Evaluating User Experience in Games: Concepts and Methods - Lirmm

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24 J. Takatalo et al. relies on multivariate data analysis of approximately 320 games (n = 2182), with the aim of revealing the subcomponents of UX in games. We emphasize the multidimensional approach in both the analysis of the game and the gamer. This enables capturing the essential psychological determinants of UX, namely, its quality, intensity, meaning, value, and extensity. These basic determinants have already been outlined in the early days of psychology (James 1890, Wundt 1897) and they still provide relevant metrics to evaluate such rich psychological experiences. The proposed framework is applied and demonstrated here with two different cases to disclose the holistic UX. First, it is used to analyze the differences between two different games. The results are then related to expert reviewer’s critics (METASCORE R○ ) and user ratings provided by the Metacritic.com (Metacritic.com 2009). Second, we show how the framework can be utilized in an individual-level analysis of evaluated difficulty of playing and skill development during the first hour of play. Performance analysis and qualitative interview of the gamers are integrated into this case. The examples demonstrate the multifaceted nature of UX and show how it is related to technical game components. In both cases, the utilization of the framework in different phases of the game development life cycle is discussed. 3.1.1 Games and Playing Any digital game can be considered a system that can be controlled and tuned by its designers. The available technology, their designing skills, and desired end-user UX are typical constraints on designers. The components of the game system can be broadly described as the mechanics, the narrative, and the interface (Hunicke et al. 2004, Winn 2006). Game mechanics include the goals of the game, the rules and rewards of action, and the choices provided the gamers. The narrative creates the game world, setting the stage for the storyline. Closest to the gamers is the interface, that is, what the gamers actually see, hear, perhaps even feel, and how they interact with the game (e.g., control system). Although the designer may have a clear idea of the UX that the game system should provide, this experience will not necessarily be the gamers’ experience. The UX is founded on the above components of the game system, but it evolves from the game play. When games are played, the game dynamics emerge from the mechanics (Hunicke et al. 2004). Meaningful game goals direct gamers’ actions. Within the game rules and choices, gamers pursue these goals, earn rewards, make decisions, and face challenging situations. Gamers consistently evaluate, consciously or unconsciously, their performance in the game; are they reaching the desired goals and do they have the abilities to meet the challenges? When they reach the goals after overcoming obstacles, positive feelings and a sense of competence emerge. Game narrative turns into storytelling, in which the gamer has an active role. Curious places in spaces draw the gamers’ focus to the game world and provide escape from the real world. The gamers become engaged in their role with the events in the game. The creation of the game world is also supported by the interface, which sets limits on both physical and social interactions in the game. The interface provides an environment to explore, discover, and collect new things. There gamers interact
3 Presence, Involvement, and Flow in Digital Games 25 with other agents and adapt and become drawn deeper into the game world. All this is inseparably accompanied by rich emotions, which are an essential part of playing games. But how can we measure the UX in such a rich interaction? Many authors have presented different motivating aspects of game play, such as challenges, sensations and feelings, other gamers, and narrative that encourage gamers to play and elicit fun experiences (Hunicke et al. 2004, Lazzaro 2004, Sherry et al. 2006). Motivation to play is also explained by rewards and achievements. Seeking game rewards is believed to reinforce playing chiefly in order to obtain more rewards (Ducheneaut et al. 2006). The above studies show clearly what playing affords the gamers, and they provide a useful list of game-relevant issues. But to help designers in their efforts to offer gamers the chance to “think clever thoughts and feel profound emotions” (Pagulayan et al. 2003, p. 891), an analysis of the UX that goes beyond fun, gratification, and the behavioristic reward cycle is needed. Understanding games is approaching a phase where it is close to understanding the psychology of individual life experiences in general. 3.1.2 Psychology of User Experience There is no one unified and general definition of the UX, but there have been serious attempts to achieve such a definition. Current research on the UX concentrates on a person’s perceptions and responses resulting from the use or anticipated use of a product, system, or service (ISO 9241-210:2008 2008). Here, both “perceptions and responses” are considered psychological in nature. According to this view, for example, the perception of a reward by the gamer will not simply lead to an impulsive response to play more. Even if both “perception and response” are considered psychologically, the perceived reward will not lead to fun either. Responses are actively generated in a psychological evaluation process that includes basic psychological compartments. For example, we perceive and focus our attention on stimuli that motivate and interest us (James 1890). Only those perceptions that are interesting and meaningful enough to us will be evaluated in our consciousness and will form a part of our inner world. Some perceptions are evaluated subconsciously, whereas others are evaluated in awareness. Awareness can best be understood through the concept of trilogy of mind, namely, the psychological set consisting of thinking, feeling, and will (Hilgard 1980). Over decades, this trilogy has concerned human cognition, emotion, and motivation (Mayer 2001). As the research paradigms in psychology have changed from the stimulus-response paradigms to informationprocessing paradigms, this traditional trilogy has been cut to pieces and studied separately (Lubart and Getz 1998). However, for example, cognitions and emotions are so intimately connected that studying emotions without cognitions makes a little sense (Lazarus 1991a). When we look at the UX by integrating cognition, emotion, and motivation with perception and attention, we obtain a realistic set of psychological compartments that make an analysis of “person’s perceptions and responses” relevant and valid in any given context. Naturally, our past experiences (memories) and attitudes have an impact on this experiential process (Särkelä et al. 2004).
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Page 4 and 5: Regina Bernhaupt Editor Evaluating
Page 6: For Philippe
Page 9 and 10: viii Foreword Chapter 3, Presence I
Page 11 and 12: x Foreword personality which evolve
Page 14 and 15: Contents Part I Introduction to Eva
Page 16 and 17: Contributors Regina Bernhaupt IRIT,
Page 18: Contributors xvii Manfred Tscheligi
Page 21 and 22: xx About the Authors Emily Brown is
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Page 25 and 26: xxiv About the Authors Christina Ko
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Chapter 6 Investigating Experiences
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Index A Advanced interaction games,
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