Frank E. Dardis

Gaming Across Different Consoles: Exploring the Influence of Control Scheme on Game-Player Enjoyment

Many studies have investigated how different technological features impact the experience of playing video games, yet few have focused on how control schemes may affect the play experience. This research employed a between-subjects design to explore the relationship between the type of console played (Nintendo Wii, Playstation 2) and feelings of flow and enjoyment during the game-play experience. Results indicated that participants reported greater feelings of control and enjoyment with a traditional control scheme (Playstation 2) than with the more technologically advanced control scheme (Nintendo Wii). Further mediation analysis showed that enjoyment was driven by the sense of control that participants experienced and not simply by whether they won the game. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Attenuating the Negative Effects of Perceived Incongruence in Sponsorship: How Message Repetition Can Enhance Evaluations of an “Incongruent” Sponsor

As sponsorship spending continues to increase worldwide, research indicates that a brand or company perceived as “congruent” with the event or cause it sponsors will enjoy more favorable consumer reactions than will a sponsor deemed “incongruent.” However, by conceptualizing perceived congruence as an inherent, static property and by exposing individuals to only one sponsorship message, much research in this domain remains limited. The current experiment demonstrated that perceived congruence is a malleable property that can be positively influenced by repeated exposure to sponsorship messages, a rather common marketing communications strategy. Further, for a sponsor initially deemed incongruent, perceived congruence mediated the positive effects of repeated exposure on other brand evaluations. Findings inform both scholars and practitioners that sponsorship affiliations—and the potential successes thereof—should not be viewed as dichotomous, all-or-none scenarios. By increasing perceived congruence, repeated exposure to sponsorship messages can alleviate some of the risks typically assumed to exist for brands initially deemed low in fit.

The Impact of Game Customization and Control Mechanisms on Recall of Integral and Peripheral Brand Placements in Videogames

ABSTRACT As marketers invest more and more money into in-game brand placements, little research has tested the effects of videogame customization and controller type in relation to advertising effects, even though these factors have demonstrated importance in other areas of gaming research. Results from an experiment show that game customization significantly increases recall of an integral brand placement-one that is central to actual game play-but not of peripheral brands, which simply appear within the game. Regardless of brand type, players using a traditional controller exhibit significantly greater recall than those who use a newer, more naturally mapping controller. An interaction effect indicates that the influence of controller type disappears when customization is allowed; this effect is not specific to either type of brand. These results are interpreted through models of processing fluency and the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing. The article concludes with marketing implications regarding technological videogame advances.

Military Accord, Media Discord A Cross-National Comparison of UK vs US Press Coverage of Iraq War Protest

Although the UK and US were staunch allies before and during the Iraq War, differing sociopolitical milieus existed within the countries regarding support for the war. This cross-national content analysis compared stories on antiwar protest by leading newspapers in each country to determine if the differing sociopolitical environments were reflected in each nations press coverage. Results indicate that the US press invoked the ‘protest paradigm’ to a greater extent than its UK counterpart by being more likely to implement marginalization techniques in its coverage of protesters. Additionally, a greater number of marginalization techniques were associated with negative overall story tone toward the protesters within US coverage when compared to UK coverage. These results underscore the importance of cross-national research in examining the generality of contemporary mass media theory.

Is it a sense of autonomy, control, or attachment? Exploring the effects of in-game customization on game enjoyment

The data shows the distinct role of autonomy, control and attachment in creating enjoyment.Consistent with self-determination theory, feelings of autonomy and control contribute to enjoyment.Attachment to the customized avatar contributes to enjoyment through immersion.In general, players perceive a sense of control through customizing avatars.The feelings of autonomy and control are more critical predictors of enjoyment than attachment. This study presents a model linking character customization and game enjoyment. Two separate studies using different types of customization (functional vs. aesthetic) were employed to test two competing mechanisms that explain the effects of customizing in-game characters: feelings of autonomy and control-rooted in self-determination theory-and perceived attachment to game characters. Additionally, this study investigated how these two divergent mechanisms influence game enjoyment through immersion-related experiences. The findings showed that the feelings of autonomy and control are consistently stronger explanations for enjoyment, regardless of customization type. The results suggest that similar to other entertainment media, games can appeal to individuals through the senses of autonomy, control, and attachment to a character; the first two prove more critical.

Effects of Multiplayer Videogame Contexts on Individuals’ Recall of In-Game Advertisements

Research on the effects of in-game advertising has grown steadily during the twenty-first century. However, most studies have investigated only single-player contexts and have not taken into account the elements of multiplayer settings that are common to many gaming environments. Therefore, the current experimental investigation examined the impact of multiplayer contexts on the effectiveness of in-game advertising. Results indicate that playing with a partner versus playing alone enhanced players’ recall of ads, but the mere presence of a partner was not sufficient in explaining the difference: partner disposition had an impact such that playing with a friendly partner generally elicited the greatest response. Further, attitude toward ones partner mediated the effects of playing mode on ad recall. Practical implications regarding multiplayer game settings are discussed.

Adver-Where? Comparing the Effectiveness of Banner Ads and Video Ads in Online Video Games

ABSTRACT Banner ads, video ads, and advergames constitute a large portion of online gaming spending, yet no prior research has incorporated them simultaneously to determine if any separate or joint effects exist, and if so to what extent. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to test the effects of ad types on brand recall and attitude within two different but very common game settings (advergame or nonbranded game). Study 1 found that preroll video ads outperformed banner ads quite robustly in the nonbranded game, but these effects dissipated in the advergame. Building on these findings, Study 2 manipulated the location of video ads. The midroll ad position was more influential than the preroll and no-ad conditions, followed by the postroll position, thereby indicating a modest pattern of recency effects, especially in the nonbranded game. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.