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We present a framework of story beats, defined as microunits of dramatic action, as a tool for the ludonarrative analysis of videogames. First, we explain the Goal - Action - Reaction - Outcome model of the story beat. Then, we present six types of story beats, Action, Interaction, Inaction, Mental, Emotion, and Sensory, providing videogame examples for each category. In the second half of the paper, we contextualise this framework in the classic game studies theory of videogame narrative and player action: unit operations, gamic action, anatomy of choice, and game design patterns, wrapping it up in the most recent trends in cognitive narratology. Ultimately, we present the story beat as a ludonarrative unit, working simultaneously as a ‘unit operation’ in the study of games as systems, and as a microunit of character action in narrative analysis. The conclusion outlines prospective directions for using story beats in formal, experiential, and cultural game research.

The paper considers three main questions: the legal status of digital designs from the perspective of EU design law, whether the protection is tied to the reproduction of physical products, and whether the scope of protection covers dimensional conversion such as using a 3D design in 2D form or vice versa. There are two sets of views regarding dimensional conversion: the “abstract” and the “concrete” view. These two different attitudes towards the scope of protection influence the manner in which the protectability of digital designs is assessed. In the “abstract” protection, it would not matter whether a product only exists as a digital image and not as a physical shape. In the “concrete” view, the protection of digital designs is more problematic, as the scope of protection is often tied to the reproduction of an actual physical product. The paper argues that, under CJEU jurisprudence and EUIPO practice, most of the open questions regarding the protection of digital designs and dimensional conversion can be considered as solved. The CJEU has chosen “abstract” protection over “concrete”, thus broadening the scope of protection at the EU level. This means that the digital use of non-digital designs can now be seen as infringing. As a consequence, in the future, right holders should put more care into evaluating the limitations and exceptions. The paper points this out with regard to the issues that are of relevance for the gaming industry, as this is where the use of digital designs is most versatile and relevant.

This study investigates the probable effect of a digital game-based vocabulary learning (DGBVL) task on the acquisition of some components of a word knowledge framework. In so doing, 124 Persian speakers (56 males and 68 females) were randomly assigned to either a control or an experimental group. The experimental group participants completed a DGBVL task for acquiring ten low-frequent inanimate object names, or lexical nouns, by playing a commercial adventure game. The control group participants practiced the same words in a fill-in-the-blank vocabulary acquisition exercise. In brief, first, all participants sat for a word-checklist and a proficiency test; next, they completed their tasks, and three weeks later, all participants sat for eight achievement tests. In the achievement test booklet, participants’ knowledge of receptive, productive, recognition, and recall dimensions and scopes of meaning, orthography, and association were evaluated. The results revealed 1) the efficiency of the DGBVL task in enhancing the acquisition of these components, 2) the precedence of productive knowledge acquisition by the experimental group participants, 3) strong associations among the components acquired through DGBVL task assistance, and 4) gains in the components that were not associated with others due to the efficiency of DGBVL. peerReviewed

Use continuance is crucial in terms of information systems (IS) success. Previous research has shown that situational context can be central for IS use continuance but has paid limited attention to its specific characteristics. Furthermore, the link between situational context and use continuance has remained unexplored in the novel area of “exergames,” which are defined as digital games requiring physical effort from the player that determines the outcome of the game. Studying exergames is deemed important due to their potential in providing health benefits for users, revenues for providers, and well‐being for societies. However, their potential remains unreached because users tend to discontinue usage after their initial experiences. To address these gaps, we investigate the relationships between specific situational characteristics and use continuance after critical exergaming incidents, in which the user has an exceptionally positive or negative experience. To do this, we quantitatively and qualitatively examined 461 actual critical exergaming incidents. Our findings provide a greater understanding of IS use continuance by revealing new knowledge about the relationships between specific situational characteristics (ie, purpose of use, type of gaming platform, social setting, place, and exertion level) and use continuance. We also offer explanations for these relationships, thus providing a first understanding of the previously unmapped area of how users behave situation‐dependently after critical exergaming incidents. Thus, we contribute both to the general IS continuance literature as well as to the specific area of exergaming. The context specificity of our study matches the calls for heavily contextualised IS research. peerReviewed

