Engagement in interactive experiences is a complex, multi-dimensional concept that can be determined by a variety of factors which are
dependent on user preferences and media content. However, one fundamental
requirement of any interactive experience is the desire to continue the
experience, and this study is concerned with investigating engagement in
interactive narratives by focusing on this aspect. In the present approach,
engagement is described as the user’s desire to continue an activity in order to
accomplish an objective while experiencing affect. In order to investigate
engagement during run time, this description is used as a foundation for
formulating an intrusive method and the Engagement Sampling Questionnaire.
The application of the method and the questionnaire is exemplified by an
investigation of continuation desire in the experiential learning scenario, “The
First Person Victim”, where participants experience a non-pleasant emergent
narrative concerned with being a victim of war.