From Disorientation to Harmony: Autoethnographic Insights into Transformative Videogame Experiences

Title of the Paper

From Disorientation to Harmony: Autoethnographic Insights into Transformative Videogame Experiences

Paper Information

• Thematic Area: Game experience research, human-computer interaction, and aesthetics
• Keywords: Player experience, aesthetic experience, transformative experience, reflection, autoethnography, video games

Research Background and Problems

• Identified Problems or Challenges:

  1. Existing discussions on the transformative potential of video games primarily focus on non-entertainment "serious games," which aim for explicit and measurable changes, while paying insufficient attention to more implicit, individualized, and profound transformations.
  2. There is a lack of comprehensive research on the mechanisms and processes through which entertainment video games trigger players' aesthetic and transformative experiences.
  3. Current studies on reflective game experiences predominantly rely on retrospective methods (e.g., interviews or surveys), which may overlook the immediate experiences and details during gameplay.

• Significance of the Research:

  1. Gaining a deeper understanding of how entertainment video games provide profound personal experiences can expand the boundaries of human-computer interaction research and inspire the design of new technologies.
  2. Investigating aesthetic transformative experiences can contribute to the maturation of video games as a complex artistic medium.

• Research Motivation and Related Work: This study is inspired by research on aesthetic experiences, particularly those focusing on self-reconstruction through artistic works. Additionally, theories on transformative learning and emotionally challenging game experiences provide a theoretical foundation for this research.

Solution

• Proposed Solution or Methodology:

  1. The author conducted an exploratory autoethnographic study, documenting the first author's immediate experiences and reflections during and after playing five narrative-driven video games.
  2. Through in-depth emotional and cognitive analysis, the study identified four core themes of transformative game experiences: investment, personal relevance, self-reflexivity, and re-engagement.

• Innovative Aspects:

  1. The use of autoethnography, a rare and in-depth research method, captures immediate and nuanced player experiences, exploring the subjective emotional trajectories in transformative game experiences.
  2. By focusing on the subtle, hard-to-quantify yet profound aesthetic transformative experiences of entertainment video games, the study expands the traditional dimensions of entertainment experience research.

• Implementation Steps and Techniques:

  1. The researcher selected five narrative-driven video games: God of War, Doki Doki Literature Club!, The Stanley Parable, Bloodborne, and The Beginner’s Guide.
  2. Field notes, reflective journals, and memos were recorded during gameplay, followed by iterative coding and thematic analysis of the collected data.
  3. Four core themes were derived and summarized to explain the relationships between emotions, cognition, and game design.

Research Findings

Core Findings

1. Four Core Themes:

   • Investment:
     • A high integration of cognitive and emotional engagement during gameplay. For example, complex narratives and emotional challenges enhance the game's appeal.
   • Personal Relevance:
     • Players establish a deep connection with characters or narrative content, allowing the game experience to resonate with real-life experiences.
   • Self-Reflexivity:
     • Games break the fourth wall or introduce unexpected plot twists, prompting players to become aware of their role as players and encouraging deeper reflection.
   • Re-Engagement:
     • After the game ends, players continue interacting with their experience (e.g., reminiscing, consuming related content, reading reviews), forming long-term impacts and imbuing the experience with harmonious meaning.

2. Trajectory of Transformative Experiences:

   • The author summarized an emotional and cognitive transformation process from disorientation to harmony, where initial confusion and uncertainty during gameplay gradually evolve into profound aesthetic satisfaction and heightened self-awareness.

3. Two Case Studies of Transformative Games:

   • In Doki Doki Literature Club!, the game fosters deep reflection and a re-understanding of depression through its exploration of the theme and self-reflexive design (e.g., "pretending the game crashes").
   • The Beginner’s Guide guides players to reflect on creativity, personal inadequacies, and the medium of games itself, ultimately unlocking emotional meaning and self-resonance.

Comparison with Existing Solutions

• The uniqueness of this study lies in transcending traditional third-person research methods by focusing on immediate, subjective player experiences while highlighting the significance of re-engagement in transformative experiences.

Limitations and Future Directions

1. Limitations:

   • The data is based solely on the autoethnographic records of one researcher, limiting the generalizability of the findings.
   • The experimental environment may have influenced the game experience, differing from the everyday gaming experiences of typical players.
   • The self-reflective methodology itself may have facilitated the transformative experiences, introducing potential bias.

2. Future Directions:

   • Conduct broader participant studies to validate the generalizability of these findings.
   • Explore how to design "re-engagement" mechanisms to maximize the transformative potential of games.
   • Strengthen the modeling of the relationship between emotional challenges and harmonious meaning, applying the results to a wider range of interactive technology designs.