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Game design's influence on how gaming is practiced is a debated topic within video game research. Overlapping with this debate are questions of how game design and social practice each contribute to experiences of problematic gaming. In this study, we drew on focus groups and individual interviews with a total of 107 adolescents. We deployed practice theory to demonstrate how game design is an integrated part of the material configurations of everyday gaming practices. Furthermore, we will provide empirical examples of how interplays between game design and social practices can shape experiences of problematic gaming. In the analysis, we will demonstrate how adverse consequences of gaming can emerge in the clash between game design and everyday life obligations. Additionally, we will show how strategically designed monetary mechanics and patterns can be intensified or stifled by players' socializing practices. Finally, we will address the interplay between gendered practices and game designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on gamification of advertising concerning subtle design elements of computer games and their effects on consumers' psychological responses are limited. The present research addresses this gap by examining how consumers' attention and memory of brands advertised in a game, popularly called in-game advertising (IGA), are positively affected by the type of the gaming platform (mobile vs. PC) and rule orientation (or game rules) in the presence of potential moderators such as interactivity with the ad and congruence between the ad and game's goals. Two experimental studies are conducted that investigate these afore-mentioned effects. The results indicate an interaction effect such that rule enactment under high ad interactivity and high ad–game goal congruence increases attention and memory of ads in mobile-based IGAs. Further, these affects are mediated through media and ad transportation, that is, players' immersion experience in the flow of a story while playing the game. The research advances past knowledge on advertising effectiveness in computer games by exploring a less studied area, that is, the independent and interactive effects of game design elements. It also contributes to the flow experience literature in the domain of gamification by revealing a sequential pathway involving media and ad transportation. Also, it adds novelty to the gamification literature by exploring the role of gaming platforms and their interaction with design elements. For the game developers and advertisers, the research provides strategic guidance to manipulate these elements and to choose suitable platforms for the purpose of maximizing consumers' favorable psychological responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of increasing environmental degradation and climate change, promoting environmental awareness through innovative communication approaches is critical. This study examines the role of serious games in enhancing environmental information dissemination and in promoting continued engagement. Through two studies, the research investigates how different game content – knowledge-based versus leisure-focused – can impact user experience, environmental awareness, and continued game use. Study 1 explores the mediating role of customer experience between the interaction with each type of content and game effectiveness, while Study 2 employs an experimental approach to isolate game type effects and assess the role of negative emotions. Findings reveal that the balance between knowledge and leisure-content can be suitable vis-à-vis continued use of the game as long as both informativeness and playfulness are provided. However, when the aim is to promote environmental awareness, an isolated game focused on knowledge-content proves more effective, especially if it provides valuable information and evokes a sense of guilt in the user. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamification has now become an integral part of tourism research and practice. However, a structured review of this growing application of gamification still eludes tourism research. To this end, this research conducts a hybrid systematic review of the existing literature by combining a bibliometric and framework-based review. The purpose of the research is to identify key issues, offer insights into the potential of gamification in tourism, and suggest areas for future research. This study draws on an integrative framework of antecedents, decisions, and outcomes (ADO)—theory, context, and methods (TCM) to carry out this review. This review synthesizes the extant research on gamification in tourism since its evolution. This review is based on 64 relevant articles drawn from the Scopus database. The current hybrid systematic review identifies five clusters (i.e., customer gamification experience, gamification mechanics and design, gamification in tourism, gamification and tourist attraction, and gamification for sustainable tourism). This research suggests utilization of new, yet relevant theories for examining the underexplored areas of gamification in tourism. Furthermore, this study recommends the employment of machine learning techniques, EEG, eye-tracking method, and experimental research for gaining a nuanced understanding of this field. We conclude by offering key insights into future research avenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analogue and digital simulations have been used in conjunction with other pedagogical approaches and practices for decades now as research continues to evince the