Thesis Study

Overview

This study aims to investigate how the video game ‘Ori and the Blind Forest’ elicits emotions in players, and how these emotions influence experienced and inexperienced player’s behaviours. A quasi-experimental study was conducted, involving 6 female participants, who reported being either experienced or inexperienced gamers. A mixed methods analysis was used to understand how observed game behaviours evolved over the course of the game. This was supported by interview and survey data, to understand player emotions. The findings indicate that there is a difference in the emotional responses between players' emotions and the way player behaviours evolve throughout the game between experienced players. The findings of this study are exploratory in nature and can be built upon by further research to test for significance.

Research Objectives

Exploring the potential differences in emotional responses between experienced and inexperienced players, to identify patterns or trends and assess whether these differences are statistically significant.
Explore the various behaviours elicited, how they differ between experience levels and how they evolve over time for the experience levels.
How do the elicited emotions influence player's behavioural responses.

Methodology

"Ori and the Blind Forest" was chosen for its emotionally compelling narrative, engaging mechanics, and rich visuals. Participants played the game for one hour, with mandatory breaks at visually pleasing checkpoints, ensuring a balanced experience.
Six adult female participants (ages 22-28), categorised as experienced and inexperienced gamers, participated in a one hour gameplay session. They were recorded during gameplay, and post-game interviews captured their emotional and behavioural responses.
Interviews were transcribed and coded into themes such as engagement, frustration, and anxiety, while GEQ responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and visualised with bar plots to identify emotional responses. Minute-by-minute gameplay analysis identified key player behaviours, categorised into themes like Experimentation, Persistence, Botching, and Strategic Play.
Mixed-method analysis was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative data. Thematic analysis and coding schemes were used to identify patterns in emotional responses and behaviors from interviews and gameplay recordings.
I ensured informed consent, transparency, and participant confidentiality. I also addressed potential emotional impacts and provided participants with the option to withdraw or take breaks to manage stress.

Key Findings

Experienced players exhibited higher joy and excitement, while inexperienced players demonstrated more frustration and anxiety. The game’s visual aesthetics and music significantly enhanced player immersion and emotional engagement.
7 Major player behaviours were inductively identified through thematic analysis of gameplay recordings: Experimentation, Botching, Floundering, Persistence, Flailing, Breezing, Strategic plays.
Experienced players adapted more quickly, showing better problem-solving and strategic thinking. Inexperienced players exhibited more frequent floundering (confusion and hesitation) but caught up over time.
Emotional states like frustration negatively impacted exploration and strategic decisions, while engagement led to more experimentation and creative gameplay.
The bar plots show the differences in emotional responses for the two experience groups and the line plots show the evolution of each player behaviour with time.
The Correlation heat-map shows how each emotion influences player behaviour.

Note

Certain visual data from this research, including participant gameplay recordings and facial expressions, cannot be shown due to ethical constraints. To protect participant privacy and ensure compliance with institutional review board guidelines, visual elements that directly identify or are sensitive in nature have been omitted from this presentation. The focus remains on maintaining the confidentiality and ethical integrity of the study participants while conveying the findings effectively.

Recommendations for future research

Further studies with larger and more diverse participant pools are needed to generalize findings across different game genres and demographics. The inclusion of AI-driven adaptive gameplay can help tailor challenges based on player emotions, potentially leading to more personalized and engaging experiences.

Conclusion

This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how video games evoke emotional responses and influence player behavior, providing valuable insights for game developers to design more emotionally engaging and inclusive experiences.

Full thesis

Feel free to contact me through Email for more details or a copy of my entire thesis.