EPTThis go around I'm interested in a different question related to data visualization and analytics in online games. To date a lot of the research in this area is very focused on the developer side with articles like this one that discuss developing analytic tools for developers to analyze game play. From a business perspective we know that developers such as Blizzard go through a lot of data to decide on all of the balance changes they make. Where there has not been a lot of exploration is in how players themselves use these tools in games. A trend in recent games appears to be to give players access to more data about the games they are playing. Starcraft II is a great example of this with all the broadcast and review metrics given to players such as APM, effective resources lost, and others. So my research questions revolve around how players utilize these analytics and whether the availability or lack of these tools impact the decisions that players make about which games they play or continue playing.
Of course, you could say that you don't really use any of these tools at all! I imagine a lot of people don't actively review their games to look at their APM and see where they could improve or consider the gold graphs between two teams in LoL. What's pretty cool is how subtle a lot of these tools are. Do you use the mini-map when you play? That's an example of data visualization that's been around for a long time but is actually rooted in some really cool cognitive theories related to how people understand objects in depth in their neighborhoods (think main screen) and as the scope of the view increases, they think in terms of major landmarks (that's why you see less detail in the mini-map). I'd venture a guess that's one of the reasons the use of the mini-map became so popular.
If you feel so inclined it would be awesome to take this survey located here.
The survey takes about 10 minutes and asks questions related to what kind of games you play, how you find information in them, and whether the availability or not of these tools influences which games you decide to play or watch (and whether this matters by genre of game). The survey is completely anonymous. With enough responses we can hopefully come to some quantitatively significant conclusions about data visualization and analytics in online games and then I can share the results again with everyone here at TL. Thanks again in advance!
My exact research questions for those so inclined:
+ Show Spoiler +
R1. Who uses analytic tools?
R2. How are the analytic tools used?
R3a. How does the genre of a game influence how the analytic tools are used?
R3b. How do attitudes correlate with frequency of use?
R4. What are the consequences of the use of analytic tools in online games?
R2. How are the analytic tools used?
R3a. How does the genre of a game influence how the analytic tools are used?
R3b. How do attitudes correlate with frequency of use?
R4. What are the consequences of the use of analytic tools in online games?
edit: spelling
