Exploring sociality and engagement in play through game-control distribution

Abstract

This study explores how distributing the controls of a video game among multiple players affects the sociality and engagement experienced in game play. A video game was developed in which the distribution of game controls among the players could be varied, thereby affecting the abilities of the individual players to control the game. An experiment was set up in which eight groups of three players were asked to play the video game while the distribution of the game controls was increased in three steps. After each playing session, the players' experiences of sociality and engagement were assessed using questionnaires. The results showed that distributing game control among the players increased the level of experienced sociality and reduced the level of experienced control. The game in which the controls were partly distributed led to the highest levels of experienced engagement, because the game allowed social play while still giving the players a sense of autonomy. The implications for interaction design are discussed.

Designing Gamification to Guide Competitive and Cooperative Behavior in Teamwork

“…Partly distributing the controls (e.g. just distributing the color switching) resulted in the most intense game experience (Rozendaal, Braat, & Wensveen, 2010 ).…”

Training Through Serious Games: The Relationship Between Travel Agent Engagement, Knowledge of Cruise Products and Cruise Sales

“…In other words, engagement of the learner is an attribute that should be addressed during the design phase of developing a serious game. This conclusion is in line with existing theoretical discussion of serious games, including the benefits of motivation and play (Rozendaal et al, 2010), maximizing engagement through striking balance between players' interest and challenge (Hoffman & Nadelson, 2010) and the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of learners while playing the game (Malone, 1981).…”

“…Engagement is a key indicator to academic success, motivation, and continual progress in a task (Rozendaal, Braat, & Wensveen, 2010). Engagement is the manner in which a learner's cognitive and motor skills are motivated when participating in a game (Rozendaal et al, 2010).…”

“…Engagement is the manner in which a learner's cognitive and motor skills are motivated when participating in a game (Rozendaal et al, 2010). The learner experiences positive motivation to continue playing as an act of engagement.…”

“…Engaged learners push through challenging tasks and concentrate on improving their skills due to their excitement about playing. Engaged learners are likely to demonstrate positive attributes such as enthusiasm, optimism, curiosity, and interest (Rozendaal et al, 2010). Maximizing the players' engagement, requires for equilibrium to exist between the players' interest and the level of challenge exhibited by playing the game (Hoffman & Nadelson, 2010).…”