Player Typology in Theory and Practice Chris Bateman International Hobo Ltd 8 Milton Road Manchester +44 161 864 3082
[email protected] Rebecca Lowenhaupt Northwestern University 1300 Isabella St. #2 Evanston, IL 60201
[email protected] Lennart E. Nacke Faculty of Business and Information Technology University of Ontario Institute of Technology 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, ON, Canada L1H 7K4
[email protected] ABSTRACT Player satisfaction modeling depends in part upon quantitative or qualitative typologies of playing preferences, although such approaches require scrutiny. Examination of psychometric typologies reveal that type theories have—except in rare cases—proven inadequate and have made way for alternative trait theories. This suggests any future player typology that will be sufficiently robust will need foundations in the form of a trait theory of playing preferences. This paper tracks the development of a sequence of player typologies developing from psychometric type theory roots towards an independently validated trait theory of play, albeit one yet to be fully developed. Statistical analysis of the results of one survey in this lineage is presented, along with a discussion of theoretical and practical ways in which the surveys and their implied typological instruments have evolved. Keywords Player satisfaction, game metrics, player typology, trait theory, type theory INTRODUCTION Categorizing entities based on their common characteristics allows for faster cognitive processing of complex systems, a motivation that underlies psychological typologies, as well as any attempt to classify players according to their playing preferences. This paper discusses a sequence of demographic studies aimed at developing a player typology along lines that parallel psychometric typologies, and considers the theoretical and pragmatic requirements that any such typology must address.