Timing Game: Development of a Game for Temporal Perception Research
Resumo
Introduction: Temporal perception tasks are traditionally repetitive and time-consuming, often reducing participant engagement and affecting data quality in cognitive research. Serious Games offer a promising alternative to increase engagement while preserving scientific rigor. Objective: This paper presents the development of the Timing Game, a Serious Game that adapts temporal perception research into mobile-friendly and engaging minigame formats. Methodology or Steps: The development process involved iterative game design, expert consultation in cognitive science, and user feedback. Two gameplay modes were implemented: (1) Arcade Mode, focusing on isolated temporal tasks, and (2) Story Mode, embedding tasks within a narrative framework. Results: The game demonstrated high user engagement, suggesting improved data quality for temporal perception research. The source code is publicly available to encourage further scientific use and adaptation.
Palavras-chave:
Temporal Perception Serious Games, Game Design, User Engagement, Mobile Gaming, Human-Computer Interaction, Computational Neuroscience
Referências
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Brandão, A., Brandão, L., Nascimento, G., Moreira, B., Vasconcelos, C. N., and Clua, E. (2010). Jecripe: stimulating cognitive abilities of children with down syndrome in pre-scholar age using a game approach. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology, pages 15–18.
Brandão, A. and Joselli, M. (2015). Jecripe 2: estimulação da memória, atenção e sensibilização fonológica em crianças com síndrome de down. In Proceedings of the XIV Brazilian Symposium on Games and Digital Entertainment, SBGAMES, volume 15, pages 518–525.
Breska, A. and Ivry, R. B. (2016). Taxonomies of timing: where does the cerebellum fit in? Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 8:282–288.
Breska, A. and Ivry, R. B. (2018). Double dissociation of single-interval and rhythmic temporal prediction in cerebellar degeneration and parkinson’s disease. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(48):12283–12288.
Chaiwong, J., Paliyawan, P., Thawonmas, R., Sookhanaphibarn, K., and Choensawat, W. (2021). A maze game with singing interface to fight dementia. In 2021 IEEE 10th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE), pages 847–848. IEEE.
Coull, J. T. and Nobre, A. C. (1998). Where and when to pay attention: the neural systems for directing attention to spatial locations and to time intervals as revealed by both pet and fmri. Journal of Neuroscience, 18(18):7426–7435.
Goldstein, J., Cajko, L., Oosterbroek, M., Michielsen, M., Van Houten, O., and Salverda, F. (1997). Video games and the elderly. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 25(4):345–352.
Granic, I., Lobel, A., and Engels, R. C. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American psychologist, 69(1):66.
Grube, M., Cooper, F. E., Chinnery, P. F., and Griffiths, T. D. (2010). Dissociation of duration-based and beat-based auditory timing in cerebellar degeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(25):11597–11601.
Hyde, M., Scott-Slade, M., Scott-Slade, H., Hornberger, M., Spiers, H., Dalton, R., Hoelscher, C., Wierner, J., and Bohbot, V. (2016). Sea Hero Quest: The World’s first mobile game where anyone can help scientists fight dementia. Glitchers. Depositing User: Paul Burns.
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Merchant, H., Zarco, W., Bartolo, R., and Prado, L. (2008). The context of temporal processing is represented in the multidimensional relationships between timing tasks. PLoS One, 3(9):e3169.
Paletta, L., Pszeida, M., Dini, A., Russegger, S., Schüssler, S., Jos, A., Schuster, E., Steiner, J., and Fellner, M. (2020). Mira–a gaze-based serious game for continuous estimation of alzheimer’s mental state. In ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research and Applications, pages 1–3.
Paton, J. J. and Buonomano, D. V. (2018). The neural basis of timing: distributed mechanisms for diverse functions. Neuron, 98(4):687–705.
Santa Roda, J. G. and Moraes, A. d. (2012). Design participativo, técnicas para inclusão de usuários no processo de ergodesign de interfaces. Rio de Janeiro: RioBooks.
Santos, A., Yasui, A., Cravo, A., Brandão, A. L., and Gois, J. P. (2021). Timing game - jogo sério para o estudo da percepção do tempo com design participativo: Protótipo e game design. In Anais Estendidos do XX Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital, pages 922–931, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. SBC.
