Chase or Be Chased. Motivating Physical Output Using Chase Based Game Mechanics

A lack of adaptive resistance control within exergame design means that exercise intensity and output depend on human motivation rather than automated intervention. Chase Or Be Chased explores different game mechanics that enable the computer to dictate the level of task intensity expected from the user during an exercycle game. A study involving 30 participants investigated whether user output can be increased through two mechanics: the first (Be Chased) increased resistance as a disincentive if the user was overtaken by a chasing avatar; the second (Chase) decreased resistance as a reward if the user overtook another avatar. The findings revealed that there was no significant difference between incentivised or unincentivised game mechanics. However, both mechanics increased output relative to a control.