  This paper explores the use of visual effects common in video games that
support a range of tasks that are similar in many ways to analysis tasks
supported in visual analytics tools. While some visual effects are meant to
increase engagement or to support a game's overall visual design, we find that
in many games visual effects are used throughout gameplay in order to assist a
player in reasoning about the game world. In this work, we survey popular games
across a range of categories (from casual games to "Triple A" games), focusing
specifically on visual effects that support a player's sensemaking within the
game world. Based on our analysis of these games, we identify a range of tasks
that could benefit from the use of "data feel," and advocate for the continued
investigation of visual effects and their application in data visualization
software tools.
