A Cognitive Psychological Approach to

Gameplay Emotions
Bernard Perron
Department of Art History and Film Studies
University of Montreal
Canada
(514) 343!3"4
#ernard$perron%umontreal$&a
ABSTRACT
Alt'ou(' emotions eli&ited #y t'e fi&tional )orld or t'e artefa&t play a part in storydriven video
(ames* t'ey are &ertainly not t'e fo&us of t'e e+perien&e$ From a &o(nitive psy&'olo(i&al
perspe&tive* t'is paper studies t'e appraisal and a&tion dimensions of emotions arisin( from
(ameplay$ As it relies on &o(nitive film t'eories a#out popular narrative movies* it also revisits
t'eir &on&eptual sour&es in order to #etter refle&t on t'e spe&ifi&ity of t'ose (ameplay emotions$
Keywords
emotion, gameplay, video game, film theory, appraisal, action tendency
As David Freeman wrote at the beginning of Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of
Emotioneering, the subject of emotion in games is a new continent and an almost unmapped one
[4 : p. 8]. This is unquestionably true. However, though he considers the subject from a designer
perspective, Freeman neither highlights emotions as a complex phenomenon, nor goes into
thoroughly. While Ill come back to this question later, for now I will simply state that one must
not forget that emotions involve many elements, from bodily changes to perceptions and
thoughts, from dispositions to experience them to behaviour in reaction of them. But insofar as
the gaming experience of story-driven video games resonates with the same emotional power as
film
1
, often with even more intensity in regard to certain emotions, Ill begin by introducing the
description Ive made [19] of two of the three major territories of this new continent with the
help of cognitive film theories about emotion.
EXPLR!"G K"#" TERR!TR!ES
My main reference is Ed S. Tans Emotion and the Structure of Narrative Film: Film as an
Emotion Machine [27]. Its usefulness lies in the fact that Tan restricts his research to the natural
viewer
2
and the traditional feature film which, following some elements of the classical narration
definition given by David Bordwell [1] used by Tan, presents more or less psychologically
defined individuals the principal causal agency who straightforwardly struggle to solve clear-
1
,'is is in fa&t a &omment made a#out t'e Metal Gear Solid series (-onami.-onami) [14 / p$ 50]$
1
As opposed to people )at&'in( films )it' a spe&ial analyti&al purpose in mind* natural vie)ers 'ave a more or
less sta#le preferen&e for traditional films$
Proceedings of DiGRA 2005 Conference: Changing Views Worlds in Play$
2 1335 Aut'ors 4 Di(ital 5ames 6esear&' Asso&iation Di56A$ 7ersonal and edu&ational &lassroom use of t'is paper is
allo)ed* &ommer&ial use re8uires spe&ifi& permission from t'e aut'or$
cut problems or to attain certain goals. It also introduces solely temporary causal narrative gaps,
gives information functionally necessary at a particular time, does not draw attention to itself as
artefact and has an happy ending most of the time. As an opening postulate, Tan asserts : [f]rom
the perspective of the viewer, it could be said that what all natural viewers of the traditional
feature film have in common is their desire to experience emotion as intensively and as
abundantly as possible, within the safe margins of guided fantasy and closed episode
[27 : p. 39]. Identifying two sources of primary satisfaction, he then characterizes two relevant
types of emotion.
Rooted in the fictional world and the concerns addressed by that world, the first type of emotions
are referred to as fiction emotions or F emotions [27 : p. 65].
3
To begin with, though the viewer
or gamer visits, via the power of their imagination, a fictional world where he or she runs no risk,
this world does have an emotional impact. It is not the same thing to step into the nightmarish
city of Silent Hill, the corrupt neighbourhoods of Grand Theft Auto, or the fantasy worlds of
Final Fantasy. But fiction emotions have above all to be defined as witness emotions because
they are elicited by a controlled and invisible observers position. It is the protagonists concerns
which are at stake. Since the situations in which those protagonists find themselves cannot be
acted upon, we have to experience it with them. Fiction emotions are principally empathetic. The
plot of story-driven games unfolds beyond the control of the gamer, for the most part though cut-
scenes asides. For instance, nothing can be done about the murder of Maxs wife and daughter or
the frame-up of which he is victim in Max Payne (Remedy/Rockstar Games, 2001), but you are
lead to feel Maxs anger and to strive, with him, for revenge. You can only witness the betrayals
of the two women Snake has relations with in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
(Konami/Konami, 2004) and feel sad with him, not to mention share his heartbreak that the death
of one of those women elicits and feel compassion for the hero.
