Effectance and control as determinants of video game enjoyment

This article explores video game enjoyment originated by games' key characteristic, interactivity. An online experiment (N = 500) tested experiences of effectance (perceived influence on the game world) and of being in control as mechanisms that link interactivity to enjoyment. A video game was manipulated to either allow normal play, reduce perceived effectance, or reduce perceived control. Enjoyment ratings suggest that effectance is an important factor in video game enjoyment but that the relationship between control of the game situation and enjoyment is more complex. © 2007 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

Exploring replay value: Shifts and continuities in user experiences between first and second exposure to an interactive story

While replay value is a common term in interactive entertainment, psychological research on its meaning in terms of user experiences is sparse. An exploratory experiment using the interactive drama "Façade" was conducted (n=50) to examine shifts and continuities in entertainment-related user experiences between first and second exposure to the same system. A questionnaire with brief scales measuring various user-experience dimensions (interaction-related facets such as usability, flow, and presence, as well as narrative-related facets such as suspense and curiosity) was administered after the first and the second round of exposure. Findings suggest that replay produces gains in action-related experience components such as presence and effectance, whereas narrative-related experiences such as curiosity and suspense remain stable across exposures. Implications for theorizing on interactive entertainment experiences are discussed. © 2012, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

Bacteria Hunt: A multimodal, multiparadigm BCI game

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) allow users to control applications by brain activity. Among their possible applications for non-disabled people, games are promising candidates. BCIs can enrich game play by the mental and affective state information they contain. During the eNTERFACE’09 workshop we developed the Bacteria Hunt game which can be played by keyboard and BCI, using SSVEP and relative alpha power. We conducted experiments in order to investigate what difference positive vs. negative neurofeedback would have on subjects’ relaxation states and how well the different BCI paradigms can be used together. We observed no significant difference in mean alpha band power, thus relaxation, and in user experience between the games applying positive and negative feedback. We also found that alpha power before SSVEP stimulation was significantly higher than alpha power during SSVEP stimulation indicating that there is some interference between the two BCI paradigms

CONSUMER USE OF SOCIAL LIVE STREAMING SERVICES: THE INFLUENCE OF CO-EXPERIENCE AND EFFECTANCE ON ENJOYMENT

Social live streaming services (SLSS) have emerged as a new type of hedonic social media. SLSS allow users to watch and broadcast video streams in real-time, fostering sociability through synchronous communication via chat channels. While the extant literature has mostly examined producers’ use of SLSS, the consumer perspective has been underexplored. Prior research has identified perceived enjoyment as consumers’ primary motivation to use hedonic social media. However, it remains unclear how the specific affordances of SLSS affect consumers’ enjoyment. Due to their synchronous nature, SLSS enable consumers to co-experience live streams together and to perceive so-called “effectance” by shaping the content of live streams through their actions. Consequently, research is required on how both co-experience and effectance influence consumers’ enjoyment of SLSS. We empirically address this research gap by applying partial least squares equation modeling on web survey data of 127 consumers of SLSS. Our results show that consumers’ perceived co-experience has a strong positive effect on the enjoyment of their active behavior (chatting) and their passive behavior (watching). Perceived effectance, however, only shows a positive impact on the enjoyment of active behavior, while playing no role for the enjoyment of passive behavior

Exploring the Empirical Link Between Game Features, Player Motivation, and Game Behavior

This research-in-progress paper aims to propose a framework for predicting use continuance and subsequent in-game purchases in the context of online, free-to-play (F2P) mobile games. Using previous games research, we first propose Perceived Enjoyment (PE) and Use Continuance (UC) as the key predictors of Purchase Intention (PI). However, in order to extend the extant literature and generate practical insights for game developers into how to enhance the level of PE and UC generated by their games, we further explore the relations between a set of technical game features and their impact on users’ motivations for playing online F2P mobile games. Specifically, we look at three groups of features—connect, bonding, and share-in features—and test their effect on three key motivations underpinning perceived enjoyment in the context of digital game play, namely Achievement, Social, and Immersion motivations. Using data from a scenario-based questionnaire, our findings show that although all three motivations—Achievement, Social, and Immersion—result in greater enjoyment, and in turn, use continuance and purchase intention, only a single technical feature of the games—namely the share-in feature—triggers greater perceived immersion motivation. Implications for theory and practice are discussed

Disentangling Fun and Enjoyment in Exergames Using an Expanded Design, Play, Experience Framework: A Narrative Review

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Not Very Effective : Validity Issues of the Effectance in Games Scale

Effectance—the basic positive experience of causing effects—provides a promising explanation for the enjoyment derived from novel low-challenge game genres featuring ample ‘juicy’ feedback. To date, game researchers have studied effectance using a little-validated 11-item scale developed by Klimmt, Hartmann, and Frey. To test its dimensionality and discriminant validity, we conducted an online survey (n = 467) asking people to report on effectance and related experiences in a recent play session. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses show poor fit with a unidimensional factor structure and poor discriminant validity with common enjoyment and mastery/competence measures, likely due to reverse-coded items and a separable input lag factor. We discuss further possible validity issues like questionable content validity, advise against using the scale in its present form, and close with recommendations for future scale development and use

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger? The Relationship between Cognitive Task Demands in Video Games and Recovery Experiences

Research has repeatedly demonstrated that the use of interactive media is associated with recovery experiences, suggesting that engaging with media can help people to alleviate stress and restore mental and physical resources. Video games, in particular, have been shown to fulfil various aspects of recovery, not least due to their ability to elicit feelings of mastery and control. However, little is known about the role of cognitive task demand (i.e., the amount of cognitive effort a task requires) in that process. Toward this end, our study aimed to investigate how cognitive task demand during gameplay affects users’ recovery experiences. Results of a laboratory experiment suggest that different dimensions of the recovery experiences seem to respond to different levels of cognitive task demand. While control experiences were highest under low cognitive task demand, there was no difference between groups regarding experiences of mastery and psychological detachment. Nevertheless, both gaming conditions outperformed the control condition regarding experiences of mastery and psychological detachment. Controlling for personal gaming experiences, relaxation was higher in the low cognitive task demand condition compared to the control condition. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for research on the multilayered recovery effects of interactive media