# Conceptual Design of an Extended Reality Exercise Game for the Elderly
## 3 VRrowing Conceptual Design
### System Design
#### 3.2.3 Story Setting, Roles, and Modes  
_VRrowing_ is a fitness game relying on VR technology. Still, it is also an in-home virtual journey, a virtual experience of a sports experience without fear of wind and rain, and an opportunity to challenge oneself, as well as being a new way of social communication. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l l} \hline \hline  & **Physical Activity** & **Active Parts** \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{A1. Rowing} & A1.1 Stand Up Paddle Board & Whole body \\  & A1.2 Canoeing & Upper body \\  & A1.3 Pedal boat & Lower body \\  & A2. Shooting * & Upper body \\  & A3. Water surfing * & Whole body \\  & A4. Catching fish * & Whole/upper body \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Physical activities in _VRrowing_. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l} \hline \hline \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Task**} \\ \hline T1. Boating for physical exercise \\ T2. Shooting balloon \\ T3. Avoid/collect obstacles for balance training \\ T4. Fishing for physical exercise \\ T5. Surfing for physical exercise \\ T6. Travelling in city or nature \\ T7. Identify and differentiate objects \\ T8. Orientation, and map recognition in a maze \\ T9. Guess city name by tips hiding in riverside surroundings \\ T10. Recalling words/colour/shape/numbers along the way \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Game tasks in _VRrowing_. Players could be immersed in the boating experience in the simulated natural environment from the first-person perspective, without the limitation of time, space, weather, or sports equipment. At the same time, users could perform the workout by adapting to the exercise intensity of their physical fitness, thereby reducing the cost and risk of the exercise. The VR world creates an environment that is not only suitable for sports, but also for virtual tours. The users can relax in nature or cities while exercising as the boat moves forward. Encouragement, companionship and cooperation between peers and competition between opponents could enrich the game experience and encourage players to continue their use [16], thereby improving the exercise's effectiveness and benefiting psychological and mental health. Therefore, based on the physical activities and tasks, _VRrowing_ is designed with different options in the game modes and player roles to meet the needs of different types of players (achievers, explorers, socializers, and killers [62]). Figure 2 shows the type of players that _VRrowing_ can attract under different modes and character arrangements. For example, when users choose the single-player game, they can select different levels under three modes (relaxation, training, and competition). Levels in relaxation mode are using different maps for travelling. Without requirements for rowing speed, speed and accuracy in completing tasks, as well as cooperative and competitive strategies, the relaxation mode focuses more on enjoying the riverside scenery. There is a difference in complexity between the various maps, which differentiates the intensity of the movement. Thus, the relaxation mode is suitable for explorers. For socializers, the multi-user game could provide an online communication environment with other players (team members, opponents, or accompany). For achievers, the training mode and competition mode are appropriate for them. They could challenge their own records (rowing speed/ speed and accuracy of tasks), new maps (complexity difference), or other players. Last but not least, players in the killers' type will find a sense of achievement of beating others in the competitive mode. Different levels/maps are included in the same mode, and the exercise intensity progressively increases. In other words, the different modes are created based on different purposes, and the exercise intensity is different; in the same mode, due to the different levels, the exercise intensity is increased. However, the exercise intensity is not fixed in any mode or level. Players can exercise according to their conditions and achieve their own goals.