What Do We Really Know About First-Person-Shooter Games? An Event-Related, High-Resolution Content Analysis

Multiple studies have been addressing effects of playing violent video games. However, most such studies neglect users' individual experiences. In fact, each player's gameplaying choices creates his or her own specific game content. Within this study we analyzed the individually generated content of a typical first-person-shooter game with high temporal resolution and associated them with physiological response measures (heart rate, skin conductance) collected during the game play. Thirteen experienced game players played the multiplayer first-person-shooter game Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror for 50 minutes on average. Playing phases and events in between were analyzed on both an intraplayer and interplayer level. Results indicate varying gaming experiences in the users and distinct arousal levels over time and for different game events.