Gameplay Research Articles

Stability for Coalition Structures in Terms of the Proportional Partitional Shapley Value

AbstractMany coalitional values have been introduced in the literature on cooperative games over the last decades, and especially since 2000. The multiplicity of options suggests the convenience of testing the existence of stable coalition structures, in the sense of Hart and Kurz (1983, Econometrica), when payments are made using some of these values. We recall their concept of $$\gamma$$ γ –stability and give results for the proportional partitional Shapley value, introduced by Alonso–Meijide et al (2015, Discrete Appl. Math.), which shares the utility of any coalition proportionally to the Shapley value of the involved players in the original game.

Prescribed-time multi-coalition Nash equilibrium seeking by event-triggered communication

This article investigates the event-triggered prescribed-time Nash equilibrium seeking problem among multiple coalitions of agents in noncooperative games. Each coalition acts as a virtual player in the noncooperative game, with decisions made by its member agents. Agents lack complete information about others’ decisions and instead estimate them through a communication graph. An event-triggered prescribed-time multi-coalition Nash equilibrium seeking method is developed based on the leader-following consensus protocol, dynamic average consensus protocol, and gradient play. This method ensures the Nash equilibrium of the multi-coalition game is reached within a prescribed time, even when communication between agents only occurs under specific triggering conditions—effectively conserving communication resources. Unlike existing approaches, the proposed algorithm allows precise settling time assignment without prior knowledge of system parameters. This algorithm also prevents Zeno behavior. Lastly, the efficiency of the designed algorithm is demonstrated through simulation experiments.

National basketball association slam dunk contest participation does not lead to increased injury risk or adversely affect player performance

Background: The National Basketball Association (NBA) Slam Dunk Contest has declined in popularity in recent years, in large part due to a lack of star-player participation relative to the NBA All Star Game. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the effect of NBA Slam Dunk Contest participation on subsequent injury risk and player performance. Methods: Participants from twenty NBA Slam Dunk Contests (2000-2019) were identified and matched to a control group consisting of same-year All-Star Game players. Injury data and performance data concerning all major offensive and defensive statistical categories was obtained from publicly available databases. Injury rates and season-long statistical performances were compared between groups both before and after the All-Star Game/Dunk Contest. Logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for injury in the second portion of the NBA season. Results: There were 88 players in each group. Injury rates in the second portion of the season were not statistically different between the groups. The dunk contest group did not demonstrate a statistical decline in any of the second half performance metrics. When compared to the control group, no statistically significant second-half differences were noted other than a slight increase in points-per-minute in the dunk contest group (5.6%±20.3% vs. 0.0%±15.8% P=0.04). Conclusions: Participation in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest did not lead to an increased risk for injury or a decline in statistical production when compared to All-Star game players.

Personality Traits, Self-Esteem and Social Ostracism Among Valorant Players

Individuals born in and after 1995 spend most of their time playing video games. The majority of video games have violent content. This study aims to examine the effects of personality traits and self-esteem on social ostracism among Valorant players. In this context, 83 Valorant video game players, 55 male (66.3%) and 28 female (33.7%), were reached online. The mean age of the participants was 21.49 and the age-related standard deviation was 2.03 (age range 18-27). Faceted Inventory of the Five-Factor Model, Self-Esteem Scale, Social Ostracism Scale, and demographic information form were used. Data was analyzed by quantitative analysis techniques, namely correlation and simple linear regression. Findings show a positive relationship between social ostracism and neuroticism; and a negative relationship between social ostracism, agreeableness, and self-esteem. Neuroticism (envy) and self-esteem significantly predicted the variance (41%) in social ostracism. Findings were examined in light of the relevant literature, and some recommendations were made.

КОНДИЦІЙНЕ ТРЕНУВАННЯ КІБЕРСПОРТСМЕНІВ З ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ МОБІЛЬНИХ ДОДАТКІВ

The issue of insufficient physical activity among computer game players remains relevant. This study proposes a solution based on the comprehensive use of gaming-oriented mobile applications for the conditioning training of esports athletes. A sequential pedagogical experiment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of esports athletes applying an aerobic-focused conditioning training program (slow running). The program’s unique feature is its implementation in a remote format using mobile applications for planning, execution, control, and performance evaluation. It is based on an original concept of implementing running training in the form of a mobile running application (the so-called “exergame”) with a game-like nature (“Zombies, Run!”). The program was designed for a six-week implementation. Its effectiveness was determined by evaluating the dynamics of indicators: 1600 m run time; calculated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max); and heart rate (HR). Subjective attitudes towards the program’s physical loads were assessed using the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale and the Physical Activity Satisfaction Needs scale. It was found that esports athletes significantly (p<0.05) improved their 1600 m run time, VO2 max, and HR indicators under the influence of the slow running program. Along with the volume and intensity increase of the running load, a decrease in RPE scale indicators was observed. The obtained data confirmed the advantages of the comprehensive use of mobile applications for normalizing the motor activity of esports athletes in the form of conditioning training. Both the remote format of planning and accounting and the game format of activities contributed to increasing the engagement of esports athletes in physical activity. The effectiveness of the slow running training program for esports athletes using mobile applications was established in terms of increasing physical activity (regular, organized physical activity), improving physical fitness (duration and volume of slow running), enhancing physical condition (VO2 max, HR), and interest in physical activity (adherence).

