More Than Stories With Buttons: Narrative, Mechanics, and Context as Determinants of Player Experience in Digital Games

• DOI: 10.1111/jcom.12096
• Publication Date: 2014-05-19T14:55:31Z
• Authors: Malte Elson; Johannes Breuer; James D. Ivory; Thorsten Quandt
• Keywords: Nutzung; utilization; Computerspiel; interaktive Medien; interaction; ddc:070; Wirkung; angewandte Psychologie; Interactive, electronic Media; experience; 0508 media and communications; ddc:150; entertainment; Medien; Erleben; Emotionalität; Psychology; Unterhaltung; interaktive, elektronische Medien; Applied Psychology; News media, journalism, publishing; emotionality; effect; media; 05 social sciences; Interaktion; interactive media; Psychologie; Publizistische Medien, Journalismus,Verlagswesen; computer game

Recent research has attempted to describe meaningful experiences with entertainment media that go beyond hedonic enjoyment. Most of this focuses on noninteractive media, such as film and television. When applied digital games, however, needs account for not only the content medium, but also unique dimensions games distinguish them from media. Experiences are shaped by game mechanics define users' interaction content, well opportunities social many offer. We argue complex interplay these (narrative, mechanics, context) facilitates or inhibits user in ways games.