John Harris
Mark Hancock
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we explore interdependence through asymmetry as a possible game design tool for enriching player experience. We describe a prototype game we developed called "Beam Me 'Round, Scotty!" which alternately tightly or loosely couples the cooperation of two heterogeneous groups of players in an action-oriented science fiction survival game. Future studies will examine the effects of interdependence on player experience and explore whether deliberately symbiotic player relationships can serve as a shortcut to enhanced socialization between players.
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Index Terms
- "beam me 'round, Scotty!": exploring the effect of interdependence in asymmetric cooperative games
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