Exploring video games that invoke curiosity

Abstract

Curiosity is considered an important aspect of human life, but understanding the circumstances that cause a person to become curious poses a challenge for research. This paper proposes video games as a stimulus for the experimental study of curiosity. For this purpose, we conducted a survey with the goal of assessing what video game titles and genres could be considered reliable instruments for invoking curiosity. To involve different types of curiosity, we included the Five-Dimensional Curiosity Scale (5DC) questionnaire. The survey was completed by 113 participants, and resulted in 301 game suggestions that warrant further analysis. Exploration and Social Simulation games in particular were found to rank high in triggering curiosity. To explain this result, we present a first analysis of potential game patterns that help trigger curiosity within these genres.

Level Design Patterns That Invoke Curiosity-Driven Exploration

“…Most research efforts regarding curiosity have taken place in the fields of Philosophy [25,63] and Psychology [5,15]. The definition of curiosity varies for much of the past discussion, ranging from accounts of human aspirations to describing it as instigating stimulant for interaction with the environment [18]. Grossnickle [21] performed a meta-review of academic work in order to find commonalities in prior research.…”

“…In this study, we understand curiosity as an intrinsic motivation for pursuing new knowledge and experiences that is accompanied by pleasure and excitement [18].…”

“…The BrainHex model [47], for example, features seven archetypes that match the characteristics of different dimensions of curiosity, such as the 'daredevil' archetype, which is defined by taking pleasure in overcoming risks, matching the 'thrill seeking' curiosity dimension. Further connections between different types of curiosity and gameplay have been established [18]. For example, social curiosity may relate to playing together or figuring out the stories behind non-player characters, deprivation sensitivity can indicate a preference for puzzles, and joyous exploration a desire to discover the ins and outs of a virtual environment.…”

“…This approach is particularly useful for creating generalizable design guidelines, as it gives game designers a range of possible design interventions for invoking curiosity. Gómez Maureira et al [18] analyzed the design of games that players associate with dimensions of the 5DC, and identified design patterns commonly used in games invoking spatial exploration (e.g., Elder Scrolls: Skyrim [7]) and social interaction (e.g., World of Warcraft [9]).…”

“…With the study presented in this paper, we aim to perform fundamental work in filling this research gap. We assess the impact of four level design patterns that have been hypothesized to induce curiosity-driven exploration [18] by implementing them in a single-player, 3D game environment. These patterns should be understood as sets of parameters that, taken together, serve a specific design intention.…”