The Validity and Construction Methods of Gameplay Footage as Archival Materials for Digital Game Preservation

Abstract

This study investigates effective methods for preserving "play experience" in video game archiving, addressing the limitation that gameplay recordings often fail to convey the player's intent and internal decision-making processes. We conducted a comparative experiment using the puzzle game Super Puzzle Fighter II X to evaluate the impact of supplementary information on novice viewers. Participants were divided into two groups: one viewing gameplay with visualized controller inputs (procedural information) and the other with text commentary explaining rules and strategies (semantic information). The results demonstrated that text commentary significantly improved rule comprehension and helped correct erroneous mental models. In contrast, visualized input data had limited educational effect due to "inattentional blindness," as novices focusing on the game action failed to notice the peripheral input display. Based on these findings, we propose a hierarchical archiving model that prioritizes a "context layer" (meaning) for novices before introducing a "procedural layer" (mechanics). Furthermore, we discuss the future potential of integrating biometric data, such as eyetracking and heart rate, to preserve the emotional aspects of gameplay as metadata.