• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.41-50
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• 2015

This study attempted to identify differences in user experience such as spatial presence, social presence, flow, empathy, anxiety, and perceived risk between simulating characters of animation and of actual userimage. The playtesting method was conducted on 60 male smokers using 'Smoking Sims', a simulation game produced by The Center for Health Communication Studies. The results found that the simulation of actual image character is higher in the level of perceived risks for smoking, spatial presence, social presence, flow, and empathy than the simulation of animation character. The study shows that identification with a game character affects user experience and enhances the effectiveness of perceived risks as well. It emphasizes the importance of game design to implement identification in serious game like a smoking cessation simulation.