Getting Hybridity Just Right: The Goldilocks Factor in Hybrid Digital Boardgames

Paper Title

Getting Hybridity Just Right: The Goldilocks Factor in Hybrid Digital Boardgames

Publication Info

• Topic area: Player experience in hybrid digital boardgames (HDBs)
• Keywords: Hybrid digital boardgames, player experience, game design, hybridity, timing functions, randomising functions, autonomy, materiality, mixed-methods study

Background and Problem

• Problem / challenge: Limited understanding of how hybrid functions in boardgames impact player experience (PX); existing PX measures are designed for videogames and may not apply to boardgames.
• Significance: Understanding PX in HDBs can guide better design of hybrid games, ensuring they enhance gameplay without detracting from core experiences.
• Motivation and related work: Previous research has explored hybrid game design, enabling technologies, and player attitudes but has not deeply examined PX or how hybridisation affects gameplay. This paper builds on Rogerson et al.'s Hybrid Digital Boardgame Model (HDBM) to systematically investigate PX in HDBs.

Solution

• Proposed approach: A mixed-methods study comparing a physical and hybrid version of the boardgame Spy Guy: Fantasy to examine the PX of hybrid Timing and Randomising functions.
• Novelty:
  1. Identification of the "Goldilocks Factor" for hybridity, where hybrid functions are "just right" and enhance gameplay.
  2. Insights into how hybrid Timing and Randomising mechanisms impact PX, including autonomy, challenge, and materiality.
  3. Methodological reflections on studying PX in HDBs, highlighting limitations of existing videogame-based PX measures.
  4. Exploration of autonomy in boardgame PX, contrasting it with videogame PX.
• Procedure and key techniques:
  • Developed a hybrid variant of Spy Guy: Fantasy using an Android app to replace the sand timer (Timing) and deck of cards (Randomising).
  • Conducted a mixed-methods A/B-inspired study with 32 participants, using both within-subjects and between-subjects designs.
  • Collected data through surveys (miniPXI and custom items) and semi-structured group interviews.
  • Analyzed quantitative data using Mann-Whitney U tests and qualitative data through reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

• Concrete findings:
  • Physical players reported higher autonomy (mean = 1.80 vs. 0.38, p = 0.049) and challenge appropriateness (mean = 1.60 vs. 0.13, p = 0.007).
  • Physical components were more helpful for understanding gameplay (mean = 2.13 vs. 1.00, p = 0.029).
  • Hybrid players appreciated the app’s rule enforcement but found it less flexible and more stressful due to increased time pressure.
• Advantage over baselines:
  • The hybrid variant enforced rules more strictly and reduced cognitive load for chores like timing but introduced stress and reduced perceived autonomy.
  • Physical components provided better materiality and flexibility, allowing players to negotiate rules and align gameplay with expectations.
• Experiments / evaluation:
  • Study compared minimally different physical and hybrid variants of Spy Guy: Fantasy.
  • Quantitative data collected via miniPXI and custom Likert items; qualitative data from interviews.
  • Participants included 32 individuals (16 in each variant), with a mix of novice and knowledgeable players.
• Limitations and future work:
  • Lack of validated PX measures for boardgames limits quantitative insights.
  • Study design (within- vs. between-subjects) impacted data quality; future studies should prioritize qualitative insights.
  • Future work could explore experiential recreations in hybridisation, function visibility, and theoretical constructs of boardgame PX.

Summary

This study investigates the player experience of hybrid digital boardgames by comparing physical and hybrid versions of Spy Guy: Fantasy. It identifies the "Goldilocks Factor," where hybrid functions enhance gameplay without detracting from core experiences. Hybrid Timing increased stress and perceived challenge, while hybrid Randomising obscured fairness, leading to speculation about game complexity. The study highlights the limitations of existing videogame-based PX measures for boardgames and emphasizes the importance of autonomy and materiality in boardgame PX. These findings provide actionable insights for HDB design and call for further research into boardgame-specific PX constructs and methodologies.