Associate Professor
Bahcesehir University, Faculty of Communication
Bio
Barbaros Bostan is a Professor in the Digital Game Design department at the Bahcesehir University/Turkey. His research areas include computer games, presence, interactivity, gamer psychology, player motivations and player profiling. Bostan has teaching experience in the areas of game history and analysis, storytelling in games, player psychology, research methods and interactive narrative. He reviews journal articles and book chapters for various journals and publishers, local and international.
He was the editor of Gamer Psychology and Behavior, Game User Experience and Player-Centered Design, Games and Narrative: Theory and Practice books published by Springer. He was also one of the section editors of Encyclopedia of Computer Graphics and Games published by Springer.
Academic Positions
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Present 2016
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2016 2015
Associate Professor
Yeditepe University, Faculty of Commerce
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2010 2015
Assistant Professor
Yeditepe University, Faculty of Commerce
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2008 2010
Post-doc Researcher
National University of Singapore, Games Lab
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2005 2008
Lecturer
Yeditepe University, Faculty of Commerce
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2005 2001
Teaching Assistant
Yeditepe University, Faculty of Commerce
Education & Training
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Ph.D. 2007
Ph.D. in Information Systems
Marmara University
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M.B.A.2003
Master of Business Administration
Yeditepe University
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B.S.2001
Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering
Istanbul Technical University
Research Topics
- Player Motivations
- Virtual Environments
- Interactive Storytelling
- Role-Playing Games
- Virtual Agents
- Game Design
Research Projects
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This project was started in 2008 at the Games Lab of Interactive & Digital Media Institute of NUS.
Principal Investigator of this project was Dr. Alexander Nareyek.
Bostan worked as a post-doc researcher in this project for two years.
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This project started in 2019 and ended in 2022.
Project Coordinator was Kazimierz Wielki University.
Bostan worked as a researcher in this project for three years.
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This project started in 2018 and ended in 2020.
Project Coordinator was ITU, Faculty of Architecture, Istanbul, Turkey.
Bostan worked as a researcher in this project for two years.
Selected Publications
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Psychological and Behavioral Effects of League of Legends Rank System for Italian Competitive Players
Conference Papers International Conference on Videogame Sciences and Arts, 2023
Abstract
This study presents the relationships between levels of toxicity, validation-seeking behavior, emotional affectivity, and desire to quit at higher ranks in the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, namely League of Legends. Analysis of data collected from Italian participants (N = 370) supports positive correlations between rank and toxicity, rank and validation-seeking behavior, and rank and positive emotion affectivity. In addition, higher ranks are associated with a reduced desire to quit the game caused by toxic behavior. These findings underline the importance of supporting positive interactions between players and intervention programmes to tackle toxic behavior in competitive gaming environments.
Turkish adaptation study of the game user experience satisfaction scale: GUESS-TR
Journal PaperInternational Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 38(11), 2022
Abstract
Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS) is a relatively recent addition to the toolset of game user researchers, and it became one of the most used player experience evaluation methods in recent years. It is originally validated in English to provide a reliable tool for both academics and practitioners in the field to improve the validity and reliability of their research. In Turkey, the developing game industry, and the increased number of attempts in Game User Research demand reliable and valid measurement tools such as GUESS. Therefore, the current study aims to adapt the GUESS into the Turkish language and culture. We translated GUESS into Turkish through a series of expert inspection and back-translation processes. The translated item set is used for the evaluation of four video games in laboratory settings and additional two video games in participants’ residences, due to Covid-19 restrictions. One hundred and twenty-one undergraduate students in the game design field participated in the gameplay sessions for evaluating games using the Turkish version of GUESS. Running a PLS-CFA on 449 responses, we revised the factor structure of GUESS for the Turkish version by splitting the Playability/Usability dimension into two separate factors and excluding four items. We suggest the removal of these items due to two reasons: 1) evaluating games chosen by the authors, and 2) working with an expert participant group, which are different from the volunteering game enthusiasts who evaluated a game of their choice in the original study. Overall, we validated that GUESS is applicable in Turkish to measure the game user experience, although there are minor differences with the original version. We suggest that the original English version may also be revised considering our methodology and findings.
