FACULTY OF

COGNITIVE

SCIENCES AND

HUMAN

DEVELOPMENT
KMK3113

VIRTUAL REALITY

Pair Project:
ACTION GENRE

GAME AFFECT
IMMERSION DIFFER IN GENDER
Lecturer name:
Dr. Kamal Bin Othman
Date of submission:
21TH APRIL 2015
Group members:

NO

NAME

MATRIC NUMBER

.
1.
2.

NAJATULHAYAH BINTI MOHD HUSSAIN

MOHD SAUFI BIN SHAFFI

42607
40119

ACTION GENRE GAME AFFECT IMMERSION DIFFER IN

GENDER

1.0

Introduction

Virtual reality technology has a lot to create a range of tools and applications that
facilitate daily life and fun. Tools and applications that are created also contributed
immensely to certain fields like Education, Training, Prototypes, Spatial Visualization,
Cultural Heritages, Scientific Visualization, Entertainment, and Stereo Viewing. In the field
of entertainment, gaming is one of the fastest growing entertainment industries. It is expected
to be a $68 billion business by 2012 (Caron, 2008). Various videogames tools were created to
turn a lot of interaction between the player and the hardware used. This indirectly affects the
players immersion of the videogame. For example, the application head mounted display,
arm mounted display (BOOM), virtual retinal display, surround screen virtual environment
(SVR), Immersadesk and variants, stereo monitors and other displays. The creation of various
tools and applications have been develop more different types of game genres such as action,
strategies, sport, adventure and so on In this task, the researcher focus on action game genre
affect immersion differ in gender.

Immersion or known as experience is often viewed as critical to game enjoyment, immersion

being the outcome of a good gaming experience (Jennet, 2008). In an order to understand
immersion more, Brown and Cairns (2004) conducted a qualitative study where they
interviewed seven gamers and asked them to talk about their experiences playing computer
games. As the word suggests, the result found that immersion is indeed used to describe the
degree of involvement or participant with a game. The theory also identified a number of
barriers that could limit the degree of involvement. Meanwhile, genre is the
categorization of things by a loose set of criteria. It is widely used in the
literary world and media studies but tends to have no fixed boundaries.
Genre applied to video games is fundamentally different from other media
applications. Specifically, video game genres have developed along the
lines of the nature of the interactions rather than visual or auditory
differences (Apperley, 2006). Different gender has difference interest in
genre. There is a lot of previous study about genre game and immersion,
gender and immersion and so on. Statistics of the gender breakdown of
people who play videogames by The Electronic Software Associations is
commonly cited everywhere. However, this statistic cannot answer further
question, such as the relationship between gender and genre, play time,
or even motivations to play videogames. There are motivational

differences in gamers preferences for genres, such as competition,

enjoyment in the broadest term, violence, thrill seeking among others.
This comes from common perceptions among gamers as well as good
number of studies.

2.0

Background

In previous studies have been many studies about the immersion of a game. This
involves a wide range of genres that may affect the player's immersion. For example, the
genre of action games, sport, adventure, puzzle, strategy and so on. Immersion is considered
a psychological experience (Jennet et al, 2008. The Wild, 1995. Witmer & Singer, 1998),
particularly cognitive activities (Jennett et al, 2008; Brown & Cairns, 2004). There are also
researchers said that immersion can be divided into two categories, namely perception and
psychology (Grimshaw et al, 2008; Lombard & Ditton, 1997; McMahan, 2003). Immersion
perception refers to the physical work such as vision and hearing while playing a game.
Meanwhile, psychological immersion is mental absorption players experience in the game.
Immersion in the game refers to human involvement with media such as computer
games, virtual reality, and cinema that can cause feelings of experience and in-depth
involvement with a particular medium (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Slater, Usoh & Steed, 1994;
Witmer & Singer, 1998). In a study conducted by Brown and Cairns (2004), they argue that
there are three levels of immersion is engagement, engrossment and total immersion.
Engagement is the first stage of immersion. At this stage, individuals game and usability of
game control is that players have to overcome obstacles. Engagement also require players to
invest time, effort and attention to play the game.
The second stage is engrossment. At this stage, players will invest their time and
attention. Players will engage willing to play the game. In addition, players will also be
emotionally invested in the game. The third stage is total immersion. At this stage, players
can accentuate their emotions with characters in the game and atmosphere built by the game
are able to cut the connection between the player and the real world.
From a study conducted by the electronics software association showed statistic of
gender breakdown people who play video games are quite widespread in many places (Wai
Yen Tang, 2014). In this study, there are differences in the motivation for the choice of genre
favorite players. For example, competition, violent, action, adventure and so on. This comes
from common perceptions among gamers as well as good number of studies.

