[arg_discuss] Competitions with prizes and ARGs

[Moseley, A.]

I posted this last week in response to the thread at that time (about the importance of prizes). I've since found that my address was being bounced by the server, but Adam's sorted me out, so here it is for real - sorry for the time lapse!

I ran a small (n=44) but detailed survey of Perplex City players as part of research I'm doing into engagament with ARGs and other games. One thing I was keen to find out was whether a 'grand prize' was an important motivating/engaging factor when compared to other elements. The results I got from the questionnaires are as follows:

a) Most important motivating factor (what keeps you interested in the game, in order)

1. New puzzles to solve
2. New events in the story
3. Communal solving of puzzles
4= Position on Leaderboard
4= Prizes (cube, leitmarks etc.)
6. First to solve a particular puzzle
7. Chatting to other players

b) Which of the following game aspects could be taken away, and yet you would still enjoy playing Perplex City? (respondents could choose more than one)

1. Grand prize (50% voted)
2. Live/realtime events (40%)
3. Character progression (27%)
4. Game Characters (22%)
5. Game/story events (20%)
6= Puzzle cards (2%)
6= Discussion forums/community aspect (2%)

Allied with this research, I ran an ARG-style pilot as part of an Undergraduate History Course, and offered a prize (iPod) to the best performer. When interviewed after the pilot had finished, most of the students said that the prize was an important factor in them joining up for the pilot (ie. advertising) but when they were playing it was much less important than solving the various puzzles, receiving weekly newsletters etc. (only one, the eventual winner, claimed it was an important aspect).

Interesting stuff. In my world, I have to try to transform any 'grand prize' into course credit, and so I was rather heartened to find that, beyond initial advertising, the prize itself has a small role to play in engagement.

Cheers,

Alex.
_________________________________________
Alex Moseley, Principal Computer Officer,
Faculty of Arts, University of Leicester.
Tel: 0116 252 5317 | Email: am14 at le.ac.uk