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Computer games
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
It is often assumed that the problem with virtual reality' – the concept, its various technological deployments and the apparently oxymoronic phrase itself – has been our understanding, or perhaps misunderstanding, of the virtual. The real problem, however, is not with the virtual; it is with the real itself. This article investigates the undeniably useful but ultimately mistaken and somewhat misguided concept of the real that has been routinely operationalized in investigations of new media technology. The specific point of contact for the examination is the avatar. What is at issue here is not the complicated structures and articulations of avatar identity but the assumed real thing' that is said to be its ultimate cause and referent. In addressing this subject, the article considers three theories of the real, extending from Platonism to the recent innovations of Slavoj Žižek and investigates their effect on our understanding of computer-generated experience and social interaction.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
An important factor to consider in developing educational computer games concerns whether there are any differences between learners in their acceptance of games for learning. In particular there is concern that the strong male preference found in playing games for leisure might also extend to games-based learning, making males more accepting of games in learning than females.There is clear evidence that the violent content and competitive structure of many games, gender stereotyping of female characters, the lack of opportunities for meaningful social interaction between game characters and the visual skills required to succeed in many games are features of games that make them less appealing to females than to males. Games manufacturers have responded to criticisms that games are male-oriented by developing games which aim to appeal to both males and females. However they have also acknowledged that boys and girls essentially prefer different types of game and they have also developed games specifically targeted at girls. These preferences in computer games have helped to confirm that males and females have different interests and preferences which are very deep rooted and emerge in infancy. Woudheusen has argued that these preferences are resistant to change as they probably reflect biologically influenced inclinations which are crystallised by socialisation processes.While it is acceptable to develop different games for leisure for boys and girls, with games for learning the situation is more complex. Schools and universities need to be inclusive and new learning methods and materials should aim to be gender neutral. However games for learning are being introduced into a prevailing motivational climate in schools which suits the more committed and methodical approach of girls. Many boys subscribe to the "Not cool to study" view and this has led to a culture of underachievement and "laddishness" amongst boys. It is tempting to argue that the easy engagement and the active, competitive style of interaction required in many computer games provides an ideal opportunity to re-engage many disengaged young men in learning.Ultimately it seems likely that the way forward is to develop a range of games for learning which are competitive or not and which include social interaction or not and to guide students in selecting games which are most congruent with their own individual preferences. As with any other educational intervention, games for learning will need to be evaluated to ensure that they help learning and that they do so in a way that as far as possible does not favour one group over another.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Artificial intelligence for digital games constitutes the implementation of a set of algorithms and techniques from both traditional and modern artificial intelligence in order to provide solutions to a range of game dependent problems. However, the majority of current approaches lead to predefined, static and predictable game agent responses, with no ability to adjust during game-play to the behaviour or playing style of the player. Machine learning techniques provide a way to improve the behavioural dynamics of computer controlled game agents by facilitating the automated generation and selection of behaviours, thus enhancing the capabilities of digital game artificial intelligence and providing the opportunity to create more engaging and entertaining game-play experiences. This paper provides a survey of the current state of academic machine learning research for digital game environments, with respect to the use of techniques from neural networks, evolutionary computation and reinforcement learning for game agent control.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
The aims of this research were to describe Finnish adolescents' different motives for digital game playing, and to examine relations between digital game playing and parent-child communication, school performance, sleeping habits, and perceived health. A questionnaire was used to assess a nationwide postal sample of 12-18-year-old Finns (6761 respondents, response rate 69%) in winter 2003. Among respondents, 4085 adolescents played digital games and answered questions on digital game motives. Two main motives emerged: instrumental (learn new things and procedures, have a common topic for conversation, use and develop game playing skills, experience different roles/worlds) and ritualized (pastime, entertainment; recover, relax; escape everyday life, forget worries). The importance of all motives increased for participants with longer playing times. Instrumental motives were more important to boys and younger respondents. They were associated with earlier bedtime, worse perceived health, better mother communication, and better school grades, but only among boys. The importance of ritualized motives increased with age and was related to better school performance, worse sleeping habits, and worse perceived health in both sexes. Digital games seem to have the same basic functions as media in serving adolescents' mood management and stimulation seeking. Among boys, gaming is part of the male socio-cultural communication context. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
