Large Game Research Articles

Vegetation cover in outdoor enclosures reduces feather pecking in farm-reared red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa)

Feather pecking is a major problem in intensively reared birds, leading to welfare issues, chronic stress and economic losses. Despite the ample literature on how to improve the living conditions in the poultry industry, very little attention has been paid to gamebird species. The red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) plays a crucial role in the ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula and also holds significant socio-economic importance in rural areas, as it is the primary species for small game hunting. Our aim was to experimentally test whether improved housing conditions with abundant natural vegetation cover reduce feather pecking and enhance body condition and growth in red-legged partridges. For two years, we compared the degree of feather pecking in red-legged partridges raised in two types of enclosures: a) in the absence of vegetation and b) with abundant natural vegetation. We also took morphometric measures (body weight and tarsus length) of the birds. We found that feather pecking varied both according to vegetation cover and bird age. Chicks aged between 42 and 67 days old exhibited a higher degree of feather pecking than adults. Vegetation cover reduced feather pecking in adults in one of the years of study and in chicks in the other. Additionally, we also found partial support that the presence of vegetation can improve body condition, as during one year, chicks raised in enclosures with vegetation were marginally heavier than those raised without vegetation. These findings suggest that the presence of vegetation might be a contributing factor in mitigating the development of abnormal behaviours in captive red-legged partridges. Future studies are necessary to evaluate what additional measures can be implemented to enhance the effectiveness of a vegetation enriched environment. Additionally, future studies should aim to investigate the effects vegetation cover in aviaries on other parameters relevant to the welfare of these birds, such as the physiological stress response and other specific behavioural traits.

Exploring Early Cooking Traditions in Arctic North America via Targeted Excavations and Molecular Methods

During the summer of 2022, a University of Wyoming research team identified a significant cooking feature in a Late Pleistocene component of the Bachner Site, central Alaska. This component, radiocarbon dated to approximately 13,100 cal BP, contains well-preserved fauna from various small and large game and fatty acids that can be used to refine dietary reconstructions of the first Alaskans. The feature, F22-9, contains fine-grained cryptocrystalline silicates that have evidence of heat treatment, identifiable plant remains, and fire-cracked schist and quartz. Research on the portion of the cooking feature that was excavated in 2022 strongly suggests that it is among the earliest hot rock cooking features in the Americas and offers molecular evidence for fishing that would be the earliest documented in the region if not the continent. This has implications for subsistence, mobility, and social organization among the first Alaskans that may in turn provide insight into the origins and colonization routes of the first Americans. Additionally, the early importance of fish suggested by this feature has the potential to refine ecological models and contemporary land management strategies. Future research at the site will build on these initial conclusions to provide additional hearth materials, micromorphology, and subsistence interpretations based on traditional knowledge.

Venue‐Making

ABSTRACTVenue‐making describes the process of turning political issues into political institutions. Both public policy and institutionalist scholars have addressed the puzzle of when and how new political institutions arise. We draw on both perspectives, arguing that the interaction between interest groups and government ultimately determines whether an issue remains within the existing institutional setting or if a new venue is made. A repeated stag hunt game illuminates the challenges of this interaction: interest groups and government need to coordinate the move from an old to a new venue by amplifying the issue and creating new institutional structures simultaneously. Because the switch from subsystem politics to venue‐making is rewarding but also risky, several mechanisms, including signaling, sustained interaction, and inspection, encourage cooperation. Our research design provides an analysis of three case studies in a fixed institutional context of unified Germany. A first case process‐traces how political issues about digitalization emerged and became institutionalized. A second, off‐path case shows the short‐lived attempt to centralize administrative competences in the domain of energy policy underscores the crucial role of interest groups. The third case explains the ultimately futile attempt to create a new Ministry of Immigration.