PEOPLE'S AGGRESSIVE REACTIONS WHEN THEY BECOME FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF VIDEO GAMES

Video games exist in a wide variety of formats and subcategories, and they can affect people differently. Although many researchers have focused on how players' aggression levels are affected by the video game experience, very few researchers have studied what kind of aggressive reactions are given by gamers. The People-Game- model explains how video game playing affects well-being, drawing attention to key factors such as affected player characteristics, game mechanics, and gaming experience. This study aims to identify the aggressiveness level and aggressive reaction categories, and what people do when they become frustrated because of games. To achieve this goal, qualitative methodology used to gather information. The electronic survey applied in the field research with open ended short questions. Narratives used in aggressive reaction categorization. While devices, weekly playing hours, game categories, competition, and violence levels were asked with closed-ended questions, the type of aggressive reactions was asked with one open-ended short question. 49% of the 136 people who participated in the research declared that they reacted aggressively while playing video games. It was determined that these reactions were most intense in the categories of verbal, followed by physical, third by anger and finally hostility.

Predicting Online Gaming Behavior: A Comparative Analysis of Random Forest and Gaussian Naive Bayes Models

With the rising impact and economic benefits of the online gaming industry, online gaming companies need to understand players’ behavior to evaluate their products better and adjust their developing strategy. This paper uses machine learning models to predict players’ online gaming behaviors. The study utilizes the dataset from Kaggle, which contains 40,034 samples with 13 features related to player demographics, game preferences, and gameplay behaviors. The primary objective is to classify two target variables: ‘EngagementLevel’ and ‘InGamePurchases.’ Data preprocessing steps included handling missing values, encoding categorical features, normalizing numerical data, and addressing class imbalances using the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE). The Random Forests (RF) and Gaussian Naïve Bayes (GNB) models were employed to predict the target variables. The RF model significantly outperformed the GNB model in both classification tasks, especially when predicting the in-game purchases. The RF model’s robustness is attributed to its ability to handle complex, non-linear relationships and interactions between features, while the GNB model’s performance was limited by its assumptions of feature independence and normally distributed data. The findings suggest that RF is a more effective tool for predicting online gaming behaviors, particularly in scenarios with complex feature interactions. Future research could incorporate additional machine learning models and more diverse datasets to further enhance predictive accuracy and offer a more comprehensive understanding of online gaming behaviors.

Gately values of cooperative games

AbstractWe investigate Gately’s solution concept for cooperative games with transferable utilities. Gately’s conception introduced a bargaining solution that minimises the maximal quantified “propensity to disrupt” the negotiation process of the players over the allocation of the generated collective payoffs. We show that Gately’s solution concept is well-defined for a broad class of games and that it can be interpreted as a compromise solution. We also consider a generalisation based on a parameter-based quantification of the propensity to disrupt. We provide an axiomatic characterisation of the original Gately value as well as these generalised Gately values. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship of these Gately values with the Core and the Nucleolus and show that Gately’s solution is in the Core for all regular 3-player games, but is fundamentally different from the Nucleolus. We identify exact conditions under which these Gately values are Core imputations for arbitrary regular cooperative games. Finally, we investigate the relationship of the Gately value with the Shapley value.

Testing the Effect of Sending an Evaluative Message on Perceiving Others in Computer-Mediated Communication

ABSTRACT Interpersonal mediated communication research has demonstrated that exchanging cues during online interactions can change message receivers’ perception of the senders in socially desirable ways. Building from previous self-transformative work, this work explores how perceptions of others are also shaped by the messages we write evaluating others. More specifically, the research examines the effects of sending different types of evaluative messages on attitude, social attraction, physical attraction, and task attraction toward a hypothetical CMC partner. The first experiment (N = 193) prompted participants to view a post of a video game player and then provide a confirmatory or disconfirmatory evaluation or no evaluation. Results indicated that providing positive evaluations caused a positive change in attitude toward the target, while providing negative evaluations negatively affected attitude but did not necessarily affect social, task, or physical attraction. The second experiment (N = 129) conceptually replicated the first experiment’s design in the context of an Instagram post. The results generally replicated those of the first study but additionally produced significant results on social attraction. Providing an evaluation caused significant changes in the receivers’ perception of attitude and social attraction, with the direction of change corresponding with the valence of the evaluations given to the target.

