Game Features Research Articles

Learning Not to Regret

The literature on game-theoretic equilibrium finding predominantly focuses on single games or their repeated play. Nevertheless, numerous real-world scenarios feature playing a game sampled from a distribution of similar, but not identical games, such as playing poker with different public cards or trading correlated assets on the stock market. As these similar games feature similar equilibra, we investigate a way to accelerate equilibrium finding on such a distribution. We present a novel ``learning not to regret'' framework, enabling us to meta-learn a regret minimizer tailored to a specific distribution. Our key contribution, Neural Predictive Regret Matching, is uniquely meta-learned to converge rapidly for the chosen distribution of games, while having regret minimization guarantees on any game. We validated our algorithms' faster convergence on a distribution of river poker games. Our experiments show that the meta-learned algorithms outpace their non-meta-learned counterparts, achieving more than tenfold improvements.

Gamification of Behavior Change: Mathematical Principle and Proof-of-Concept Study.

Many people want to build good habits to become healthier, live longer, or become happier but struggle to change their behavior. Gamification can make behavior change easier by awarding points for the desired behavior and deducting points for its omission. In this study, we introduced a principled mathematical method for determining how many points should be awarded or deducted for the enactment or omission of the desired behavior, depending on when and how often the person has succeeded versus failed to enact it in the past. We called this approach optimized gamification of behavior change. As a proof of concept, we designed a chatbot that applies our optimized gamification method to help people build healthy water-drinking habits. We evaluated the effectiveness of this gamified intervention in a 40-day field experiment with 1 experimental group (n=43) that used the chatbot with optimized gamification and 2 active control groups for which the chatbot's optimized gamification feature was disabled. For the first control group (n=48), all other features were available, including verbal feedback. The second control group (n=51) received no feedback or reminders. We measured the strength of all participants' water-drinking habits before, during, and after the intervention using the Self-Report Habit Index and by asking participants on how many days of the previous week they enacted the desired habit. In addition, all participants provided daily reports on whether they enacted their water-drinking intention that day. A Poisson regression analysis revealed that, during the intervention, users who received feedback based on optimized gamification enacted the desired behavior more often (mean 14.71, SD 6.57 times) than the active (mean 11.64, SD 6.38 times; P<.001; incidence rate ratio=0.80, 95% CI 0.71-0.91) or passive (mean 11.64, SD 5.43 times; P=.001; incidence rate ratio=0.78, 95% CI 0.69-0.89) control groups. The Self-Report Habit Index score significantly increased in all conditions (P<.001 in all cases) but did not differ between the experimental and control conditions (P>.11 in all cases). After the intervention, the experimental group performed the desired behavior as often as the 2 control groups (P≥.17 in all cases). Our findings suggest that optimized gamification can be used to make digital behavior change interventions more effective. Open Science Framework (OSF) H7JN8; https://osf.io/h7jn8.

IMPACT ANALYSIS OF SAKURA SCHOOL SIMULATOR GAME ON LANGUAGE ACQUISITION OF 7-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN

This study investigates the impact of the smartphone game Sakura School Simulator on language acquisition in 7-year-old girls in Wajak village, Wajak sub-district, Malang district, East Java. It also investigates the understanding of language development in children, including the biological and social aspects that influence the process. The purpose of this study is to understand the extent to which the Sakura School Simulator game can influence language skills in 7-year-old children, with a focus on the use of English. The method used in this study was based on a descriptive qualitative approach and included observation of children playing the Sakura School Simulator game by listening and taking notes. The results showed that children who played the Sakura School Simulator game actively used various English terms in the game, understood instructions in English, and were able to use various game features and options in English. However, the study also warned about the potential negative effects of overusing the game, such as addiction, lack of socialization, and lack of politeness in language use. In conclusion, the use of Sakura school simulator can contribute to language acquisition, especially English in children aged 7 years, but supervision is needed to ensure a positive and effective play experience in children's language development. Keywords: Sakura School Simulator, Language Acquisition, 7 Year Olds

You've (Not) Been Warned: Developer Best Practices for Content Warnings and Why Compassion Matters

Content warnings are an essential accessibility feature in games with distressing and traumatic content. With mixed research findings and even more mixed public opinion, there are very few resources available to support developers who want to have content warnings in their games. The following article provides a brief historical overview and current research on the use of content warnings, case examples games that have successfully utilized content warnings, and best practice guidelines for content warning language and implementation.

