NYU Steinhardt

SAVEstate: A Method for Documenting Player Reflection in Digital Games

The SAVEstate method establishes a robust framework for capturing eudaimonic player experiences, shifting the focus of game user research from purely hedonic metrics toward the nuanced processes of reflection and meaning-making.

• The SAVEstate method utilizes the SavePoint desktop application to synchronize in-situ player annotations with gameplay recordings, allowing for the documentation of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action.
• This framework shifts game user research from purely hedonic metrics toward eudaimonic experiences, focusing on how players construct meaning and significance within digital environments.
• By using contextual anchors linked to specific gameplay timestamps, the method categorizes player insights into functional types such as procedural signaling, memory aids, and traces of affect.