Part III Appendix
4. After the interview
Summarize the main points
Ask if there is anything relevant that the person might want to talk about
Thankful and perhaps getting in touch again later
Interview Question Guide (semi-structured)
Themes Questions
Briefing and presentation Introduction of myself, the project, and the purpose of the interview
Making things comfortable and safe
Data security and privacy
Process + Procedure of the interview Preliminary questions Who are you
What do you do?
What is your function in relation to games? Do you play, consume, produce, criticize, spectate, analyze, not follow?
o Make this relate to my project
If player What typically characterizes the genres you play? Platforms? When and where?
What role do games play in your consumption of entertainment media?
Why do you play games? What piques your interest?
Is there anything you find lacking or that could be improved?
Are you interested in games depicting the past? Any typical settings?
Do you consider how the past is depicted in games? Anything you might not consider?
How and why do games depicting the past (not) interest you? Any relation to it?
Any settings or characters you think would be interesting to play as?
Any settings or characters from other media that would interest you?
Any settings or characters that are excluded? Included?
Any actions or mechanics you would like to try out? What about existing or current actions or mechanics in games depicting the past?
Do you recall a game depicting the past when being reminded of the historical period? If so, how? If not, do you recall something else?
Does being able to “play” in a historical setting matter to you? Is there anything you find interesting in this regard? What about in relation to your understanding of the past?
How much does so-called ‘historical accuracy’ matter to you?
How would you feel about playing someone or something different than the usual type of games? Or do you already seek out such games?
Do you reflect on who you play as, what perspective is being used for the game, and so on? Do you care who and what you play? Do you notice?
Do you follow and participate in conversations about games and history?
Sensitive question: What is your opinion on representation and inclusion? Does it matter to you personally? How? Why?
Any personal examples?
If producer What is your position or role in game development?
What are your interests? Dreams or hopes? Personal and collective?
What goes into your production process when considering history?
How do creative decisions get made? How do you factor into this? How much does hierarchy mean?
What considerations go into the various stages of production? mechanics, character, setting, time period, aesthetics, narrative, perspectives?
How much does economics / financial aspects factor into the creative decisions?
Any examples?
What sources do you use? How much does so-called historical accuracy matter?
What status do non-historical / factual media have?
Does the media landscape of representation of settings and characters factor into your decisions?
What about play testing and focus group testing? How are they employed into the production process?
Do play testing and focus testing have any effect on the creative decisions regarding history, narrative, perspective, etc.?
How do you see yourself in the relationship between the developer, media in general, and society overall? Any thoughts on this relationship?
Any experiences or thoughts on representation and inclusion in general?
Any excluded or left-out perspectives that would be interesting to explore or represent?
How different can games be if they also have to make money? Is there a balance between going against the norm and making a profit?
If critic / analyst What perspectives do you consider in your understanding of games depicting the past?
How much does different representations matter to you in your analysis? Is it a matter of balance?
Do you step out of your comfort zone to criticize?
Notice any tendencies?
Do you prefer the conventional over the non-conventional? Any opinions?
How does history matter in your analysis? Does it change your opinion, method, approach, and so forth?
If spectator What are your experiences with games? How do you understand them?
Why do you view and watch them? Any thing that stands out?
If non-follower What is your opinion on games? The culture? The experiences?
What are the examples that you have noticed? Any tendencies?
In comparison to other entertainment media?
Anything that might make you more interested in knowing more about them?
Perhaps even playing them?
General questions Personal questions in relation to digital games, history, marginalization
Your experiences and thoughts
Can you think of any examples?
Does it matter?
Debriefing Anything you can think of that you want to add?
Anything that I missed?
Anything specific you want to elaborate on?
Other people / contacts to get in touch with?
Thank you for your time, it was highly appreciated.
I’ll be in touch in case anything comes up and feel free to contact me
Data privacy & security
The following conditions and requirements are met 1. Confidentiality
2. Interviewees will have to sign a waiver
3. The data will be stored securely physically and digitally with only me having access to it.
4. The data will be treated and analyze only by me 5. I am responsible
The informant is required to be informed about
The institution responsible for data treatment
As the only researcher, my contact information
Purpose of the project and what the information is going to be used for.
That the interview is voluntary and it is possible to opt out at any time
That when the project has ended and what will happen with the information – deletion, anonymization or further storage
Introduction with explicit permission to interview the person
What methods will be used to gather information
That the data will be treated confidentially
Who has access to personal data
That the project has been submitted to the NSD
Who is financing the project
Whether or not the information will be handed out to others (it won’t)
Duration of storage of the information
Consent form
Consent form A.
Informed Consent for X, Individual Interview:
Investigator: Emil Hammar (office TEO-H4 4.358, e-mail: emil.hammar@uit.no) Supervisor: Holger Pötzsch (office SVHUM E-1013, e-mail: holger.potzsch@uit.no)
Research project:
Thank you very much for your participation in my research! I conducted an interview with you about your experience with depicting the historical past in digital games. If you have any concerns about this interview or the consent process that you would rather discuss with someone besides me, I have provided Professor Pötzsch’s contact information above, and he can address any questions you may have. If there are any terms in the following email you are unsure of, or if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact me via email, Facebook, or phone (+45 28 89 20 99 ).
Before the interview, we discussed that this research was for use in my project, that it would be kept anonymous, and that you were free to end your participation at any time for any reason. I am sending you this expanded consent form to make sure all the terms of your participation are clear and to make sure you are aware of any risk you might be exposed to by consenting. Please keep in mind that you are free to withdraw your consent at any time.
Purpose of the Research: I am conducting qualitative research to investigate the topic of how digital games depict the historical past with an emphasis on perspectives and experiences left out. In addition to your interview, I have conducted an interview with other professional game developers. This research has been undertaken in relation to my PhD research project at the Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway, and may serve as exploratory or background work for future research.
Research Format: I conducted an individual interview with you on your experience with digital games depicting the past as a player.
Selection: The participant was contacted via e-mails; the participant volunteered to participate, and may choose to end their participation at any time.
Recording: All audio of the interview was recorded and stored in .mp3 format for review and partial transcription with only the investigator having access to it.
Duration: The interview took a little more than 60 minutes.
Risks: Despite precautions taken by the interviewer, there is always a small chance that data will be disclosed to third parties through theft or loss of physical property or failures in computer security.
Other participants have not been asked to keep their involvement confidential, though they do not have access to a recording. Participants are not subject to more risk than they might expect in the course of their everyday life.
Benefits: Participants may benefit from reflecting on their experience in game playing practices.
Reimbursement: No reimbursement is offered to participate in this research.
Confidentiality: The write-up and analysis of this interview will be submitted in accordance with the guidelines provided by University of Tromsø. All names will rendered anonymous in the final report. Participants have not been asked to keep their participation confidential. The Norwegian Centre for Research Data have also given their approval of the research.
Right to Refuse or Withdraw: Just to be clear, you are under no obligation to continue to participate, and may withdraw at any time, at which point record of your participation will be destroyed.
CONSENT:
If you are willing to provide consent to participate in this study, please respond to this email with the following statement, followed by your full name and today's date.
"I have read the previous information contained in this consent document, and I voluntary consent to be a participant in this study."
Ex.
I have read the previous information contained in the consent document, and I voluntary consent to be a participant in this study.
Emil Lundedal Hammar
3/13/2016
Please format your response exactly in this manner.
Thank you very much for your time and participation.
Sincerely,
Emil Lundedal Hammar