The effect of micro-animation on the perception of the weight of virtual objects in video games

Abstract

The article examines the problem of the theoretical understanding of micro-animation as a tool for creating the illusion of weight in virtual objects in video games. In the context of video games, micro-animation is considered a central element within a broader range of techniques and devices (camera shake, particles, audio cues, etc.) that function as supplementary multimodal feedback, enhancing the effect of micro-animation but not being identical to it. The relevance of the analysis stems from the fact that contemporary game design increasingly relies on small, almost imperceptible animation and other supporting details, while the scientific literature lacks a systematic account of the relationship between these techniques and the psychophysical mechanisms underlying the perception of weight.

The purpose of the article is to develop an original conceptual model and classification of micro-animation types that influence the perception of the weight of virtual objects, and to formulate hypotheses for further empirical testing.

Methods. Three groups of sources were analyzed: classical animation theory, studies of game feel and juiciness, and psychophysics of weight perception, including the size–weight illusion and pseudo-haptic research in virtual reality. Based on their comparison, a four-level classification of weight cues was developed, ranging from micro-animation itself at the kinematic level to contextual multimodal feedback. A conceptual model of players’ perceptual integration of these cues was also proposed, along with four hypotheses concerning the relationship between the duration of the accompanying motion phase, multimodal signal congruence, and the perceived weight of an object.

Scientific novelty lies in synthesizing previously disparate theoretical approaches into a unified applied model suitable for use in game design practice and further empirical research.

Results. The analysis identifies four levels of cues that shape the perception of the weight of virtual objects: kinematic cues (squash and stretch, timing, and motion trajectories); secondary/inertial cues (motion follow-through and overlapping action); impact feedback (camera shake, particles, frame freeze, and sound); and contextual traces of interaction with the environment (surface deformation, dust, and shadows). The conceptual model describes how players integrate these cues into a unified judgment of weight, depending on their consistency. Four hypotheses are formulated concerning the duration of motion follow-through, the nonlinear relationship between feedback intensity and perceived weight, the relative predictive power of timing compared with deformation amplitude, and the importance of cue consistency compared with the number of cues.

Conclusions. The proposed classification and model bring together previously unrelated research areas into a unified, design-oriented conceptual framework suitable for game animation practice and design education, while requiring further empirical validation through controlled user studies.