Study On Online Game Flow Experience: Questionnaire And Measurement

With the development of computer technology and the spread of mobile web, game industry develops fast these years, which has become an important entertainment industry in our country.As a crucial role in game industry, online game is regarded as one the most popular recreational activities among college students, even office workers. Game depends on experience, study on it has great theoretical and practical value.In this study, theory on online-game flow experience is founded, and questionnaire on flow experience is made up. Based on review about flow experience, and discussion on interaction between game and users, a theoretical model on online-game flow experience is founded, which helps to explain the core experience of flow, and the game factors influencing flow. Interview with 64 game users showed that flow experience is common among users from different games, and their flow experience fit the model well. Online-game flow experience questionnaire is made up through online survey, team discussion and interview with professionals working for online games. With the help of Tencent online questionnaire system, the flow questionnaire was tested twice online. Data analysis with 3524 game users showed good reliability and validity, and result of AMOS analysis fit the model well. Besides, the relationship between flow and game use, flow and payment in game is discussed.Combing with all the study results above, conclusions can be drawn as follow:(1)When playing games, games and users interact with each other. Flow experience goes along with such interaction;(2)Flow experience in online games is common through users from diverse online games, and especially stronger in games with real-time strategy and turn-based combat as characteristics;(3)Among 4 different games, including online real-time strategy game, multi-massive online role-play game, elimination mobile game and tower defense game, game flow theoretical model fit well;(4)The questionnaire in the research has good reliability and validity;(5)Flow in online game is positive correlated with game behavior, like game time per week and payment in game.Finally, the limitations, future directions, theoretical implications and practical value of the present research were discussed.