Computer Games Research Articles

Evergreen: An existential video game to increase the indices associated with existential thinking in the audience

Humans are thinking beings. Pondering about the purpose of life has always been one of their concerns historically. In this study, an adventure game called Evergreen was created, enabling players to engage in dialogue-based interactions centered around existential issues, with a specific focus on the crisis of meaning. The game draws inspiration from Yalom's existential psychotherapy and seeks to convey profound human concerns through an interactive digital medium. We interviewed experts in psychology and computer games to assess and refine the game. Subsequently, we assessed the levels of meaning in life and the existential thinking among players before and after playing the refined version of the game. The results revealed a positive association between the game and the meaning in life scores of the players [Control group (50.63 ± 5.18) and Test group (54.60 ± 8.12), (P = 0.028)]. However, there was no significant relationship between the implementation of the existential game created in the present study and the shifts in the scores on the Scale for Existential Thinking of the intervention group [Control group (33.98 ± 5.07) and Test group (34.20 ± 4.74), (P = 0.865)].

Recent Trends in 3D Reconstruction of General Non‐Rigid Scenes

AbstractReconstructing models of the real world, including 3D geometry, appearance, and motion of real scenes, is essential for computer graphics and computer vision. It enables the synthesizing of photorealistic novel views, useful for the movie industry and AR/VR applications. It also facilitates the content creation necessary in computer games and AR/VR by avoiding laborious manual design processes. Further, such models are fundamental for intelligent computing systems that need to interpret real‐world scenes and actions to act and interact safely with the human world. Notably, the world surrounding us is dynamic, and reconstructing models of dynamic, non‐rigidly moving scenes is a severely underconstrained and challenging problem. This state‐of‐the‐art report (STAR) offers the reader a comprehensive summary of state‐of‐the‐art techniques with monocular and multi‐view inputs such as data from RGB and RGB‐D sensors, among others, conveying an understanding of different approaches, their potential applications, and promising further research directions. The report covers 3D reconstruction of general non‐rigid scenes and further addresses the techniques for scene decomposition, editing and controlling, and generalizable and generative modeling. More specifically, we first review the common and fundamental concepts necessary to understand and navigate the field and then discuss the state‐of‐the‐art techniques by reviewing recent approaches that use traditional and machine‐learning‐based neural representations, including a discussion on the newly enabled applications. The STAR is concluded with a discussion of the remaining limitations and open challenges.

Becoming Bond: Player Perspective in the 007 Electronic Games

Drawing on game studies and James Bond scholarship, and gleaning from advertisements and interviews with arcade owners and game designers, this article investigates the numerous 007 electronic games such as pinball games, computer games, video games, handheld games, and mobile games. Bond games are marketed as products that grant the player the opportunity to be Bond. This article explores that promise by analysing the various perspectives that the games offer. Pinball games allow the playing to complete tasks like the famous agent, and the computer/video games permit the player to become Bond and play as him via first and third person perspectives. By examining players’ perspectives this article will expand upon the limited scholarship on 007 games.

Компьютерная игромания несовершеннолетних как психологическая проблема

Introduction. Today, information and communication technologies maximize the simplification of life and work of mankind. This also affected the younger generation which received new and exciting means of amusing leisure in the form of computer games of various genres. Excessive passion and total immersion in the virtual game world can result in the formation of addictive behavior. Recently, this problem has become popular and is relevantin the context of preventing the addictive behavior in young people, the growth of such manifestations as school shooting, cyberbullying, suicidal behavior, etc. In this regard, there is a need to conduct research on the problem under consideration in order to further build effective preventive activities. The purpose of the study was to comprehensively examine the main signs, causes and conditions for the formation of minors’ computer game addiction. Methodology, methods and techniques. The study was based on modern scientific, methodological and socio-psychological methods for studying minors’ computer addiction. The methods of rising from the abstract to the concrete, comparative studies and axiological interpretation were applied in the study. The results of the study indicate the relevance of this topic in the light of rapidly developing information technologies. The analysis of the social and psychological features of the formation of computer game addiction in minors was carried out, and the causes of this type of addiction were specified. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the analysis of researchwithin the study of addictive behavior, as a result of which the main reasons for the formation of computer game addiction in minors were identified. Practical significance. The results of the work can fill the existing gap in the study of this topic and become an aid in the further development of comprehensive research in order to prevent the formation of addictive behavior in minors. For example, important and promising areas within this topic are: the study of age and gender characteristics of psychological dependence on computer games; the study of diagnostics of minors’ computer game addiction; selection of effective psychotherapeutic techniques and methods for dealing with game addicts.