4

Arising from the concerns related to the artefact, as well as stimulus characteristics based on
those concerns, Tans second type of emotion is called artefact emotions or A emotions
[27 : p. 65]. As soon as the viewer or gamer is aware, no matter how fleetingly, of artistry and
manipulation, the object of the emotion is not the fictional world anymore, but the film or the
game as a man-made artefact. One wouldnt expect less from artefacts produced by an industry
based on fast-changing computer technology. Video game history is peppered with technological
innovations and the groundbreaking computer-generated imagery that create this type of
emotions. The aesthetic of video game has much to do with an aesthetic of astonishment
5
. We
can certainly feel wonder crossing dazzling 3D landscapes or moving along with the real-time
3
9idenin( 'is &onsiderations in a later paper* ,an tal:s a#out R-emotions* t'at is emotions eli&ited #y elements of
t'e represented )orld [15]$
4
When Freeman talks for instance in Creating Emotion in Games about making major NPCs interesting, giving
them emotional depth and complexity through the game, writing interesting and deep lines of dialogue, making
game plots interesting, using symbols, or using opening, pre-rendered and in-game cinematics to suck the gamer
into the game, he is talking about fiction emotions.
5
An e+pression of ,om 5unnin( a#out t'e early &inema$ See also Andre) Ma&tavis';s arti&le / <,e&'nolo(i&al
7leasure / ,'e 7erforman&e and =arrative of t'e ,e&'nolo(y in Half-Life and >t'er Hi(',e&' Computer 5ames?
[1"]$
1
lighting of the Splinter Cell games. Following the example of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater,
we can be surprised by a sudden twist of the plot and reflect upon the intricacy of the telling of
the story.
6
But in a game, we can be very displeased by a bad game design, as we can have
admiration for the specific act of puzzle construction. We can be in awe in front of the physics
engine, say of Half-Life 2 (Valve Software/Vu Games, 2004).We can equally astonished by a
counterattack of NPCs that weve never seen before. For Tan, there is a likelihood that more
intense the emotion may be, the greater one will realize that this is a special experience and be
aware that one is in front of an artefact. This is a situation in which the simulations of video
games often puts us. Has it not been stated that video game art is the art of simulation ?
APPRA!S!"G T$E "E# %!EL&
9it'out dou#t fi&tion and artefa&t emotions play a role in storydriven (ames$ @ut t'ey are
&ertainly not t'e main part of t'e e+perien&e$ =eedless to say* )e are playin( for gameplay
emotions
!
or G emotions* t'e emotions arisin( from our a&tions in t'e (ame mostly in t'e
(ame)orld in t'e &ase of narrative (ames and t'e &onse8uent rea&tions of t'e (ame()orld)$
"
,o parap'rase FriAda [5]* t'e different pleasures (and displeasures) )e 'ave )'en playin( a (ame
are t'e most elementary of our emotional pro&esses$ As =i&ole BaCCaro;s resear&' s'o)s* over
t'irty emotions alt'ou(' t'ey are no all introdu&ed in 'er a#stra&t may #e eli&ited #y
(ameplay* &ompletely separated from t'ose eli&ited #y story [1!]$ ,'e impa&t of (ameplay is*
&urrently* s&rutiniCed #y empiri&al studies of affe&tive (amin( t'at investi(ate t'e states of
arousal of t'e (amer$ As )ell* notions su&' as <adaptive (ameplay? &all attention to t'e )ay
video (ames are meant to respond to t'e (amer;s emotional states [13*11* 14]
0
$ Sin&e it is 'ard to
loo: at emotions from all an(les* it is from a &o(nitivist perspe&tive t'at D )is' to ma:e my
&ontri#ution to t'e study of (ameplay emotion$ @asi&ally* D )ant to start to e+amine t'e appraisal