Efforts to Improve Science Learning Outcomes Using Flashcard Learning Media and Jellyfish Hunting Games

The low learning outcomes of students at SDN Rangga Mekar are different from the Minimum Completeness Criteria (KKM) of Elementary School, so research needs to be conducted. This study aims to discover how using flashcard learning media and jellyfish hunting games improves science learning outcomes at SDN Rangga Mekar in theme two, subthemes 3 of the material "Maintaining the Health of Human Respiratory Organs." The research method used is Classroom Action Research (PTK), using the Kemmis MC Taggart model through four stages: planning, action, observation, and reflection. The research respondents comprised 26 students in grades V-B at SDN Rangga Mekar, South Bogor District, West Java Province. The success indicator of this study is 80%, with 26 students in grades V-B who have a score above KKM or have a minimum score of 70. The results of the study showed that the data obtained from the pre-cycle was as many as 13 students (50%) who achieved KKM, the first cycle showed completeness data as many as 19 students (73%) achieved KKM, and in the second cycle obtained data on 24 students (92%) who achieved KKM. There was an increase of 23% for pre-cycle results to cycle I, from cycle I to cycle II by 19%, and by 42% from pre-cycle to cycle II. Based on this, flashcard learning media and jellyfish hunting games can improve science learning outcomes in class V-B SDN Rangga Mekar.

The Impact of Treasure Hunt Games in Enhancing Basic Japanese Vocabulary Retention and Student Motivation through Gamified Learning

The Impact of Treasure Hunt Games in Enhancing Basic Japanese Vocabulary Retention and Student Motivation through Gamified Learning

Empowering Student Transition and Engaging Students Using Actionbound: A Gamified Collaborative Community Learning Platform

Transition to University is a significant milestone for students who are embracing new experiences and challenges. It is particularly vital for international students who have to adapt to a new and different learning environment in the UK. Successful transition and sense of belonging in a new institution lay foundation for students’ academic success. However, transition is a process rather than an event. Accordingly, fostering a collaborative community learning environment and facilitate peer networks and community support becomes critical. It enables social interactions and active learning by engaging students in collaborative group activities, which would in turn support students’ transition to and belonging in a new learning environment. With the advancement of technology, computer-assisted and computer-supported collaborative learning flourished in 21st century. The emergence of mobile digital technology leads to the design of gamification in learning, known as game-based learning or gamified collaborative community learning in order to engage students in fun and interactive activities. ‘Actionbound’ is one of the versatile gamification platforms and mobile apps which can engage students in collaborative community learning with gamified activities. It enables users to create, share and participate in interactive scavenger hunts, tours, games and quizzes. It allows users to design custom challenges, incorporate multimedia content and track players’ progress in real-time. It engages participants to work collaboratively to solve challenges and complete tasks. At UHBS, we have used Actionbound to support the student transition into the University’ learning journey at the start of term. We used scavenger hunt game and quiz functions within Actionbound to direct students to collaborate in teams to solve the challenges and tasks. In this action research, students found Actionbound fun and loved the competitive nature with points and leaderboards. It helped them build network and form friendship. Together, they solved puzzles and tackled challenges which supported their transition and got them prepared for learning in a new environment. Moving forward, as an ongoing action research, we would like to extend the use of Actionbound to term time and in module delivery so to track students’ engagement with the collaborative learning platform and investigate the impact on their academic performance.

Computational joint action: Dynamical models to understand the development of joint coordination.

