Sustaining Player Engagement by Designing for Intrinsic Need Satisfaction

1. Sustaining Player Engagement by Designing for Intrinsic Need Satisfaction Scott Rigby www.immersyve.com

2. Five-year old “think tank” focusing on highly practical, research-driven models for developing sustained satisfaction in virtual worlds, simulations, and games • Founding members integrate 15 years of interactive media development experience with 30+ years of research in the field of motivation and emotion.

3. Today’s Goals • Focus on the psychology of player that causes sustained engagement rather than just momentary fun • Give you a conceptual take-away of a motivational model (“Player Experience of Need Satisfaction (PENS)”) for understanding the deeper satisfaction of games • More than a dozen studies – 12,000 gamers and counting • PENS is: • Being applied commercially • Published scientifically • Being used is video games studies around the U.S. and in several countries internationally

4. Today’s Goals • Review data showing PENS value in designing and measuring sustained enjoyment/engagement (benefitting retention and growth) • Discuss specific examples (RPG structure) and take-away ideas for design, development, and testing

5. Critiquing “Fun” FUN • The problem with fun… • is too diffuse a concept… • It doesn’t pinpoint the unique psychological experience of games (particularly MMO’s) • It isn’t precise enough to be of much value during design and development FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN

6. “Fun” sells short the MMO experience • Often people persist through non-fun things when playing • People play through tension, agony, competition, bladder emergencies… • They are willing to work to play (study manuals, techniques) • They engage in socially complex systems and interpersonal interactions

7. For MMO developers, is “fun” the best conceptual framework? • The language of “fun” is strained to describe the detailed psychology and motivation for games. • Fun may be the general goal, but development lives in details… • Too strong a focus on “fun” without a good understanding of what it really means to MMO players can lead us to sell ourselves short in what we create and to make the wrong trade-offs during development.

8. Let’s focus on the causes, not the result • Fun is an outcome, therefore there must be more basic psychological causes • If we focus on the causes of sustained enjoyment, there’s a better chance of success (with players and commercially)

9. How do we “focus” on psychological causes? • Motivational model (PENS) is based in extensive research on human emotion/motivation • Model is continuously tested in terms of its impact on player enjoyment/engagement and commercial value. Goal is for PENS to have both: • Creative Value • Business Value …in the day to day life of game development

10. Causal vs. Outcome Metrics Emotional Behavioral Most approaches currently look only here… Momentary Fun & Emotional Reactions e.g. Data Logging Outcomes Psychological Causes We also focus here…

11. Developers think about what motivates players all the time… Freedom Bragging Rights Great Graphics Open-ended Gameplay Cool Weapons Phat Loot AI Customization Optimal Challenge Competition Writing • How do you know • What’s right and what’s not? • Why something motivates? • What’s more important and less important for achieving your intended goal? Story Killer Sound

12. The Underpants Gnomes Dilemma Design Game Fun Immersion Let’s demystify “Phase 2” with a tested model

13. “Player Experience of Need Satisfaction”(PENS) Sustained fun and commercial success occur most strongly when specific intrinsic motivational needs are satisfied by a game

14. What are intrinsic motivational needs? • Intrinsic motivation is when we do things for their inherent satisfactions (e.g. games, sports) • Gamers play without external motivators and sometimes through punishment (wife, parents, boss) • By focusing on defining and quantifying what is being satisfied, we get a clear model of what drives that sustained engagement

15. The PENS model includes three specific motivational needs that can help inspire, organize/strategize, and test ideas • Competence – Need to successfully grow; to extend our abilities, skills, and efficacy • Autonomy –Need to experience personal agency (volition, not necessarily “freedom”), “opportunities for action” and choice • Relatedness–Need for meaningful connection to others, defined by others support for our competence and autonomy

16. PENS predictive value for games • This model has been tested with more than 12,000 gamers, significantly predicting: • Customer value/enjoyment • Sustained subscriptions (online games) • Game ratings (e.g. Metacritic, gamerankings.com) • Intention to buy sequels/expansions • Developer loyalty

17. PENS conceptual value for MMO’s • These PENS needs provide a new psychometric explanation for the success of the RPG structure • Conceptually - The “hero” narrative is elegantly suited to the satisfaction of all three intrinsic motivational needs • Structurally – Implemented well, the RPG architecture provides ongoing support across PENS needs, both in moment-to-moment gameplay and over the long term (e.g. character development)