and a&tion dimensions of t'ose emotions$ As a &omparative analysis of film and video (ame
inevita#ly leads us to refle&t on t'e spe&ifi&ity of t'e latter* )'i&' ,or#en 5rodal;s <Eideo
5ames and t'e 7leasure of Control? illustrates remar:a#ly )ell [13]* it also prompts us to revisit
t'eoreti&al sour&es in order to #etter apply t'em$
Storydriven (ames meet t'e elements of t'e a#ovementioned des&ription of &lassi&al narration$
,'ey are indeed avatar&entered and t'erefore &'iefly eli&it prototypi&al emotions )'i&' are
intentional* o#Ae&toriented and a&tionoriented$ Fmotions are as mu&' processes as states$
<[F]motional rea&tions develop over time and usually &onsist of se8uen&es of emotional
rea&tions? [G / p$ 3"1]$ Fmotions are stru&tured* and )a+ and )ane a&&ordin( to rules$ ,'ey are
fun&tional in t'e )ay t'ey re(ulate t'e intera&tion #et)een t'e individual and t'e environment*
)'et'er it is real or virtual$ 9'ile ,an;s <filmi& emotion ma&'ine? remains my prin&ipal
G
So )'en Freeman re&ommends to <ma:e #ot' in(ame and prerendered &inemati&s more artful and* t'ere#y* more
emotionally &omple+ and po)erful? [4/ p$ 3"0]* ma:in( t'e (amer una#le to predi&t t'e end of a &inemati&* 'e is
also pointin( to)ard artefa&t emotions$
!
As opposed to game emotions t'at )ould underline a produ&tion &omin( from t'e (ame and )ould not (ive
emp'asis on t'e personal e+perien&e of t'e (amer$
"
Dn my opinion* it;s only )'en Freeman [4] tal:s a#out t'e &'oi&e of a&tions (iven to t'e (amer t'at 'e;s really
pointin( to (ameplay emotions$
9
@esides* papers on t'ose resear&' are part of t'e pro(ram of t'e DD56A 1335 Conferen&e$
3
referen&e* 'is main one is =i&o H$ FriAda )or:* prin&ipally 'is #oo: The Emotions [0]$
13
For
FriAda* and t'is is part of t'e t)elve la)s of emotions 'e enun&iates [!]* emotions arise in
response to t'e meanin( stru&tures of a (iven situationH t'us different emotions arise in responses
to different meanin( stru&tures$ Fmotions arise* )'at;s more* in response to events t'at are
important to t'e individual;s (oals* motives and &on&erns$ ,'ere is a more or less endurin(
disposition to prefer parti&ular states of t'e )orld$ FriAda;s t'ou('t lies )it'in t'e predominant
&o(nitive appraisal t'eory of emotions$
From a &o(nitivist perspe&tive* &o(nition and emotions )or: to(et'er$ Fmotions are determined*
as it )as Aust noted* #y t'e intera&tion #et)een a (iven situation and an individual$ ,'ey )ill
differ a&&ordin( to t'e )ays t'e situational meanin(s mi('t #e assessed$ As FriAda states* and
also BaCarrus and Fol:man [1G]* t'ere are t)o types of &o(nitive appraisal$ Dn a primary
appraisal* t'e situation is evaluated a&&ordin( to a person;s )ell#ein($ A situation t'at is not
relevant for an individual is not li:ely to eli&it an emotion$ A #eni(npositive or stressful
situation )ill #e &'ara&teriCed as pleasant or unpleasant$ ,'en* in se&ondary appraisal* it is )'at
mi('t #e done or &an #e done t'at is assessed$ ,'e pro&ess ta:es into a&&ount t'e availa#le
&opin( options* t'eir ran(e and t'eir effe&tiveness$ Dn video (ame* ,or#en 5rodal 'as noti&ed*
ever so pertinently* t'at <[i]t is t'e player;s evaluation of 'is o)n &opin( potential t'at
determines )'et'er [a] &onfrontation )it' a monster )ill #e e+perien&ed as fear (if t'e
evaluation of 'is &opin( potential is moderate)* despair (if 'e feels t'at 'e 'as no &opin(
potentials)* or triump'ant a((ression (if 'e feels t'at 'e is amply e8uipped for t'e &'allen(e)$
,'is entails t'at t'e emotional e+perien&e )ill vary over time* due to t'e learnin( pro&esses
leadin( to a &'an(e in &opin( potentials? [11 / p$ 153]$ Dt is )ort' reiteratin( 5rodal;s &onse8uent
&on&lusion / <Eideo (ames t'erefore simulate emotions in a form t'at is &loser to typi&al real life