Update on the use of gamified educational resources in the development of cognitive skills

Introduction: the use of game elements and game design techniques in content unrelated to the same is known as gamification. It is likely that gamified environments generate a fruitful scenario to evoke complex processes within higher nervous activity and thus develop cognitive skills. This facilitates its application for educational purposes. The objective was to characterize the use of gamified educational resources in the development of cognitive skills. Method: a total of 27 articles in Spanish and English were reviewed, from Pubmed, Scielo and Scopus; using as keywords: gamification, game, cognition, being more than 50% of the last five years.Result: gamification improves the services in which it is applied through playful experiences, it can positively influence aspects of the student experience such as level of interest, intellectual intensity and intrinsic motivation, by providing opportunities for autonomy, relationship and competition. There is a strong need for further exploration and experimentation to provide a gamified design that meets user preferences, tailored to individual characteristics. Conclusions: Gamified educational environments facilitate learning like a game. Through gamification it seems to increase motivation, commitment, active interaction, level of interest, critical thinking, intellectual intensity and intrinsic motivation. The effectiveness of gamification largely depends on the use of different game features and how they are implemented

Features of the application of boccia game in the physical and sports rehabilitation of disabled athletes with the consequences of children's cerebral palsy

In the article, based on the study of scientific literature, an analysis of the features of the boccia game in the physical and sports rehabilitation of athletes with the consequences of cerebral palsy is carried out. On the basis of the obtained data, a program of physical and sports rehabilitation of athletes with the consequences of cerebral palsy in the adaptation and training period using the boccia game was developed and substantiated. It was found that the means and methods of physical and sports rehabilitation proposed in the program contributed to the restoration of the functional state of the musculoskeletal system and the psycho-emotional state of athletes with the consequences of cerebral palsy.&#x0D; It was found that mobile adaptive games as a means of rehabilitation of athletes with the consequences of cerebral palsy have a number of advantages, among which the development of motor qualities, the formation of the optimal structure of coordination abilities, which helps to correct problem areas of the posture of an athlete with disabilities, the high emotionality of participants, pleasure from muscular work in the game and from the possibility of friendly communication. During the mobile game, a complex effect is exerted on the motility and neuropsychological sphere of the patient with cerebral palsy. It has been proven that boccia can become one of the promising means of a complex program of physical and sports rehabilitation of athletes with the consequences of cerebral palsy.

Antecedents of Gacha gaming intention: Extending UTAUT2 with structural video game characteristics

Mobile gacha games, featuring chance-based virtual item collections and lottery-like mechanics, have become immensely popular among global youth. Therefore, many game developers are developing new gacha games or implementing gacha mechanics into existing games to capture this trend. To fill the existing research gap, this article proposes an extended model for video game acceptance derived from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) combined with structural video game characteristics (SVGC) and psychological factors like perceived enjoyment and trust. It addresses the crucial factors driving players' intention to continue playing gacha games and fills the gap in developer-centric research. Leveraging the PLS-SEM algorithm, IPMA analysis, and the data from active Indonesian gamers (N = 300), this study highlights the substantial impact of SVGC features (presentation, reward, control/manipulation) on gacha gamers' perceived enjoyment. Moreover, hedonic motivation, habit, and trust in game developers emerge as key antecedents of continuance gaming intention. These findings refine our understanding of gacha game acceptance and have potential avenues for broader gaming research. It presents valuable insights for scholars and game developers to enhance the gaming experience by incorporating relevant structural characteristics and fostering important psychological factors that drive continuance gaming intention.

