Journal of Gaming & Virtual Worlds - Volume 3, Issue 3, 2011

This article reviews the psychophysiological method in game research. Psychophysiological measurements provide an objective, continuous, real-time, noninvasive, precise and sensitive way to assess the game experience. However, the best results require controlled experiments with careful monitoring of variables, large enough sample sizes and expertise in electrical signal processing. We briefly explain the theory behind the method and present the most useful measures: electromyography (EMG), electrodermal activity (EDA), electroencephalography (EEG) and cardiac measures. We review previous studies that have used psychophysiological measures in game research and illustrate some future directions. Our article covers several research lines using the psychophysiological method in game studies, and offers a comprehensive list of references for those interested in the field.

This article investigates the significance of three neglected dimensions within research on fine motor computer games1: corporeality, locomotion and craftsmanship. By demonstrating the existence and relevance of these dimensions and the lack of scholarly attention to them within one of the most researched computer games, World of Warcraft serves as a paradigmatic example in the article’s argumentation for the importance of the perspective of the corporeal-locomotive craftsman within game research and the necessity to embrace this perspective in order to fully understand gamers playing fine motor computer games. This new viewpoint implies that gaming (to a greater or lesser extent) is experienced as a corporeal activity in which gamers are corporeally engaged and which depends on their corporeal interaction to make sense. The article asserts that corporeal digitality, locomotion and craftsmanship are not peripheral to but at the very heart of the gaming activity and experience.

Fun is often seen as a necessary gratification for recreational games. However, like all other forms of art, games can also be created to convey painful experiences. This article studies two non-digital freeform role-playing games, The Journey and Gang Rape, that aim to create extreme experiences of tragedy, horror, disgust, powerlessness and self-loathing. Even though the games successfully produce unpleasant experiences, they gratify their target group of experienced role-players. Almost all of the sixteen interviewed players appreciated their experiences, despite crying, experiencing physiological stress reactions and feeling generally ‘bad’ during play. It was also found out that players feel intimately connected after play, and felt the need for thorough debriefing afterwards.

It is not unusual for computer games to include romance, but it is unusual for a computer game to create strong romantic reactions in players. In this article I investigate the romantic experience in the game Dragon Age: Origins. Based on an investigation of blog and community comments, I argue that the game creates a ‘bleed’ effect: some players, to some extent, fall in love with the characters that they are romancing in the game. The article identifies some specific aspects of the game design that contribute to the effect; apart from storyline and character design I discuss the desire for safe-zone romance and the phenomena of player projection as contributing to the effect.

This study investigates the occurrence of deliberate design for player experience in big game studios, and how visions about the intended player experience are expressed and communicated to the team in the development process. The primary data source is interviews conducted with six Swedish game developers. The study confirms that design for player experience is practiced by many game developers, and that they use a wide variety of tools for expressing and communicating their visions about the experience they want to convey. The main purpose of these expressions is to allow everyone in the development team to make design choices in line with a commonly shared design vision.

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