Impact of Game Elements in Players Artistic Experience

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact that introducing game elements can have in players' artistic valuation of video-games. We put forth a hypothesis that aesthetic experiences are incompatible with game elements (challenges and rewards/penalties). We tested it, by allowing (n=76) subjects to experience two different variants of the same artistic video game, one with game elements, another without. Using a mixed methods approach, we study results from self-reports and open-ended questionnaires. These indicate that in the game version's case, subjects reported being less focused in understanding the experience's meaning and found it less meaningful to a statistically significant degree. Therefore, we conclude that game designers seeking to mediate artistic experiences should be cautious in the introduction of game elements, as they can negatively impact the experience's value.