Passive Collaboration and Connections in a ‘Strand Game’: Changing The Way We Play
Conference Papers GAMEON 2022 Conference, Lisbon, Portugal, September 14-16, © Eurosis 2022
Abstract
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in new modes of online player interactions that rely on passive and asynchronous collaborations rather than immediate action-based competitive gameplay. Especially after the COVID-19 period of lockdown, quarantine, and resulting isolation, it becomes momentous to examine the new modes of interaction and association that video games offer to connect people in untraditional ways. Accordingly, we perform a close reading on the 2019 game Death Stranding which is based on the themes and gameplay mechanics of connection, collaboration, and new paradigms around social bonding. We identify five domains wherein the themes of the game manifest: narrative infrastructure; mechanics that discourage violence; building connections with other players; bonding with virtual characters; and construction of the self as a social agent. These findings are discussed with the possibility of defining a new genre, named by the game’s creator as a “strand game”(Kojima 2019a, 2019b).
Player needs inventory (PNI): An analytical framework for analyzing player motives in video games
Conference Papers GAMEON 2022 Conference, Lisbon, Portugal, September 14-16, © Eurosis 2022
Abstract
Focusing on player motives in games with narrative elements, we claim that the needs satisfied by a game depends on the interplay of three player experience dimensions (narrative, mechanics, and social context) and we present a formal approach for studying player motives in video games. Motives of the player are classified into six categories and the resulting Player Needs Inventory (PNI) is utilized in the close reading of a video game to identify how player motives are satisfied with different game user experience dimensions. Three patterns observed after the close reading are:(1) needs satisfied by a game is affected by the narrative of the game, the personality of the protagonist (role), and the social context the player finds himself in,(2) the needs for achievement and affiliation are more dominant than others in the form of fusions and subsidizations, and (3) a wide range of needs can be satisfied with carefully designed game mechanisms and a balanced player experience. Casting aside the motives of a player in the pregame phase and focusing on the motives of the player in the actual game phase, the Player Needs Inventory (PNI) presented in this study offers an analytical framework to understand player motives in video games and the conducted analysis may aid researchers interested in player experience.
Narrative as a game user experience dimension: An experimental study
Book Chapter Bostan, B. (Ed.) Games and Narrative: Theory and Practice, Springer, 2022.
Abstract
Game narratives are usually discussed and analyzed with subjective methods such as interviews (with players and/or designers) and the close reading of games and/or game reviews. The utilization of a validated measurement tool that analyzes narrative as a game user experience dimension is a gap in literature. There are several psychological models of player experience and several questionnaires designed to assess player experience in literature, but narrative is a dimension ignored by most studies. Aiming to analyze narrative with a psychometrically validated instrument, we selected the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS) that identifies narrative as a subdimension of game user experience. Using a within-subjects research design, 121 students played the six games selected by the authors and filled the GUESS questionnaire for each game. In this regard, we aim to discuss: (1) the applicability of GUESS as a game user experience measurement tool (with nine subscales) using different games from different genres, and (2) to discuss the relationship of the narrative dimension of game user experience with the other dimensions of the scale. Additionally, we also mobilize secondary data coming from multiple online game reviews to explain the role of narrative (and the other subdimensions of GUESS) within the scope of game user experience.
Using Heuristics for Evaluating Game Narrative: A Close Reading of Death Stranding
Book Chapter Bostan, B. (Ed.) Games and Narrative: Theory and Practice, Springer, 2022.
Abstract
The utilization of heuristics via expert evaluations is one of the methods used in the field of player experience (PX). Although most of the proposed heuristics within the literature focus on assessing the general player experience, a few studies focus on specific elements and/or aspects of games. In this regard, the aim of this study is to test the usability of narrative heuristics defined by Upton (Situational game design. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2017) and to expand the given set of heuristics with suitable sub-heuristics. Thus, the set of narrative heuristics is applied to the 2020 video game Death Stranding with a close reading methodology. The original heuristic set is based on general storytelling principles and this study aims to identify what might have been missing from the set. The close reading of the game is supported by the expert evaluation method and each heuristic of Upton (Situational game design. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2017) is expanded with three sub-heuristics. As a result, the suggested expanded heuristic set may help future studies that aim to utilize narrative heuristics for analyzing game narratives.
Empathy and choice in story driven games: A case study of telltale games
Book Chapter Bostan, B. (Ed.) Game User Experience And Player-Centered Design, Springer, 2020.
