1. Game Development Essentials An Introduction

2. Player Elements who plays and why?
Chapter 2
Player Elements
who plays and why?

3. Key Chapter Questions
■ What motivates people to play games, and how does this affect the types of games that are developed?
■ What is the difference between geographics, demographics, and psychographics?
■ How has the player market changed over time?
■ What is the difference between the U.S. and South Korean market?
■ What are the different generations of players in the United States?

4. Player Motivation Social interaction Physical seclusion Competition
Knowledge
Mastery
Escapism
Addiction
Therapy
Exercise
Creative expression

5. Player Suits Richard Bartle’s “Players Who Suit MUDs”
Hearts: Socializers
 interact with other players
Clubs: Killers
 manipulate other players
Diamonds: Achievers
 interact with the environment
Spades: Explorers
 manipulate the environment

6. Geographics
South Korea
Japan
Germany
Regional US

7. Geographics

8. Psychographics VALS (Values, Attitudes & Lifestyles Survey)

9. Psychographics

10. Demographics Gender Age Occupation Income Education Ethnicity Religion
Political Affiliation

11. Demographics Entertainment Software Association (ESA)
52% of players report watching less television as a result of playing games
47% of players are going to the movies less
41% of players watch movies at home less often
54% of U.S. households have purchased or plan to purchase one or more games
adult women make up a larger percentage of players than boys ages 6–17
females of all ages now make up almost 40% of the game-playing population
men and women over 18 make up 64 percent of the player population
17% of players are over age 50

12. Demographics Generation
Silent
Boom
Generation X
Millennial
Trends quiz (p. 55)

13. Gen X The “Lone Hero” Generation
Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft and Half-Life’s Gordon Freeman are both depicted as lone heroes.

14. Millennials The “Teamwork” Generation
Games that incorporate cooperation—such as A Tale in the Desert and Puzzle Pirates—might be ideal games for the Millennial Generation.

15. Summary Player motivation Player suits Geographics Psychographics
Demographics
Generations