18. Need Satisfaction vs. “Fun” • In multiple longitudinal studies with thousands of MMO players, we look at

19. PENS and “Fun” Study 1: 800+ MMO players • PENS predicts sustained engagement over nine months. “Fun” does not • This also supports the idea that Need satisfaction (PENS) is explaining fun at a deeper level Study 1: Multiple Regression Analysis ** means that statistically there is a greater than 99% chance PENS is predicting these outcomes

20. PENS and “Fun” • Longitudinal Study 2 – Studied 2100+ “days” so far in the lives of MMO gamers • Looking at how play & “real life” experiences influence sustained engagement with games (i.e. future sessions) • Experiencing need satisfaction during play (PENS) is significantly related to re-engagement. “Fun” is not… • Experiencing need satisfaction is significantly related to longer subscriptions (i.e. sustained engagement). “Fun” is not…

21. Why is this the case? • Because the expression of fun is an emotional outcome, it can be fleeting • Because fun is a less precise construct, it can be unclear what it means in terms of long-term value to players When instead we focus on specific need satisfactions that cause sustained enjoyment we get clearer and more useful guidance in designing and vetting ideas

22. PENS: Competence The experience of efficacy, growth, and mastery (Gameplay & Character Development)

23. Competence - Gameplay • Experience of mastery in the moment-to-moment action of gameplay • Examples: • Defeating enemies • Conquering in-game challenges, puzzles, quests, etc. • Competence need is satisfied by: • High success to failure ratio • The subjective experience of accomplishing what was intended

24. Competence – Mechanics • “Dumb Avatar” events are highly frustrating to player competence Obituary Azmodian the Terrible, wielder of the Twin Blades of Azeroth, slayer of the 1000-fold Horde, died unexpectedly today by inexplicably walking into a pot of molten iron. In lieu of flowers… Action • Intention • How often is the player’s intention successfully executed by the game? (i.e. intention/action “hit rate”) • Mechanics are merely the “price of admission” to the actual game It’s important to check whether that “feature” really just bugs people

25. Optimal Challenges are important • “Optimal Challenge” is a well-worn principle in game development. It is when challenges are well matched to abilities, stretching people but not overwhelming them. • It occurs in the zone between… • Too easy – boring • Too difficult – frustrating or anxiety provoking

26. But there are problems with too much optimal challenge • Sustained challenge can lead to concentration and attention, but also to not wanting to be there • Simply put, sustained challenge can be exhausting and demotivating over time, even if in the moment it holds your attention and interest

27. Opportunities to express mastery are equally important satisfiers of competence needs, and lead to sustained engagement • Experience of Challenge - Game builds the player’s skill through optimal challenges that cause them to reach further than their previous skill level VS. • Experience of Mastery – Game eases off of the effort required by the player to succeed, and instead let’s the player express mastery and dominance

28. Daily Diary: Sample activities that satisfy PENS Competence = Satisfaction Probability > 99% = Satisfaction Probability > 95% = Satisfaction Probability > 90%

29. Daily Diary: Sample activities that satisfy PENS Competence = Satisfaction Probability > 99% = Satisfaction Probability > 95% = Satisfaction Probability > 90%

30. Competence satisfactions in the RPG • Conceptual– The “player-hero” is not just mastering moment-to-moment challenges, but is integrating experience into personal growth of character over time (lasting competence) • Structural– • Experience System: Deeper competence satisfactions because success in the moment leads to long-term character growth • Equipment/Items: Player can continuously tweak ability, stats, etc – building greater competence satisfaction

31. Take Away Tips: Maximizing competence need satisfaction in MMO gameplay • Don’t fixate on the idea of continual “optimal challenge”, particularly in key battles (e.g. boss fights) • Provide consistently positive (but relevant) feedback during gameplay (e.g. damage meters, combos, quest language, etc) • Ensure rewards/items are meaningful to competence, focusing on both short (gameplay) and long-term (character development) satisfactions. • Sustained enjoyment of your MMO is more a function of • Continued success rather than feeling continually stretched • Ability to express masteries that have been obtained (without too much effort)