The implementation of a computer game for learning about geography by primary school students is the focus of this article. Researchers designed and developed a three-dimensional educational computer game. Twenty four students in fourth and fifth grades in a private school in Ankara, Turkey learnt about world continents and countries through this game for three weeks. The effects of the game environment on students' achievement and motivation and related implementation issues were examined through both quantitative and qualitative methods. An analysis of pre and post achievement tests showed that students made significant learning gains by participating in the game-based learning environment. When comparing their motivations while learning in the game-based learning environment and in their traditional school environment, it was found that students demonstrated statistically significant higher intrinsic motivations and statistically significant lower extrinsic motivations learning in the game-based environment. In addition, they had decreased focus on getting grades and they were more independent while participating in the game-based activities. These positive effects on learning and motivation, and the positive attitudes of students and teachers suggest that computer games can be used as an ICT tool in formal learning environments to support students in effective geography learning.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Virtual environments are synthetic 3D worlds typically viewed from a first-person point of view with many potential applications within areas such as visualisation, entertainment and training simulators. To effectively develop and utilise virtual environments, user-centric evaluations are commonly performed. Anecdotal evidence suggests that factors such as prior experience with computer games may affect the results of such evaluations.This paper examines the effects of previous computer gaming experience, user perceived gaming ability and actual gaming performance on navigation tasks in a virtual environment. Two computer games and a virtual environment were developed to elicit performance metrics for use within a user study. Results indicated that perceived gaming skill and progress in a First-Person-Shooter (FPS) game were the most consistent metrics showing significant correlations with performance in time-based navigation tasks. There was also strong evidence that these relations were significantly intensified by the inclusion of participants who play FPS games. In addition, it was found that increased gaming experience decreased spatial perception performance.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
The paper presents the players' implicit views on psychological aspects of a supposable influence of computer/online/video-games on human beings. And online survey with 74 Likert-type questions were given to adults and older adolescents (16+). The collected replies (N=437) were grouped into an eight-factor model. The key implicit representations include the participants' belief that gaming: (1) leads to positive self-development, (2) affects the players' somatics, i.e. causes tiredness and stresses while gaming and in an after-game period, (3) brings pleasing feelings while gaming, (4) stimulates cognitive processes, and (5) supports players' relaxation and gives pleasure.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
This study integrates research on problematic Internet use to explore the cognitive and psychological predictors of negative consequences associated with playing massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs). Participants recruited from online discussion boards completed self-report measures on their online game-related cognitions and psychological condition, social skills, psychological well-being, and negative life outcomes associated with game playing. The results demonstrated the important roles that psychological dependency and deficient self-regulation play in negative consequences associated with online gaming. The results also indicated that psychological dependency on MMOGs was predicted by cognitive preference for a virtual life-a construct that is negatively related to social control skills. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
The aim of this study was to develop and validate a scale to measure computer and videogame addiction. Inspired by earlier theories and research on game addiction, we created 21 items to measure seven underlying criteria (i.e., salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse, withdrawal, conflict, and problems). The dimensional structure of the scale was investigated in two independent samples of adolescent gamers (N = 352 and N = 369). In both samples, a second-order factor model described our data best. The 21-item scale, as well as a shortened 7-item version, showed high reliabilities. Furthermore, both versions showed good concurrent validity across samples, as indicated by the consistent correlations with usage, loneliness, life satisfaction, social competence, and aggression.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Women's games (sic) refers to a category of games developed and marketed exclusively for the consumption of women and girls in the Japanese gaming industry. Essentially gender-specific games comparable to the 'games for girls' proposed by the girls' game movement in the USA, Japanese women's games are significant for their history, influence and function as a site for female gamers to play out various female identities and romantic fantasies within diverse generic structures. This article will first review previous research and literature on women and gaming, analyze the key issues raised in the discourse concerning femininity and electronic games, outline the history and development of women's games, explain how multiple factors contributed to the appeal of women's games by analyzing the games Angelique and Harukanaru Tokino Nakade3 and, lastly, discuss the meaning and significance of women's games in the larger context of women and gaming. The 1994 game Angelique succeeded in establishing a loyal and close-knit fan base by actively utilizing popular female culture such as shoujo manga (girls' comics) and the fan base for voice actors. Angelique also set up the specifics and conventions of women's games: a focus on romance, easy controls and utilizing other multimedia. In 2004, Harukanaru Tokino Nakade3 deconstructed the genre and gender conventions of women's games and shoujo manga, while developing a new type of feminine identity and narrative. Women's games indicate that gender-specific games can be more than educational tools to familiarize girls with technology or perpetuate stereotypes; they can be a significant extension of female culture into the realm of gaming, and contribute to the development of women's culture and the diversification of the gaming industry.
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