From: Chi Ho Lam
Subject: Re: SimSick Journal - Day One. (long)
Newsgroups: rec.games.computer.ultima.online
Date: 1999/03/29

<snip from top>
>I think what it is is that maybe I need something to stare at.  In Tomb
>Raider, Lara was always there for me to look at ... she was a 'fixed point
>on the horizon.'  In NICE, my fixed point was the road, but the road dipped
>(extremely unexpectedly), so I lost my fixed point, so that's maybe what
>made me sick?  I don't know.

I'm pretty sure that you have hit the nail on the head there - motion (sea/simulator) sickness comes from the discrepancy of sensation and perception of movement.

When you have a fixed focal point, whether on the horizon or not - your perception of motion and your sensation of motion is the same - whatever you are trying to do (unless you're drunk - but that's a whole new ballgame - your perception, sensation and actual motion is completely up the spout).

In UO, you are more than likely not experiencing these problem not purely because it is 2D (I'll prove this later - although that helps), but because you *have* a focal point - *you*. Think about what you are looking at mostly, your own char or your cursor. That's your focal point - and despite the cursor moving a lot, you can track it easily, as *you* are moving it - assuming of course your hand-eye coordination is good.

Even when you do get something in UO which would induce this sickness - lag bouncing? - your char is in the centre and the display moves around you. So, you still have a focal point. If you want to try getting ill (not advised), try to focus on one of the lag bouncing objects, like a tree or bush - that would get you going.

Try this little experiment - get a newspaper, book or whatever (or this mail) - something 2Dish. Start reading a line, then move your head around - you can still read it can't you? And you're not feeling ill. 

Now - do the same, but move the paper around. Now, two things - one, you have lost your focal point, but more importantly, you lost the link of perception and sensation of movement. It's not as bad with a small piece of paper, but do it with something large enough to fill your field of vision, or your field of concentration (which would be
quite small if you're playing a game), and it's time to get the bucket and mop out.

Something you may notice is - when you moved your head, and was able to focus on your paper, although the peripheral vision is moving and out of focus, you don't 'notice' it as much. But when you moved the paper, and lost your focal point, suddenly you 'notice' the peripheral vision (as everything is now out of focus), and 'notice' that the
whole world is moving and out of focus - but *you* are stationary.  Thus the discrepancy in sensation and perception of motion. Hence sick bucket time.

Again in TR3 - you have the focal point of yourself, but in the your car game, there is no focal point, and even if you had one (such as dash, steering wheel) - you wouldn't be focusing on that, but more likely the road.

The reason why you were ok before you hit that dip, is because you were driving as expected - i.e. you were anticipating the turn to the right, or the road bending left - you hadn't expected the dip - and hence the perception of motion in that case, mismatched the (simulated) sensation of motion.

You can test this in a car quite easily - make sure you're the front passenger. Now when you're moving - look forward - everything should be ok (as you have previously said). Then do the same (sit in the front), but turn around and look thru the rear windscreen. Try to focus on something distant. You will still get ill - you no longer have the anticipation of the change in motion as you do not know when the car will turn left or right, or hit a bump.

One trick that is taught to ballerina's and ice skaters, is that when they do a pirouette or tight spin, the head whips round such that he/she focus on a point in the distance all the time (or as much as possible). This combats motion sickness and dizziness.

You could try the ballerina experiment. Close your eyes and spin around (doesn't have to be quick) - you'll feel sick. 2nd time - pick a point on a wall to focus on (something easily seen). Spin around (at same speed as before) but try to focus on that point as much as possible - so delay turning your head, then when your neck is about to break, twist your head round so you focus on that point again. I won't say you won't feel sick - just not as much as you would before.

So.... any tips I could give you?

Not much, it's something that can be 'learnt' to overcome - if given a choice, always choose a 3rd person view - so that you can be focused on something.

If possible in 1st person, find a fixed focal point - in a game like Quake - despite it being 1st person, the gun is fairly stationary on the screen - focus on that most of the time, and focus away when necessary.

Oh yes - big tip - this should help a lot. Have something that you can focus on away for the monitor - when you do feel queasy - focus on that and not the screen. Make that your reference point. Have a little monitor pet!! Otherwise the wall behind your monitor, is best - or something (stationary) out of the window. Would help to focus on that every once in a while anyway, to reestablish your bearings and environment, and also to exercise, unstrain your eyes.

Hope this (rather long) reply helps.