Measuring Engagement In Games

Gamasutra is running an article written by Tim Hong of EmSense in which he describes the research his company did into the physiological reactions various games engender in players. In addition to outward cues like breathing and movement, EmSense also scans brainwaves and heart activity to provide a more complete picture of how a gamer is responding to what he sees and does. They collected hundreds of hours worth of data and made comparisons among a variety of shooters, such as Gears of War 2, F.E.A.R, and Half-Life 2. They found some interesting information on how pacing, tutorials, and cutscenes can affect a player's level of engagement with the games.

From the TFA

[denzacar]

We measured players' responses to the first 90 minutes of those games, a time that we consider the most important for making a positive impression.

More than 300 hours of physiological and gameplay data were generated and analyzed to develop our findings.

We came in with no preconceptions, no prejudices, and let the response data demonstrate what worked and what didn't. The results are at times a confirmation of existing techniques that are timeless to good game design, and at other times, surprising and revealing about what gamers truly care about but often can't find a way to say.

So...
8 games for 90 minutes comes to 12 hours. 300 / 12= 25.

25-30 "male game players in the 18 to 34 year-old demographic" played 8 FPS games for 90 minutes while being monitored in following fashion:

Biometric Data Gathered

Games in study:

        * Battlefield 2142
        * Call of Duty 3
        * F.E.A.R.
        * Gears of War
        * Ghost Recon AW 2
        * Resistance: Fall of Man
        * Halo 2
        * Half-Life 2

Player responses measured:

        * Brainwaves (through dry EEG sensors)
        * Heart Activity
        * Breathing
        * Blinking
        * Temperature
        * Motion

Factors of analysis:

        * Engagement
        * Emotion
        * Adrenaline
        * Cognition

Methodology

EmSense utilizes a next-generation, bio-sensory headset to measure consumers' responses to media. The headset measures brainwaves (through dry EEG sensors), heart activity, breathing, blinking, temperature, motion, and other physiological signals as gamers play.

Proprietary algorithms built on decades of research literature and empirically verified with EmSense's testing of thousands of test participants, process physiological signals to develop models of engagement, emotion, adrenaline, and cognition. Each represents a different dimension of the game experience.

EmSense also utilizes analytic and data mining methods designed to be completely blind and objective. "Event tags" identify when and where events, like player deaths, occur. This is correlated with physiological data, then aggregated and benchmarked against other titles. The result is an objective, detailed view into what does and doesn't work to engage players.

Of course, you COULD HAVE set aside 15 minutes and read through those whole 5 pages of text.
Might have even picked up some insight from it, instead of just cold and dry numbers.