The ability to explain word meanings is central to a child’s language development and socialisation into different domains of language use. In previous research explanations have been shown to be linked to cognitive and linguistic development as well as academic language and discursive skills. This paper analyses what kinds of linguistic and discursive competences are put to use in explanation activities in interactions between an 8-year-old bilingual child (Albin) and his mother around a digital game. The data comes from a larger data set of video-recordings and field observation of children’s interactions around games. The analysis focuses on explanation sequences in which the child explicates the meaning of objects and procedures in the game world. The analysis shows how explanations are initiated, how they unfold in interaction and how they make relevant asymmetrical roles for the participants, allowing the child to construct a position of knowledge with regard to the game, an important part of his life world. More specifically, the analysis elucidates how Albin’s explanations highlight semantic features and relations that are meaningful for him and how he employs a wide range of linguistic and other semiotic resources in constructing his explanations in a context-sensitive way. The findings shed light on linguistic, interactional and multimodal features of explanations as a discourse activity and provide a window into practices of two-way language socialization in the family. https://doi.org/10.33063/diva-376234

This chapter discusses immersion and how it may be applied to journalism. It begins by unraveling the concept of immersion itself as a reminder that it is not only connected to virtual reality or augmented reality technologies, but rather that it is a multifaceted concept that may be understood in many ways. The chapter turns specifically to the theorizing done in the context of digital games research, where immersion and some related concepts have been explored in detail over the last decades. This theorizing helps us see how immersion can be understood and in what way the concept may be problematic. The chapter maps out some of the historical precedents for immersion, discusses alternative and related concepts, and how this understanding may be used to inform discussions of immersive journalism. Virtual reality can transport users to new worlds and adventures regardless of where they are physically in the real world.

Esports phenomena have grown rapidly in recent years, and so has research on the topic. Some of the research has also addressed esports fandom (see e.g. Taylor 2012). Nevertheless, studies comparing and contrasting how players and fans engage with the game and the esports based on that game are scarce. This study compares and contrasts how players and fans engage with playable game characters and esports players. The paper draws on previous research in fan studies, sports fandom and esports to examine the relationships of players and fans of the videogame Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment 2016) with the fictional heroes of the game as well as with their favorite professional players in the newly started Overwatch League. We analyse how these relationships are articulated by fans and players, and pay attention to emerging similarities and differences. The findings show that personality is deemed important for engagement with both, game characters and esports players. In addition, gender and sexual orientation emerged as important factors. By contrast, nationality was deemed important for engagement with esports players, but not with player characters. Further research should concentrate on the connections between esports and identity politics, as well as player characters and identity construction. peerReviewed

Vocabulary learning is an integral part of language learning; however, it is difficult. Although there are many techniques proposed for vocabulary learning and teaching, researchers still strive to find effective methods. Recently, digital games have shown potentials in enhancing vocabulary acquisition. A majority of studies in digital game-based vocabulary learning (DGBVL) literature investigate the effectiveness of DGBVL tasks. In other words, there are enough answers to what questions in DGBVL literature whereas why questions are rarely answered. Finding such answers help us learn more about the structure of the DGBVL tasks and their effects on vocabulary learning. Hence, to achieve this aim, the available literature on digital games and vocabulary learning were systematically reviewed from 1996 to 2020. The results revealed seven themes such as motivation, authenticity, repetition, instantiation, dual encoding, interactivity, and feedback. Based on the available literature, these themes are factors, in digital games, that can contribute to enhancing vocabulary acquisition.

This study was conducted to investigate the psychometric properties of the Finnish version of the Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10), identify the proportion displaying problematic gaming behavior (PGB) among Finnish vocational school students, and characterize the relationships between sociodemographic factors and gaming characteristics predicting PGB in this population. This cross-sectional study involving 773 students (mean age 17.5 years). Socio-demographic and gaming behavior characteristics were established using a web-based survey. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that the IGDT-10 test has appropriate psychometric properties. The proportion of students exhibiting PGB based on the DSM-5 cut-off threshold was 1.3%. Regression analysis showed that male gender, preference for gaming on a personal computer, gaming time, poor self-perceived health status, and a preference for the solo and multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBA) game genres related positively to PGB scores. These findings demonstrate the appropriateness of the IGDT-10 test for the assessment of problematic gaming among adults, and support further research on PGB in Finland.

The potential of digital games to enhance learning in different areas of child development has drawn increasing interest amid growing concern about children’s emotional well-being, social-emotional difficulties, and problem behaviors alongside diminishing economic resources for intervention and habilitation. However, digital games designed to promote social-emotional competence are surprisingly scarce. In this chapter, we explore children’s use of the digital game Emotion Detectives (ED), designed to promote children’s acquisition of emotional knowledge skills (e.g., recognizing, appreciating, and understanding emotions and their expressions), prosocial behaviors (e.g., helping, sharing, comforting, and showing concern for others), and problem-solving abilities. Analyzing children’s gameplay sessions in two Finnish day care centers improved understanding of children’s gameplay experiences, social-emotional knowledge, and collaborative learning. From the double effect of practicing social-emotional skills simultaneously in the game and in peer interactions, ED has the potential to be an effective learning environment for children. The game’s humorous features, creative opportunities, and possibilities to make progress while playing clearly motivated children to learn. peerReviewed

