Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences
Emerging research has suggested that digital games can generate entertainment experiences beyond hedonic enjoyment towards eudaimonic experiences: Being emotionally moved, stimulated to reflect on one’s self or a sense of elevation. Studies in this area have mainly focused on individual game charact...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cogitatio
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Media and Communication |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/3205 |
| _version_ | 1818472343029153792 |
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| author | Rowan Daneels Steven Malliet Lieven Geerts Natalie Denayer Michel Walrave Heidi Vandebosch |
| author_facet | Rowan Daneels Steven Malliet Lieven Geerts Natalie Denayer Michel Walrave Heidi Vandebosch |
| author_sort | Rowan Daneels |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Emerging research has suggested that digital games can generate entertainment experiences beyond hedonic enjoyment towards eudaimonic experiences: Being emotionally moved, stimulated to reflect on one’s self or a sense of elevation. Studies in this area have mainly focused on individual game characteristics that elicit singular and static eudaimonic game moments. However, such a focus neglects the interplay of multiple game aspects as well as the dynamic nature of eudaimonic experiences. The current study takes a novel approach to eudaimonic game research by conducting a qualitative game analysis of three games (Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Detroit: Become Human, and God of War) and taking systematic notes on game experiences shortly after playing. Results reveal that emotionally moving, reflective, and elevating eudaimonic experiences were elicited when gameplay notes suggested a strong involvement with the game’s narrative and characters (i.e., narrative engagement) and, in some cases, narrative-impacting choices. These key aspects, in turn, are enhanced by clean player interfaces, graphically realistic characters, close camera perspectives, tone-appropriate soundtrack scores, and both narrative-enhancing (e.g., God of War’s health mechanic) and choice-enhancing mechanics (e.g., Detroit: Become Human’s flowchart). Eudaimonic experiences were also found to evolve throughout the game, with more powerful experiences occurring near the end of the game and some narrative themes fueling the eudaimonic flow of experiences throughout the overall game narrative. This study adds to academic research studying digital games by suggesting an innovative methodological approach that provides a detailed, integrative, and dynamic perspective on eudaimonic game experiences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:07:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a75e4cdd4f742e4b93f63aa02942dda |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2183-2439 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:07:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Cogitatio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Media and Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a75e4cdd4f742e4b93f63aa02942dda2022-12-22T02:13:20ZengCogitatioMedia and Communication2183-24392021-01-019110.17645/mac.v9i1.32051754Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game ExperiencesRowan Daneels0Steven Malliet1Lieven Geerts2Natalie Denayer3Michel Walrave4Heidi Vandebosch5Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, BelgiumDepartment of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, Belgium / Inter-Actions Research Unit, LUCA School of Arts, BelgiumDepartment of Sociology, University of Antwerp, BelgiumDepartment of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, BelgiumDepartment of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, BelgiumDepartment of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, BelgiumEmerging research has suggested that digital games can generate entertainment experiences beyond hedonic enjoyment towards eudaimonic experiences: Being emotionally moved, stimulated to reflect on one’s self or a sense of elevation. Studies in this area have mainly focused on individual game characteristics that elicit singular and static eudaimonic game moments. However, such a focus neglects the interplay of multiple game aspects as well as the dynamic nature of eudaimonic experiences. The current study takes a novel approach to eudaimonic game research by conducting a qualitative game analysis of three games (Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Detroit: Become Human, and God of War) and taking systematic notes on game experiences shortly after playing. Results reveal that emotionally moving, reflective, and elevating eudaimonic experiences were elicited when gameplay notes suggested a strong involvement with the game’s narrative and characters (i.e., narrative engagement) and, in some cases, narrative-impacting choices. These key aspects, in turn, are enhanced by clean player interfaces, graphically realistic characters, close camera perspectives, tone-appropriate soundtrack scores, and both narrative-enhancing (e.g., God of War’s health mechanic) and choice-enhancing mechanics (e.g., Detroit: Become Human’s flowchart). Eudaimonic experiences were also found to evolve throughout the game, with more powerful experiences occurring near the end of the game and some narrative themes fueling the eudaimonic flow of experiences throughout the overall game narrative. This study adds to academic research studying digital games by suggesting an innovative methodological approach that provides a detailed, integrative, and dynamic perspective on eudaimonic game experiences.https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/3205digital gamesdynamic approacheudaimonic entertainment experiencesgamesmechanicsnarrativesqualitative game analysis |
| spellingShingle | Rowan Daneels Steven Malliet Lieven Geerts Natalie Denayer Michel Walrave Heidi Vandebosch Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences Media and Communication digital games dynamic approach eudaimonic entertainment experiences games mechanics narratives qualitative game analysis |
| title | Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences |
| title_full | Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences |
| title_fullStr | Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences |
| title_short | Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences |
| title_sort | assassins gods and androids how narratives and game mechanics shape eudaimonic game experiences |
| topic | digital games dynamic approach eudaimonic entertainment experiences games mechanics narratives qualitative game analysis |
| url | https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/3205 |
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