e+perien&es t'an film/ emotions are motivators for a&tions and are la#elled a&&ordin( to t'e
player;s a&tive &opin( potentials? I13 / p$ 131J$ And on t'e #asis of ne) information from t'e
environment* findin( ammos or a 'ealt' :it for e+ample* t'e situation or &onfrontation )ill #e
reappraised* and t'e meanin(s atta&'ed to it )ill #e &'an(ed$
Dn appraisal t'eory* different emotions &orrespond )it' different appraisal stru&tures$ Alt'ou('
appraisal determinants may vary in some respe&ts* some remain important &onsistently* and (ive
us more insi('ts as to t'e &auses of emotions
11
/
MotiveConsistent versus MotiveDn&onsistent$ ,'is is t'e fundamental distin&tion
#et)een positive and ne(ative emotions$ A positive emotion t'us o&&urs )'en a situation
is &onsistent )it' t'e person;s (oals* desires* intentions* and motives$ Hope* Aoy* relief*
li:in( and* and pride are positive emotions$ Fear* sadness* distress* frustration* dis(ust*
disli:e* an(er* &ontempt* re(ret* (uilt and s'ame are ne(ative ones$ Ho)ever* it is
possi#le to &onne&t t'e t)o opposites$ 9e play a survival 'orror (ame for t'e many
pleasures of #ein( s&ared$ ,'ere is not'in( really #ad a#out feelin( a #ite of frustration
in front of a puCCle )e must solve or an o#sta&le )e must over&ome$
F+pe&tedness versus Une+pe&tedness of t'e Fvent$ Appraised independent of motives*
surprise is eli&ited #y une+pe&tedness* and it is related to novelty and unfamiliarity$
13
,an and FriAda even )rote a paper to(et'er a#out <Sentiment in Film Eie)in(? [1G]$
11
D;m follo)in( 'ere 7er 7ersson;s appli&ation [11] of t'e 6oseman* Antonio and Kones;s stru&ture of t'e emotion
system [11]$
4
Cir&umstan&eCaused versus >t'erCaused or SelfCaused Fvents$ ,'e a(ent &ausin( a
(iven situation to emer(e is &riti&al to t'e appraisal of it$ Koy is more &ir&umstan&e
&aused* )'ile li:in( is &aused #y anot'er person and pride #y our o)n a&tion$ Dn a story
driven video (ame (as opposed to online (ames )'ere you meet people)* it is impro#a#le
)e )ill feel li:in( per se$ Lou may (et an(ry at t'e a&tions of t'e =7Cs (ot'er&aused)$
Ho)ever* t'e situation mi('t #e proved more &omple+$ Dmmersed in t'e (ame* your may
#e frustrated #y t'e &ir&umstan&e leadin( to a failure and 'ope for a #etter out&ome
(&ir&umstan&ed&aused)$ @ut if you are t'in:in( a#out t'e system #e'ind t'e fi&tional
)orld or if you relate to t'e &omputer as >t'er (as do some so&iolo(i&al studies)* it )ill
al)ays #e&ome an ot'er&aused situation$ 9'en you su&&eed* you are pride of yourself
(self&aused)$
@elieved Certainty versus Un&ertainty of t'e Fvent$ @elievin( in t'e pro#a#ility of an
up&omin( event e+plains t'e differen&e #et)een Aoy and relief t'at are &ertain* and 'ope
(positive) and fear (ne(ative) t'at are not$
Appetitive versus Aversive$ ,'is is anot'er fundamental distin&tion$ 9e )ant to o#tain*
pursue or :eep somet'in( pleasura#le (Aoy)* and dis&ard a t'in( in&onsistent )it' our
desire or &on&erns (distress* dis(ust* &ontempt and s'ame)$
Hi(' versus Bo) Control 7otential$ An important situational appraisal is )'et'er )e
#elieve )e &an &'an(e t'e &ourse of an event* restore it or undo it$ Frustration arises
#e&ause )e &an &ontrol t'e situation #ut are never a#le (et to t'e end$ >t'er)ise* it
unli:ely t'at a storydriven video (ame in )'i&' D &an.'ave to reinvest my a&tion or t'e
pat's D;ve &'osen )ould #rin( re(ret at t'e (ameplay level$ @e&ause re(ret is eli&ited
)'en D &annot redo somet'in( (for instan&e* you &an re(ret you did de&line in t'e past t'e
invitation to #e&ome a mem#er of a (ood CounterStri:e Clan)$
@ut emotions do not 'ave only an appraisal dimension$ ,'ey also 'ave an a&tion one$

REA&' %R ACT!"
