Keywords
Virtual Reality, VR, Flow State, Immersive Tech

Technologies
Virtual Reality, Unity, GitHub

Virtual reality (VR) offers unique potential for inducing flow, yet little research has examined whether Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) can sustain the challenge-skill balance required. This project investigated that question through a user-centred design (UCD) process. As UX Designer and Developer, I first conducted a survey (n = 50) and semi-structured interviews to establish user needs, using thematic analysis to translate findings into concrete design requirements. I then designed and developed a VR first-person shooter in Unity for the Pimax Crystal Super, where players shot at suspended moving targets across progressive levels. Working alongside a fellow developer, I implemented the GameManager, DDA logic, and all game design and aesthetics, with target movement speed adapting dynamically to player performance in the DDA condition. Finally, a between-subjects experiment compared the DDA build against a static difficulty control, measuring flow via the Flow State Scale (FSS) alongside secondary measures of cognitive load, user experience, and simulator sickness using the NASA-TLX, UEQ-S, and SSQ.