positive influence that they have on learning and social interaction. There is a wealth of historical games that aim to immerse players in a variety of era-defining epochs, with varying levels of abstraction and narrative arcs. However, there appears to be a dearth of games that focus on past events that are deemed too disturbing, too divisive, or too recent, especially those that occurred in an urban setting. Additionally, the geopolitics – if any – are backgrounded, as are the socio-economic structures of the people and places being represented. So, what contexts should we not model or simulate? What stories cannot – or should not – be told through this medium? And when is a historical period ‘too soon’ to be approached – especially when a simulation, a mere ‘game’, is the method of examination something so recent, so distressing as the Troubles of Northern Ireland? This article introduces the table-top narrative-based simulation, The Troubles,1 scheduled for publication by Compass Games LLC, to demonstrate that there is space for such titles designed with clear pedagogical aims and objectives, which augment the popular genre of historical gaming – historical wargaming in particular – and that there is much to benefit from simulations of this type which are interdisciplinary in nature, encompassing academic disciplines such as politics, history, languages, and ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) uses digital games to enhance engagement and learning, but its efficacy is linked to game features. Leaderboards are a commonly used feature to increase motivation through competition, improving engagement and learning outcomes. However, infinite leaderboards, displaying all players in an ordered ranking based on their scores, can demotivate players depending on their performance and characteristics. This study investigated primary school students' experience with an infinite leaderboard during a digital maths game intervention. 1389 Irish students participated in a 6-week programme with the game 'Seven Spells,' which featured an infinite leaderboard. Player traits and opinions about the game and its leaderboard were gathered via questionnaires and surveys. Leaderboard enjoyment was influenced by players' position on the leaderboard and maths anxiety levels. Maths anxious players disliked the leaderboard more than nonanxious players, even after controlling for their position on the leaderboard. How much players liked to play against each other was also found to be a significant factor predicting the enjoyment of the leaderboard. There was also a small correlation between leaderboard enjoyment and overall game enjoyment. These insights exemplify players' characteristics that should be considered when incorporating infinite leaderboards into maths games to avoid negative impacts on gaming experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Himalayan country of Nepal is vulnerable to landslides, earthquakes, and fires. Its inhabitants need to be empowered on how to react in emergencies to prevent fatalities and respond to crises efficiently while promoting longer-term sustainability and resilience. This research project, a collaborative effort involving teachers, students, and researchers, highlights the design and implementation of games for disaster risk reduction tested in remote schools. Three interactive games were developed using an iterative game design process and testing in workshops aiming to ensure the inclusivity and diversity of the project. The games targeted preparedness and response to landslides, earthquakes, and house fires. The outcome has proven that the game-based approach to teaching and learning is crucial in empowering underserved school children often left out in formal and informal disaster management processes. This study has shown that game-based learning of disaster preparedness and response effectively empowers resource-deficient communities and regions of the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author draws upon their own experience as a commercial alternate reality game designer and interviews with other working professionals, examining how the form moved from its origins as outsider art into the realm of commercial production and then beyond that as a tool of political influence. The article traces the long history of misinformation and conspiracy in American politics and demonstrates how the introduction of entertainment industry design methodologies has altered the production of disinformation campaigns. From Andrew Jackson and the New York Slave Conspiracy of 1741 through Gamergate and QAnon, the article argues that while conspiracy has always been a central part of American culture, the introduction of modern game design has altered the landscape, and that only by recognizing how our work as designers is being co-opted can we can begin to work to prevent additional social harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the way coffee is represented and used in cozy games. As a genre, cozy games are defined by the concepts of safety, abundance, and softness, which together establish a sense of coziness. Coffee, commonly associated with casual and friendly social situations, has a potential to be a strong contributor to coziness within cozy games. To explore this, the authors identified 27 cozy games containing coffee-related elements, and then performed a qualitative analysis on their content. The analysis found it was comparatively rare for coffee themes to strongly impact the overall game experience; however, there was a significant tendency for coffee to amplify the game’s overall sense of coziness.