Training nurses in an international emergency medical team using a serious role-playing game: a retrospective comparative analysis

BackgroundAlthough game-based applications have been used in disaster medicine education, no serious computer games have been designed specifically for training these nurses in an IEMT setting. To address this need, we developed a serious computer game called the IEMTtraining game. In this game, players assume the roles of IEMT nurses, assess patient injuries in a virtual environment, and provide suitable treatment options.MethodsThe design of this study is a retrospective comparative analysis. The research was conducted with 209 nurses in a hospital. The data collection process of this study was conducted at the 2019-2020 academic year. A retrospective comparative analysis was conducted on the pre-, post-, and final test scores of nurses in the IEMT. Additionally, a survey questionnaire was distributed to trainees to gather insights into teaching methods that were subsequently analyzed.ResultsThere was a significant difference in the overall test scores between the two groups, with the game group demonstrating superior performance compared to the control group (odds ratio = 1.363, p value = 0.010). The survey results indicated that the game group exhibited higher learning motivation scores and lower cognitive load compared with the lecture group.ConclusionsThe IEMT training game developed by the instructor team is a promising and effective method for training nurses in disaster rescue within IEMTs. The game equips the trainees with the necessary skills and knowledge to respond effectively to emergencies. It is easily comprehended, enhances knowledge retention and motivation to learn, and reduces cognitive load.

A Serious game for programming in higher education

Programming is a highly difficult skill which is a constituent of many undergraduate programmes at Higher Education (HE) level. With the advancement of games technology there is an increasing opportunity for educators to provide innovative assessment tools for students on their courses which are highly immersive and graphically indicative of the times. This could potentially be in a supplementary capacity or to a greater extent inextricably linked to the learning outcomes and assessment outcomes. Notably serious games and Games-Based Learning (GBL) have received high levels of attention from educationalists due to being motivational, novel learning approaches. This paper will outline two empirical studies conducted to develop a game to teach programming at HE level. The first study will gauge the acceptability of a computer game for teaching programming and formulating content integration development requirements. The second study will outline the evaluation of the developed game being placed in a module as a formative assessment tool to assist learners to revise for their formal class test. Study one showed that acceptability of the game was high with 61 participants completing an acceptability/content integration questionnaire. The game was designed to consolidate knowledge on rudimentary and advanced programming concepts, data structures and algorithms. 48 participants evaluated the game in study two with the results generally indicating that they enjoyed playing the game as a revision alternative with 14% of participants rating it as very effective and 51% of participants as effective for allowing them to prepare for their class test. The majority of participants also believed that games could be utilised in a formative and summative assessment capacity on courses for independent study.

Spillover effects of reminder nudges in complex environments

We present an experiment on the immediate and lasting effects of reminder nudges in a complex environment. In the study, 1,542 subjects face a setting where, within a brief time frame, they have to pay attention to and perform multiple actions in a computer game. The experiment investigates i) the effect of reminders on the reminded actions and their spillovers on nonreminded actions; ii) spillovers between multiple nudges when the number of reminded actions is increased; and iii) intertemporal spillovers from having been exposed to reminders on actions after reminders are withdrawn. Our findings reveal, first, that reminders have a positive effect on the overall number of actions performed. It results from the positive direct effect on the reminded actions dominating the negative spillovers on nonreminded actions. These negative effects are notable in our setting, where reminders could potentially have positive spillovers by freezing attention or by indirectly prompting actions similar to the reminded ones. Second, we observe that reminder nudges are scalable. Increasing the number of reminded actions leads subjects to take more actions overall, albeit with diminishing returns and more pronounced negative spillover effects. Third, after reminders are withdrawn, the positive effect on reminded actions diminishes, while negative spillovers on nonreminded actions persist, thus rendering reminders ineffective in increasing the overall number of actions performed.