Coordinating with others is part of our everyday experience. Previous studies using sensorimotor coordination games suggest that human dyads develop coordination strategies that can be interpreted as Nash equilibria. However, if the players are uncertain about what their partner is doing, they develop coordination strategies which are robust to the actual partner's actions. This has suggested that humans select their actions based on an explicit prediction of what the partner will be doing-a partner model-which is probabilistic by nature. However, the mechanisms underlying the development of a joint coordination over repeated trials remain unknown. Very much like sensorimotor adaptation of individuals to external perturbations (eg force fields or visual rotations), dynamical models may help to understand how joint coordination develops over repeated trials. Here we present a general computational model-based on game theory and Bayesian estimation-designed to understand the mechanisms underlying the development of a joint coordination over repeated trials. Joint tasks are modeled as quadratic games, where each participant's task is expressed as a quadratic cost function. Each participant predicts their partner's next move (partner model) by optimally combining predictions and sensory observations, and selects their actions through a stochastic optimization of its expected cost, given the partner model. The model parameters include perceptual uncertainty (sensory noise), partner representation (retention rate and internale noise), uncertainty in action selection and its rate of decay (which can be interpreted as the action's learning rate). The model can be used in two ways: (i) to simulate interactive behaviors, thus helping to make specific predictions in the context of a given joint action scenario; and (ii) to analyze the action time series in actual experiments, thus providing quantitative metrics that describe individual behaviors during an actual joint action. We demonstrate the model in a variety of joint action scenarios. In a sensorimotor version of the Stag Hunt game, the model predicts that different representations of the partner lead to different Nash equilibria. In a joint two via-point (2-VP) reaching task, in which the actions consist of complex trajectories, the model captures well the observed temporal evolution of performance. For this task we also estimated the model parameters from experimental observations, which provided a comprehensive characterization of individual dyad participants. Computational models of joint action may help identifying the factors preventing or facilitating the development of coordination. They can be used in clinical settings, to interpret the observed behaviors in individuals with impaired interaction capabilities. They may also provide a theoretical basis to devise artificial agents that establish forms of coordination that facilitate neuromotor recovery.

"I'm a Solo Developer but AI is My New Ill-Informed Co-Worker": Envisioning and Designing Generative AI to Support Indie Game Development

Indie game developers are often defined as game developers who are typically not employed by or affiliated with tech giants or large gaming companies/publishers. Although people may decide to "go indie" for various purposes, indie game development has become a crucial part of the global gaming culture. However, this community is now facing unprecedented tensions as generative AI technologies are shifting how games can be designed, produced, and experienced. Through a qualitative analysis of 3,091 online posts and comments from subreddits and Facebook groups for indie game developers, we offer an in-depth investigation of how indie game developers perceive and envision the multifaceted role of generative AI in their creative practices. Our empirical investigation reveals that generative AI both promotes and harms indie game developers' endeavors to innovate the traditional game production model, which further influences the nature and workflow of creativity in game development. We also propose three principles for designing future generative AI technologies to improve indie developers' work while mitigating potential risks, harm, and negative impacts of AI. We hope that this study can help design and develop future generative AI technologies to foster and sustain more democratic and inclusive practices in game development rather than replacing human creators.

Assessment of the intake of essential elements by consumption of meat and liver from moose (Alces alces) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) inhabiting the north-west of Russia

This study aimed to analyze the concentrations of the essential elements (Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Zn) in the edible tissues (muscle=meat, liver) of the large game mammals (moose Alces alces L. (n=17) and wild boar Sus scrofa L. (n=46)) and to assess the nutritional values of these food products through the fulfillment of Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for the aforementioned elements. The values of most of the elements measured in the animals' tissues were either comparable to or greater than those observed in domestic animals and the same species from other countries. No significant species-dependent differences were observed in the meat for the studied elements, but the concentrations of Co, Cu, and Mn were higher, and the levels of Fe and Zn were lower in the moose liver compared to the wild boar liver. According to DRVs for adults, the game meat and liver are poor sources of Co, Cu (except liver), Mg, and Mn. However, the consumption of liver from studied species meets the adult requirements for Cu (moose) and Fe (moose and wild boar). Both the meat and liver of game animals may be considered as good sources of Zn.

Natural history, ethnography and private collecting: the legacy of Frederic William Lucas (1842–1932)

Frederic William Lucas (1842–1932) was a solicitor, collector, author and Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and the Linnean Society of London. He exemplifies a collector of means with access to suppliers, and a deep and enduring interest in his collection interests. Despite the size and diversity of his zoological and ethnographic collection, Lucas has received little scholarly attention. His self-funded private museum included over 1,200 vertebrate specimens including the skulls of large game animals and articulated skeletons of domesticated mammals. There are also over 600 items of ethnographic material, together with some human remains. Over the period from 1909 to 1925 Lucas donated almost the entirety of his collection to the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and the Booth Museum of Natural History, Brighton. Information about Lucas and the material he amassed is meagre and dispersed. However, examination of his collection and its associated archive together with what can be gleaned from other sources about Lucas and the social and intellectual environment in which he circulated, provides a useful means of advancing understanding of not only late nineteenth and early twentieth-century private collectors of natural history and ethnography, but also the provincial museums that received their collections.

