by Lennart E Nacke, Anne Nacke, Craig A Lindley
Abstract:
In recent years, an aging demographic majority in the Western world has come to the attention of the game industry. The recently released “brain-training” games target this population, and research investigating gameplay experience of the elderly using this game form is lacking. This study employs a 2 x 2 mixed factorial design (age group: young and old x game form: paper and Nintendo DS) to investigate effects of age and game form on usability, self-assessment, and gameplay experience in a supervised field study. Effectiveness was evaluated in task completion time, efficiency as error rate, together with self-assessment measures (arousal, pleasure, dominance) and game experience (challenge, flow, competence, tension, positive and negative affect). Results indicate players, regardless of age, are more effective and efficient using pen-and-paper than using a Nintendo DS console. However, the game is more arousing and induces a heightened sense of flow in digital form for gamers of all ages. Logic problem-solving challenges within digital games may be associated with positive feelings for the elderly but with negative feelings for the young. Thus, digital logic-training games may provide positive gameplay experience for an aging Western civilization.
Reference:
Brain Training for Silver Gamers: Effects of Age and Game Form on Effectiveness, Efficiency, Self-Assessment, and Gameplay Experience. (Lennart E Nacke, Anne Nacke, Craig A Lindley), Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot Street, 3rd Floor New Rochelle, NY 10801 USA, volume 12, 2009.
Bibtex Entry:
@article{NackeEtAl2009a, abstract = {In recent years, an aging demographic majority in the Western world has come to the attention of the game industry. The recently released "brain-training" games target this population, and research investigating gameplay experience of the elderly using this game form is lacking. This study employs a 2 x 2 mixed factorial design (age group: young and old x game form: paper and Nintendo DS) to investigate effects of age and game form on usability, self-assessment, and gameplay experience in a supervised field study. Effectiveness was evaluated in task completion time, efficiency as error rate, together with self-assessment measures (arousal, pleasure, dominance) and game experience (challenge, flow, competence, tension, positive and negative affect). Results indicate players, regardless of age, are more effective and efficient using pen-and-paper than using a Nintendo DS console. However, the game is more arousing and induces a heightened sense of flow in digital form for gamers of all ages. Logic problem-solving challenges within digital games may be associated with positive feelings for the elderly but with negative feelings for the young. Thus, digital logic-training games may provide positive gameplay experience for an aging Western civilization.}, author = {Nacke, Lennart E and Nacke, Anne and Lindley, Craig A}, doi = {10.1089/cpb.2009.0013}, issn = {1557-8364}, journal = {CyberPsychology & Behavior}, keywords = {80 and over,Adaptation,Adolescent,Adult,Aged,Aging,Aging: psychology,Cognition,Consumer Satisfaction,Female,Humans,Male,Play and Playthings,Play and Playthings: psychology,Problem Solving,Psychological,Self Assessment (Psychology),Video Games,Video Games: classification,Video Games: psychology,Young Adult,arousal,assessibility,brain,effects,eldergames,elderly,enjoyment,geq,mannequin,mental,motivation,performance,psychology,research,survey,usability,ux}, language = {en}, mendeley-tags = {arousal,assessibility,brain,effects,eldergames,elderly,enjoyment,geq,mannequin,mental,motivation,performance,psychology,research,survey,usability,ux}, month = oct, number = {5}, pages = {493--499}, pmid = {19772440}, publisher = {Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot Street, 3rd Floor New Rochelle, NY 10801 USA}, title = {{Brain Training for Silver Gamers: Effects of Age and Game Form on Effectiveness, Efficiency, Self-Assessment, and Gameplay Experience.}}, type = {Journal article}, url = {http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cpb.2009.0013}, volume = {12}, year = {2009} }