Galaxy Escape: A Game as a Tabletop Holographic Digital Twin Interface
Iina Nikkarikoski, J. Pehkonen, Iiris Kivelä, Paula Alavesa, Mikko Korkiakoski · 2024
Augmented reality (AR) can create experiences where digital blends with the physical. It can be used to create new interfaces for other technologies such as digital twins (DTs). In this work in progress we introduce a multiplayer tabletop AR game for Tilt5, that was developed to create a game interface for DT representation of a physical room. The game, Galaxy Escape, follows the escape room metaphor. The game´s purpose is twofold: 1) to be an entertaining game that interfaces with data and 2) to explore the potential of game interfaces for DTs. We conducted a mixed method pilot evaluation with 11 participants. Two groups played the game in a generic office room, while two groups played in the physical representation of the virtual space. The basic usability and user experience were high and some interesting insights can be distilled from co-presence questionnaire and the semi-structured interviews. The results suggest that the physical location has an influence to the player experience, however, the players do not themselves seem to recognize this.