Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research.
Motivational Intensity Theory could serve as a useful framework in the process of analyzing and optimizing a user's involvement in computer games. However, it has not yet been used in this way. Its main advantage is that it makes clear predictions regarding the relations between difficulty leve...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282966 |
| _version_ | 1797843087976824832 |
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| author | Paweł Strojny Agnieszka Strojny Krzysztof Rębilas |
| author_facet | Paweł Strojny Agnieszka Strojny Krzysztof Rębilas |
| author_sort | Paweł Strojny |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Motivational Intensity Theory could serve as a useful framework in the process of analyzing and optimizing a user's involvement in computer games. However, it has not yet been used in this way. Its main advantage is that it makes clear predictions regarding the relations between difficulty level, motivation and commitment. The current study aimed to test whether the postulates of this theory may be useful in the process of game development. Forty-two participants took part in a fully controlled within-subjects experiment utilizing a commonly available game (Icy Tower) that has several levels of difficulty. Participants played on four increasing levels of difficulty and their task was to play as best they could, with the aim of reaching the hundredth platform. As a result, we demonstrated that involvement level increases as the difficulty level increases when a task is feasible, but it drops rapidly when a task is so difficult that it cannot be completed. This is the very first evidence that Motivational Intensity Theory may be useful in game research and design. The following study also supports concerns regarding the usefulness of self-report data in the game design process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:58:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0eb49b7ef92e4e2992757e62f96cae61 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:58:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-0eb49b7ef92e4e2992757e62f96cae612023-04-21T05:33:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01183e028296610.1371/journal.pone.0282966Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research.Paweł StrojnyAgnieszka StrojnyKrzysztof RębilasMotivational Intensity Theory could serve as a useful framework in the process of analyzing and optimizing a user's involvement in computer games. However, it has not yet been used in this way. Its main advantage is that it makes clear predictions regarding the relations between difficulty level, motivation and commitment. The current study aimed to test whether the postulates of this theory may be useful in the process of game development. Forty-two participants took part in a fully controlled within-subjects experiment utilizing a commonly available game (Icy Tower) that has several levels of difficulty. Participants played on four increasing levels of difficulty and their task was to play as best they could, with the aim of reaching the hundredth platform. As a result, we demonstrated that involvement level increases as the difficulty level increases when a task is feasible, but it drops rapidly when a task is so difficult that it cannot be completed. This is the very first evidence that Motivational Intensity Theory may be useful in game research and design. The following study also supports concerns regarding the usefulness of self-report data in the game design process.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282966 |
| spellingShingle | Paweł Strojny Agnieszka Strojny Krzysztof Rębilas Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research. PLoS ONE |
| title | Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research. |
| title_full | Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research. |
| title_fullStr | Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research. |
| title_short | Player involvement as a result of difficulty: An introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research. |
| title_sort | player involvement as a result of difficulty an introductory study to test the suitability of the motivational intensity approach to video game research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282966 |
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