A4 Refereed article in a conference publication
Spatial Audio Cues in an Immersive Virtual Reality STEM Escape Room Game: A Comparative Study
Authors: Vontzalidis, Georgios; Mystakidis, Stylianos; Christopoulos, Athanasios; Moustakas, Konstantinos
Editors: Krüger, Jule M.; Pedrosa, Daniela; Beck, Dennis; Bourguet, Marie-Luce; Dengel, Andreas; Ghannam, Rami; Miller, Alan; Peña-Rios, Anasol; Richter, Jonathon
Conference name: International Conference on Immersive Learning
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland
Publishing place: CHAM
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Communications in Computer and Information Science
Book title : Immersive Learning Research Network: 10th International Conference on Immersive Learning, iLRN 2024, Glasgow, UK, June 10–13, 2024, Revised Selected Papers, Part I
Journal acronym: COMM COM INF SC
Series title: Communications in Computer and Information Science
Volume: 2271
First page : 317
Last page: 328
Number of pages: 12
ISBN: 978-3-031-80474-8
eISBN: 978-3-031-80475-5
ISSN: 1865-0929
eISSN: 1865-0937
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80475-5_23
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80475-5_23
Spatial audio is an integral aspect of virtual reality (VR) experiences as it enhances sensory immersion. Serious games often face the problem of effective player guidance and progress without disrupting gameplay. This study presents the results of a mixed-methods comparative experimental study. A system with audio cues was tested (n = 30) in a serious escape room game on a STEM subject in immersive VR. The breakout room game explored the physics of audio and sound. The introduction of audio cues improved object location and enhanced spatial auditory awareness, yet these benefits did not consistently extend to other aspects of the VR experience.
