Clothing Sounds in Games: Generation Procedure and Impact on Player Experience

Plausible soundscapes positively contribute to the overall player experience. They consist of several little details, such as footsteps or the breathing sounds of the avatar. Our work contributes to the quality of such soundscapes by adding noises coming from avatar clothing. This element was previously ignored in research and games due to implementation complexity and the unknown cost-benefit tradeoff regarding player experience. We address both issues: Firstly, we introduce a sample-based generation method to enable and facilitate the creation of clothing noises for researchers and practitioners. Secondly, we present a study (N = 54) investigating the impact of clothing sounds on the player experience using two testbed games. Our results expose that clothing sounds are too subtle to alter the experience significantly but become appreciated once players are aware of their presence. Hence, we see opportunities for follow-up research on how clothing noises can be used as a meaningful in-game mechanic.