Cozy games are often defined by their soft visual design, ambient audio, and low risk gameplay that addresses a range of themes from casual to meaningful. Typically, they also center on simple gameplay in terms of control schema and the ability to disconnect, as a safe, relaxing play space, and with its easy exits points to quit the game. While these aspects have been discussed in both scholarly and media entertainment writing, the demands (or lack thereof) have yet to be explored from a theoretical perspective. Through the lens of interactivity-as-demand theory, this paper aims to explore the connection between the gameplay experience as it relates to cognitive, physical, social, and emotional demands and the in-game representations of the player-character. Through this analytical lens, it is possible to understand the consistency and disconnect of demands as experienced by the player compared to how they are (re)presented on screen which has potential implications related to the player’s expectations and design principles of cozy games.

This study investigates the integration of a didactic game developed using Unreal Engine into elementary school mathematics education, specifically focusing on the teaching of fractions. The research aims to answer the following questions: (1) How do students react to the didactic game? (2) What is the difference between experimental and control group of students? The study involved 46 seventh-grade students from a school in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, randomly divided into two groups: one using the didactic game and one following traditional teaching methods. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, including participatory observation, questionnaires, and didactic tests. The findings reveal that while both groups showed significant improvement in their understanding of fractions, the group using the didactic game demonstrated a more considerable progression, with an average increase in test scores from 38.07% to 71.36%. In contrast, the traditional group improved from 54.17% to 79.68%. Students' reactions to the game were mixed, with some expressing enthusiasm despite technical difficulties, while others were less motivated due to hardware limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational board games are a promising tool for implementing game-based learning to improve the teaching-learning process. However, the absence of comprehensive scholarly guidance on designing educational board games impedes the effective implementation of game-based learning in classrooms. The sparsely available studies on game design frameworks often confine themselves to the design of the educational game itself, without including guidelines for the classroom integration of such games within the design framework. Additionally, the literature often neglects that teachers, burdened by limited time and excessive workload, are often the sole participants in the game design process. To address these gaps, we introduce a practical framework for educators to design and seamlessly integrate educational board games in their classrooms. Our approach prioritizes minimizing additional teacher workload while using game-based learning to foster student-led problem-solving sessions and game revision. Drawing from game design principles and existing literature on game-based learning, we propose a comprehensive framework that guides educators through the design and implementation of educational board games tailored for conducting problemsolving sessions. The framework is validated and refined using qualitative analysis of teacher and student feedback after its seamless integration into the regular mathematics instruction and curriculum of a Philippine K-12 high school. Results indicate positive student experiences and highlight the framework's efficacy in promoting student engagement, learning outcomes, and teacher convenience. Thematic analysis of student feedback highlights key design preferences and game features that enhance student experiences in GBL sessions. The study contributes to the advancement of GBL methodologies by offering practical guidelines for independent use by educators and promoting exchanges between teacher colleagues. Overall, the proposed framework offers a systematic and feasible approach to designing and implementing educational board games, fostering effective learning experiences in diverse educational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atmosphere is one of the game elements that can significantly influence player's emotions. However, creating an immersive atmosphere that effectively influences player emotions poses several challenges, necessitating the utilization of various elements, such as audio-visual coordination and gameplay design. This paper introduces a general framework for procedurally generating dungeons with joyful and horror atmospheres in games, providing an abstract perspective to address these challenges. The proposed framework introduces a categorization system for game elements based on their role within the game. Leveraging this categorization, the Comprehensive Arrangement of Game Elements (CAGE) pattern is introduced, which facilitates the appropriate placement of elements within the dungeon environment. Subsequently, the General Framework for Generating Dungeons with Atmosphere (GFGDA) is employed to procedurally create the dungeon using the Feasible–Infeasible Two-Population (FI-2Pop) algorithm. To enhance gameplay experience, similar elements in the dungeon environment that impact gameplay are grouped and their coordination is evaluated by creating a graph based on the CAGE pattern. The transition and