Reality Reaching into Games - Weather as a Dynamic Link to Real-World Streams of Information

This paper describes the design and applied use of in-game weather systems to convey streaming real-world information to the game player. Weather systems were selected as the form of ambient in-game information due to their visual presence and limited involvement in gameplay. This allows change to the weather, based on real-world data, without negatively effecting gameplay. This mechanism provided an ambient in-game source of information that kept the player informed regarding a source of streaming information from the real world, while also allowing for the immersive game experience to be maintained. Results from the experimental trial (n = 35) showed that the weather simulation, linked to real-world information stream, enhanced reported levels of information engagement, without negative effect in terms of player sense of immersion and realism. These results indicate the potential for in-game weather to be used as an effective, time varying form of immersive information transfer.