Purpose

This research examined the social interactions of online game players based on the proposed motivation model in order to understand the transitions of motivation of online game. The authors also separated samples into four categories to compare the difference of different type of online game players.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposed a motivation model for online game player based on existence–relatedness–growth theory. The authors also analyze the transitions of motivations via first-order and second-order Markov chain switching model to obtain the journey of online to offline socialization.

Findings

Teamwork–socialization players preferred to make friends in their online gaming network to socialize. Competition–socialization players were mostly students who played games to compete and socialize and may share experience in online or offline activities. Teamwork–mechanics players purely derived pleasure from gaming and were not motivated by other factors in their gaming activities. Competition–mechanics players may already have friends with other gamers in real life.

Research limitations/implications

More samples can be added to generate more generalizable findings and the proposed motivation model can be extended by other motivations related to online gaming behavior. The authors proposed a motivation model for online to offline socialization and separated online game players into four categories: teamwork–socialization, competition–socialization, teamwork–mechanics and competition–mechanics. The category of teamwork–socialization may contribute to online to offline socialization area. The category of competition–mechanics may add value to the area of traditional offline socialization. The categories of competition–socialization and teamwork–mechanics may help extant literature understand critical stimulus for online gaming behavior.

Practical implications

The authors’ findings can help online gaming industry understand the motivation journey of players through transition. Different types of online games may have various online game player's journey that can assist companies in improving the quality of online games. Online game companies can also offer official community to players for further interaction and experience exchange or the platform for offline activities in the physical environment.

Originality/value

This research proposed a novel motivation model to examine online to offline socializing behavior for online game research. The motivations in model were interconnected via the support of literature. The authors also integrated motivations by Markov chain switching model to obtain the transitions of motivational status. It is also the first attempt to analyze first-order and second-order Markov chain switching model for analysis. The authors’ research examined the interconnected relationships among motivations in addition to the influential factors to online gaming behavior from previous research. The results may contribute to extend the understanding of online to offline socialization in online gaming literature.

中文翻译：

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关于游戏动机的在线到离线社交互动

目的

本研究基于所提出的动机模型检查了网络游戏玩家的社交互动，以了解网络游戏动机的转变。作者还将样本分为四类，以比较不同类型网络游戏玩家的差异。

设计/方法/方法

本研究提出了一种基于存在-关联-成长理论的网络游戏玩家激励模型。作者还通过一阶和二阶马尔可夫链切换模型分析了动机的转变，以获得在线到离线社交的旅程。

发现

团队合作-社交玩家更喜欢在他们的在线游戏网络中结交朋友进行社交。比赛-社交玩家大多是学生，他们通过游戏进行比赛和社交，并可能在线或离线活动中分享经验。团队合作机制的玩家纯粹从游戏中获得乐趣，在游戏活动中不受其他因素的激励。竞争机制玩家可能已经在现实生活中与其他游戏玩家交了朋友。

研究限制/影响

可以添加更多样本以生成更具概括性的发现，并且可以通过与在线游戏行为相关的其他动机来扩展所提出的动机模型。作者提出了线上到线下社交的激励模型，将网络游戏玩家分为四类：团队合作-社交、竞争-社交、团队合作-机制和竞争-机制。团队合作的范畴——社会化可能有助于线上到线下的社会化领域。竞赛机械这一类别可能会为传统的线下社交领域增加价值。竞争——社会化和团队合作——机制的类别可能有助于现有文献理解在线游戏行为的关键刺激。

实际影响

作者的发现可以帮助在线游戏行业了解玩家通过转型的动机旅程。不同类型的网络游戏可能有不同的网络游戏玩家旅程，可以帮助公司提高网络游戏的质量。网络游戏公司还可以为玩家提供官方社区，进行进一步的互动和经验交流，或者是在物理环境中进行线下活动的平台。

原创性/价值

本研究提出了一种新颖的动机模型来检查在线游戏研究的在线到离线社交行为。模型中的动机通过文献的支持相互关联。作者还通过马尔可夫链切换模型整合了动机，以获得动机状态的转变。也是第一次尝试分析一阶和二阶马尔可夫链切换模型进行分析。除了先前研究中对在线游戏行为的影响因素之外，作者的研究还检查了动机之间的相互关联关系。结果可能有助于扩展对在线游戏文献中在线到离线社交的理解。