Exploring Female Preferences Within Game Design
Author
Stone, Kathrine Midtgaard
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-05-31
Pages
100
Abstract
Mange spil er designet med fokus på mål og opgaver som at samle, navigere eller skyde, mens fortælling, komplekse figurer og følelser ofte nedprioriteres. Forskning tyder på, at denne vægtning i højere grad appellerer til mandlige spillere. Denne afhandling undersøger derfor, hvilke spilelementer der tiltaler kvinder. Med en eksplorativ forskningsmetode – en åben, afsøgende tilgang – kombineres litteraturstudier med empirisk dataindsamling for at identificere relevante designkomponenter. På den baggrund blev der udviklet tre prototyper, som hver fremhævede forskellige komponenter. Tre kvalitative tests med kvinder, der normalt ikke spiller spil, blev gennemført for at afprøve og nuancere de identificerede komponenter. Resultaterne peger på en række designtræk, der er vigtige at prioritere, når man designer spil til et kvindeligt publikum. Ved at følge de skitserede retningslinjer kan man potentielt udvikle nyskabende spil, der tiltrækker nye målgrupper, herunder kvinder med begrænset spiloplevelse.
Many games are designed around goals and tasks such as collecting, navigating, or shooting, while story, rich characters, and emotions are often secondary. Research suggests this emphasis tends to appeal more to male players. This thesis examines which game elements appeal to women. Using an exploratory research approach—an open-ended way to discover promising directions—it combines a review of existing literature with empirical data collection to identify design components. Based on these insights, three prototypes were developed, each highlighting different components. Three qualitative tests with women who do not usually play games were conducted to explore how the identified components are experienced. The findings highlight design features that are important to prioritize when creating games for a female audience. By following the proposed guidelines, it may be possible to design innovative games that attract new audiences, including women with little prior gaming experience.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Documents