32. Competence satisfactions are not enough for sustained engagement • Competence satisfactions are what most developers know best (video games began there…) • Games that satisfy competence alone, while enjoyable over a short time frame, rarely hold the player’s attention • A more critical PENS need that MMO’s should strive to satisfy is the player’s need for autonomy…

33. PENS: Autonomy Personal agency and a sense of volition

34. Autonomy • Player: “I am the cause of my action, not the game design” • Feeling of authentic volition • Not feeling constrained by environment or features • As with all PENS needs, we look at how autonomy needs are satisfied in gameplayand character development

35. Autonomy in Gameplay • One major contributor to autonomy in gameplay is the degree to which you maximize… Opportunities for Action (OFA’s) • At any given moment… • Variety of objects (or NPCs, players) with which you can interact • Variety of actions available (e.g. combat, social, crafting, etc) Interactive Opportunities X Possible Actions = OFA’s

36. Opportunities for Action in immediate gameplay Players experience greater autonomy when they perceive a “target rich” environment (exploration, challenges) as well as multiple modes of interaction

37. Opportunities for Action (OFA) • In my kitchen… • Great variety of interactive objects • Great variety of actions • F.E.A.R. • Great variety of interactive objects • Less variety of action

38. Opportunities for Action (OFA) • In HL2… • Great variety of interactive objects • Better variety of action Result is higher OFA’s and greater satisfaction of autonomy needs

39. OFA’s are not about expanse, but about perceived opportunity Game World 1 = 10 Interactive Objects Game World 2 = 8 Interactive Objects 3 2 4 5 6 7 8 1 4 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 3 10 Hellooooo? Smaller worlds with more saturation of OFA’s are perceived as offering greater autonomy than larger “tumbleweed” worlds…

40. Take Away Tips: Maximize autonomy by minimizing the “Wile E Coyote” effect during world exploration • Avoid frustrating the player’s attempts to take action Minimizing autonomy frustrations can be more important than “realistic” sets in deepening immersion and satisfaction

41. Diary: How certain RPG activities satisfy PENS Autonomy = Satisfaction Probability > 99% = Satisfaction Probability > 95% = Satisfaction Probability > 90%

42. Diary: How certain RPG activities satisfy PENS Autonomy Note the relationship between altruism and autonomy = Satisfaction Probability > 99% = Satisfaction Probability > 95% = Satisfaction Probability > 90%

43. Autonomy satisfactions in the RPG • Conceptual – Heroes create their own path. They are always their own internal compass, acting volitionally even when there is “no choice” • Structural– • Equifinality (the end can be reached by many paths) (e.g. stat/ability specs, equipment) • Open World design • Strong “Volitional Contexting” • Advancement = Increased Opportunities for Action (OFA’s)

44. Other benefits of maximizing autonomy need satisfaction… • Autonomy need satisfaction has the strongest relationship of the three PENS needs to sustained subscriptions • When players’ experience deeper levels of autonomy need satisfaction, they feel a greater sense of immersion in the game world AND in the narrative

45. PENS: Relatedness Meaningful connection to others

46. Relatedness • Definition: A feeling of meaningful connection to others • Humans are intrinsically motivated to connect with others emotionally Meaningful connections to “others” is broader than you might think..

47. Take Away Tip: Supportive NPCs • Relatedness needs are best satisfied by NPC’s when they support the player’s autonomy and competence • This is best accomplished by “positive contextual feedback” Hey! It’s the Hero of Kvatch! I can’t believe it! Wow!”

48. Take Away Tip: Consider chilling out your NPC dialogue… • Dialogue and serious “attitude” from NPC’s can be demotivating (diminishing feelings of competence and autonomy as well) I haven’t got all day! Don’t you have something better to do? Can’t you see I’m busy!

49. Maximizing need satisfaction in multiplayer competition • Competitive play is satisfying when… • There’s team play toward common goals (e.g. battleground play) (enhance relatedness) • It provides information and feelings of effectance/competence (solo PvP play) • Even losing/dying can be motivating when the game provides mastery feedback (e.g. showing improvement over last time around, etc)

50. What to avoid in multiplayer competition… • Competition can be demotivating when… • When it creates feelings of performance pressure and/or incompetence (e.g. even shame) • It provides no useful information NOOb!