Dn Film Structure and the Emotion System* 5re( Smit' &riti&iCes ,an;s &'oi&e to limit 'imself to
t'e )or: of FriAda in order to a&&ount for filmi& emotions [13]$ His &riti&ism is &ertainly &orre&t
)it' re(ard to t'e notion of a&tion tenden&y )'i&' is fundamental to FriAda;s t'eory$ Dndeed*
emotions are a&tion tenden&ies$ ,'ey &an #e defined as <modes of relational a&tion readiness*
eit'er in t'e form of tenden&ies to esta#lis'* maintain* or disrupt a relations'ip )it' t'e
environment or in t'e form of mode of relational readiness as su&'? [0 / p$ !1]* or <#e &on&eived
of as plans or pro(rams to a&'ieve su&' ends* )'i&' are put in a state of readiness? [0 / p$ !5]$
Fmotional a&tion tenden&ies are felt as impulses and ur(es to a&t in one )ay or anot'er until an
emotional episode is &losed due to a &'an(e of situation$ ,'ey t'erefore assi(n pre&eden&e to t'e
&ontrol of a&tion and t'e information pro&essin( t'at (oes )it' it ()'at FriAda &alls control
precedence)$
,'e appli&ation of emotional a&tion tenden&y to film vie)in( reveals* as matter of fa&t* t'e
inevita#le &on&lusion t'at t'is tenden&y is only virtual$ 9'at;s more* in &inema* all you &an see
is on t'e s&reen and your (aCe is &ontrolled #y miseens&ene and monta(e$ <,'us* in effe&t* says
,an* t'e a&tion repertoire of t'e vie)er in 'is or 'er &apa&ities of spe&tator to t'e fi&tional event
is empty? [1! / p$ !5]$ Lou &annot run to 'elp t'e 7resident;s dau('ter )'en s'e is t'reatened #y
6ussian terrorists in Air Force One (9olf(an( 7etersen* 100!)$ @ut t'is doesn;t mean t'at t'e
5
emotional e+perien&e felt t'rou(' t'e a&tions of t'e fi&tional &'ara&ters &annot #e intense$
Ho)ever t'at may #e* and D;m follo)in( Smit';s reasonin( 'ere* sin&e a&tion tenden&ies are
&ru&ial to t'e definition of emotion and t'at a&tual tenden&ies are more important t'an virtual
ones* ,an sets t'e notion of <interest? as t'e &entral emotional me&'anism in film vie)in( / <[i]n
t'e &ase of interest* t'e a&tion tenden&y is real* unli:e so many ot'er affe&ts evo:ed #y film?
