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Researching audiences of computer and video games: methodological approaches and thoughts.
- 1. TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs Researching audiences of computer and video games methodological approaches and thoughts Kris Naessens (IBBT-VUB-SMIT) dr. An Jacobs (IBBT-VUB-SMIT) studies on media, information and telecommunication
- 2. Computer and videogames • Technological advancements • Growth in use / More diversified audience TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 3. TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009 User research in gaming studies Dominated by: – Focus on hardcore players – Focus on certain aspects of games Recently: broader take on subjects and methods studies on media, information and telecommunication
- 4. This presentation • Goal: comparison of use of two methods in research project (TELEON). TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 5. Project: TELEON • 2007-2009 • Multidisciplinary (technical + social sciences) • Academic research groups + private partners (VRT, Larian Studios) => Our input: user/player research => Focus: The experience and appropriation of games by different users TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 6. TELEON: research design (1) – Chronology: • Literature => User research in lab => Ethnographic field study – User research (in lab context): • With project partner CUO • 18 participants asked to play casual game and perform tasks in Second Life (SL) • Methods: interviews, observation during play (thinking aloud) TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 7. TELEON: research design (2) – Ethnographic field study (in home context): • 5 households (15 participants) received various platforms and games during 6 months • Methods: interviews, observations, mapping of media devices, diaries, co-creation TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 8. Findings / Methods (1) • Different players: different needs – Interviews/observation user test: first indications – Interviews/co-creation field study: insights in specific likes and dislikes TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 9. Findings / Methods (2) • Playing with others: fun, but… – Interviews user test: first reaction “fun”, but some resistance – Interviews/observations field study: skill level is key TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 10. Findings / Methods (3) • Place of gaming in daily lives: – Interviews user test: indications about time averagely spent on gaming – Interviews/diaries field study: • Appropriation of games • Absence of “warm expert” role (cf. Bakardjieva, 2005) TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 11. Conclusions • Different types of players: – Need for further methodological refinement – Different research approaches necessary • Rapid technological advancements / changes in audience: – Game research needs to adopt quickly with up-to-date methods TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
- 12. Questions • ??? • Further information: – Kris Naessens (kris.naessens@vub.ac.be) – dr. An Jacobs (an.jacobs@vub.ac.be) TA2 – Naessens & Jacobs 03/09/2009
Notes de l'éditeur
- IBBT logo
- Sales +300 % since 1996. Rapid technological advancements Exponential growth of a medium: . Broader acceptance among general public: 65 % of US households play games 47 % of Nintendo DS owners are female
- Experience of graphics, control, violence. Focus on one player and his game/platform (cf. heuristics)
- User research in lab setting. Ethnographic field study. Content: Use of research methods and some findings. Lessons learned
- Goal: creation of editing system for a virtual 3D world (storytelling/community building)
- Redenen en verschillen tussen 2 methoden verklaren Casual game: mystery game, find objects by point and click pre + post interviews Both methods: participants with varying gaming habbits (hardcore to people who don’t play)
- Different players/different needs Verband met genre/narrativiteit: non-players vinden hun gading niet (cf. collages/interviews) User test: first indication of what are differences, for example playing with confidence or if someone is very scared to do something wrong while playing, which is also seen with novice computer users. The lab setting made it possible to register the participants’ reaction very closely. Field study: by presenting the participants of the field study with various platforms and different genre of games, we saw what drew them to or kept them away from gaming. Playing together: interview user test: asked as general question => fieldstudy: dieper ingraven op acties en motivaties. Less experienced players => schrik voor competitie. Observation/interview SL: easy basic functions, harder advanced controls => alles dat buiten pijltjestoetsen gaat werd als complex ervaren. Experience of navigation/controls: Observation/interview SL: easy basic functions, harder advanced controls Interviews/observations field study: perceived complexity of joysticks keeps less experienced players from playing Genre: Interviews lab and field study/co-creation field study: players like specific genres and stick to them Story/narrative: Interviews lab and field study: “dressing” over action of games Skill level is key: here being able to follow participants in their home context really paid off, as we came in contact with the participants multiple times and we were able to get past reactions more socially diserable. (=bruggetje naar volgende slide) “Vb: van wanneer is het toch fun om samen te spelen, vw Wanneer is het nodig om in lange termijn onderzoek te investeren?”
- Skill level is key: here being able to follow participants in their home context really paid off, as we came in contact with the participants multiple times and we were able to get past reactions more socially diserable. (=bruggetje naar volgende slide)
- Interviews user test: first time Story/narrative: not so central as in other media such as film or books Place of gaming in daily lives - Interview user test: due to the short playing time. This short playing time heavily influences the design of casual games, as the genre consists of games with simple goals and short levels. most participants consciously limited playing time Field study: warm expert: skilled players didn’t want to play with household members that were less experiences in games. Instead, this group of hardcore users explicetly looked beyond their home and to online gaming to find challenging oponents. tested casual game seen as easy to implement in daily activities => sociale dynamiek niet in user test Immersion in games: Interviews/observations user test: often engagement, no engrossment Interviews field study: specific reasons leading to immersion Diversification of audience: typology based upon triangulation of research results ethnography. = AANVULLEN, EV. IETS ANDERS ZOEKEN
- Different research approaches necessary => vb: many people that occasionally play a game like solitaire on the pc will often not see themselves as gamers, and as such it becomes very hard to reach them for research. Methods: for instance, with Second Life we tested a specific application by having participants perform tasks such as flying to a location in the virtual world or talking to another avatar. To get insight in the audience’s reaction to a certain game, test in a controlled lab setting are very adequate. Game research methods: in TELEON we saw the advantages of innovative research methods such as co-creation. But also existing methods need to adopt to the rapid changes in both the gaming technology and its audience. For instance, there is a growing body of literature on ways to perform content analysis in games and virtual worlds, as computer and videogames are an open medium with unprecedented power given to its audience. Methods: hard to compare, as the ethnographic fieldstudy compromised more platforms and games and took place over a longer period Methods: Not an absolute choice, not or/or discussion