Journal article
Exploring how players use emergent narrative in strategy games
Entertainment Computing, Vol.44, pp.1-8
2022
Abstract
This article explored how players were impacted by and used emergent narrative to make sense of their gameplay in the Total War strategy video game series. Two stages of qualitative research were undertaken: (i) a thematic analysis of 295 online forum posts; and (ii) 104 respondents to an online survey. The research followed a phenomenographic approach with analysis informed by undertaking the active story interpreter role. The thematic analysis found that 32 % of the posts contained emergent narratives of which 14 % were detailed, while a further 39 % of the posts expressed pleasure from reading these emergent narratives. Results from online survey suggested respondents developed emotional attachments to the generals and units they controlled in Total War video game, and that this emotional attachment increased their enjoyment of the gameplay (79 %). However, sometimes, due to these attachments, players allowed generals to ‘retire’ and idle in a settlement, which may have adversely impacted their strategic gameplay in a game genre that privileges long-term planning. Since players can derive pleasure in creating or reading other players’ emergent narratives, developers could further enhance players’ enjoyment of their strategy games by providing more resources and prompts to assist with their creation.
Details
- Title
- Exploring how players use emergent narrative in strategy games
- Authors
- Jacqueline Burgess (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative IndustriesChristian M Jones (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Law and Society
- Publication details
- Entertainment Computing, Vol.44, pp.1-8
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd.
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.entcom.2022.100533
- ISSN
- 1875-953X
- Organisation Unit
- Engage Research Lab; School of Business and Creative Industries; School of Law and Society
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99681398902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Computer Science, Cybernetics
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- Computer Science, Software Engineering
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