Player Profile Models: A Research in the Phenomena Player Types

Rueløkke, Jonatan

4. term

Medialogy, Master

2014

2014-05-27

75 pages

Abstract: For many years researchers and game developers alike have worked with a concept called Player Types. This concept is used as checklists for game designers and game researchers. However there are problems with the models used so far. Models can with a few exceptions not be measured in any way and is therefore not usable for anything but as a sort of checklist. The models that do have measurable parameters are normally very limited and do not nearly cover all the important aspects within player types. The present study seeks to create a model that can not only be used as a checklist, but which can actually be used to map players to games. A null hypothesis tests on the subject of whether the created model would be able to predict which games people would like to play. The answer to this question will be discovered by creating an extensive literature review on previous attempts at creating models. From this literature review the model called “The Player Profile Model” is created. The study then describes the creation of an experimentation scene with three games and a survey. The test was conducted by sending out the survey and games to a broad group of test participants. With the survey, test participants got their own player profile model. This model was compared to ratings the participants gave different triple-A titles and the created games. In the end the test was not able to reject the Null Hypothesis.

Player Types ; Continuation Desire ; Flow

Download
View record in AAU Student Projects