[1! / p$ 11"]$ Dnterest is defined as an ela#oration a:in to pro#lem solvin(* <a mental a&tivity t'at
lies some)'ere #et)een free asso&iation or fantasy on t'e one 'and and a stri&tly pres&ri#ed
pro&ess of inferen&e &ontrolled #y t'e te+t* on t'e ot'er 'and? [1! / p$ 0301]$ Dnterest is #ased
on &on&erns and on t'e situational meanin( stru&ture of t'e &'ara&ters; a&tion in t'e fi&tional
)orld$ Dt displays a <stron( &ontrol pre&eden&e? t'at refers to t'e fas&ination* ent'rallment*
tension and a#sorption$ For t'ose reasons* it e+'orts t'e vie)er to pay attention to detail* to
investi(ate t'e plot for &lues* to learn more a#out t'e story* and to anti&ipate )'at )ill 'appen
ne+t$ ,o ma+imiCe t'e interest of t'e vie)er as re(ard to pro(ress made to)ard &losure and t'e
preferred final situation* t'e narrative 'as to find a perfe&t #alan&e #et)een frustration and
re)ard$
Dnterest as emotion is* of &ourse* as si(nifi&ant in storydriven (ames$ And* (iven t'at a&tion
tenden&ies are not virtual* it ta:es t'in(s a step furt'er (even if it is ena&ted in a irtual (ame
)orld)$ @et)een free asso&iation and pres&ri#ed pro&ess of inferen&e* t'e (amer 'as to ma:e 'is
or 'er avatar e+plore t'e (ame )orld in order to find &lues a#out t'e plot* a#out <t'e pre
stru&tured #ut em#edded InarrativeJ )it'in t'e miseens&ene a)aitin( dis&overy? [15 / p$ 11G]$
He or s'e may also traipse around if 'e or s'e )is'es$ Dn Ken:ins; terms* t'is )ould t'en #e t'e
(amer o)n <unstru&tured and &ontrolled narrative?* a narrative t'at &an eli&it artefa&t emotions
s'ould )e note (as pro&rastination leads us to )onder at t'e artistry #e'ind t'e &reation of t'e
fi&tional )orld)$ @ut t'e (amer still 'as to pursue t'e avatar;s (oals or t'e &on&erns set #y t'e
(ame* t'at is for e+ample to save t'e 7resident;s dau('ter in Resident Eil ! (Cap&om.Cap&om*
1335)$ ,o do so* 'e or s'e 'as to strai('tfor)ard stru((le to solve &leat&ut pro#lems* )'et'er it
is a riddle* or 'o) to dod(e or :ill monsters$ Follo)in( BaCCaro;s four :eys to t'e (ameplay
emotional e+perien&e* and dependin( of 'o) t'e spa&e is &ontested and 'o) t'e (amer appraises
it* t'is )ill #e <'ard fun? (Fmotions from Meanin(ful C'allen(es* Strate(ies* and 7uCCles)
and.or <easy fun? (5ra# attention )it' Am#i(uity* Dn&ompleteness* and Detail)$
,an;s <interest t'eory? rests to a lar(e de(ree on t'e pro(ress made in t'e dire&tion of &losure and
on t'e un&ertainty a#out t'e final situation$ For t'e most part* t'e &o(nitive and affe&tive
investments in t'e fi&tion ta:e t'e form of anti&ipations )'i&' &ounterpart t'e anta(onisti& effe&t
of t'e narrative$ Dn 'is e+planation* ,an refers #riefly to a notion put for)ard #y =oel Carroll* i$e$
erotetic narration I1* 3J$
11
Applied to linear narrative stru&ture of popular movies* t'is is a model
#ased on t'e lo(i& of 8uestions and ans)ers$ ,o various de(rees* ea&' s&ene as:s a 8uestion t'at
arti&ulates t'e narrative possi#ilities and t'at t'e movie )ill (o on to ans)er$ 9'ereas t'e end
#rin(s out an ans)er to t'e ma&ro8uestion(s) of t'e movie* t'ere are* #efore'and* a lar(e
num#er of mi&ro8uestions to #e ans)ered$ ,'ose mi&ro8uestions &onne&t fi&tional event to
fi&tional event and slo) do)n pro(ress to)ard t'e end$ Froteti& narration is also an ela#oration
12
9e must also say t'at t'e <&uriosity t'eory? developed #y Carroll a#out t'e 'orror (enre I1J 'as many similarities
)it' ,an;s interest one$ Eideo (ame literally involves a <play of ratio&ination? and t'e <drama of &orridors? t'at
Carroll tal:s a#out applies 8uite )ell to t'e maCe stru&ture of storydriven video (ames* #e a survival 'orror (ame or
not$
G
a:in to pro#lem solvin($ Let a(ain* t'is t'eoriCation ma:es even #etter sense re(ardin( video
