PLAYFUL AND SOCIAL INTERACTION IN PHYSICAL GAME: A QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE STUDY OF REAL-LIFE ESCAPE ROOM

Abstract

This study investigated the player experience, playful design factors, and player behaviors of real-life escape room games. A questionnaire survey, group interviews, and behavioral observation were conducted to gather players’ demographic information, game experience, social presence, game behaviors, and social interactions while playing a real-life escape room game. Results indicate that a player’s background and the theme of the escape room affect game performance and game experience. The playful design factors are sorted into five categories: story, clue, puzzle, mechanism, and interior design. The player behaviors include individual and team behaviors: searching, thinking, monitoring, physical activity, communication, information sharing, decision making, and cooperation.