Abstract
In an attempt to find a meaningful relationship between choices in story driven games and the empathy of players, Empathy Quotient (EQ) questionnaire were used to obtain empathy scores of the 51 participants who played two chapters from one of the two Telltale games chosen for the study. The choices in these games were classified as hot and cold choices based on the hot/cold cognition dual system but the statistical tests yielded no significant relationship between the empathy scores of the participants and the number of hot/cold choices they made in the game. Data collected through semi-structured interviews that explored participants’ experiences through discussions about ethics, choices, and empathy in the games they played revealed four recurring concepts that contradict the assumption that players form an emotional bond with the story of the game they play and the characters in it. The repeating ideas identified during the qualitative coding process are: (1) the curiosity of the player, (2) the “not real” phenomenon, (3) the protagonist effect, and (4) role-playing value.
Worldbuilding components and transmedial extensions of computer role-playing games
Journal PaperKültür ve İletişim, 23, 2020
Abstract
Video games borrow fictional worlds from other media or create their own unique worlds to spread to a wider audience but how these virtual worlds are created or what kind of components are used to build them are important questions that can be studied well with a systematic analysis of their content. It is also important to note here that once a fictional world is successful for one type of media, it usually expands through different media, which is defined as media narrative convergence or transmedia storytelling. This study attempts to find out the patterns and trends of worldbuilding methods in the fictional worlds of computer role-playing games. Adopting a systematic content analysis approach, 10 most successful computer roleplaying games are analyzed to identify their worldbuilding components and transmedial extensions. The analysis of video games includes information about the game world (world type, world map, distinct elements), points of interest and their corresponding map icons, species found in the fictional world (player species, flora, fungi, creatures, sentient species), information about culture (religion, language, government type, social organizations, the use of magic or technology). In this regard, repeating patterns of worldbuilding in games are presented and the framework that consists of three components (place, species, culture). The effects of each fictional world on different media are also given.
Impact of different immersive techniques on the perceived sense of presence measured via subjective scales
Journal Paper Entertainment Computing, 31, 2019
Abstract
Virtual reality has once again gained recognition and attention with the recent hardware-driven technological advances and there is also a diversity of applications from videos produced using 360° camera systems to animated immersive 3D animations and interactive experiences or games. While the variety of the VR hardware, VR applications and their appeal are staggering, the user experience of modern day VR is still associated with the concept of presence. Assuming that there should be a difference in terms of presence between different immersive techniques, such as watching a 360° video and an interactive 3D game, this study attempts to answer whether the presence questionnaires developed before the new VR era are still capable of measuring it or not. For this purpose, three questionnaires, ITC-SOPI, TPI and MEC-SPQ, were selected with an emphasis on a questionnaires’ ability to discriminate between different media conditions. Three different VR environments were chosen according to their content domain and production method: respectively, a 360° video, a computer generated 3D animation and an interactive 3D game. 22 participants were engaged with these three different virtual reality environments in a within-subjects experimental design, using an Oculus Rift head-mounted display system and touch controllers. Results indicated that users’ sense of presence measured in terms of ITC-SOPI subscales are not sensitive to the different immersive techniques. TPI subscales are also not sensitive to the differences in immersive techniques, with the exception of the Social Realism dimension. Results provided evidence that among the subscales of MEC-SPQ, only the four item version of “Possible Actions” dimension was sensitive to immersive techniques. However, it should be noted that the Possible Actions dimension provides different results for 4-item, 6-item and 8 item versions.
A taxonomy and terminology study on embedded narrative: A case study of bloodborne
Book Chapter Contemporary Topics in Computer Graphics and Games
Abstract
This paper aims to term and to classify the embedded narrative elements in terms of game design, having regard first to their presentation to the player and then to their representation by the designer. The selected game for this study is Bloodborne, which is considered as one of the best examples of an encompassing narrative where smaller stories are embedded within a greater story and the game's mechanics are also designed in a similar vein to the nature of the story. The embedded narrative elements in Bloodborne are analyzed by close-playing technique with an aim to create a common terminology for game design and the twenty-six identified elements are classified by their temporal and spatial attributes. The Diegetic/Non-Diegetic dichotomy is used for spatial and the Sequential/Non-Sequential dichotomy is used for temporal classification, resulting in four types of narrative elements: Non-Diegetic/Non-Sequential, Non-Diegetic/Sequential, Diegetic/Non-Sequential, and Diegetic/Sequential.