Research on New Star of Anime Game Based on Genshin Impact's Success Factors and Potential Troubles

Abstract: Genshin Impact is one of the most widely influential and profitable Chinese games to date. So far, its achievements include but are not limited to winning the "Sony PlayStation Partner Awards", and winning the "TGA Best Mobile Game" award in 2021 and 2022. The success of Genshin Impact is legendary, and it is also a milestone in Chinese games. Studying the success of it is of great significance to the development of the game industry. This article started with the previous research on Genshin Impact and other anime games, combined with the current background of the game industry, and analyzed the underlying factors behind its tremendous success from three perspectives: the production level of Genshin Impact itself, IP publicity, and operation, and meeting the needs of players. Additionally, it delves into potential challenges that Genshin Impact may face from three aspects: the game's narrative and character design, player feedback and communication, and goals for game industrialization. Lastly, recommendations are presented for each of these fields. This article improves the strategic consideration of Genshin Impact in terms of profitability and improves the viscosity of game players.

Player-vs.-Player Game Design and Pricing: A Tournament Design Perspective

Player-vs.-Player Game Design and Pricing: A Tournament Design Perspective

DIREITO DE IMAGEM DE JOGADORES EM GAMES

This work's main objective was to analyze the concepts that permeate the image rights of players in games with a focus on legal, economic and ethical implications, mapping and describing relevant legislation that regulated the image rights of players in games, analyzing economic and ethical implications. that permeate the subject, and also seeking to discuss possible weaknesses in the current scenario of the games industry and the use of player images. This theme stands out in relevance due tothe great growth of the electronic games sector, to such an extent that they have become a type of sport (e-sports), moving social and economic aspects. The method used was bibliographical research, with a search and analysis carried out in article publications, legislation, electronic magazines, official government websites and other materials made available online. The work discussed legislation such as: image rights, personality rights, arena rights, explained the development of electronic games and the economic aspects involved, and finally, presented information on positive and negative implications involving the issue today in Brazil . As a result, there is a drop in articles that discuss the specific topic, but it is also clear that the topic has been debated in the judiciary, especially due to the urgency of guidelines that guide Brazil regarding technological expansion and its implications. It was also concluded that there is a need for legislation that deals more specifically with the different circumstances involving sport and technology, so that there is no precedence in infringing civil rights and favoring game developers, but also does not delay the development of this branch in the our country.

An Integrated SIMUS–Game Theory Approach for Sustainable Decision Making—An Application for Route and Transport Operator Selection

The choice of management strategy for companies operating in different sectors of the economy is of great importance for their sustainable development. In many cases, companies are in competition within the scope of the same activities, meaning that the profit of one company is at the expense of the other. The choice of strategies for each of the firms in this case can be optimized using game theory for a non-cooperative game case where the two players have antagonistic interests. The aim of this research is to develop a methodology which, in non-cooperative games, accounts for the benefits of different criteria for each of the strategies of the two participants. In this research a new integrated sequential interactive model for urban systems (SIMUS)–game theory technique for decision making in the case of non-cooperative games is proposed. The methodology includes three steps. The first step consists of a determination of the strategies of both players and the selection of criteria for their assessment. In the second step the SIMUS method for multi-criteria analysis is applied to identify the benefits of the strategies for both players according to the criteria. The model formation in game theory is drawn up in the third step. The payoff matrix of the game is formed based on the benefits obtained from the SIMUS method. The strategies of both players are solved by dual linear programming. Finally, to verify the results of the new approach we apply four criteria to make a decision—Laplace’s criterion, the minimax and maximin criteria, Savage’s criterion and Hurwitz’s criterion. The new integrated SIMUS–game theory approach is applied to a real example in the transport sector. The Bulgarian transport network is investigated regarding route and transport type selection for a carriage of containers between a starting point, Sofia, and a destination, Varna, in the case of competition between railway and road operators. Two strategies for a railway operator and three strategies for a road operator are examined. The benefits of the strategies for both operators are determined using the SIMUS method, based on seven criteria representing environmental, technological, infrastructural, economic, security and safety factors. The optimal strategies for both operators are determined using the game model and dual linear programming. It is discovered that the railway operator will apply their first strategy and that the road operator will also apply their first strategy. Both players will obtain a profit if they implement their optimal strategies. The new integrated SIMUS–game theory approach can be used in different areas of research, when the strategies for both players in non-cooperatives games need to be established.

