Integrating Curiosity and Uncertainty in Game Design

Abstract

Curiosity as a psychological state or trait is characterized by a preference for uncertainty                             that motivates responses such as exploring, manipulating, and questioning. Given the                       established link between curiosity and player engagement levels, game designers can thus                         induce curiosity by creating or increasing the salience of information gaps. To this end, a                               thorough understanding of curiosity ­ its varieties, antecedents, and consequences ­ is an                           essential addition to the designer’s toolbox. This paper reviews five key types of                           curiosity: perceptual curiosity, manipulatory curiosity, curiosity about the complex or                     ambiguous, conceptual curiosity, and adjustive­reactive curiosity. It further examines a                     variety of game examples to show how each form can manifest during play. In addition,                               the present analysis ties established understandings of curiosity to Costikyan’s                     well­known theory of uncertainty in games, proposing that designers can employ                       uncertainty to motivate, manipulate, and accommodate  players’ curiosity levels.