Survey of Sports Facilities and Infrastructure at SMA Muara Telang

This study aimed to evaluate the potential for standardizing physical education facilities and infrastructure in high schools within Muara Telang District, Banyuasin Regency. Using a quantitative descriptive method, the research was carried out in both public and private high schools throughout the district. The focus was on assessing facilities and infrastructure for large ball games, minor ball sports, and athletics. The objective was to determine the feasibility of standardizing these physical education resources. The results indicated that at SMA Negeri 1 Muara Telang, 50% of the sports facilities and infrastructure met the standard criteria, while the other 50% were classified as “lacking”. At Bina Muda High School, 40% of the facilities met the standard.

Communication in stag hunt games: When does it really help?

This paper examines whether the effectiveness of cheap-talk communication in Stag-Hunt-like games is influenced by payoff asymmetry between players. We find that communication improves efficiency when both players benefit from the Pareto-dominant equilibrium. Otherwise, its impact is limited, regardless of whether one or both players communicate their intended actions.

Improving Students' Science Literacy Skills through Treasure Hunting Games with Problem Based Learning Model

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the Problem Based Learning (PBL) model with a treasure hunt game strategy on improving students' scientific literacy skills. The research method employed a quasi-experimental approach with a pretest-posttest control group design. The subjects consisted of two classes: an experimental class implementing the PBL model with the treasure hunt game strategy and a control class using conventional teaching methods. Data were collected through scientific literacy tests administered before and after the intervention and analyzed using stacking and racking analysis based on the Rasch Model. The results indicated that both classes experienced an increase in scientific literacy skills, with the experimental class showing a higher average increase of 1.99 compared to the control class's 1.80. Although the percentage difference in improvement was only about 11.24%, this suggests that the PBL method with the game strategy can provide additional positive contributions to science learning. The discussion highlights the importance of proper method implementation, teacher-student interaction, and learning environment conditions in influencing learning outcomes. In conclusion, while the PBL method with the game strategy is effective in enhancing scientific literacy, a holistic approach is still needed for optimal development of students' abilities.

Upaya Meningkatkan Minat Belajar Peserta Didik Melalui Permainan Berburu Binatang Dalam Pembelajaran PJOK di SMPN 28 Surabaya

Comfort becomes very important when used as a driver to carry out learning that requires full concentration in receiving all materials. This factor also plays an important role in the success of learning. It can be seen from the comfort of each student. This classroom action research focuses on collecting information on how animal hunting games can increase students' interest in learning. This action was carried out in two cycles. The sample in this study was 30 students of class 9F SMPN 28 Surabaya. The results of the actions of cycle I and cycle II through observation and questionnaires were that there was an increase in students' interest in learning when using animal hunting games.

Coordination in stag hunt games

Stag hunt games display a tension between a payoff superior option (stag) and a less risky but payoff inferior alternative (hare). We explore that tension by proposing a selection criterion (which we denote as relative salience) where subjects choose to coordinate in one option by comparing the salience of stag’s main aspect (its payoff) to the salience of hare’s main aspect (its risk) by accounting for both payoff-relevant factors and unobservable individual-specific (idiosyncratic) preferences. Using data from 10 experiments, we find that this criterion is a significant determinant of individual choices in stag-hunt games, outperforming other selection methods.