Implementation of a High-Accuracy Neural Network-Based Pupil Detection System for Real-Time and Real-World Applications.

In this paper, the implementation of a new pupil detection system based on artificial intelligence techniques suitable for real-time and real-word applications is presented. The proposed AI-based pupil detection system uses a classifier implemented with slim-type neural networks, with its classes being defined according to the possible positions of the pupil within the eye image. In order to reduce the complexity of the neural network, a new parallel architecture is used in which two independent classifiers deliver the pupil center coordinates. The training, testing, and validation of the proposed system were performed using almost 40,000 eye images with a resolution of 320 × 240 pixels and coming from 20 different databases, with a high degree of generality. The experimental results show a detection rate of 96.29% at five pixels with a standard deviation of 3.38 pixels for all eye images from all databases and a processing speed of 100 frames/s. These results indicate both high accuracy and high processing speed, and they allow us to use the proposed solution for different real-time applications in variable and non-uniform lighting conditions, in fields such as assistive technology to communicate with neuromotor-disabled patients by using eye typing, in computer gaming, and in the automotive industry for increasing traffic safety by monitoring the driver's cognitive state.

Computer Game Development for Balancing Chemical Equations Skill in Chemistry Education

This computer game was designed and developed to enhance the skills of high school students in balancing chemical equations. The game simulates a trip to the beach and consists of three missions, ranging from easy to difficult levels, enabling players to engage in a contextual learning experience. The objectives of this computer game development were to compare learning achievement before and after using the game and to evaluate the level of satisfaction in learning through the game. The study sample consisted of 27 high school students in Mathayom Suksa four, selected from a medium-sized school in Pathumthani Province, Thailand, using purposive sampling. The research employed two primary assessment tools: 1) a pretest-posttest to assess the understanding of balancing chemical equations and 2) a satisfaction evaluation form to evaluate the computer game. Data analysis was performed using the mean, standard deviation (S.D.), t-test, and normalized gain (<g>). The findings revealed that the mean learning achievement after using the computer game (13.52) was significantly higher than the mean before using the computer game (11.52) at a significance level of 0.01. The overall normalized gain for the class was at a moderate level. Furthermore, the majority of the participants expressed high satisfaction with a mean score of 4.56, indicating that the computer game was user-friendly and conducive to learning. The content, which presented chemical reactions in daily life within the computer game, was also easily comprehensible. Therefore, it could be effectively utilized to enhance classroom learning and applied to other areas of knowledge.

Study of Road-based Versus Pattern-based Game Strategies in Connect6

Computer game is an important branch in the field of artificial intelligence research nowadays, and the in-depth study of computer game can not only promote the development of game theory, but also contribute to the development of artificial intelligence. In this paper, for the game search strategy of connect6, according to the two most widely used search strategies and valuation function design, one is the valuation strategy based on the road, and the other is the valuation method based on the chess type, under the PVS search algorithm, the principle and implementation of these two search strategies are introduced in detail, and at the same time, the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods are compared, so as to provide the decision-making policy and the design of valuation function for the game of connect6 a more reasonable reference. Through comparison, it can be seen that in hexachrome, due to the complexity of the evaluation function and game strategy based on chess shapes, it requires the game programme to have a strong recognition of chess shapes, and the complexity of accurately evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of the position is higher. The road-based game strategy has better accuracy in evaluating and predicting the game, and can effectively reduce the game failure due to positional judgement errors.

