Page 233 - The-5th-MCAIT2021-eProceeding

The Entertainment Appeal of Rhythm Games

a
ac
ab
ab
Yuexian Gao , Chang Liu ,Mohd Nor Akmal Khalid *, Hiroyuki Iida
a School of Information Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, 923-1211 Ishikawa, Japan
b Research Center for Entertainment Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, 923-1211 Ishikawa, Japan
c Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056001, China
* Email: akaml@jaist.ac.jp

Abstract

Game refinement theory (GR) has been used to measure game sophistication, which could make the elements of games
apart mathematically to see where the game can be improved. Over the development for almost a decade, GR theory also
refined itself and extended to a broader application. Rhythm game sometimes can win the popularity of players while
sometimes not. This study selects 6 rhythm games as the target. Result shows that rhythm games should be improved at
clear conditions, game length, and combinations of buttons.

Keywords: Music; Rhythm games; game refinement theory

1. Introduction

With the rapid development of science and technology, people's entertainment activities are becoming more
diverse. Music has also been integrated into people's lives in different forms with the change of times. A rhythm
game is a music-themed action video game that challenges the player's sense of rhythm and the ability to react
with your fingers or body. These games often mimic the drumbeats and melodies of dance or instrumental music.
The player presses the corresponding button according to the melody stream on the screen and performs the
corresponding action. The score is determined by the player's reaction and the rhythm flow of the game.
The first rhythm-based electro-mechanical arcade game was considered as it is from japan (Webster, 2008).
The precursor to Dance Dance Revolution, Dance Aerobics (or Dance Studio as it was known in Japan), had
players use the NES Power Pad to mimic an on-screen instructor who moved to the music. Kasco created a
rhythm-based electro-mechanical arcade game in the early 1970s. The first true rhythm game is PaRappa the
Rapper, credited in 1996 (Parkin, 2009). As the Guitar Hero and Rock Band get their popularity with the gamers,
the rhythm game also wins its position (Matthews, 2009). Although the rhythm game has gone through a series
of setbacks (Stuart, 2011), with the development of the rhythm game, people find it can help us keep healthy
(Bégel, 2017). In the past two years, due to the ravages of COVID-19 globally, people must live at home and
gain more consciousness of health; rhythm games such as Just Dance (2020 & 2021), which can bring fitness
effects at home, have ushered in a new highlight moment.
Mathematics can be used to analyze musical rhythms, study the sound waves that produce musical notes,
explain why instruments are tuned, and compose music (Garland, 1995). Game Refinement Theory was
proposed to describe the information process during entertainment activities (Iida, 2004). It was widely used to
quantify the sophistication of a game. Over the development for almost a decade, the mathematical measurement
extended to a broader application. In this study, 6 rhythm games were selected as a research benchmark to
explore musical games' motion in mind. The study would reveal part of the phenomenon for music study as well.

E- Proceedings of The 5th International Multi-Conference on Artificial Intelligence Technology (MCAIT 2021) [218]
Artificial Intelligence in the 4th Industrial Revolution