Enhancing English Vocabulary Learning through Mobile Apps: A New Paradigm in Educational Technology

The technological revolution, particularly pertaining to smartphones, has revitalised the means by which educational methodologies were approached and implemented, most notably with respect to English language learning. This study explores the effectiveness of mobile applications in the improvement of English vocabulary acquisition among university students. The present study is about the perception and usage of mobile application patterns used in learning English vocabulary. It is based on a structured survey carried out on undergraduate students, of which the sample was selected from various disciplines at a private University. This paper outlines a survey on preferences for mobile apps against traditional methods of learning and finds out at what frequency, duration, and even perceived benefits of such tools in language learning. These indicate a strong preference for such apps to learn vocabulary, with overwhelming numbers of students in big schools, far and near, using these apps daily or at least weekly. The results put emphasis on the fact that mobile apps provide easy ways through which students can learn vocabulary flexibly and efficiently. The features of gamification and the required pronunciation help are most appreciated when built inside mobile applications. This shows that interactive elements with audio-visual effects are doing their work in learning engagement and effectiveness.

The relationship between game genre, monetization strategy and symptoms of gaming disorder in a clinical sample of adolescents.

Gaming disorder (GD) has been introduced as a new diagnosis in the International Classification of Disease 11 (ICD-11). Currently, there's limited understanding of how various video games may differentially contribute to the risk of developing GD. The main aim of this study was to examine the relationship between individuals' game genre preferences, their preferred games' monetization strategies, and GD Symptoms. A total of 85 patients undergoing treatment for GD at a child and youth psychiatric clinic were included in the study. Their preferred games were classified into five novel genres based on gameplay similarities and objectives, and further categorized based on their monetization strategy. Symptom burden of GD, measured with Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents (GASA), was highest for those playing Free-to-Play (F2P) games and lowest for Pay-to-Play (P2P) players. Players of Competitive Games endorsed higher GD symptom burden, whereas players of Story-driven games reported lower GD symptom burden. Symptoms of GD were associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in males. This study reveals that game genre preference is influenced by sex, age, and certain psychiatric diagnoses. The categorizing of games into genres is increasingly complex and our research introduces a novel categorization in a developing research field. The result of this study suggests that the monetization model is important to consider while trying to understand the relationship between game characteristics and GD symptoms.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Based Game Development ``Memory Game'' for Training Functions Alzheimer and Dementia Cognitive

Smart games, especially crossword puzzles can be an effective tool in aiding cognitive and physical exercise by stimulating the brain and strengthening brain connections, which can help prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia. This research aimed to develop a crossword puzzle game into a digital version in Bahasa Indonesia with Artificial Intelligence (AI) features. The benefit of this game product can be used as a cognitive therapy for Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers. The research method used is game development using the Game Development Life Cycle (GDLC) model with stages of initiation, pre-production, implementation/development, testing, launch, and maintenance. Implementation of digital version using Unity 3D game engine with AI feature of hint generating. This research was carried out for 8 months. Game testing results were carried out by testing the functionality of game features and the results were that all features functioned well. The innovation and importance of this work was to implement the memory crossword puzzle game design into a digital version in Bahasa by implementing artificial intelligence methods for the hints feature. This work will inspire developers to do greater work on Bahasa and implement various features based on AI methods.&#x0D; Keywords: digital memory games, artificial intelligence, crosswords, game development

Issledovanie strategii proektirovaniya ulichnyh sportivnyh sooruzhenij dlya detej doshkol'nogo vozrasta s pozicii teorii igr

As an important intermediary in preschool children's play activities, outdoor sports facilities are the most effective tools to assist children in the field of perception, attention, memory and thinking. By introducing game theory and combining children's psychology and game characteristics, this article summarizes experiential, interactive and diversified designs and guiding the design concepts based on game theory, providing new design ideas and directions for the development of domestic related industries.

Emerging Trends in Play-to-Earn (P2E) Games

This research aims to establish the primary drivers influencing the development and consumers’ decision-making process in web3 games—decentralized games that function according to the play-to-earn paradigm. We observe several types of micro-economies developed within five play-to-earn games and highlight four roles consumers play at any given time. Our study offers a different perspective on rational consumer behaviour in cryptocurrency-based games and paves the way to better understanding their dynamics and evolution. Results shed light on the construction of in-game economies and how individuals of a given type engage in different playing activities. Furthermore, we compare the key features of web3 games with those similar to classic online games and assess if the play-and-earn implementations represent an evolution from previous revenue models. Using our proposed methodology, researchers can compare and classify any P2E games. We conclude by establishing a set of actions that enable consumers to benefit from this new phenomenon.