3.0

Problem Statement

In this technologically advanced era, applications such as games are growing in

numbers and subsequently games exists in many genres. This enable users, regardless of their
gender, can choose what type of games they would want to play. Prior to this, most of us
think that only males are competent in playing games. However, females also proven to have
interests in playing games that suits their personalities. For example, Candy Crush, Clash of
Clans and The Sims attracts both genders to try and play the games. We all have different
references about games. Some of us might prefer action, trailer, and adventure games. Games
are applications that can influence immersion of its player. This is because it had the
cognitive interaction between players with games, in terms of emotions, skills, intelligent and
behavior. The types of games also are shaped either 2D or 3D that can affect a players
attraction towards the games. From researchers observations, male prefer playing games that
have action, thinking competencies, and skills. Meanwhile, female prefer playing games that
have characterized the girlish genre and intelligent. This study will focus action game genre
affect immersion differ in gender.

4.0

Objective
4.0.1 General Objective
The main objective of this study was to identify the differences between the
acceptance of immersion action game genre and gender.
4.0.2 Specific Objective
In this project, we discuss regarding of a research question and hypothesis
and in defining objectives for research. Basically, we focused on the
immersion of action game by different gender. Besides that, we also study the
demographic profile of participants in order to identify the level of acceptance of
immersion action game by gender. Lastly is to assess the effectiveness of the action
game affect the immersion.

5.0

Research Question
1. What is the difference in immersion of action game between male and female?
2. How can gender affect immersion?
3. Do male have higher immersion compare to female?
4. Why immersions differ in gender?

6.0

Conceptual Framework

6.0

Method
6.0.1 Participants

The sample size of 10 respondents is identified as the respondents

to participate.
Respondents are divided equally into two groups with
each group consists of 5 males
and 5 females respectively. Suitable
sampling design is chose since identification of respondents
involved.
Convenience sampling is used in this research. It is a non- probability
sampling which involves identifying random or known respondents to
participate and answer the survey questionnaires.

6.0.2 Design
This study is conducted at University Malaysia Sarawak. This is a quantitative
research whereby data is collected via questionnaires distributed to respondents at this
institution. This study can be considered a 2 (gender) X 2 (games from action genre)
because there are two independent variables. The gender of the students has two
levels, male and female, and the action genre game has two levels: Clan of Clash
(COC) and
SUDDEN ATTACK. The dependent variables measure is the
immersion of different gender to action genre game.
6.0.3 Material
The demographical questionnaire was released before the beginning of the experiment
(Appendix A).The level of immersion that participants experienced during game play
was measured with the Immersive Experience Questionnaire (IEQ) (Jennett et al,
2008). Participants were asked to fill in the questionnaire after they finished each
game session. The IEQ contained 33 items.

The questionnaire will use the Likert-type scale as shown below

Score value

Indicator

Strongly

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly

Disagree

Agree
Figure: Likert-type Scale Indicator

6.0.4 Data Analysis Procedure

In this research, data is analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Science
(SPSS). All the data collected are analyzed by using Independent Sample T-test.
Different forms of presentation used to present the data collected, such as in the form
of tables and graphs. This procedure can also measure differences in the level of
immersion reception received by the respondent.

