Interplay of auditory cue optimization and gaming proficiency to reduce reaction times in a first-person shooter game

Sungjoon Kim; Rai Sato; Pooseung Koh; Sungyoung Kim

doi:10.7776/ASK.2025.44.2.153

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2025 Vol.44, Issue 2 Preview Page Next Page

Research Article

Interplay of auditory cue optimization and gaming proficiency to reduce reaction times in a first-person shooter game 1인칭 슈팅 게임 내 청각 최적화 및 게임 숙련도의 상호작용이 반응 시간 단축에 미치는 영향

31 March 2025. pp. 153-159

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Abstract

In First-Person Shooter (FPS) games, quick decision-making depends on fast reaction times. While gaming proficiency affects reaction time, improving it requires significant effort and practice. On the other hand, optimizing auditory cues could serve as an alternative even though its interaction with gaming proficiency is not well understood. This study investigates this interplay through a sound position detection task in a simplified FPS environment. Participants answered sound directions under three Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) conditions: Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Knowles Electronics Manikin for Acoustic Research (MIT-KEMAR), Steam Audio’s default HRTF, and Interaural Time Difference (ITD) optimization. The ITD optimization method matches participants with their most similar ITD auditory profile based on anthropometric data. Gaming proficiency was also assessed using the Gaming Skill Questionnaire. The results revealed that the ITD optimization method significantly reduced their reaction times compared to other HRTF conditions. Additionally, among novice players, using ITD optimization tended to improve reaction times more than using alternative HRTF methods. These findings suggest that an optimized audio profile can enhance FPS performance, underscoring the potential for more inclusive and adaptive game audio design.

Keywords

Interaural Time Difference (ITD) optimization

Auditory personalization

Game audio

Binaural audio

1인칭 슈팅(First-Person Shooter, FPS) 게임에서 신속한 의사 결정은 반응 속도에 크게 의존한다. 반응 속도는 게임 숙련도에 따른 영향을 받지만, 이를 개선하는 것은 상당한 노력과 연습을 필요로 한다. 이에 대한 대안으로 청각 최적화 방법을 통한 접근법이 제안되었으나, 아직까지 이러한 방법과 게임 숙련도 간 상호작용에 대한 연구는 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 이에 본 연구는 단순화된 FPS 게임 환경에서 음원 위치 탐지 실험을 통해 이러한 상호작용에 대해 분석하였다. 실험은 Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Knowles Electronics Manikin for Acoustic Research(MIT-KEMAR), Steam Audio의 기본 머리전달함수(Head-Related Transfer Function, HRTF), 그리고 양이간 시간차(Interaural Time Difference, ITD) 최적화의 총 3가지 HRTF 조건에서 참가자들이 소리의 위치를 응답하는 방식으로 진행되었다. ITD 최적화 방법은 참가자의 인체 측정 데이터를 기반으로 개인화된 ITD 청각 프로파일을 매칭하는 방식으로 이루어졌다. 더불어, 참가자들의 게임 숙련도는 Gaming Skill Questionnaire를 통해 평가되었다. 연구 결과, ITD 최적화 방법은 다른 HRTF 조건에 비해 유의미하게 반응 속도를 단축시켰으며, 특히 초보자 그룹에서 ITD 최적화 방법이 다른 HRTF 조건보다 반응 속도를 더 크게 개선하는 경향이 관찰되었다. 이러한 개인화된 오디오 프로파일이 FPS 게임에서 수행 능력을 향상할 수 있음을 보여주며, 보다 포괄적인 적응형 게임 오디오 제작의 가능성을 시사한다.

키워드

양이간 시간차 최적화

청각 개인화

게임 오디오

바이노럴 오디오

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Information

Publisher :The Acoustical Society of Korea
Publisher(Ko) :한국음향학회
Journal Title :The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
Journal Title(Ko) :한국음향학회지
Volume : 44
No :2
Pages :153-159
Received Date : 2025-01-13
Revised Date : 2025-02-27
Accepted Date : 2025-03-04
DOI :https://doi.org/10.7776/ASK.2025.44.2.153

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of KoreaISSN:1225-4428(Print) 2287-3775(Online)한국음향학회

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