GAMES PLAYERS PLAY. Understanding the intrinsic motivation for a positive game engagement
Garcia Reyes, Alejandra Mariana (2024)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024121134837
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024121134837
Tiivistelmä
Utilising mixed methodology, this study focuses on the user experience and motivation of game testers by analyzing Intrinsic Motivation Inventory results based on their gamer motivation profiles by the Quantic Foundry.
The commissioning company for the thesis is Resistance Games, which is a game development studio established in Oulu, Finland, in 2019. It develops PC and console games. This thesis focuses on game testing for The Game of Horrors (GOH), currently in development by Resistance Games. GOH is a turn-based tactical strategy game with psychological horror in its narrative and aesthetics inspired by 80s-90s slasher films.
This research conducts PC game testing with 29 participants from Finland, Belgium, Russia, and Mexico, using pre- and post-questionnaires, including validated measures on the Self-determination Theory. This research aims to understand and implement a model for defining the target audience for a game in development through a structured evaluation method for emotion-centered design, considering key motivational factors that shape game perception and consumption.
To be able to fully understand the meaning and relevance of intrinsic motivation, it is essential to understand how it relates to gameplay and basic elements of a game's design. This will help to identify and provide empirical evidence for defining more accurate target audience for developing and launching the GOH.
The instruments used to analyse the game testers motivations were based on the Quantic Foundry’s Gamer Motivation Profile (GMP) before the game testing (Phase 1) and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) after the game testing (Phase 2). This study identifies that the ideal GMP for GOH is a male bard aged 31–34 years. The study suggests that analyzing IMI-results based on GMPs is a valuable new method to refine the target audience for a game.
Keywords: UX, Psychology, Self-determination Theory, Intrinsic Motivation, Strategy games, Horror games, Target audience.
The commissioning company for the thesis is Resistance Games, which is a game development studio established in Oulu, Finland, in 2019. It develops PC and console games. This thesis focuses on game testing for The Game of Horrors (GOH), currently in development by Resistance Games. GOH is a turn-based tactical strategy game with psychological horror in its narrative and aesthetics inspired by 80s-90s slasher films.
This research conducts PC game testing with 29 participants from Finland, Belgium, Russia, and Mexico, using pre- and post-questionnaires, including validated measures on the Self-determination Theory. This research aims to understand and implement a model for defining the target audience for a game in development through a structured evaluation method for emotion-centered design, considering key motivational factors that shape game perception and consumption.
To be able to fully understand the meaning and relevance of intrinsic motivation, it is essential to understand how it relates to gameplay and basic elements of a game's design. This will help to identify and provide empirical evidence for defining more accurate target audience for developing and launching the GOH.
The instruments used to analyse the game testers motivations were based on the Quantic Foundry’s Gamer Motivation Profile (GMP) before the game testing (Phase 1) and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) after the game testing (Phase 2). This study identifies that the ideal GMP for GOH is a male bard aged 31–34 years. The study suggests that analyzing IMI-results based on GMPs is a valuable new method to refine the target audience for a game.
Keywords: UX, Psychology, Self-determination Theory, Intrinsic Motivation, Strategy games, Horror games, Target audience.