Schoneveld, E. A., Wols, A., Lichtwarck-Aschoff, A., Otten, R., and Granic, I. (2020). Mental health outcomes of an applied game for children with elevated anxiety symptoms: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29:2169–2185.
Becker, K. (2021). What’s the difference between gamification, serious games, educational games, and game-based learning. Acad. Lett, 209:1–4.
Brandão, A., Brandão, L., Nascimento, G., Moreira, B., Vasconcelos, C. N., and Clua, E. (2010). Jecripe: stimulating cognitive abilities of children with down syndrome in pre-scholar age using a game approach. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology, pages 15–18.
Brandão, A. and Joselli, M. (2015). Jecripe 2: estimulação da memória, atenção e sensibilização fonológica em crianças com síndrome de down. In Proceedings of the XIV Brazilian Symposium on Games and Digital Entertainment, SBGAMES, volume 15, pages 518–525.
Breska, A. and Ivry, R. B. (2016). Taxonomies of timing: where does the cerebellum fit in? Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 8:282–288.
Breska, A. and Ivry, R. B. (2018). Double dissociation of single-interval and rhythmic temporal prediction in cerebellar degeneration and parkinson’s disease. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(48):12283–12288.
Chaiwong, J., Paliyawan, P., Thawonmas, R., Sookhanaphibarn, K., and Choensawat, W. (2021). A maze game with singing interface to fight dementia. In 2021 IEEE 10th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE), pages 847–848. IEEE.
Coull, J. T. and Nobre, A. C. (1998). Where and when to pay attention: the neural systems for directing attention to spatial locations and to time intervals as revealed by both pet and fmri. Journal of Neuroscience, 18(18):7426–7435.
Goldstein, J., Cajko, L., Oosterbroek, M., Michielsen, M., Van Houten, O., and Salverda, F. (1997). Video games and the elderly. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 25(4):345–352.
Granic, I., Lobel, A., and Engels, R. C. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American psychologist, 69(1):66.
Grube, M., Cooper, F. E., Chinnery, P. F., and Griffiths, T. D. (2010). Dissociation of duration-based and beat-based auditory timing in cerebellar degeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(25):11597–11601.
Hyde, M., Scott-Slade, M., Scott-Slade, H., Hornberger, M., Spiers, H., Dalton, R., Hoelscher, C., Wierner, J., and Bohbot, V. (2016). Sea Hero Quest: The World’s first mobile game where anyone can help scientists fight dementia. Glitchers. Depositing User: Paul Burns.
InnerSloth (2020). Among us. [link]. [link].
Merchant, H., Zarco, W., Bartolo, R., and Prado, L. (2008). The context of temporal processing is represented in the multidimensional relationships between timing tasks. PLoS One, 3(9):e3169.
Paletta, L., Pszeida, M., Dini, A., Russegger, S., Schüssler, S., Jos, A., Schuster, E., Steiner, J., and Fellner, M. (2020). Mira–a gaze-based serious game for continuous estimation of alzheimer’s mental state. In ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research and Applications, pages 1–3.
Paton, J. J. and Buonomano, D. V. (2018). The neural basis of timing: distributed mechanisms for diverse functions. Neuron, 98(4):687–705.
Santa Roda, J. G. and Moraes, A. d. (2012). Design participativo, técnicas para inclusão de usuários no processo de ergodesign de interfaces. Rio de Janeiro: RioBooks.
Santos, A., Yasui, A., Cravo, A., Brandão, A. L., and Gois, J. P. (2021). Timing game - jogo sério para o estudo da percepção do tempo com design participativo: Protótipo e game design. In Anais Estendidos do XX Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital, pages 922–931, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. SBC.
Schoneveld, E. A., Wols, A., Lichtwarck-Aschoff, A., Otten, R., and Granic, I. (2020). Mental health outcomes of an applied game for children with elevated anxiety symptoms: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29:2169–2185.
Publicado
30/09/2025
Como Citar
TEIXEIRA, Alan Floriano; GOIS, João Paulo; BRANDÃO, André Luiz.
Timing Game: Development of a Game for Temporal Perception Research. In: CONCURSO DE TESES E DISSERTAÇÕES – MESTRADO - SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE JOGOS E ENTRETENIMENTO DIGITAL (SBGAMES), 14. , 2025, Salvador/BA.
Anais [...].
Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação,
2025
.
p. 324-330.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbgames_estendido.2025.11367.
