The Quality of Video Games: Subjective Quality Assessments as Predictors of Self-Reported Presence in First-Person Shooter and Role-Playing Games

Abstract

Based on the Theory of Subjective Quality Assessments, the present study examined players’ assessments of video game design features (qualities) as related to self-reported feelings of presence in role-playing games (RPG) and first-person shooters (FPS). An initial qualitative study with 8 focus groups (Study 1) was conducted to explore important game quality dimensions. Afterwards an online survey was designed to explore the association of those discrete dimensions with recollections of presence (Study 2). Using a quota sample of RPG and FPS gamers in Germany (N = 5,180), survey results show that recollections of presence were associated with positive quality assessments regarding a game’s environment, the player’s interaction with non-playable characters in that environment, and the environment’s.

Notes

^1. Along with the quality perceptions, Weber and Shaw focused on different player types as a second predictor and the interaction between player type and quality perception to predict video game play. The best results in predicting video game play were found when looking at quality perceptions moderated by player types (Weber & Shaw, 2009, pp. 79).

^2. As it was not possible to find enough female FPS-players of the different age groups, only one focus group with female FPS-players could be conducted.

^3. More information like the original list of items, items that were changed after the think-aloud interviews as well as the PCA are available on author request.

^4. Data weights: age 10–15: 3.37; age 16–19: 0.46; age 20–29: .54; age 30–39: 1.28; age 40+: 6.11.

^5. The EFA are available on author request.

^6. The following items were excluded due to high cross-loadings: ”difficult decisions can result in moral conflicts within the story,” “I realize that my acts make the game world a better place,” “For good acts, I receive recognition by the NPC,” “incidents do not just occur when I have passed an invisible line,” “I need many strategies to solve the different tasks.”

^7. The following items were excluded due to high cross-loadings: “My avatar has its own personality,” and “opponents behave lifelike.”

^8. Example: Tolerance-values ranked down to .60 (FPS) and .46 (RPG) for the factor “lifelike NPC.” To solve the problem of multicollinearity, we also calculated an omnibus-test, this is one factor analysis with all variables. As the factors remained stable, the problem of multicollinearity could not be solved.

^9. Examples: Quality assessment on high-end-technics correlated with r = .48*** (sample RPG) or r = .42*** (sample FPS) with a quality assessment on the lifelike NPC. Quality assessment on profound reactions correlated with r = .48*** (sample RPG) or r = .38*** (FPS) with quality assessment on the coherent and atmospheric world and with r = .64*** (sample RPG) or r = .55*** (FPS) with a quality assessment on the lifelike NPC.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christina Schumann

Christina Schumann (Dr.phil., Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany) is a post-doctoral researcher at the Institute of Media and Communication Science of Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany. Her research is about media reception and effects as well as computer mediated communication in general, and video games in particular.

Nicholas David Bowman

Nicholas David Bowman (Ph.D., Michigan State University, United States) is an associate professor of Communication Studies at West Virginia University. His research considers the cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social demands of interactive technologies such as video games and social media.

Daniel Schultheiss

Daniel Schultheiss (Dr.phil., Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany) is a post-doctoral researcher and project leader at the Institute of Media and Communication Science of Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany. His research foci include online media as well as video games from a social scientific and technological perspective.