Research on Rendering Techniques for Reducing Eyestrain in Video Games with Fast Moving Camera Controls

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12034
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 61060:Kansei informatics-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Denki University
• Principal Investigator: Inoue Hiroto 東京電機大学, 未来科学部, 助教 (40724604)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 3次元コンピュータグラフィックス（3DCG） / ビデオゲーム / オクルージョン / UI/UX / 感性工学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In playing video games from a third-person point of view, we sometimes lose sight of an avatar that is occluded by other foreground objects. There are three measures against the occlusion problem: (1) to make a silhouette of an avatar, (2) to make semi-transparent occluders, and (3) to make semi-transparent silhouettes of occluders. However, it is not fully clear which is better quantitatively. In this research, it was shown that Method-2 and -3 significantly improved visibility, operability, and psychological satisfaction compared with Method-1 and no countermeasures and had the effect of reducing the amount of camera operation by approximately 10%. Also, was shown that Method-3 has the effects to improve visibility, to reduce fatigue, and to reduce number of blinks. These effects are most noticeable when the moving speeds of the avatar and camera are slow, enhancing the visibility improvement effect of Method-3 compared with Method-2, at the expense of a reduced sense of intensity.

Free Research Field

感性工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、三人称視点の3DCGビデオゲームに実装されているオクルージョン対策の有用性を定量評価することで、CGカメラが高速もしくは低速に動く条件下でそれぞれ良好な視界を維持して眼精疲労や映像酔いを軽減すると共に、迫力感などの感性的な印象も向上できる新しいレンダリングパイプラインの確立の一助となる成果が得られた。本成果の応用先は、ビデオゲームに限らず、3DCGの基礎／基盤技術となり得るものであり、その学術的／社会的意義は高いと考えられる。