(ames$ Df t'e vie)er is a 8uestionformer a&&ordin( to Carroll* t'e (amer 'as t'erefore to #e seen
as a ans)erma:er* a de&isionma:er* a pro#lemsolver$ Beavin( narration aside and &onsiderin(
t'e (ame itself* it is t'us possi#le and appropriate to tal: a#out erotetic gameplay$ 5ameplay is
a#out mi&ro8uestions t'at t'e (amer must ans)er* a#out mi&roo#Ae&tives t'at 'e or s'e must
attain$ ,'e diffi&ulty of t'ese varies* somet'in( #oss fi('ts display$ 5ames li:e Tom "lancy#s
Splinter "ell (U#isoft.U#isoft* 1331) illustrate t'is pro&ess perfe&tly$ Sam Fis'er al)ays re&eives
o#Ae&tives at t'e #e(innin( of and durin( a level via 'is >7SA,$ He 'as to find )ays to infiltrate
various fa&ilities* )ays to meet &onta&ts* )ays to &ross prote&ted areas* )ays to avoid ta:in(
people;s life and )ays to :ill ot'ers* )ays to retrieve* a&&ess* &olle&t* desa&tivate or destroy
items* et&$ ,'e &onstraints t'e (ameplay mi&ro8uestions pla&e on t'e (amer;s a&tions are to #e
over&ome )it'in t'e ran(e of possi#le moves Sam Fis'er &an perform$ All t'ose mi&ro(oals or
&on&erns )ill eventually ena#le Sam Fis'er to save t'e U$S$ from a 6ussian terrorist;s t'reat
('appy endin()* t'at is to ans)er t'e ma&ro8uestion of t'e (ame$ Dn spite of its linear
pro(ression and many predefined ans)ers or options* eroteti& (ameplay &an #e <'ard fun?$
FriAda notes / <7leasure in su&&essful (oal a&'ievement e+tends to any (oaldire&ted a&tion t'at is
su&&essfully performed* )'en su&' performan&e is not ta:en for (ranted and per&eived as a
&'allen(e$ ,'is is t'e domain of mastery pleasures* to )'i&' most or all a&tivities lead to flo) or
and optimal e+perien&e #elon(? I5 / "1J$ Dt is t'e (amer;s pro(ress and a&'ievements )'i&' are
re)arded$
5ameplay emotions arise from t'e intera&tions of t'e (amer )it' t'e (ame()orld)$ ,'is #rin(s
us #a&: to t'e 8uestions of a&tion readiness and a&tion tenden&y$ Df interest is t'e only real a&tion
tenden&y in film* it is not t'e &ase in video (ame )'ere many &ontrols &an lead to a&tion$
>penin( an instru&tion (uide &onfirms t'is easily$ 5ame &ontrols allo) a repertoire of in(ame
a&tions / from stayin( still to runnin(* from &rou&'in( to Aumpin(* from t'ro)in( pun&'es to
s'ootin( (uns* from loo:in( to maps to a&&essin( inventories* et&$ @ut inasmu&' as you can
ma:e your avatar a&t* you hae to ma:e 'im ta:es a&tion$ Df not* t'ere )ill #e no (ame$
>t'er)ise* as D;ve often stressed )it' re(ards survival 'orror (ames* it is &ertainly not t'e avatar
t'at is meant to #e s&ared or 'ave emotions* #ut rat'er t'e (amer I10J$ ,'e avatar* in&identally*
(enerally stays e+pressionless* )'atever t'e situation$ 9e sa) t'at emotions depend on t'e
(amer;s appraisal of a (iven (ame situation$ ,'is individual appraisal )ill &onse8uently produ&e
su#Ae&tive emotional rea&tions$ Ho)ever su#Ae&tive t'e emotions mi('t #e* several of t'em
13
<&an #e unam#i(uously defined in terms of parti&ular forms of a&tion readiness* IandJ of some
form of a&tion tenden&y or some form of a&tivation or la&: of t'ereof? I! / 351J$ Dn The
Emotions I0 / p$ ""J* FriAda presents a ta#le (1$1) &ontainin( emotions )it' relational a&tion
tenden&ies* a&tivation modes and fun&tions$ From t'is outline* )e &an &'ara&teriCe some
prototypi&al (ameplay emotions/
Dnterest is t'en seen as a tenden&y to attend* to paid attention* to o#serve )ell and
understand t'e situation$
FnAoyment is a toni& rea&tion t'at prompts to #e)it'* to intera&t and to en(a(e in
&onsummatory a&tivities$ As )e :no)* an enAoya#le (ame session is 'ard to leave$
13
,'ere is an underlinin( de#ate 'ere a#out <#asi& emotions? t'at D do not )ant to enter into* and t'at D &ould not
(rasp any)ay in all its entirety and fine distin&tions #e&ause of my #a&:(round$
!
