User Needs Analysis: What is the psychology of user favorite game

Article Description: from the theory of demand level to understand the psychology of love games.

We are often puzzled by the play of various kinds of games, whether the design can be liked by the players. People usually in the discussion from their own subjective view, similar to "I Like", "This is good" is everywhere, but if asked why this will attract their own time is often not say it.

If you can start from the nature of the game, perhaps from a side to solve the problem.

In the early days of the game, it was just a popular activity in primitive society: throwing stones and throwing sticks with sharp tips. Here, the game is a serious human spontaneous activity, with survival skills training and intellectual development goals. These earliest games are obviously to enhance survival skills as the original intention, and the game of animal world No essential difference, and with the continuous development of the game, as the animals of human beings, is not simply for learning to play, but for their own development of other needs.

These self-development needs, but also the source of our games, which is what drives us to play games. But what exactly are these needs to be explained by the hierarchical theory of humanistic psychology, which began to rise in the 60 era of the United States.

1. Hierarchy theory

Maslow

April 1, 1908-June 8, 1970

A famous American psychologist, the founder of the third generation of psychology, and also the genius of up to 194 IQ

Maslow, as the founder of Humanistic Psychology, puts forward the theory of hierarchy of needs. In this theory, the intrinsic power of individual growth and development is motivation. The motivation is composed of a variety of different types of needs, between the various needs, there are priorities and high and low levels of the points.

The need and satisfaction of each level will determine the state or degree of individual personality development.

1) physiological needs (physiological need)

Essential physiological needs for survival, such as the need for food, water and sleep and sex.

2) security needs (safety need)

Includes a safe and predictable environment that is relatively free from physical and psychological anxiety.

3) The need for love and belonging (loving and belongingness need)

Including being accepted, loved, cared for, encouraged, supported by others, such as making friends, pursuing love, participating in groups, etc.

4) Respect for needs (esteem need)

including respect for others and self respect two aspects.

5 Self-Realization needs (self-actualization need)

Including realizing their potential.

Graphic hierarchy theory

2. The game corresponding demand

Physiological needs as the simplest and most basic needs, the other step by step to increase, and ultimately achieve the needs of self-realization. And our game is so popular because it satisfies the needs of the human nature.

In the game, in addition to the lowest level of physical needs can not meet, other levels of demand are available in the game to find. With World of Warcraft as an example, the role resurrection mechanism is provided, and the player character can be resurrected even if killed, which in fact meets the needs of the second level of demand security.

World of Warcraft can be resurrected through angels

The Union, the team, provides a third layer of love and ownership needs. In a simulated life, this demand is particularly evident.

Simulate the social life

In fact, in other games, the need for social interaction is also very strong, sometimes even if the player has left the game, or because of the request of the former comrades returned.

3. Peak Experience

The highest level of self-realization as a hierarchy theory is that people need to exert their potential and express their talents, and people will feel most satisfied only when their potential is fully realized and manifested. At this stage, people will have a feeling of ecstatic, ecstasy, but also as the highest level of demand satisfaction exists. The so-called "peak experience" is produced.

Maslow, the creator of the hierarchy theory, used a variety of methods, such as free association, psychological test and biography, to explore the psychological behavior pattern of "self-realization". He chose 48 people from the great figures of history and the students and acquaintances around him to make further research, finding that people who truly achieve self-realization are generally middle-aged or old, and young people often struggle to achieve self-realization.

This is because young people still have many lower-level needs, such as security, love, self-esteem and so on have not been properly satisfied, did not form a lasting value, wisdom, willpower and stable love relationship, and did not explicitly choose their own life to strive for the cause. However, young people have great potential for development, and through active efforts, they can gradually approach this level or goal.

And our game is precisely because of the provision of such a self-fulfilling environment, so that the people who have not yet reached this level through the game to achieve such levels, so that Maslow thought of the peak experience. Imagine that you are a small molecule in a mortal being, struggling to overcome many hardships and difficulties, every time playing strange, every practice level struggle at the edge of life and death. Slowly, mechanical pain, emotional Mas, physical and mental exhaustion let you forget the meaning of the game, just mechanical to continue the game. Finally, you beat the Devil, the world is celebrated for you, a sea of joy and Contentment is released from the depths of the distant heart. Whenever you encounter difficulties, memories of that extraordinary moment, your heart will still ripple out of perseverance, vitality and creativity, become your freedom, self-confidence, self-improvement of the spiritual source, this is the peak experience.

This may also explain in one way why young people prefer to play games. Because this kind of hard work, the level of effort and ultimately successful experience does not often occur in young people.