Generative adversarial network based resource optimization for UAV jamming assisted cognitive covert communication

This paper discusses a resource optimization problem for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) jamming assisted cognitive covert communication. Specially, the secondary users adopt underlay strategy for spectrum access and the UAV transmits the noise signal to confuse the underlay detection of eavesdropper. According to the dynamic game characteristics in the covert communication process, a new generative adversarial network-based covert communication resource optimization algorithm (GAN-RO) is proposed for the joint optimization of UAV’s trajectory and power in cognitive covert communication assisted by UAV’s interference. The generator simulates the legitimate user to generate the resource allocation scheme, while the discriminator imitates the eavesdropper to detect covert communication. The dynamic game process between the generator and discriminator can obtain covert communication schemes by achieving Nash equilibrium. Simulation results indicate that the proposed GAN-RO algorithm can obtain a near-optimal resource optimization scheme with a rapid converge speed for non-ideal UAV jamming assisted cognitive covert communication system.

Internet Gaming Disorder among Health Science Students of Kathmandu Valley

Internet gaming disorder is characterized by persistent, unchecked gaming to the point where it interferes with other hobbies, everyday activities, and has harmful effects. Internet gaming is more common among younger people. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of risk of developing gaming disorder, and its related risk factors among health science students of Kathmandu, Nepal. A total of 422 public health students from Purbanchal University in Kathmandu filled out a Google form that was distributed by lecturers and representatives via email, Viber, and Messenger between January to March 2021. Data were gathered with administrative approval and individual agreement, and SPSS version 25 was used for analysis. The study indicated that the majority of students (84.8%) had a normal risk of acquiring internet gaming disorder, but a considerable minority (15.2%) were at risk. Although the majority of respondents who played games had appropriate gaming behaviour, a significant percentage of them were in danger. The finding showed a relationship between internet gaming disorder and variables including gender, semester, internet use, game features, game hours, and game money spent. Video games are widespread in current culture, yet a large minority suffers harmful consequences so policymakers are advised to create regulations that promote healthy gaming habits, such as prohibiting minor players and limiting access to online games at particular times.

Mongolian Traditional Game—“Shagai” Features of Mongolian Traditional Games

Mongolian Traditional Game—“Shagai” Features of Mongolian Traditional Games

Environmental education through the didactic game "treading the path of environmental equilibrium" in the teaching of biological sciences

&#x0D; This study examines the use of educational game "Treading the Path Balanced Environment" as teachers to aid students in learning tool and Environment of content, Ecology and Environmental Education in the Life Sciences Education. This is qualitative-quantitative research used data collected through observations, evaluation questionnaires, application testing and filmic and photographic records in classes with 27 students of 3rd year high school students in a biology class of School Unit Professor José Kind in Teresina, PI. The research was based on theoretical as Piaget (1975) and Kishimoto (2000) that address the importance of play activities in cognitive development and demonstrate the learning of the contents in environmental education through educational game. It was found through statistical analysis, as the Hypothesis Testing (t test) that students improved their knowledge on environmental issues, demonstrating that the didactic game, combined with the lectures, presented contributions to the teaching-learning process. With the characteristics of a didactic game, provided a more fruitful and favorable environment for acquiring knowledge, promoted the motivation and socialization of students and teachers, allowed the discussion of environmental issues in context and interactively.

Sleep Characteristics of an International Sample of Adult Gamers

Abstract Introduction About 65% of adult Americans report playing video games. Despite potential impacts to functioning, there is limited research on the relationship between video game use and sleep, specifically among adults. The present study expands upon the literature by describing demographic, video game, and sleep characteristics of an international adult sample of gamers. Methods The participants were 3,481 adults aged 18 to 74 who responded to an online questionnaire about video game use (i.e., quantity of play, most common game type), general sleep characteristics (i.e., sleep onset latency [SOL]; duration, sleep timing, and sleep quality), and gaming-specific sleep disruptors (i.e., game-related night awakenings and sleep delays). Most identified as cisgender male (79.8%) and white (77%). Results Participants reported an average SOL of 24.63 minutes, and most (64.5%) had a sleep duration from 7 to 9 hours with an overall average of 8.42 hours. Most (58.7%) reported that their sleep quality was fair to very poor. Bed and wake times were generally delayed, with 51% reporting a late evening or early morning bedtime and an average wake time of 8:28 am. A majority (81.2%) indicated that their bedtime was delayed due to game-related activities, but game-related night awakenings were less common. Conclusion Although many report a sufficient amount of sleep, adult gamers tend to report sleep disruptions in other domains, particularly regarding a delayed sleep schedule and poor sleep quality. This may be attributable to game-related bedtime delays or other game-specific factors (e.g., game type) that should be evaluated in the future.