Controllers in VR game user experience: perceived user performance on a VR puzzle game
Book Chapter Contemporary Topics in Computer Graphics and Games
Abstract
This paper investigates the effects of controllers on virtual reality experiences and the feeling of presence associated with it. Virtual Reality (VR) technologies are in development since 1950s and they have been used for military and research purposes before. However, recent technological advances enabled VR to become a consumer product and more developers joined the market. Oculus Touch is one of the new devices developed for the new VR era and we focused on this input device in terms of its usability and possible contribution to a sense of presence. Oculus Touch and a classic gamepad have been compared in both usability and their effects on gameplay using a mixed methodology via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. In conclusion, usability of Oculus Touch has been superior but this superiority does not affect the players' experience of the game in terms of presence, which also brings the question whether presence questionnaires designed in the 90s are still capable of measuring it in the new era or not.
A CAD-Based game for inclusive design
Conference Papers3rd International Conference on Environmental Design
Abstract
The paper presents methods and results of a co-design process aimed at structuring a game intended to train undergraduate students on inclusive design. The process is accomplished in the framework of the wider project PudCad, Practicing Universal Design Principles in Design Education through a CAD-Based Game, supported by the UE program Erasmus+ involving HEIs and Research Centres. It’s aim is to create a gaming platform based on CAD software supporting interior architecture and design students to conceive accessible environments regardless of age, physical ability and/or user social condition. Essential for the implementation of EU social integration and non-discrimination goals, Universal Design is often marginal in students’ training. PudCad intends to fill this gap by developing a digital video game (a game for change), enriched with story and CAD features. Through playful dynamics, future designers will be able to assimilate inclusion principles and create concepts based on human diversity. The project develops itself through 4 students workshops and three international conferences on Universal Design, Ergonomics, Game and Education. In this paper we focus on the process and results of the third workshop. Building empathy and awareness for the Universal Design principles was decided to be the main drive of the game. Besides research and analysis on literature and use cases, tools like game engines, platforms and technologies (ie virtual reality and augmented reality) were checked out and tested. Before starting the production stage, the idea of having analog prototypes came up to support robust design decisions
Methodological Review Of Playability Heuristics
Conference Papers Eurasiagraphics 2017: Brave New Worlds Conference
Abstract
This study reviews published scientific literature on the use of heuristics for evaluating player experience to (a) identify the potential contribution of the application of heuristics for assessing player experience, (b) present the status of playability heuristics evaluation procedures for evaluating player experience, and (c) define future research perspectives. By searching online bibliographic databases, 44 relevant articles were selected and included in the study. The aim, methodology, proposed heuristics and conclusions were studied separately for each article. The study indicated that a large variety of approaches on evaluating the experience of video games using heuristics were presented. Because of this, it is not possible to identify a generally accepted approach while studying evaluation of video games. This study intends to present and clarify a muchneeded holistic point of view in terms of using heuristics for evaluating player experience because of the current dispersed state of the literature and interlaced heuristic evaluation approaches. The review study indicated that most of the articles presented new heuristics, either by iteratively improving the existing approaches or forming new ones. It is usually suggested that the presented sets of heuristics have been viable in general for assessing some aspects regarding the gaming experience. However, the heuristic approaches have neither proven to be including the experience in its entirety nor empirically tested adequately for validation to provide a possible de facto basis for further research. The implications of the articles were also studied for providing a common ground for future research in the field of heuristics evaluation of video games
Explorations in Game Experience: A Case Study of ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’
Conference Papers Eurasiagraphics 2017: Brave New Worlds Conference
Abstract
The aim of this study is to find the relationship between the specific gameplay elements of a chosen game and the gameplay experience it provides which will be measured by a selected survey from the literature, the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ). Before illustrating the relation between the game elements and the player experience measured via GEQ, a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the factor structure of GEQ and GEQ is also evaluated for its unidimensionality, internal reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity. The selected game for the study is Horizon Zero Dawn which is an open-world action role-playing video game developed by Guerrilla Games. Selling more than 2.6 million units worldwide in two weeks, the game has become the best-selling new first party IP launch on the PlayStation 4. Our study aims to answer the following questions: (1) Can we measure a successful and popular game’s experience with GEQ? (2) What are the gameplay elements that make this game so popular? (3) Are there any correlations with the subscales of GEQ and the gameplay elements in question?