7.0

Result
7.1 Result based on Clash of Clan (COC) games
Group Statistics

MEAN_GAME1

Gender
Male
Female

N
5
5

Mean
3.0667
3.0303

Std. Deviation
.06210
.12494

Std. Error Mean

.02777
.05588

Clash of clan is an action game in clan to compete for victory. This game is a game
that is popular at the moment and played by numerous people and also men and
women. This game has two ways first fight to collect the trophy and the second is to
win the clan wars.
Based on the results of the action game Clash of Clan (COC), there was no significant
difference between the acceptance immersion respondent men and women. The study
found differences immersion received by the respondent of men and women is only
0.03. Respondent men receive immersion by playing games COC by 3.06.
Meanwhile, the respondent women who play games COC accept immersion of 3.03.
This shows that relatively little difference between acceptance immersion between
male and female to genre of game action clan clash.

7.2 Result based on Sudden Attack game

Group Statistics
MEAN_GAME2

Gender
Male
Female

N
5

Mean
3.5515

Std. Deviation
.44916

Std. Error Mean

.20087

2.9697

1.08246

.48409

Sudden attack is a shooting game that is played online. This game is a genre action game that
requires players to fight against the enemy. The enemy is among themselve since this game is
an online game. This game is popular among teenagers and played irrespective of gender
status.
Based on the results of the Sudden Attack game are there was significant difference between
the acceptance immersion of respondent men and women. The study found differences
immersion received by the respondent of men and women is only 0:59. Respondent men
receive immersion by playing games Sudden Attack by 3.55. Meanwhile, the respondent
women who play games Sudden Attack accept immersion of 2.96. This shows that there is
quite a big difference between acceptance soaked men and women to genre action game
Sudden Attack.

8.0

Discussion

Immersion is an important element in 3D games. It is also important in the video game

industry because it's give explanation why the game be repeatedly play. Most 3D game need
to put immersion as immersion is an important element. However, our hypothesis of the
immersion of action game differ in gender. Different gender have different genre game
preference and different gender also have different rate of immerion. It show in our research.
From clash of clan game, we can see there is slightly difference between male and female
gamers. Eventhough the difference is small. Coc is a game that is palyed world wide and all
age and gender. So, this affect the result of our research. The result come out to be slightly
difference from our hypothesis.
However, the result shown in Sudden Attack's game give different perspective. Its likely
because Sudden Attack is more action based game. The games is more likely villoin because
it is the relationship between gamers, enemy and skill. From other research study, male
gamers reported that they tend to play games from the Strategy, Role Playing, Action, and
Fighting genres more often than female gamers. Conversely, female gamers reported that they
play games from the Social, Puzzle/Card, Music/Dance, Educational/Edutainment, and
Simulation genres more frequently than male gamers. The three game genres that both male
and female players reported to play approximately with equal frequency were Sports,
Driving, and Adventure(M. H. Phan, J. R. Jardina, & W. S. Hoyle , 2011). From the graph, we
can see that male is more immerse in this game than female. Sudden Attack is a game that
required attention, focus and skill. Most of the female lack in all this. That's why female are
rarely to perform well when playing action games.

9.0

Conclusion

Our hypothesis is accepted. From the result, we can see that there is a difference rate in
immersion between male and female. From this result, it showed that male have higher rate
of immersion compare to female in action game. The results in this study are consistent with
previous findings in the video games in terms of immersion and the types of games males
and females tend to play. However, the current study provides more detailed information
about video game usage and preference among male and female gamers such as specific
gaming device usage and game preferences across the 12 common game genres. Future
research should should be done in a wider range of male and female gamers as well as the
design features which make certain genre games more desirable to play.

