Design and Application of Family Intergenerational Social Game Based on Proxemics Play Framework

Recent technological advancements have widened the generational divide, impacting intergenerational communication within family leisure activities. While video games hold potential for fostering intergenerational interaction through engaging content, common social games often present high entry barriers and overlook key design elements that facilitate both verbal and non-verbal communication during play. Proxemics play integrates proxemic principles into game design, leveraging interpersonal distance to enrich co-located social game experiences. This study synthesizes insights from intergenerational social games and proxemics literature, offering a design framework for integrating proxemics into game mechanics. Employing this framework, the study created a co-located motion-sensing game, Three-body Dream Interpretation, using Unity and Kinect, followed by a trial to assess its impact on intergenerational gaming interactions. This research enables game developers to consciously integrate interpersonal distance as a design material in social experience design, providing a better intergenerational social gaming experience and fostering the domain of intergenerational social games.