Deconstructing Game Stories with Propp’s Morphology
Conference Papers Eurasiagraphics 2017: Brave New Worlds Conference
Abstract
This paper is concerned with the following: (1) the applicability of Propp’s morphology to game stories; (2) the identification of the required changes in the original framework to analyze game stories on an act/mission level; (3) the discovery of the logical sequence of story functions that form story patterns; (4) and the identification of commonly repeated story patterns as well as the cultural differences between American and Japanese game stories. The scope of this study is limited to Role-Playing Games (RPG); believing that the narrative value of RPGs coupled with the freedom of choice they offer, make this genre more suitable for a structural study of game narrative. To focus on the cultural differences and to identify repeating story patterns, three RPGs from the east and three RPGs from the west are selected. Each game’s overall story is broken down into acts and then each act is mapped to Proppian functions.
Interactivity in Computer Games
Conference Papers GAMEON 2015 Conference, Amsterdam, Holland, December 2-4, © Eurosis 2015
Abstract
In this paper we attempt to clarify the popular term ‘interactivity’ within the context of computer games by classifying it into three categories: personal interactivity, social interactivity and environmental interactivity. Each category of interactivity contains five subcategories and success stories from popular computer games are given for each section to highlight the depth and quality of interaction the selected games provide.
Dijital Oyunlar: Tasarım Gereksinimleri ve Oyuncu Psikolojisi
Journal Paper Academic Journal of Information Technology, 6 (19), 2015
Abstract
Bilgisayar oyunu tasarımı sadece algoritmalardan, betik dillerinden ve mantık yapılarından ibaret değildir. Bilgisayar oyunları etkileşimli ortamlardır ve oyuncular birer insandır, bu yüzden oyuncu etkileşiminin sosyal bir olgu olduğu hiçbir zaman unutulmamalı ve alternatif bir gerçekliğe adım atmanın altında yatan psikolojik bileşenler göz ardı edilmemelidir. Sanal dünyanın gerçekçiliği, oynanabilirliği, inandırıcılığı, oyuncuya verdiği memnuniyet ve haz önemli tasarım kriterleridir. Oyuncunun kendisini iletişim kanalından iletilen dünyada hissetmesi ve iletilen dünyada bulunduğuna inanması, sanal dünyadaki olaylar örgüsü üzerinde kontrol sahibi olduğunu ve özgür seçimleriyle sanal dünyayı etkileyebildiğini düşünmesi çok önemlidir. Tasarım sürecinde bilgisayar oyunlarına oyuncunun gözünden bakmak, tasarımcının istediği oyunu değil de oyuncuların oynamak isteyeceği oyunları geliştirmek için başarının temel anahtarıdır.
Fundamentals of Interactive Storytelling
Journal Paper Academic Journal of Information Technology, 3 (8), 2012
Abstract
The focus of interactive storytelling should not only be on the attributes of the technology or characteristics of the medium, such as the AI techniques, planning formalisms, story representations, etc. but also on the computer-mediated communication processes, such as the relatedness of transmitted messages with previous exchanges of information, the number of attributes to be manipulated by the player, or the level of player control on the messages. We argue that an approach to maximize player enjoyment in a computer game is to customize/personalize the gaming experience and the associated computer-mediated communication processes. To this aim and to provide answers to “how” and “what” should be customized, we first explore the problematic notions of interactivity and then frame the discussion in the context of interactive storytelling systems. Secondly, we analyse table-top role-playing games (RPGs) - the live counterpart of computerized interactive storytelling systems – in an attempt to find “what” to customize.
Presence in Computer Games: Design Requirements
Conference Papers GAMEON 2011 Conference, Galway, Ireland, August 22-24, © Eurosis 2011
Abstract
Presence or the sense of 'being there' is an important and critical concept of computer gaming which relies on several factors. When we look at presence from a bottom-up approach to define its components, it is important to identify the design requirements for virtual environments and their effects on presence (Bostan, 2009). It is also imperative to define how much each requirement correlates with presence and how designers should address these. This study aims to solve these issues by using a presence questionnaire based on virtual environment design requirements defined by Stuart (2001).