coordination of audio-visual elements along the path between these impactful elements are assessed in order to generate an immersive atmosphere within the dungeon. To ensure diversity, examining the variety of dungeons generated over 100 runs demonstrates that our method consistently produces distinct results in each iteration. Moreover, two comparative studies were conducted, one with 51 volunteers and another with 10 volunteers. In the first study, the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) was utilized to assess the emotional impact of dungeons generated by our method. These were compared to dungeons created using a uniform random approach, alongside relevant research. The results suggest that our method significantly influences player emotions across the four components of the GEQ—sensory and imaginary immersion, flow, negative effects, and challenge—when compared to dungeons generated by the uniform random approach and another researched method. In another study, the emotional impact of two dungeons, one generated with joyful elements and the other with eerie elements, was evaluated using the GEQ. The findings indicate significant differences between the two components of the GEQ—tension and positive effects—when players interacted with the level containing joyful elements compared to the one with eerie elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid expansion of the virtual reality (VR) market, user interest in VR games has increased significantly. However, empirical research on the user experience in VR games remains relatively underdeveloped. Despite the growing popularity and commercial success of VR gaming, there is a lack of comprehensive studies analyzing the impact of different aspects of VR games on user satisfaction and engagement. This gap includes insufficient research on the categorization of VR game genres, the identification of user challenges, and variations in user experiences across these genres. Our study aims to fill this gap by analyzing data from the Meta Quest store using K-means clustering and LDA (Latent Dirichlet Allocation) to categorize the representative genres of VR games. By employing text-mining techniques to conduct a detailed analysis of user experience, we effectively elucidate the primary issues and nuanced differences in user responses across various genres. Our findings serve as a valuable reference for researchers aiming to design games that align with VR user expectations. Furthermore, our study provides a foundational dataset for researchers aiming to enhance the user experience in VR games and suggests ways to increase the immersion and enjoyment of VR gameplay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of seeking games as tools for participatory and collaborative approaches applied to planning and public engagement is thriving. Despite the growing literature, and in contrast to the increasing number of experiences, there is a lack of methods for developing game-based approaches. We propose using the MIQUAPA method to support low-tech and low-cost serious games for collaborative planning and participatory budgeting. We designed two serious games using modern board game mechanisms and tested them to address two sustainability problems related to a university campus. The games engaged the participants and delivered collaborative planning experiences. However, the experiences revealed several simulation limitations of this method. The participants' preparedness, context, and motivation also affected the game outcome. This paper proposes a method to develop future game-based approaches, informing the advantages and limitations of such approaches and proposing data collection and facilitation solutions. It warns future practitioners about the required preparedness to use game-based approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a model for integrating computer role-playing games with museum experiences to enhance cultural heritage learning with a particular focus on design. Centered at the Izmir Archaeology Museum, the study delves into the design of a serious game aimed at enriching both the educational and experiential facets of museum visits. The model highlights the use of gameplay components and design patterns to manifest tangible and intangible heritage content, thereby promoting visitor awareness and understanding of cultural heritage. Through a provisional game scenario based on the museum's prehistoric artifact exhibition, the study illustrates how a gameplay design approach that is informed by heritage content displayed in the museum can be prototyped. The proposed model not only aims to make museum visits more engaging, but also seeks to contribute to the broader discourse on game design, game-based learning, and museum experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I discuss the potential that a dialogic approach to teaching game (design) in an intercultural postgraduate classroom in UK higher education can have to unsettle limited and universalist models to engage with video games. Through reflections on my own teaching practice, supported by interviews with former students who undertook my course in the period between 2019 and 2022, I argue that game educators can be understood as cultural workers, as suggested by Paulo Freire. This argument is supported by the concept of game literacies and Freirean critical pedagogies, more specifically his ideas on dialogic teaching – one that understands 'dialogue' as the mutual understanding of interlocutors' realities – which I argue offer paths towards a more critical and less dissociated games education, bridging the rift between vocational and critical approaches and fostering