The Effect of Game Experience on Flow Zone

Abstract: Flow theory is frequently combined with educational games to assess learning outcomes and offer guidance. Nevertheless, studying the impact of gaming experiences on players' flow zone is also an engaging topic. This paper constructed a model based on Csikszentmihalyis skill/challenge model. The underlying principle of this model is that the diverse ways in which players confront different game difficulties result in changes in the player's flow zone, and it discovers the objective role of emotions within it. Since the difficulty of Elden Ring is ideal for analyzing the skill/challenge balance model and a large player base provides a counterexample for study, it can be used to interpret many of the phenomena and player experiences in the game. Additionally, to further validate the model, qualitative interviews are conducted with about their experience of the flow of the game. The research identified that other factors of flow experience, such as total concentration and loss of self-consciousness, rather than skill/challenge balance, are more important for game players.