• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.25-41
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• 2009

The objective of this study is to develop an analytic framework to code systematically the gamer's behaviour in MMO(Massively Multi-player Online) gameplay experience, to explore their gameplay as a problem solving procedure empirically. Previous studies about model human processor, content based protocol, and procedure based protocol are reviewed in order to build the outline of the analytic framework related to MMO gameplay. The specific gameplay actions and contents were derived by using concurrent protocol analysis method through the empirical experiment executed in MMORPG gameplay. Consequently, gameplay are divided into six actions : kinematics, perception, function, representation, simulation, and rule (heuristics, following, and transcedence). The analytic framework suitable for MMO gameplay was built. As a result of this study, we found three rule spaces in the problem solving domain of gameplay that are an heuristics, a following of the rule, and a transcendence of the rule. 'Heuristics' denotes the rule action that discovers the rule of game through trial-and-error. 'Following' indicates the rule action that follows the rule of game embedded in game by game designers. 'Transcendence' presents the rule action that transcends that. The new discovered rule spaces where 'Following' and 'Transcendence' actions occur and the gameplay pattern in them is provided with the key basis to determine the level design elements of MMO game, such as terrain feature, monster attribute, item, and skill et cetera. Therefore, this study is concludes with key implications to support game design to improve the quality of MMO game product.