Understanding the Videogame Medium through Perspectives of Participation

The videogame medium enables the player to participate in meaningful activities from which a gameplay experience emerges. The multiplicity of forms that a videogame can take associated with the subjective and holistic nature of experience challenge a comprehensive and systematic approach to design in the videogame medium. In this paper we present a conceptual model to support game design and gameplay experience evaluation built upon the notion of participation, the way players take part in gameplay activity and experience the game. The model aims to contribute to an understanding of the design space in videogame medium as well as to the evaluation of gameplay experience through six perspectives on participation: Playfulness, Challenge, Embodiment, Sociability, Sensemaking and Sensoriality. We illustrate the use of the model as a basis for analysis of videogame objects and the kinds of participation they promote.