Data collected from a survey study on a computer role playing game (RPG), which is available for 3663 participants, is used to identify the relationship between these design requirements and presence. Among the selected requirements; sociability, veridicality, autonomy and physics of the virtual world have the highest correlations with presence respectively; and interactivity is a separately analyzed requirement that has special focus on it. Results of the study indicated that, storyline, NPC (non-player character) characteristics and communication with these virtual characters are the most important factors that influence interactivity.
A Motivational Framework For Analyzing Player And Virtual Agent Behaviour
Journal PaperEntertainment Computing, 1 (3-4), 2010
Abstract
Today’s digital entertainment industry uses different approaches to establish believable agents with personality and to analyze the goal-directed behaviour of game players. Academic research in this area usually focuses on one facet of personality - for example, only on emotions or character traits. The techniques applied to create non-player characters can hardly be used to analyze player interactions or choices in a computer game. The present study proposes a motivational framework to predict goal-directed behaviour of both player and non-player characters in a computer game and explores the opportunities of using a Player and Agent Personality Database (PAPD) based on the same motivational framework to design virtual agents with personality. This article claims that motivation to reach a goal is influenced by both situational and personal factors that are represented with an equation that determines the likelihood of the occurrence of a behavior. The framework represented by this study takes into account psychological needs, interactions between these needs, general behavioral patterns, lower-order and higher-order personality traits for analyzing gaming experiences and player/non-player choices in a computer game.
Explorations in Player Motivations: Virtual Agents
Conference Papers ICEC 2010, Sep 8-11, 2010 Seoul, Korea © SpringerLink 2010
Abstract
Creating believable agents with personality is a popular research area in game studies but academic research in this area usually focuses on one facet of personality - for example, only on moods or character traits. The present study proposes a motivational framework to predict goal-directed behaviour of virtual agents in a computer game and explores the opportunities of using personality inventories based on the same motivational framework to design virtual agents with personality. This article claims that motivation to reach a goal is influenced by psychological needs which are represented with an equation that determines the strength of a character’s motivational force. The framework represented by this study takes into account psychological needs and their interrelations for analyzing choices of virtual agents in a computer game.
The 'Interactive' Of Interactive Storytelling: Customizing The Gaming Experience
Conference Papers ICEC 2010, Sep 8-11, 2010 Seoul, Korea © SpringerLink 2010
Abstract
In this article, we define interactive storytelling as a gaming experience where the form and content of the game is customized in real time and tailored to the preferences and needs of the player to maximixe enjoyment. The primary focus of interactive storytelling should not be on the attributes of the technology or characteristics of the medium, such as the AI techniques, planning formalisms, story representations, etc. but on different interaction levels provided by computer games and basic components of player enjoyment such as difficulty levels and gaming rewards. In conducting an analysis of interactive storytelling systems, we propose a user-centered approach to interactive storytelling by defining different customization levels for an optimum gaming experience.
Gaming Technologies for Learning; Virtual Teams and Leadership Research in Online Environments
Conference Papers Future-Learning 2010, May 10-14, 2010 Istanbul, Turkey
Abstract
Computer-based and Web-based learning have been dramatically decreasing the costs of personnel training. With their increased popularity, virtual worlds and games open up possibilities for simultaneous learning on multiple levels; players may learn from contextual information embedded in the narrative of the game and through the risks, benefits, costs, outcomes, and rewards of alternative strategies that result from fast‐paced decision making. Such dynamics also contribute to building relationships and sharing/delegating authority with others, in other words acquiring leadership skills. With its emphasis on leadership skills in virtual teams, this paper introduces main findings of several studies on leadership in multiplayer online environments including commercial online games. These studies main focus was on leadership styles in online environments.
Explorations In Player Motivations : Game Mods
Conference Papers GAMEON ASIA, March 1-3, 2010, Shanghai, China
Abstract
This article aims to analyze player motivations derived from the needs framework of Murray (1938) in relation to user modifications (mods) to an existing commercial computer game. Although the restrictions imposed by the game mechanics significantly reduce the number of player needs satisfied by a game and trap the player within the common motivational cycle of Achievement, Aggression, Harmavoidance and Acquisition (Bostan and Kaplancali, 2009), this study shows that the game mods created by users attempt to compensate for this by satisfying the needs of Sentience, Exhibition, Recognition, Sex, Play and Affiliation. While attempting to find the current trends in user created content for role-playing games (RPGs), this article also discusses the implications of game modding in identifying the missing features of an entertainment experience and of investigating the player motivations. This discussion is framed in terms of the user-environment relations of a recently released popular computer roleplaying game (RPG).
