林裕淩
國立勤益科技大學企業管理系
Email：yllin2@ms27.hinet.net
林鴻文
國立臺灣科技大學企業管理系
Email：woodylin34@hotmail.com
吳佳蓁
國立勤益科技大學企業管理系
邱文玉
國立勤益科技大學企業管理系
沈依陵
國立勤益科技大學企業管理系
Abstract
Digital game based learning stimulates the development of simulation games; its innovative approach by combining education with entertainment has attracted attention in various fields. Therefore, stimulating gamers’ motive to play and reinforcing the effects of learning are key factors for game developers. In the past the attributes of games that are crucial for learning effect have not been elaborated on, hence this study uses the Means-end Chains (MECs) theory as the foundation and applies it on a representative sample of SimCity and The Sims players. Through soft laddering interviews, key attributes that can trigger learning effects in players while gaming and the terminal values generated within them are analyzed. Furthermore, comparisons are made between different genders and game genres. According to study results, for simulation games, players still focus on the themes of realism simulation and original game content. Both these attributes generate learning effects of receiving realistic experience and cultivating imagination and creativity. In turn, they will culminate in the terminal value of the player – sense of achievement. The result will be contributed to game designers so that they can develop games that are popular among students and educators.
Keywords :Means-end Chains, Simulation Game, Digital Game-based Learning, SimCity, The Sims