising 2D imagery, with test subjects. The goal of these experiments was to manipulate the test subject’s emotional state in a positive or negative manner, through delivering relatively simplistic patterns of motion; and they provided conclusive evidence of the results over a number of experiments. Participants were asked to rate their emotional responses to motion patterns; such as positive (happy) or negative (sad), with controlling factors such as speed being modified between test subjects.
As a point of interest on this topic, it was found that the motion’s speed was a large ‘swing’ factor in it being responsible for tipping a pattern between a positive or negative response. Nakatani — following the results of their studies — summarised that motion had shown to be a powerful conduit of visual information, and a rich means of affective communication (2005).
Kosara (2007) analyses similar ideas from a graphic design perspective, centralised around how aspects of motion are used to manipulate the user experience, and more importantly, convey information. Visualization Criticism-The Missing Link Between Information Visualization and Art explores data-based visualisations, and reviews both artistic and pragmatic approaches to these concepts. In games design and in practically all technical displays, this research information is essential in graphic interfaces being able to effectively communicate their functionality to the users. Kosara in particular draws comparison between what factors are intricate in creating either pragmatic or artistic visualisations; utilitarian, or sublime.
The path of Kosara’s research crosses Feng’s, where the latter cites: “According to Kosara, the goal of visualisation is usually to communicate a concern rather than to show data” (Kosara, 2007). Norman (2009), regarding everyday design, also suggests that design artifacts require motion in order to communicate that the system is functioning as it should be, as reassurance; or to warn users of the opposite. It is this line of research that answers a question hiding in plain sight: why do the vast majority of user applications employ a loading icon that is a form of a spinning dot or circle? The answer is not about aesthetic, but about how the motion pattern is used to express reassurance towards the user.
Though each with their own methods, and different focal points of their studies, each researcher sought to answer the same underlying question. How do our minds interpret visual motion imagery, and knowing this, can these factors be manipulated as evidence proving this hypothesis?
Performance as Inquiry
Motion and its interpretative properties are certainly not exclusive to graphics, user interfaces, or even particle effects. Subyen, Maranan, Schiphorst, Pasquier, & Bartram (2011) offer an alternate perspective on motion via analysing visual metaphors — or visaphors — demonstrated in human movement patterns. By adapting a framework developed from linguistic concepts by Cox (2006), they seek to understand and translate the visaphors which dancers communicate, through choreographic concepts.
For the uninitiated in perceiving the language of dance, EMVIZ: the poetics of movement quality visualization provides visual representations of the choreography; akin to something of a user-guide to movements within dance. Through experimentation and surveying test subjects it is demonstrated; that audiences were better able to understand the correspondence between the visual representations of the metaphors contained within the movements. The motion factors of space, weight, time, the effort quality and characteristics present in movement are comprised to create an experimental framework; that seeks to decode and educate on the metaphorical and interpretive messages within human movements and dance.
Simply put, this research highlights how deliberate each aspect of a dancer’s movement is; whereas it be the use of space, with flowing and sustained movements, or a rigid and powerful stance. The framework then colour codes the characteristics of a performance, and expresses the results in visual artform. The value of Subyen, Maranan, Schiphorst, Pasquier, & Bartram’s work however, must not be modestly understated. The analysis of a motion ‘translation guide’ pertaining to specifically dance, has the potential to be a key catalyst in breaking the perception barrier surrounding this artform.
Though fast progressing to a place beyond the scope of this review, Reason & Reynolds (2010) interviewed the audiences of dance recitals. They found that the lack of interpretive knowledge on what they [the audience] were witnessing, made the viewing experience disjointed and distant, not unlike reading a foreign language one was unproficient with. It is safe to draw comparisons from this idea, back towards motion and motionscapes; that a lack of understanding — especially from a design aspect — can lead to disjointed and foreign user experiences.
Conclusion
The points covered during this review above all else represent the untapped potential in what is available to the current games industry. It can be said that this is a specialised knowledge not common amongst the average designer. Harnessing the knowledge of motionscape psychology should be recognised as a valuable and unique skill in going the extra mile towards creating extraordinarily immersive gaming experiences, which in turn — design aspects aside — translates to a competitive advantage against similar products.
The research and information freely available is fascinating, but curiously, across the board the trend seems undoubtedly targeted towards the ‘uninitiated’. The readings are largely an abstraction from typical grandiose literature, often providing visual cues and simplified graphics for their readers. Understanding an inherently complex science has been made accessible and easy to put into perspective, when translating from theory to practical design aspects. Though loathe to repeat this ideative train of thought; the research in this field is astoundingly practical and pragmatic.
The lay of the land makes for an invigorating research experience, and modestly guides its readers to explore new perspectives; analysing the potentially mundane and taken-for-granted aspects of even the most simplistic designs. Be mindful of the sign-posts covered in this review, and be encouraged to critically analyse fireworks, shooting stars, or even steam from a kettle next time you find yourself in a moment of introspection.
Bibliography
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