The significance of maps in video games for the interpretation of spatial situation

• Published in: Cartography and geographic information science Vol. 52; no. 4; pp. 401 - 422
• Main Authors: Woźniak, Jakub, Horbiński, Tymoteusz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 04.07.2025
• Subjects: cartography in video games; eye tracking research; game world map; Spatial situations; spatial skills; The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• ISSN: 1523-0406; 1545-0465
• DOI: 10.1080/15230406.2024.2409914

This article examines the significance of the world map in video games for the interpretation of spatial situations. An example is the popular role-playing game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (TW3). Nowadays, most video games are characterized by the presence of a spatial aspect. The game world map is the most important navigational element of the game that the gamer can use. To this end, the authors decided to test the importance of the game world map in the context of analyzing different examples of spatial situations that appear in TW3 by the respondents. Eye movement tracking was chosen as the research method. The analysis was conducted using statistical tests. Both gamers and non-gamers of TW3, gamers and non-gamers in general, participated in the survey. Each subject was shown 5 movies (1 introductory movie, 4 movies in the main part of the study) from the gameplay of the game, in which the game world map was opened. After each video, a question was asked about both the gameplay and the game world map. It was found that familiarity with TW3, frequency of playing video games influenced the correctness and time of answering the questions asked. In addition, by analyzing mean pupil diameter it was found that the game world map and gameplay segments do not cognitively burden the users. By analyzing the duration of fixations and the number of fixations, differences in visual strategy were observed between the groups of test subjects. ●it was found that knowledge of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, frequency of playing video games influence the correctness and time of answering questions about spatial situations and the use of the game world map in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ●both the game world map and the gameplay segments do not burden users' cognitive load, regardless of experience ●there are different forms of visual strategy depending on your experience with gaming productions ●the importance of using the game world map as a priority navigation element in video games in the context of spatial situation analysis in video games was emphasized ●the need to continue the study of video games from the perspective of spatial situation analysis using a map in the conditions of real play was pointed out.