EVOLUTION OF COMPUTER GAMES

In today's era dominated by computer gaming, various elements such as style, montage, and the ways in which audiences engage with content have evolved significantly. However, one area that remains relatively unexplored is the potential rise of interactive or 'playable' films as a significant shift in cinema. While interactive film experiments do exist, they are still in the early stages and lack a consistent form. The labelling of diverse pieces as interactive films has led to confusion about what truly constitutes this genre. This raises the question of why interactive films have not gained cultural or economic traction, despite the widespread interest in interactive entertainment seen in the gaming industry. Examining notable examples of interactive films may shed light on their limitations and suggest potential new directions for this evolving form of storytelling

Gamification as an Aesthetic Trend in Communication of Russian Brands

The article is devoted to the issues of communication of brands with the audience and identifies the trends in technologies for creating communication messages. The empirical data is received based on the review of 71 advertising projects – winners of ADCR Awards 2023 – Russian professional competition in the field of creativity, design, and advertising, established in 2004. Of these, 26 communication solutions are labeled as created on the basis of gamification – an approach characteristic of computer games used in software tools and non-game content to attract audiences and increase their involvement. The author makes an attempt to classify gamified solutions based on technological solutions in order to identify the main trends in the organization of communication messages in the advertising industry. The review showed that advertising practitioners are adopting different techniques: AR technology, MR reality technology, modeling a special event as a format for creating a viral environment, and the active introduction of artificial intelligence into advertising practice. It is concluded that gamification techniques are aimed at generating creative solutions that are similar in values to target audiences of brands.

The politics of interaction and spect-actors in world rescue, eco, and plasticity: a Boalian perspective on digital environmental games

ABSTRACT In this paper, I explore the politics of engagement in environmental games from a political theatre theory perspective. Specifically, I focus on digital environmental games developed with classrooms in mind, and examine player interaction as politicized through the lens of Boalian theatre. To this end, I overview gaming as an intervention tool in the form of serious, environmental games. Next, I introduce the poetics of Boal’s TO, and connect its aim to restore theatre as a popular form of conversation and discussion to the aspiration of digital environmental games to develop an eco-friendly outlook. I build upon a rule-based approach to computer game rhetoric, and analyze how environmental games use rules as a rhetorical tool to create a pro-environmental statement. Lastly, I suggest that players in environmental games are not mere game players but rather ‘spect-actors’.

Enhanced Inclusion through Advanced Immersion in Cultural Heritage: A Holistic Framework in Virtual Museology

In recent years, the digitization of cultural heritage has been favored by significant advancements in specific technologies, such as photogrammetry and three-dimensional scanning. The digital representations of artifacts, paintings, books, and collections, as well as buildings or archaeological sites, has led to the transfer of cultural organizations to the digital space. On the other hand, the rapid development of immersive technologies and the Internet of Things is expected to decisively shape virtual cultural heritage in the coming years. However, this digital transition should expand its impact on most of the population. This article aims to cover the lack of structured methodology in the design and development of inclusive virtual spaces in cultural heritage. This research introduces a holistic framework that is mainly based on the disciplines of virtual museology. The proposed methodology takes into account the advancements in extended reality and the creative industry of computer games. The multisensory approach would lead to advanced immersive experiences, while the multilayered approach of cultural heritage content would enhance accessibility in inclusive virtual spaces. Moreover, this holistic framework could provide evidence from the virtual worlds that could be applied to real cultural heritage organizations.

Copyright Protection for Characters in Transmedia Environment

The proposed article provides an analysis of the legal regime for characters as impacted by the current content creation and dissemination trends with a focus on characters placed in transmedia environment and on the impact of transmedia storytelling on creative work. The author argues current global changes in creative work and different media make it relevant to return to discussions of the main premises of copyright regime for characters. In particular, the author explores a possibility to recognize independent exclusive rights to characters appear in different works of art as well as to those not described in any one of them, and looks into legal importance of characters not described in traditional works of art and literature. The paper raises the issue of exclusive right to characters in complex objects such as audiovisuals or computer games, as well as of the authorship and exclusive ownership of team-created and transmedia characters. The cases of joint authorship of (script) writers and artists as well as implications of creating images of characters existing in literary form as commissioned or allowed by the copyright holder are discussed. The legally important components of characters are explored as well as copyright transferability in the context of media production needs. The paper argues for a need to avoid mixing characters with other copyright objects, first of all works of visual arts including cartoon character sketches.

Advances in Computer Games (ACG 2023) conference report

Advances in Computer Games (ACG 2023) conference report

Weight misperception and weight-related behaviors in non-Hispanic Black youth.

