Developing a Relationship with a Social Attachable Non-Playable Character within a Mixed-Reality Environment Data

This purpose of this research is to contributes a computational implementation of the psychological Relationship Attachment Model (RAM), as a means to adapt Non-Playable Character (NPC) behaviours when interacting with players, thus forming an attachment with them, in both traditional computer and mixed-reality environments. RAM describes five bonds that are necessary for attachment, know, trust, rely, commit and touch. Four of the five bonds were developed, enabling an NPC to build a relationship with a player. Sixty university students participated in an experiment to measure the mutual attachment between the participant and the NPC. Participants were recruited and randomly allocated to either control or experimental groups. Results demonstrated that participants engaging with the NPC in a holographic environment had a greater likelihood to form an attachment as opposed to participants in a traditional computer setting. Significant differences were shown between the two groups in regard to reliability, controls, aesthetics and recommendations.