Principles for Engineering Social Interaction in Asynchronous Mobile Games

Abstract

Since their first appearance, mobile devices have had exponential technological growth and have gained other functionalities besides standard calls and messaging services. With the advent of smartphones, the mobile gaming market has grown enormously to become one of the most widespread forms of gaming. This paper devises guidelines for engineering online multiplayer asynchronous mobile games. The findings emerge from the launch of a new game where, alternately, players try to guess the answers given by other players to a given set of questions. Departing from the meaning of usability in ISO 9241-11, the authors define idle-ability as the capacity of a product to realize operational and satisfaction goals in a specified context of sociotechnical idleness. Moreover, design principles are proposed to improve idle-ability in the selected genre of mobile games. Asynchronous games are traditionally integrated into social platforms and online communities. The work offers recommendations for its separate deployment in the market, exploring the potential of invisible social bonds among its players.