"beam me 'round, Scotty!": exploring the effect of interdependence in asymmetric cooperative games

Abstract

In this paper, we explore interdependence through asymmetry as a possible game design tool for enriching player experience. We describe a prototype game we developed called "Beam Me 'Round, Scotty!" which alternately tightly or loosely couples the cooperation of two heterogeneous groups of players in an action-oriented science fiction survival game. Future studies will examine the effects of interdependence on player experience and explore whether deliberately symbiotic player relationships can serve as a shortcut to enhanced socialization between players.