Week 5

Players of games get pleasure from games. Flow is one of the elements related to the pleasure. Flow suggested by Mihaly Csikszentmchalyi is that “a musicians, rock climber, chess players and other people engaged in very complex tasks reported an experience of ecstasy or bliss, losing track of time and losing the sense of self” (Poole, 2000, p.168). Flow is a state of being immersed in what players do and becoming one with games. Then, flow has four prerequisites which are challenging, clear goals, clear feedback and control in an uncertain situation. These are applied to my experience of pleasure with Proevolution Soccer. This game has these four prerequisites for me. This is always challenging especially when I compete with my friends. Then, the goal is so clear: it is to score goals and win a game. The clear feedback is also obtained because this is the game involving winner and loser: if you become a loser, it is a clear feedback. And, I always have risk to lose when playing with my friends. In this way, four prerequisites are taken. Then, as a result, flow has four effects which are immersion, concentration, oneness and time change. I am completely in flow when I am playing this game. I am immersed and my focus becomes only the screen. What’s more, I become one with players on the pitch as my body sometimes moves as well and time passes really fast. And, when I am one goal behind in last five minutes I become as nervous as real football players do and I often make stupid mistakes because of the nerve. This means that I am completely in flow.