Current literature is conflicting regarding whether accurate weight perception encourages healthy weight-related behaviors. This study examined the prevalence of weight misperception and explored associations between weight misperception and weight-related behaviors among 353 Black adolescents in Broward County, Florida. Overall, 44.8% of participants misperceived their weight, with boys more often misperceiving their weight than girls (52.2% vs 40.2%). Students who misperceived their weight were more likely to try to lose weight but less likely to be adequately physically active. Adolescents who underestimated their weight were less likely to be physically active and excessively play video or computer games or use a computer. There was no association between weight misperception and daily physical education attendance or excessive television watching. Weight misperception appears to be a risk factor for obesity in adolescents, as weight misperception was associated with lower engagement in physical activity.

Teaching radiology in integrated educational programs

Radiology is a medical discipline, an area of transversal knowledge integrated into any clinical situation. The optimal training of learning knowledge, skills and aptitudes in Radiology in the Degree in Medicine requires the integration of any imaging modality in the different areas of knowledge; from the basic subjects to any clinical subject of the Degree. This article describes the integration of Radiology teaching into the curriculum throughout the Medicine Degree at the University of Girona (UdG), describing the different radiology teaching activities that are taught. The specific activities of the subject "Radiology" are detailed; through workshops, seminars, practices, interactive computer game; and describing the characteristics of the main teaching methodological activity of the UdG, Problem-Based Learning.

Embrace or resist? Drivers of artificial intelligence writing software adoption in academic and non-academic contexts

This research investigates the perspectives of using artificial intelligence writing software (AIWS) in professional contexts, focusing on academic and non-academic writers. These two groups, while standing to gain increased productivity through the adoption of AIWS, also express concerns regarding the widespread implementation of this technology. Notably, artificial intelligence (AI) writing tech’s impact on content creation has been profound, with its swift grammatically accurate content generation. This adoption, however, remains controversial. The study employs a quantitative approach, combining technology acceptance model and new computer game attitude scale. This approach allows us to discern implications of using AI-powered writing tools while accounting for possible differences in different domains of use. Through a survey of 219 participants, spanning academia and business, the study explores attitudes and willingness to use AIWS. Findings yield insights into non-academic writers’ readiness and implications of AIWS adoption. Business, non-academic professionals view AIWS as a tool for efficiency and content quality, while writers in academic contexts express concerns about biases, manipulation, and job displacement. The study contributes to AIWS understanding, benefiting developers, educational institutions, and content creators, and elucidates differing attitudes and age dynamics between academics and professionals. The research underscores the multifaceted influence of AIWS, providing a foundation for future exploration in this emerging domain, as well as practical applications for industries and educational institutions.

The associations between attentional bias to food cues, parent-report appetitive traits, and concurrent adiposity among adolescents

ObjectiveTo assess whether attentional bias to food cues and appetitive traits are independently and interactively associated with adiposity in adolescents. MethodEighty-five adolescents, 14–17-years had their attentional bias to food images measured in a sated state by computing eye tracking measures of attention (first fixation duration, cumulative fixation duration) to food and control distractor images that bordered a computer game. Parents reported adolescent appetitive traits including the food approach domains of enjoyment of food, food responsiveness, emotional overeating, and the food avoidance domains of satiety responsiveness and emotional overeating through the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire. ResultsFirst fixation bias to food cues was positively associated with enjoyment of food, and negatively associated with satiety responsiveness. In a series of regression models adjusted for relevant covariates, first fixation bias to food cues (β = 0.83, p = 0.007), higher food responsiveness (β = 0.74, p < 0.001), higher emotional overeating (β = 0.51, p = 0.002), and a composite appetite score (β = 1.42, p < 0.001) were each significantly associated with greater BMI z-scores. In models assessing the interactive effects between attentional bias and appetitive traits, higher first fixation bias to food cues interacted synergistically with food responsiveness and emotional overeating in relation to BMI z-score. A synergistic interaction between first fixation bias to food cues and the composite appetite score in relation to BMI z-score was also observed. ConclusionIndividuals with high attentional bias to food cues and obesogenic appetitive traits may be particularly susceptible to weight gain.