The effect of multiplayer dynamic difficulty adjustment on the player experience of video games

Baldwin, Alexander

doi:10.1145/2559206.2581285

Cited by 35 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Similarly, in an experimental study using a multiplayer game with dynamic diffi culty adjustment feature, players who were assisted by the game reported higher satisfaction of all three needs if they were unaware of the adjustment. Awareness of the adjustment still increased competence, but reduced autonomy and relatedness (Baldwin et al 2014 ). Most modern games aim to provide an optimum level of challenge using features such as manually adjustable diffi culty levels, introducing game actions slowly in order not to overwhelm the player, and dynamically adjusting diffi culty.…”

Section: Game Features and Basic Psychological Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Determination Theory in Digital Games

Uysal

Yildirim

2016

International Series on Computer Entertainment and Media Technology

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Self-determination theory (SDT; Intrinsic motivation and selfdetermination in human behavior, New York, 1985; The oxford handbook of human motivation, New York, pp 2012) is a broad motivational theory that has been developing for the last four decades. The theory makes the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and identifi es three basic psychological needs that are essential for well-being. When people are intrinsically motivated, they engage in an activity because the activity itself is interesting, enjoyable, and congruent with their selves. In contrast, when people are extrinsically motivated, they engage in an activity because the activity is instrumental in obtaining rewards or avoiding punishments. In this chapter, we will discuss digital games within a SDT framework, with a focus on how satisfaction of basic psychological needs in games can enhance user experience. We start with the behavioral psychology principles and the use of rewards in games that fuel extrinsic motivation. Next, we discuss intrinsic-extrinsic motivation and the three basic psychological needs-autonomy, competence, and relatedness-that facilitate intrinsic motivation and enhance player experience. Finally, we discuss some basic game features and their relation to basic needs.

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Section: Game Features and Basic Psychological Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Determination Theory in Digital Games

Uysal

Yildirim

2016

International Series on Computer Entertainment and Media Technology

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“…For example, applying balancing techniques in a more complex 3D game [20] proved to be more difficult than in a simple 2D game [5], because of game elements such as choice of weapons or targets that shoot back. In addition, player awareness of the assistance can reduce its efficacy [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving player balancing in racing games

Cechanowicz

Gutwin

Bateman

et al. 2014

Proceedings of the First ACM SIGCHI Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play

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In competitive games where players' skill levels are mismatched, the play experience can be unsatisfying for both stronger and weaker players. Player balancing provides assistance for less-skilled players in order to make games more competitive and engaging. Although player balancing can be seen in many real-world games, there is little work on the design and effectiveness of these techniques outside of shooting games. In this paper we provide new knowledge about player balancing in the popular and competitive racing genre. We studied issues of noticeability and balancing effectiveness in a prototype racing game, and tested the effects of several balancing techniques on performance and play experience. The techniques significantly improved the balance of player performance, were preferred by both experts and novices, increased novices' feelings of competitiveness, and did not detract from experts' experience. Our results provide new understanding of the design and use of player balancing for racing games, and provide novel techniques that can also be applied to other genres.

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“…This result has been demonstrated in several studies -for example, in one study of siblings, the younger child became upset or lost motivation to continue playing if they were never able to perform as well as the older sibling [14]. However, if player balancing techniques are too obvious, both the stronger and the weaker player can feel that the game is unfair [5,14].…”

Section: Game Balancing and Player Balancingmentioning

confidence: 92%

Now You Can Compete With Anyone

Vicencio-Moreira

Mandryk

Gutwin

2015

Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

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When player skill levels differ widely in a competitive First-Person Shooter (FPS) game, enjoyment suffers: weaker players become frustrated and stronger players become less engaged. Player balancing techniques attempt to assist the weaker player and make games more competitive, but these techniques have limitations for deployment when skill levels vary substantially. We developed new player balancing schemes to deal with a range of FPS skill difference, and tested these techniques in one-on-one deathmatches using a commercial-quality FPS game developed with the UDK engine. Our results showed that the new balancing schemes are extremely effective at balancing, even for players with large skill differences. Surprisingly, the techniques that were most effective at balancing were also rated as most enjoyable by both players -even though these schemes were the most noticeable. Our study is the first to show that player balancing can work well in realistic FPS games, providing developers with a way to increase the audience for this popular genre. In addition, our results demonstrate the idea that successful balancing is as much about the way the technique is applied as it is about the specific manipulation.

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The effect of multiplayer dynamic difficulty adjustment on the player experience of video games

Cited by 35 publications

References 6 publications

Self-Determination Theory in Digital Games

Self-Determination Theory in Digital Games

Improving player balancing in racing games

Now You Can Compete With Anyone

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