===== Lens of Optimum Arousal Intensity =====
Media can promote arousal states along a spectrum from low, boredom and relaxedness, to high, anxiety and excitement. In [[:motivations:Mood Management|Mood Management Theory]] this is referred to as the excitatory potential. Designing for an optimum arousal intensity can make a piece of media helpful in repairing a consumer's mood, but pushing too far in either direction can unintentionally promote moods that consumers would like to avoid.

A player who is in a state of low arousal may choose to play a game to achieve higher arousal and player who is in a state of high arousal may choose to pick up a game to achieve lower arousal. It is a good idea for game designers to keep this fact in mind as they create their game.
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{{ :Lenses:excited link.png?400 }}
===== Focusing Questions =====
  * Does your game tend to promote excitement or calmness in the player?
  * What range of arousal intensities does your game offer?
  * What points of your game should have the highest/lowest arousal intensity?
  * How easily can a player modulate your game's current arousal intensity?
  * Does your game give player mostly positive or negative feedback?
  * Does the player to get into flow, or must they continually react to new challenges?
  * Does the player feel their actions may result in important consequences?
  * How does the aesthetic of your game effect the player's mood?
===== Can be instantiated by =====

===Lenses===
[[:Lenses:Lens of Excitement|Lens of Excitement]]

[[:Lenses:Lens of Calming |Lens of Calming]]

[[:Lenses:Lens of Flow|Lens of Flow]]

[[:Lenses:Lens of Difficulty|Lens of Difficulty]]

[[:Lenses:Juicy Feedback|Lens of Juicy Feedback]]

===Patterns===

===== Examples =====
==== World of Warcraft ====
{{ :Motivations:wow-party.jpg?400  }}

[[http://www.mobygames.com/game/world-of-warcraft|World of Warcraft]] offers a range of [[:motivations:Arousal|arousal levels]] that is wider than most games. The core loop of combat usually provides a relatively high level of arousal that is positively charged. Exploration of the world supports this excitement and inspires [[:motivations:Curiosity|Curiosity]]. This combat can also bore the player, when battles are fought to grind for experience or loot, or stress the player, when battles are fought within a raid and failure means the loss of hours of work. Even players looking for a positive, low arousal experience can find it while developing crafting skills. 

==== Super Smash Bros. Melee ====
{{ :lenses:super-smash-bros-melee.jpg?400 }}

[[http://www.mobygames.com/game/gamecube/super-smash-bros-melee|Super Smash Bros. Melee]] is a party-fighting game that uses quick action, weighty animations, and support for multiple players to project a high excitatory potential. At almost all levels of play, this game supports a high arousal level. 
===== Considerations =====

===== Tool =====

===== Metrics =====

===== Validity =====
This is an **industry standard** and is **empirically validated**
===== Categories =====

Motivations: [[motivations:arousal|Arousal]], [[:Motivations:Mood Management|Mood Management]]
===== References =====
Bowman ND and Tamborini R (2012) Task demand and mood repair: the intervention potential of 
computer games. New Media & Society 14(8): 1339–1357.

Zillmann, D. (1988a). Mood management through communication choices. Am. Behav. Sci. 31, 327–341.
===== Authors =====
[[about:contributors:jennifer_kotler|Jennifer Kotler]]

[[about:contributors:sam trapp|Sam Trapp]]