Color-gameplay, global-local processing tradeoffs: Towards personalized/generative HCI playfulness

Cognitive aging is inherent to everyone. Brain-training games are found to help seniors' attention span, processing speed, logical reasoning, and spatial ability. Hence, this study presents QuizMap, aimed at developing games, which are fun, and adaptive/generative, for both young and old. This paper is analogically grounded in “shapeless” semantics and the ARCS motivation model. We hypothesize that with architectural/ design patterns, and structure/behaviour/function as pivot, color coding-gameplay refactoring can result in dynamically-generated computer playfulness, and enhance attention, memory, problem-solving, UX. In QuizMap, seniors can switch between a digital matching card game and a digital Monopoly game, with physical exercise suggestions in chance cards. User feedback highlights the games' perceived strengths/weaknesses. We infer that reducing color via color coding may result in attention/relevance-gameplay tradeoffs. This reinterprets (dynamic) salience in global-local attention/memory/processing, and thus, “shapeless” semantics. Moreover, to seniors, pragmatic factors, influence attractiveness/ UX on average, 6.93% more than hedonistic factors.