Abstract

Although player enjoyment is central to computer games, there is currently no accepted model of player enjoyment in games. There are many heuristics presented in the literature, based on elements such as the game interface, mechanics, gameplay and narrative. However, there is a need to integrate these heuristics into a validated model that can be used to design, evaluate and understand enjoyment in games. We have drawn together the various heuristics into a concise model of enjoyment in games that is structured by flow. Flow, a widely accepted model of enjoyment, includes eight elements that we found to encompass the various heuristics from the literature. Our new model, GameFlow, consists of eight elements – concentration, challenge, skills, control, clear goals, feedback, immersion and social interaction. Each element includes a set of criteria for achieving enjoyment in games. An initial investigation and validation of the GameFlow model was carried out by conducting expert reviews of two real-time strategy games, one high-rating and one low-rating, using the GameFlow criteria. The result was a deeper understanding of enjoyment in real-time strategy games and the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the GameFlow model for evaluating enjoyment in games. The GameFlow criteria were successfully able to distinguish between the high-rated and low-rated game and identify why one succeeded and the other failed. We concluded that the GameFlow model can be used in its current form to review games and further work will provide tools for designing and evaluating enjoyment in games.

Citations