Dijital Oyunlar ve Sanal Gerçeklik
Book Chapter Batı, U. & Unal, G. T. (Eds.) Dijital Oyunlar, Derin Yayınevi, İstanbul, Turkey, 2010. | ISBN: 978-605-5500-16-0
Sanal Gerçeklik Sistemleri
- Sanal Gerçekliğin Tarihi Gelişim Süreci
- Kuşatılma Yaklaşımıyla Sanal Gerçeklik Sistemleri
- Sanal Gerçeklik Sistemi Olarak Dijital Oyunlar
- Sanal Dünyada Yaşam
- Psikolojik Bileşenler
- Kullanım Bileşenleri
Player Motivations: A Psychological Perspective
Journal PaperACM Computers in Entertainment, 7 (2), 2009
Abstract
Although player motivation is one of the main concerns of computer gaming, research so far has been able to identify only a limited set of motives, which are not founded on formal theories of human motivation. Assuming that goal-directed behavior is triggered by the interaction between personal and environmental factors, this article aims to analyze a broader range of gaming motivations derived from basic human needs. The psychological needs investigated in this study are based on the psychogenic needs divided into six categories: materialism, power, affiliation, achievement, information, and sensual needs, defined by Murray [1938] in his extensive research. Since the present work defines motivation as a product of continuous interactions between players and the virtual world, each individual psychological need is briefly described in terms of the actions it provokes. In this context, this article is not concerned with why people play computer games but how they are motivated in the game.
Detailed analysis of the conceptual components of player motivation focuses on matching each psychological need to common gaming situations in computer role-playing games (RPGs). Since this game genre provides interactive virtual environments capable of offering experiences analogous to real life, it is highly relevant to motivational studies. The relationship between motivational factors and gaming situations is discussed with examples from a recently released RPG, which takes place in a fantasy world full of social issues and conflicts, where players usually find themselves in situations that require a choice between the lesser of two evils. It is expected that the variables defined in this study should facilitate the design of computer games that satisfy a broader range of player motivations by providing ways to investigate the relationship between psychological needs and the gaming environment, while bearing in mind the basic components of goal-directed behavior.
Requirements Analysis of Presence: Insights from a RPG Game
Journal PaperACM Computers in Entertainment, 7 (1), 2009
Abstract
Virtual worlds are computer-based simulations intended to give its users the impression of being in another place. Presence, or the sense of “being there,” is a major design requirement for virtual environments where users inhabit an artificial reality in the form of two or three-dimensional graphical representations. Promoting this subjective experience has always been one of the major concerns of designers, but this complex and difficult task requires the awareness of other design requirements and their effects on presence. This article aims to define various psychological and technological aspects of presence based on virtual environment design requirements defined by Stuart [2001].
Previous research tried to define hypothesized factors of presence by using subjective user responses obtained from questionnaires. This study incorporates a different approach to define potential components of presence, specifying the individual design requirements for virtual worlds based on the conceptual framework designed by Stuart. This framework has not been applied to the analysis of the concept of presence before, and it defines possible factors that contribute to a sense of presence, some of which have not been included in previous work. In order to decompose presence into its components, researchers should also be aware of the design requirements delineated in this framework.
Detailed analysis of design requirements will focus on a computer role-playing game (RPG), giving examples from one of the best titles in the genre. Since role-playing games are social and interactive worlds where players assume the role of a virtual character that can be subjectively defined as a second-self, they are highly relevant to presence research. Thus, selected design requirements will be discussed from a computer-gaming perspective by defining how each relevant requirement is addressed on the selected RPG, and how they should be addressed by game designers.
In Pursuit of Optimal Gaming Experience: Challenges and Difficulty Levels
Conference Papers Entertainment=Emotion Conference, Spain, November 15-21, 2009 © CCBPP
Abstract
Researchers have identified different components of game fun in the past, but the objective of this contribution is to analyze game challenges and difficulty levels, and their effects on player enjoyment and emotions. This paper presents basic principles for designing game challenges as well as the requirements and qualities required to achieve maximum enjoyment. Special emphasis is given to the accumulated knowledge of Wizards of the Coast (and formerly TSR) in designing role-playing games. Different player types are discussed, the nature of the difficulty curve is examined, and the relationship between player satisfaction and different levels of difficulty is analyzed with a case study.
