Exploring the intrinsic nature of video game achievements

Aabom, Henrik Tobiesen

4. term

Medialogy, Master

2014

2014-08-01

115

Achievements i spil er ydre belønninger som badges og mål, der skal holde spillere engagerede ved at tilbyde ekstra udfordringer. Siden de blev introduceret, har spillere diskuteret, om disse ekstra aktiviteter forbedrer eller forstyrrer spiloplevelsen. Denne tese undersøger, om og hvordan et system kan udnytte et miljø, der i sig selv motiverer, til at ændre den ydre (ekstrinsiske) motivationskarakter ved achievements og i stedet støtte indre (intrinsisk) motivation, altså glæden ved selve aktiviteten. Arbejdet begyndte med at afklare, hvad der driver jagten på achievements i forhold til ekstrinsisk og intrinsisk motivation. På den baggrund blev der udviklet rammer til at kategorisere både typer af achievements og spillertyper. Disse rammer blev brugt til at designe et system, der skulle gøre det mere meningsfuldt i sig selv at gå efter achievements. Systemet blev afprøvet over flere uger i deltagernes normale hjemmemiljø, når de spillede som de plejer. Testen kombinerede spørgeskemaer med flervalgsopgaver og vurderingsskalaer (fx fra meget uenig til meget enig) med observationer og interviews. Resultaterne viste ingen statistisk signifikant samlet effekt på spillernes motivation. Der tegnede sig dog en tendens: Systemet ser ud til at påvirke spillere med lidt eller ingen erfaring med achievements positivt, mens det kan have en negativ effekt på spillere, der i forvejen aktivt går efter achievements.

In games, achievements are external rewards such as badges and goals that aim to keep players engaged by adding extra challenges. Since their introduction, players have debated whether these extras enhance or detract from the gaming experience. This thesis examines whether, and to what extent, a system can leverage an intrinsically motivating environment to reshape the extrinsic nature of achievements and support intrinsic motivation—the enjoyment of the activity itself. The study began by clarifying what motivates players to pursue achievements in terms of extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation. Based on this, the author developed frameworks to categorize both achievement types and player types. These frameworks informed the design of a system intended to make pursuing achievements feel more meaningful in its own right. The system was tested over several weeks in participants’ normal home settings while they played as usual. The evaluation used mixed methods: questionnaires with multiple-choice items and rating scales (e.g., from strongly disagree to strongly agree), along with observations and interviews. The results showed no statistically significant overall effect on players’ motivation. However, a pattern emerged: the system tended to have a positive effect on players with little or no prior experience with achievements, and a negative effect on players who already pursue achievements during regular play.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

spil ; motivation ; achievement ; intrinsic ; extrinsic

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