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Maicher_K - MFA Thesis (2013).pdf (1.95 MB)

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Exploring the Relationships between Affective Character Design and Interactive Systems

Maicher, Kellen R
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1385477326

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Fine Arts, Ohio State University, Industrial, Interior Visual Communication Design.
Emotional content facilitates human communication by adding depth and complexity to the information being transferred. By providing additional layers of meaning to the communicative process, affective display can reinforce, expedite, and clarify the messages being sent. Interactive systems can benefit from the same advantages that emotional communication provides by offering affective information channels. Consequently, affect and emotion can be important design considerations for creating interactive systems. Affect and emotional content can be applied to such systems through the use of interactive virtual characters. Since we recognize, process, and interpret the emotional cues of other people, virtual characters can serve as familiar, intuitive interfaces for sharing affective content.However, the design of these characters is highly dependent on the nature of the systems for which they are created. Without a fundamental understanding of the purpose and content of a particular system, it can be very difficult to determine which affective attributes to apply to a specific character. As such, designers need to understand the dynamic relationships between affect, interactive virtual characters, and the systems in which they reside. The purpose of this thesis project was to explore these relationships by creating an interactive installation using a virtual character to communicate with users through affective display. By reflecting on the process of creating the installation and observing how various affective attributes influenced the delivery and impact of emotional narratives, it was hoped a clearer understanding would be gained of the benefits and limitations of affective character attributes for emotional communication. The paper begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of affective systems, interactive characters, the primary goals of the thesis project, and the research questions it was intended to explore. After reviewing current research and theory on affective systems and interactive characters, the paper examines the conceptualization process of the installation that would ultimately be created. Titled The Drinking Problem, the installation is intended to provide the emotional experience of contending with the addictive behavior of an alcoholic. The paper then describes the process of developing the installation, including rationale for design changes and general experiences with all aspects of production. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the project results, including various outcomes of The Drinking Problem and design insights gathered from the developmental process.
Alan Price (Committee Chair)
Maria Palazzi (Committee Member)
Carolina Gill (Committee Member)
100 p.
Design
affect; affective; emotion; emotional; interactive characters

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Maicher, K. R. (2013). Exploring the Relationships between Affective Character Design and Interactive Systems [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1385477326

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Maicher, Kellen. Exploring the Relationships between Affective Character Design and Interactive Systems. 2013. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1385477326.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Maicher, Kellen. "Exploring the Relationships between Affective Character Design and Interactive Systems." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1385477326

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1385477326
4,048
© 2013, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Exploring the Relationships between Affective Character Design and Interactive Systems by Kellen R Maicher is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.