Valve has a history of experimental hires, like when it brought on an economist to examine in-game economies. The company has now taken in Mike Ambinder, an experimental psychologist who is tasked with researching biofeedback.
VentureBeat reports that Ambinder talked at a session during the NeuroGaming Conference and Expo last week. He said that the company has conducted experiments that measure factors like players sweat, player calmness, and eye tracking. The sweat levels fed data into Left 4 Dead to modify the game experience, while the player's calmness might impact how much time they have to complete an objective. It also created a version of Portal 2 that you could control with your eyes, since they can move faster than your hands.
VentureBeat reports that Ambinder talked at a session during the NeuroGaming Conference and Expo last week. He said that the company has conducted experiments that measure factors like players sweat, player calmness, and eye tracking. The sweat levels fed data into Left 4 Dead to modify the game experience, while the player's calmness might impact how much time they have to complete an objective. It also created a version of Portal 2 that you could control with your eyes, since they can move faster than your hands.