References
Brown, E. and Cairns, P. (2004). A grounded investigation of game immersion. In CHI 04
extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems, CHI EA 04, pp. 1297
1300, New York, NY, USA. ACM. Caron, F. (2008).
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper
Perennial, first edition edition.
Grimshaw, M., Lindley, C. A., and Nacke, L. (2008). Sound and immersion in the FirstPerson shooter: Mixed measurement of the players sonic experience. In AUDIO
MOSTLY 2008, pp. 915.
Jennett, C., Cox, A. L., Cairns, P., Dhoparee, S., Epps, A., Tijs, T., and Walton, A. (2008).
Measuring and defining the experience of immersion in games. Int. J. Hum.-Comput.
Stud., 66:641661.
Lombard, M. and Ditton, T. (1997). At the heart of it all: The concept of presence. Journal of
Computer-Mediated Communication, 3(2):0.
McMahan, A. (2003). Immersion, engagement, and presence: A method for analyzing 3D
videogames. In Wolf, M. J. P. and Perron, B., editors, The Video Game Theory Reader, pp.
6786. Routledge, New York.
Slater, M., Usoh, M., and Steed, A. (1994). Depth of Presence in Virtual
Environments. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 3.2 MIT Press:
130144.
Wai Yen Tangs, 2014, Four Studies on Videogame Genre, Experience The Evoluation.
Witmer, B. G. and Singer, M. J. (1998). Measuring presence in virtual environments: A
presence questionnaire. Presence: Teleoper. Virtual Environ, 7(3):225240.
Phan, M. H., Jardina, J. R., & Hoyle, W. S. (2012). Video Games: Males Prefer Violence
while Females Prefer Social. Usability News, 14(1).

Appendices
Immersion Questionnaire used in Experiment 1 and 2
Your Personal Experience of the Game
Please rate how far you would agree with the statements below just
before you were
interrupted.
SD = Strongly Disagree; D = Disagree; N = Neutral; A = Agree; SA
= Strongly Agree.
I felt that I really empathized/felt for with the game.
SD D N A SA
I did not feel any emotional attachment to the game.
SD D N A SA
I was interested in seeing how the games events would progress.
SD D N A SA
It did not interest me to know what would happen next in the game.
SD D N A SA
I was in suspense about whether I would win or lose the game.
SD D N A SA
I was not concerned about whether I would win or lose the game.
SD D N A SA
I sometimes found myself to become so involved with the game that I
wanted to speak to
the game directly.
SD D N A SA
I did not find myself to become so caught up with the game that I wanted
to speak to
directly to the game.
SD D N A SA
I enjoyed the graphics and imagery of the game.
SD D N A SA

I did not like the graphics and imagery of the game.

SD D N A SA
I enjoyed playing the game.
SD D N A SA
Playing the game was not fun.
SD D N A SA
The controls were not easy to pick up.
SD D N A SA
There were not any particularly frustrating aspects of the controls to get
the hang of.
SD D N A SA
I became unaware that I was even using any controls.
SD D N A SA
The controls were not invisible to me.
SD D N A SA
I felt myself to be directly travelling through the game according to my
own volition.
SD D N A SA
I did not feel as if I was moving through the game according to my own
will.
SD D N A SA
It was as if I could interact with the world of the game as if I was in the
real world.
SD D N A SA
Interacting with the world of the game did not feel as real to me as it
would be in the real
world.
SD D N A SA
I was unaware of what was happening around me.
SD D N A SA
I was aware of surroundings.
SD D N A SA
I felt detached from the outside world.
SD D N A SA

I still felt attached to the real world.

SD D N A SA
At the time the game was my only concern.
SD D N A SA
Everyday thoughts and concerns were still very much on my mind.
SD D N A SA
I did not feel the urge at any point to stop playing and see what was going
on around me.
SD D N A SA
I was interested to know what might be happening around me.
SD D N A SA
I did not feel like I was in the real world but the game world.
SD D N A SA
I still felt as if I was in the real world whilst playing.
SD D N A SA
To me it felt like only a very short amount of time had passed.
SD D N A SA
When playing the game time appeared to go by very slowly.
SD D N A SA
How immersed did you feel? (10 = very immersed; 0 = not at all
immersed)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10