Psychological master form of computer games

Abstract

The article presented the rationale and description of a universal classification model of computer games. The basis of its development was the principle of systematic and psycho-semiotic approach that afforded considering both semantic and syntactic (formal) features of a game as factors mediating its effect on gamers. A computer game came under consideration as a system entity whose classification profile took shape following unique combination of thirty-four components that were interconnected in the manner of mutual cooperation. They combined into seven levels, two of which were: the game-play and setting — attributed to the fundamentals inherent to any game, while five were variable: the narrative, semantic, personal, communicative and ethic. Criteria to determine intensity of manifestation of the described components in a game that served as the basis for its expert evaluation, were presented. The results of investigation of «The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt» computer game were quoted. The study involved ten experts (8 men and 2 women) with a higher education and a great interactive gaming experience. The participants were made familiar with the classification algorithm of video games assessment and, in the process of complete ‘play-through’ of a game under consideration, categorized it into thirty-four components. Statistical processing of the data demonstrated high degree of consistency of the estimates: the value of α-Kronbach index amounted to 0.971. That afforded grounds to infer that the Master Form presented may serve as a reliable basis to analyze games and propose hypotheses about the nature of their effect on gamers.