Network Traffic Characteristics and Analysis in Recent Mobile Games

The landscape of mobile gaming has evolved significantly over the years, with profound changes in network reliability and traffic patterns. In the early 2010s, mobile games faced challenges due to unreliable networks and primarily featured asynchronous gameplay. However, in the current era, modern mobile games benefit from robust network connectivity, mirroring PC gaming experiences by relying on persistent connections to game servers. This shift prompted us to conduct an in-depth traffic analysis of two mobile games that represent opposite ends of the genre spectrum: a massively multiplayer game resembling PC MMORPGs with tightly synchronized gameplay, and a single-player puzzle game that incorporates asynchronous social interactions. Surprisingly, both games exhibited remarkably similar traffic footprints; small packets with short inter-packet arrival times, indicating their high expectations for network reliability. This suggests that game developers now prioritize network quality similarly to their PC gaming counterparts. Additionally, our analysis of packet lengths unveiled that recent mobile games predominantly employ short packets dominated by a few key packet types closely tied to player actions, which conforms to observations from PC online games. However, the self-similarity in traffic patterns, a notable feature in PC online games, only partially explains the traffic in mobile games, varying across genres. These findings shed light on the evolving traffic patterns in mobile games and emphasize the need for further research in this dynamic domain.

Evaluating the impact of a darts game intervention on cognitive function in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment: a pilot study.

The current study investigated the relationship between the characteristics of a darts game, including the throwing motion toward a target, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To this end, we examined the associations between cognitive function and mental health, and the shift in center of gravity while throwing darts. In a preliminary investigation, a 1-month dart game intervention was conducted among older individuals living in the community. The participants were divided into the non-MCI and MCI groups, and the relationship between center of gravity movement during throwing and the presence of dementia was examined. The intervention lasted for 1 month and was tested on healthy older individuals (aged ≥ 65 years) recruited from the community. The Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Trail Making Test was used to assess cognitive function. Mental health was evaluated using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and the Subjective Well-being Inventory. The center of pressure was analyzed to determine the center of gravity shift during dart throwing. The analysis of factors influencing the determination of the MCI score during the intervention revealed a tendency for the center of gravity shift to be associated as a protective factor in the non-MCI group, although this association did not reach statistical significance (odds ratio = 0.942, p = 0.084). In the MCI group, a significant effect of age was observed in the MCI score (odds ratio = 1.539, p = 0.007). The current findings suggest that conducting center of gravity shift testing could potentially provide a helpful tool for predicting early decline in cognitive function.

Confounding analysis with gaming aspects in predicting psychological distress of esports players.

This research aimed to explore the interplay between the central and peripheral aspects of gaming and their correlation with internet gaming disorder (IGD) in predicting indicators of psychological distress. The study proposed that the core and peripheral characteristics of gaming serve as confounding variables affecting the direct relationship between IGD and psychological distress. Employing a longitudinal design spanning two distinct timeframes, the research involved 100 esports players from Malaysia, all of whom had participated in at least one official tournament. The outcomes revealed that both the core and peripheral attributes of gaming significantly predicted stress, anxiety, and depression. However, IGD exhibited a significant predictive association only with stress. Notably, the study also detected the confounding effects of core and peripheral characteristics in the direct link between IGD and stress. These results imply that core and peripheral gaming traits should be interpreted as individual differences that amplify susceptibility to IGD and its associated psychological distress indicators. Moreover, the findings suggested that IGD might not be a prominent concern for esports players, potentially due to their training in performance management as athletes. The paper explores further implications stemming from these findings.