Annual variation in attribute importance to upland game hunter satisfaction in Nebraska

AbstractTo sustain recreational hunting participation, we need to identify what makes a hunting experience satisfying. Merely identifying which factors are important to hunter satisfaction may be insufficient, however, as factor importance could vary across consecutive hunting seasons. Using online surveys, completed by individuals who hunted upland game in Nebraska, USA, from 2018 to 2022, we applied importance grid analysis (IGA) and penalty–reward contrast analysis (PRCA) to examine how activity‐specific factors influenced satisfaction across 5 consecutive hunting seasons. Results suggested consistent differences between the explicit (perceived importance) and implicit (performance) importance of factors for each hunting season. Factors related to seeing birds and harvest held greater implicit importance than expected based on explicit importance ratings (τ > 0.55, P < 0.05), whereas factors relating to access and other hunters held relatively lower implicit importance (τ < 0.31, P < 0.05). The PRCA method consistently identified seeing game birds as a minimum requirement to upland game hunting (penalty β < −0.26, P < 0.01). However, factors relating to harvest, access, and other hunters emerged as important only within certain seasons. Using IGA and PRCA provided valuable insights about the importance of hunters seeing game birds, and how aspects of different hunting seasons may improve satisfaction for hunters.

On a class of linear quadratic Gaussian quantilized mean field games

An energy provider faced with energy generation risks and a large homogeneous pool of customers designs its energy price as a time-varying function of a risk-related quantile of the total energy demand, which generalizes pricing through the mean of the total energy demand. In the infinite population limit, we model the pricing problem with a class of linear quadratic Gaussian quantilized mean field games. For these quantilized mean field games, we show existence and uniqueness of an equilibrium which reveals the price trajectory, as well as an approximate Nash property when the quantilized mean field game’s feedback control functions are applied to the large but finite game and the rate of convergence of the Nash deviation to zero as a function of the population size and the quantile is provided. Finally, the use of this class of quantilized mean field games is illustrated in the context of equivalent thermal parameter models for households heater and an energy provider using solar generation.

Hunting from Elevated Tree Stands: Hunters’ Safety Practices and Attitudes Regarding the Use of Personal Fall Arrest Systems - Update

This study sought to identify hunters’ attitudes and practices with respect to the use of personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) when hunting from elevated (tree) stands. Hunting is a popular recreational activity in the United States (US) and the use of elevated stands (e.g., tree stands) provides hunters with several advantages in hunting large game animals, such as deer. However, hunting from an elevated position creates a hazard and the potential for serious injury or death should the hunter fall while climbing into or out of the stand or while positioned in the stand. Hunters were surveyed regarding their hunting practices, their attitudes regarding the use of Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) when hunting with elevated stands, reasons why they do not use a PFAS when hunting with an elevated stand, and their prior experience with falls from elevated hunting stands. Although the results varied based upon the hunter’s activity with the stand, a majority of the hunters surveyed reported not always using PFAS and that a significant percentage of hunters never use a PFAS when hunting from an elevated stand. Respondents reported several reasons for not always using a PFAS, including: time, cumbersome, hinders movement, do not think about it, and difficult to use. Discussion of the results as they relate to an earlier survey and well as approaches to increase compliance of using a PFAS will be discussed.

Approximating the ZPD? Young children's judgements of appropriate task level for learning.

This research examined how 3-6-year-olds judge appropriate levels of counting games based on a person's ability, desire for learning and degree of difficulty. Study 1 found that 3-year-olds did not consider a character's ability or desire, whereas older children gave high ability characters large number games and low ability characters small number games when the characters wanted to play a manageable game. However, older children gave large number games to characters who wanted to learn counting, regardless of their ability. In Study 2, in addition to a similar developmental change of jointly considering a character's ability and desire, it was found that 5-and 6-year-olds were more sensitive to the degree of difficulty. They were more careful than younger children to choose exceedingly large number games given the character's ability and desire. Implications for children's understanding of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and goal orientation are discussed.

Priority Promotion with Parysian flair

We develop an algorithm that combines the advantages of Priority Promotion, that is one of the leading approaches to solving large parity games in practice, with the quasi-polynomial time guarantees offered by Parys' algorithm. Hybridising these algorithms sounds both natural and difficult, as they both generalise the classic recursive algorithm in different ways that appear to be irreconcilable: while the promotion transcends the call structure, the guarantees change on each level. We show that an interface that respects both is not only effective, but also efficient.