Player Types in Mobile Learning Games – Playing Patterns and Motivation

Abstract

This paper presents results from an analysis of player behavior in the popular mobile learning game "Where is that". Playing data of nearly 24,000 unique users were gathered over a period of three months and subsequently analyzed in order to get a better insight in how games are played. The results will then further be used to compare learning results with a spaced repetition approach. Our analysis revealed four distinct clusters of learner types that can be categorized as Learners, Confirmers, Leisure Players and Sporadic Players. The data shows the player types' playing patterns and gives indications about what motivates them to play. It can thus give valuable hints for the design of player interaction in learning games as well as content selection.