more nuanced models to engage with games as a global – intercultural, interconnected – phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of a global ecological crisis, culturally dominant framings of subjective experience as separate from living ecologies are no longer sufficient. Games might offer ways to break down these divisions. Alenda Chang has proposed bringing game ecologies to life. To complement her position, in this paper, we aim to inspire game designers and researchers to explore ways in which video games can remodel the perceived player subject as a pathway to ecological entanglement. We investigate four strategies for decentering and deconstructing the subject. These are: (1) deconstructing the subject to foreground internal sources of entanglement; (2) dismantling, distorting, ignoring, and/or invading the visual perspective; (3) conceptual deconstruction and reframing of a sense of self; and (4) decentering the subject through shifting contexts. For each of these, we introduce relevant examples of narrative and gameplay design in existing video games and suggest steps for further development in each direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionFalls pose significant health risks to older adults, impacting their quality of life. Preventive strategies are crucial, as research shows that fall prevention interventions can effectively reduce fall risks. However, these interventions often suffer from low adherence and uptake. Digital, interactive interventions, incorporating experience-, and game-related aspects, offer a promising solution, making this topic inherently cross-disciplinary.ObjectiveThis review aims to assess the current landscape of digital interactive experience and game-based fall interventions for community-dwelling, healthy older adults. It focuses on integrating Human Movement Science and User Experience & Game Design perspectives, emphasizing the cross-disciplinary nature of this research.MethodsWe employed a cross-disciplinary literature search framework, searching the databases ACM-DL, IEEE-Xplore, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The review focused on healthy community-dwelling older adults (50+), including those at risk of falling. Excluded were studies involving chronic diseases, non-age-related impairments, other age groups, or individuals receiving care. Only digital, interactive fall prevention interventions without commercial software were considered. Studies published between 2000–2024 were included. A qualitative thematic synthesis was conducted, focusing on four categories: Objectives (O), Design and Development (D), Types of Intervention (T), and Evaluation Methods (E).ResultsThe search yielded 2,747 results, with 59 articles included in the final synthesis. Objectives were mainly driven by a combination of HMS and UXG rather than a single aspect. In Design and Development it was observed that concept-based design was scarce, with most being procedure-based. Descriptions of interventions frequently lacked specificity, particularly in-depth experience-related terminology and exercise descriptions. Evaluation methods were found to be more frequently informed by both HMS and UXG, although only four studies used a mixed-method approach to explore their interplay. Among included articles, most aspects incorporated both HMS and UXG across all four categories: O(n = 37), D(n = 37), T(n = 54), and E(n = 21).ConclusionThe review underscores the importance of digital interactive experience- and game-based fall prevention interventions. It highlights the need for enhanced cross-disciplinary collaboration between HMS and UXG to address gaps, such as the lack of a shared thesaurus and standardized guidelines, which are vital for improving transparency, reproducibility, and the refinement of these interventions.

Computational Thinking (CT) is a reasoning process focusing on problem-solving and developing cognitive skills. Serious games are an effective tool for exercising these skills, as they offer a playful and versatile approach that can be adapted to different audiences. This work presents the design of a serious digital game designed to help enhance cognitive skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), using the fundamental principles of CT. The first game design phase was completed and submitted for evaluation by professionals in the Education field from a collaborating institution. The observations made and the feedback obtained are being discussed with the development and research teams so that the game can be implemented.

Background: Some arguing has been drawn in the literature questioning if a game can be purposeful (such as a Serious Game) and fun at the same time. Purpose: A serious game called Matemágica, designed to review basic mathematical operations and procedures, was selected to help delve in depth on this questioning. Methods: The evaluation assesses the game’s utility to teach mathematics and the fun perceived by its players. An empathic utility questionnaire was answered by 50 mature and experienced teachers, and a perceived fun questionnaire was created and answered by 334 students. Results: Girls and boys perceived similar fun and 3rd grade students (the actual target audience) felt just a little bit more fun than 4th and 5th grades. No significant difference was found between students from public and private schools. Overall, the game (Matemágica) was regarded as of high utility (scored 4.39 on a scale from 1 to 5) by the teachers and of high perception of fun (score 4,61 on a scale from 1 to 5) by the students. Conclusion: This paper shows that even a casual Serious Game can be useful and fun at the same time.