探索多人線上角色扮演遊戲的遊戲社群社交互動性因素

Abstract

本研究之目的在提出影響多人線上角色扮演遊戲公會中社交性的因素架構，來表達玩家在遊戲社群中的社會互動的經驗。本研究嘗試探討玩家在線上遊戲的公會中和其他玩家互動傾向的影響因素，提出三個假設：假設一，社交性會受到玩家所發展的人際關係策略「社會資本」所影響；假設二，不同的「遊戲社群」會影響不同社會資本的形成；遊戲社群的種類由成員、目標和政策三種公會的型態做區分，其中成員是指彼此溝通的順暢程度、目標是公會存在的目的、政策是公會為了達到某種目標所訂立的規則；假設三，玩家對於社交性的感受會影響公會成員的「忠誠度」，忠誠度可由歸屬感和責任感來說明之。藉由以上三個研究假設所組成的影響社交性模型，探討玩家互動的要素。 本研究透過線上問卷的方式收集563位平均年齡為23歲，條件為仍在玩魔獸世界這款遊戲且仍是公會成員的玩家。透過因素分析和最小平方法的檢驗，結果發現三個假設皆成立，也就是公會三種不同的分類型態的確會影響成員中社會資本的發展，而社會資本的發展會直接關係到社交性的形成，當玩家之間的互動越多，代表社交性越高，也影響玩家的忠誠度和歸屬感。本研究並根據遊戲社群的種類找出對應的社會互動設計特徵。除此之外，我們也分別從遊戲設計的角度與玩家的角度提出建議。

This research proposed a framework for sociability in massively multiple online role-playing games. We try to conduct this framework to explain players’ interaction in online game community. To do so, we make three hypothesis. First, social capital would effect player’s sociability in guilds. Second, game community forms such as people, purpose or policy would effect social capital. The third hypothesis is sociability would effect members’ loyalty in guilds. Members’ loyalty could be separated into two groups, belonging and obligation. After that, we design a questionnaire to measure sociability, social capital, game community and members’ loyalty. User demography information, including gender and game playing habits, was also collected. Five hundred and sixty-three averaged 23 years old took part in this online survey. Factor analysis and partial least squares was then conducted to see whether three hypothesis are significant or not. Results reveal four critical factors that can be used to explain sociability in MMORPG guilds. We also find out which social interaction design feature was significant for the game community type. This study also discusses possible casual mechanisms for game design or players.