Comparing different styles of video game play as suitable visual training tasks over a 120 hour training period

Video gaming has been shown to improve visual function in individuals with no visual problems, in amblyopia, and developmental dyslexia. This pilot study investigates whether longer training periods improve function. Four participants, with an average age of 28, played either an action or a turn - based strategy (TBS) game for 120 hours over a three month period. The games selected were Doom 3 and Civilization 4. Visual function was assessed before and after training by a series of psychophysical experiments (spatial contrast sensitivity (CS), temporal and peripheral CS for 20 Hz and 24 Hz, and motion detection and discrimination) programmed on MATLAB using Psychophysics Toolbox extensions. The spatial frequencies tested were 0.5, 2, 10, and 20 cycles/degree (cpd). Game training indicated a significant improvement in both temporal CS and peripheral CS, both at 24 Hz (p = <.05). Action gamers had a higher CS at the peripheral CS of 24 Hz in 2 cpd compared to TBS gamers (p = <0.05). Additionally, in the peripheral CS of 20 Hz, action gamers had a higher CS at 0.5 cpd (p = <0.5). All of the CS values were higher after the training for both game genres, aside from central CS which is expected. The present study is the first of its kind examining training over 120 hours using two different game genres. Additionally, there are indications that TBS games provide a similar level of visual improvement as in action games. This is particularly important as non - action and alternative games are popular (an estimated 200 million worldwide players) and studies into the genre are limited in their amount.