Track: Product Design and Development

Abstract

Background music is one of inseparable and indispensable elements in video games. It is considered as one of aesthetic elements that contributes to players’ enjoyment. This research is a part of ludo-musicology studies, which aims to investigate the effect of background music on the players’ immersion, including sense of spatial presence, and emotions during the game. Participants were assigned in groups to play the same virtual social game experience (VSGE) two times – one time with their headphones on, and the second time without any headphones. Every game lasted for 15-20 minutes. After the experiments, participants were asked to fill questionnaires to compare both experiences regarding to the immersion, spatial presence, and the emotions they feel during the game using Likert scales. To validate the participants’ answers, we held a forum group discussion (FGD) consisted of 5 participants to gain deeper understanding regarding to the causes that support the players’ immersion.