Explorations In Player Motivations : Game Mechanics
Conference Papers GAMEON 2009 Conference, Germany, November 26-28 © Eurosis 2009
Abstract
This article, assuming that player motivations are the outcome of continuous player-environment interactions, applies the needs framework of Murray (1938) to a computer game and investigates the relations between each individual need and the driving game mechanics behind them. It is shown that the restrictions imposed by the game mechanics significantly reduce the number of player needs satisfied by a game, thereby trapping the player within the common motivational cycle of Achievement, Aggression, Harmavoidance and Acquisition.
Game Challenges and Difficulty Levels: Lessons Learned From RPGs
Conference Papers ISAGA2009 Conference, Singapore, June 29 © ISAGA2009
Abstract
Maximizing player enjoyment in computer games is one of the most popular issues in game design. Different components of game fun have been determined by researchers in the past, but this article will focus on game challenges, difficulty levels, and their effects on player enjoyment. Various different genres exist in the computer gaming world, but it is important to note that roleplaying games provide diverse gaming challenges uniformly in their structure and require special attention in terms of player enjoyment. This study will focus on lessons learned from computer roleplaying games (CRPGs), giving examples from the best practices of the industry.
Teaching
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GAD1006
Undergraduate Course Game Design Department, Bahcesehir University
Course Description
This module explores how storytelling evolved through different mediums and how it is incorporated into contemporary video games. World design, plot and structure, characters, meaningful choices, interactive stories, and cinematography are the key concepts. During this module the students will understand linear and nonlinear interactive narrative techniques, develop an interactive storytelling perspective for video games, understand player types and develop an interactive narrative project in a fictional setting chosen by the instructor. Students will read and analyze the best practices of contemporary written works, such as fictional novels. Students will also play and analyze contemporary video games (in different platforms) with special emphasis on their stories. Students will also be familiar with the digital tools used by narrative designers of video games.
GAD1009
Undergraduate Course Game Design Department, Bahcesehir University
Course Description
This module aims to cover different ages of video games starting from 1970s. Students will learn the milestones of game history and games that push the boundaries in each period. What went right and what went wrong during the development and production stages will be discussed. Students will also experiment with classic or retro games by re-designing them using new mechanics. Game analysis techniques such as comparative analysis, reading/interpretation, historical analysis and case studies will be examined. Students will also learn the basics of game user experience and gamer psychology, will play and analyze contemporary video games using different dimensions of game user experience such as usability/playability, narrative/story, fun/enjoyment, visual aesthetics, audio aesthetics and challenges/difficulty. Students will also analyze gameplays using different gamer profiles such as the Gamer Motivation Profiles.
GAD3009
Undergraduate Course Game Design Department, Bahcesehir University
Course Description
This module aims to cover different aspects of writing for games, which is related with characters, worlds, plot, structure pacing, cadence, dialogue, UI text, choice text, exposition, characterization, character journeys, format, genre and media expressivity. The course will build upon the narrative design concepts of the Basics of Storytelling course, but will be more focused on storytelling through words.
GAD5102
Graduate Course Game Design Department, Bahcesehir University
Course Description
Explores how storytelling evolved through different mediums and how it is incorporated into contemporary interactive platforms, especially gaming. Player psychology, player types, player modeling and tailoring the game characteristics according to player preferences are the key concepts. This class, through a mixture of readings, discussion, and project work, will explore the theoretical positions, debates, and design issues arising from these different key concepts.
BUS5301
Graduate Course Game Design Department, Bahcesehir University
Course Description
In this course, we understand and master the research methodologies used for game studies. The course will cover topics ranging from the principles of qualitative approaches for studying games, qualitative approaches for studying play and players, quantitative approaches and mixed methods. There will be assignments during the semester allowing the students to practice different research skills and methodologies covered in the lectures. There will be a semester-long project in which students select, design, and execute research project and present the result at the end of the semester.
Contact & Meet Me
I would be happy to talk to you if you need my assistance in your research or whether you need support for your company. You can find me at my office located at BAU GALATA, Third Floor.
- office: +90(212)_______
- barbaros.bostan@bau.edu.tr
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