9orry 'as t'e tenden&y to ma:e us turn to)ard an o#Ae&t one is t'in:in( a#out$ $"O
(SCFD.SCFA* 1331) su&&eeds perfe&tly to ma:e me )orried a#out t'e prin&ess Lorda$ D
t'ou('t a#out 'er all t'e time after D left 'er #e'ind$
Fear is manifested #y t'e impulse to move* to run a)ay$ Dn a survival 'orror (ame li:e
Resident Eil !* D;ll avoid a t'reatenin( monster in order to prote&t myself$
Surprised or s'o&:ed #y t'e apparition of one of t'e monsters* D;ll #e interrupted* )ill
freeCe in order to reorient myself$
An(er 'as an a(onisti& tenden&y$ Dt ur(es one to move a(ainst$ Dts fun&tion is to re(ain
&ontrol$ So )'en D (et mad at my opponents* D;ll assault t'em )it' my #est )eapon in
order to remove t'em as o#stru&tions$
Frustration* t'e feelin( of #oilin( inside* 'as also a tenden&y to move in an anta(onisti&
)ay$ D #e&ome s'ort tempered )'en D;m not a#le to a&'ieve an o#Ae&tive* or if D;m for&ed
to redo t'e same a&tions all over a(ain$ For e+ample* D #e&ame really upset #y t'e 14
t'
mission of %$$$ (U#isoft.U#isoft* 1333)$ =ot #ein( a#le to save t'e (ame after a 'ard
#attle* finally vi&torious* a(ainst t'e mad Do&tor Ko'ansson at 7lain 6o&: Asylum* D )as
annoyed #y t'e fa&t t'at* after)ard* D still 'ad to fa&e more (uards )'o :illed me #efore D
&ould es&ape$ ,'is deat' #rou('t me #a&: to a point #efore t'e aforementioned diffi&ult
#oss fi('t$
As t'ose fe) o#servations demonstrate* a &lose e+amination of t'e a&tion tenden&ies s'o)s
remar:a#le insi('t into t'e pro#lem of (ameplay emotions$
ST!LL !" T$E (& %R %)"
,'is paper intended to map in a #it more detail t'e ne) &ontinent of emotions in (ames$ @ut one
)ill undou#tedly 'ave (uessed t'at t'e tas: is not finis'ed* even if D 'ad limited myself to story
driven video (ames$ Alon( )it' empiri&al studies* &o(nitive psy&'olo(i&al approa&'es to
(ameplay emotions need to dra) upon te&'ni8ues a#le to pro#e to (reater dept's$ @e&ause story
driven (ames are dense information emotional )orld$ ,'ey use multiple emotion &ues to eli&it
t'e proper emotional e+perien&e$ ,'us* t'e relation #et)een fi&tion and (ameplay emotions )ill
'ave to #e #etter e+amined$ Moreover* emotions* said to last se&onds or minutes* 'ave to #e
distin(uis'ed from emotion episodes )'i&' are &ontinuous and &o'erent series of emotions* and
from moods t'at &an last for a lon(er period of time$ Sin&e t'e playin( of a (ame (oes on for
many 'ours* and video (ames &an #e seen as <mood mana(ers? allo)in( t'e (amer to parti&ipate
in a self&ontrolled arousin( e+perien&e I13 / p$ 130J* t'ose affe&tive states )it'out an o#Ae&t are
important to study$ ,'e mood&ues approa&' of 5re( Smit' #e&omes a (reat t'eoreti&al tool of
analysis$ For Smit'* mood is t'e primary set of orientin( emotions states t'at &an #e eli&ited #y
various &ues$ Dt orients us to)ard e+perien&in( spe&ifi& emotions I13 / p$ 3"J$ ,'e fearful mood
of a survival 'orror (ames su&' as Resident Eil ! puts* for e+ample* t'e (amer in emotional
alert and prepares 'im.'er to e+perien&e #urst of fear$ ,'ere is &ertainly a lin: to tra&e #et)een
t'e notion of mood and t'e )ay t'e (amer (ets emotionally immersed in (ames$ ,o our (reat
pleasure* t'is deserves furt'er study$
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