Offering Multiple Mission Trials: A Physiological Study of Players’ Motivational State

Trials and attempts are common and are the means by which players upgrade their skills during gameplay. It is unclear whether or not high level of motivation holds when the gameplay is characterized by a high degree of repetitiveness. Assessing effects that these multiple trials may have on players’ motivation is a crucial step in order to clarify how and to what extent a mission could be played. Thus, this study explores the effects of multiple mission trials on player’s motivation in a serious game environment. 20 participants were invited to play our serious game, called HeapMotiv, intended to educate players about the heap data structure. We used Keller’s ARCS theoretical model of motivation and physiological sensors (heart rate, skin conductance and electroencephalogram) to record participants’ reactions during interactions with different missions and across multiple trials. Results showed that physiological patterns and their evolution are objective tools to assess effects of multiple mission trials on players’ motivation.