Role-playing games are a diverse phenomenon, ranging from digital games to live action role-playing. Finding a definition that suits them all is hard, but attempts have been many. All of the definitions emphasize some aspects of role-playing games like rules, the role of players or the story. Many definitions do not describe role-playing games as such, but the activity that is role-playing. This paper looks at one of the latest attempts to define role-playing games, by Hitchens and Drachen (2009), and shows some potential problems with it. As an answer to these problems another definition is proposed, consisting of a game world, participants, shared narrative power and interaction. This definition is given only after discussing the nature of definitions in general. By drawing from the work of Wittgenstein, it is shown that definitions are by their nature bound to language in a way Wittgenstein calls language-games. Language is constantly changing, as the culture surrounding it changes. There are no final definitions for role-playing games, only definitions suited better or worse to a certain historical understanding of role-playing games. However, this does not mean that role-playing games should not be defined, as the definitions given can advance our understanding of what role-playing games are and could be. This paper takes part in the ongoing process of definition.

Background Games and elements of gamification can be utilized in mental healthcare to provide customized interventions for the service users. However, very little evidence exists as to what kind of experiences service users and professionals have towards games and gaming, and what their perceptions of the phenomenon are. This sort of information is needed to help professionals put game-based interventions actively into practice in mental health services. Research objectives The objective is to describe the experiences and perceptions of digital games and gaming from the perspectives of mental health service users and mental health professionals. Methods In this qualitative study, data consisted of interviews of 23 mental health service users and professionals working in the mental health field. We conducted altogether 39 interviews. Sixteen of the participants were interviewed twice. Main categories and subcategories were identified using qualitative content analysis. Results The analysis revealed four distinct orientations towards games and gaming: (a) compulsive gaming; (b) closet gaming; (c) gaming as a hobby; and (d) late bloomers. Each group was characterized by different personal histories, experiences, conceptions and attitudes regarding gaming and digital games. Conclusion When attempting to implement a game-based intervention in mental health services, it is essential to recognize the different attitudes that both service users and staff exhibit concerning games and gaming. The attitudes of service users and professionals described in this study can be utilized in the implementation of game-based methods as part of care and rehabilitation in mental health services.

Artikkelissamme tarkastellaan esikouluikäisten lasten d¡gitaalista pelaamista leik¡n näkökulmasta. Vi¡me vuosina tieto- ja viestintäteknologia on tullut osaksi yhä nuoremp¡en lasten arkea ja herättänyt myös huolta s¡¡tä, m¡ten lisääntynyt pelaaminen vaikuttaa lasten leikkiin ja mahdollisesti he¡kentää leikin laalua. Toistaiseksi pienten lasten digitaalisesta leikistä on kuitenkin vain vähän tutkimustietoa. Tässä artikkelissa pohditaan per¡nteisen leikin määr¡ttelyä ja sen soveltumista dig¡taalisen leikin määrittelyyn. Peilaamme käytännön esimerkkejä lasten digitaalisesta leikistä Burghardtin (2012), Caillois'n (2001)ja van Oersin (2013) perinteisen leikin kriteer¡stö¡hin, joista valitsimme tarkempaa tarkaste¡ua varten neljä: säännöt, vapaus, hauskuus ja tavoitteellisuus. Tutkimuksen empiirisenä aineistona toimii eräässä 6-vuotiaiden lasten es¡opetusryhmässä toteutettu peliprojekti, jossa lapset pelasivat tableteilla meikkaamis- ja pukeutumispelejä ja keskustelivat ni¡stä. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että lasten dig¡taalinen leikk¡ näyttäytyy moniulotte¡sena ja rikkaana ilmiönä. Lapset hyödyntävät leikissään joustavasti peleistä kumpuavia ideoita, eläytyvät pelihahmoihin sekä muuttavat nämä leikiksi. Voidaankin todeta, ettà digitaalisten pelien pelaaminen ei tämän tutk¡muksen valossa muodosta uhkaa perinteiselle leikille, vaan pikemminkin teknologian ja leikin yhdistäminen tarjoaa leikille Iapsia kiinnostavia mahdollisuuksia. Digitaalisella leikillä ja perinteisellä leikillä on tutk¡muksemme mukaan niin paljon yhteis¡ä piirte¡tä, ettei digitaalisen leikin käsitteellistäm¡nen "uudenlaiseksi leikkikulttuuriksi" ole välttämättä perusteltua. peerReviewed