Player Engagement
Player Engagement refers to the interaction, immersion, and emotions the player experiences while playing the game. It is the driving force behind a player's desire to keep playing. It's important to note that this desire stems from the emotion of wanting something.
Aesthetics vs. Player Engagement
Player engagement is not the same as aesthetics. While the two concepts are related, they are not interchangeable.
The MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics) framework defines aesthetics as the desirable emotional responses evoked in players when they interact with the game system, essentially equating aesthetics with player engagement. However, aesthetics, in a broader sense, is generally defined as "pleasing in appearance or beauty". Given this commonly accepted definition, the MDA framework's use of the term can be confusing.
Other frameworks reflect this confusion. For example, the Elemental Tetrad proposed by Jesse Schell defines aesthetics as the sensory experience of the game but separates story from this category. One could argue that story, which evokes emotion, might fit within the MDA's broader definition of aesthetics. This disconnect often leads people, especially in media, to use aesthetics to primarily describe a game's visuals (e.g., graphics, animations, special effects). While visuals contribute to engagement, they are only one aspect.
Dramatic Elements
To better illustrate the elements necessary for player engagement, Tracy Fullerton developed the concept of dramatic elements , factors that engage players emotionally and keep them invested in the game. These elements include:
- Challenge: Creates tension and excitement for the player.
- Play: Allows players to experiment within the game system, sometimes bending the rules.
- Premise: The core concept or idea behind the game's story.
- Story: Builds upon the premise to enrich the player's experience.
- Characters: Provide a way for players to connect emotionally with the game.
While these dramatic elements help foster player engagement, they primarily emphasize narrative design (which includes premise, story, and characters) and notably omit visuals and other aspects of aesthetics, such as sound and atmosphere, which also play crucial roles in creating a cohesive and immersive player experience.
Why - Player Engagement
According to a 2011 paper titled "Modeling but NOT Measuring Engagement in Computer Games" by Chen, Kolko, Cuddihy, and Medina, engagement is defined as "a sustained level of involvement caused by capturing a person's interest, holding the majority of a person's attentional resources, and placing the person in an immersive state." This definition emphasizes how engagement is built on immersion and attention, highlighting the player's deep connection to the game experience.
While this theoretical framework provides a solid foundation for understanding what engagement is, Taghavi-Burris's framework aims to translate these principles into tangible design elements is essential for creating games that actively engage players. At its core, the fundamental question that player engagement ask is: "Why is the player playing?"
Understanding the player's motivation for engaging with the game is key to crafting experiences that resonate emotionally and mentally. By answering this question, designers can create more meaningful and personalized gameplay experiences, ones that evoke the emotional responses that both players desire and game designers want to instil.
Elements of Player Engagement
Building on these concepts, Taghavi-Burris proposes a set of core elements that developers can focus on to foster player engagement. These elements bridge the gap between theory and practical application, giving game designers a roadmap for capturing and sustaining player interest:
- Challenge: Creates tension and gives the player something to strive for.
- Play: Engages players in enjoyable, entertaining activities.
- Narrative Design: Establishes core emotional elements that resonate with the player through storytelling.
- Visual Design: Enhances the player's experience through imagery, color, shapes, typography, and form.
- Sound Design: Uses audio elements and music to enhance mood and atmosphere.
- Game Atmosphere: Unifies artwork, sound, narrative, and level design to create a cohesive mood and tone.
Cohesive Immersion
While earlier frameworks like Fullerton's emphasize narrative, the term aesthetics has often led media and players to overemphasize the importance of visuals in games, frequently without defining what constitutes effective visual design. This focus on visuals can sometimes overshadow other critical aspects of player engagement. In particular, sound design, while often discussed by players, is frequently overlooked in design conversations despite its significant role in shaping the player's emotional experience.
It's important to recognize that narrative, visual, and sound design are all integral components that work together to create the overall game atmosphere, the synergy of these elements helps to immerse players and evoke emotional responses. This atmosphere is essential for fostering player engagement, as it draws players into the game world, enhancing their sense of presence and connection with the experience.