Towards a responsible gaming ecosystem: a call to action

Purpose Drawing from transformative service research (TSR) and service ecosystem perspectives, the author seeks to provide multi-level insights into gaming service systems and call to action how this knowledge can contribute to cultivating socially responsible gaming by addressing the following research questions: What insights from service ecosystem and TSR literature can help optimise value co-creation and cultivate socially responsible practices in digital gaming services? What future research directions could advance the understanding of digital gaming services and their potential to develop a responsible gaming ecosystem that balances social well-being with commercial success? Design/methodology/approach Adopting a conceptual approach of theory synthesis and adaptation, the author discusses four overarching themes alongside key research gaps and directions crucial for understanding the dynamics of gaming ecosystem. Findings The central themes – “Exploring individuals as game service consumers”, “Gaming service exchange dynamics among meso-level stakeholders”, “A macro lens to gaming service ecosystem” and “The complexities of multi-actor dynamics and interdependencies” – shed light on how responsible services can be fostered. Research limitations/implications Given the absence of a well-defined scope for understanding responsible gaming, future research should develop a typology to capture its multifaceted aspects. Expanding beyond micro-level analysis, conducting consultation interviews with industry practitioners and policymakers can contribute insights into promoting responsible gaming services. Social implications The author offers insights for the game players, designers and developers, service providers and policymakers to promote a healthy gaming culture. Originality/value Through this research, the author advances the understanding of gaming as a service by illuminating value co-creation and co-destruction within an interconnected gaming service ecosystem through the lens of TSR. Such understanding empowers businesses to prioritise consumer welfare in their decision-making and practices.

Deep Learning Model to Analyze Psychological Effects on Gamers

The rapid growth of the gaming industry has sparked interest in understanding the psychological effects of games on gamers. This paper explores using deep learning models to analyze the psychological effects experienced by gamers. With video games' increasing popularity and influence, understanding their impact on human psychology is paramount. This research aims to develop a deep learning model that can detect the state of human facial expressions and classify various psychological states based on gameplay data. The proposed deep learning model utilizes Convolutional neural networks to extract meaningful features and patterns from gameplay data. The model is trained on a diverse dataset of gameplay recordings, capturing a wide range of game genres, player demographics, and psychological experiences. The evaluation and validation of the model are performed using metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The findings reveal that the deep learning model is effective in detecting and classifying psychological states experienced by gamers. The model successfully captures changes in human facial expressions, such as sadness, happiness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust, providing valuable insights into the psychological impact of gaming. The results highlight the importance of considering individual differences and contextual factors when examining the influence of games on human psychology. We can advance our knowledge and promote healthy and meaningful gaming experiences by continuing to investigate this complex relationship

Immersion in open-world games based on Grounded theory -- A case study of Genshin Impact

In recent years, with the expansion of the game market and the rapid growth of game users, the game market has great potential. At the same time, open world games are loved by the vast majority of users. [Purpose/Significance] Explore the factors that affect the immersion of players in open world games, drive the improvement of the quality of open world games, help improve the industrial ecology, and achieve richer functional values. [Research design/Methods] Taking the open world adventure role-playing game "Genshin Impact" as a case study, semi-structured interview was used to obtain first-hand interview data, and coded research was conducted using grounded theory. Through several processes such as open coding, spindle coding, selective coding and theoretical saturation testing, the corresponding theoretical model is finally formed. [Conclusion/Finding] The results show that the basic feature of immersion performance is concentration. The two factors, the in-game condition and the out-of-game condition, together constitute the pre-factors that produce immersion. After entering the state of immersion, the main performance is to produce tension and emotional resonance. [Innovation/Value] builds a theoretical model for the generation of immersion in open world games, which lays a theoretical foundation for future theoretical model testing and empirical research.

Can playing video games enhance reading skills through more efficient serial visual search mechanisms? Insights from an eye tracking study

ABSTRACT Reading disorders are associated with atypical top-down visual attention (VA) processes like reduced VA span and slower serial visual search (SVS). In contrast, expert action video game (AVG) players, known for their efficient top-down VA, exhibit improved reading abilities. It is unclear whether these benefits stem solely from AVGs or apply to other gaming experiences. To explore this, AVG players (AVGPs), players of genres excluding AVGs (VGPs), and non-players were evaluated on their VA span, and behavioural and oculomotor performance in SVS. VGPs, but not AVGPs, demonstrated enhanced performance and oculomotor behaviour in SVS compared to non-players, while both player groups showed a trend towards better VA span skills. Notably, reading-related skills were enhanced in the two player groups, but particularly more so in VGPs. These findings support the existence of potential benefits of playing video games different from classical AVGs for the development of top-down VA and reading-related abilities.

Research on Game Players' Willingness to Purchase Based on the Perspective of Ambivalent Attitudes

Consumer ambivalence not only reflects the emotional and cognitive responses formed after perceiving external marketing stimuli but also influences subsequent purchase intentions. Based on the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) and S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) models, this study introduces ambivalent attitudes as a mediating variable to construct and test a theoretical model of external marketing stimuli, consumer perception, ambivalent attitudes, and purchase intentions. Using 716 valid responses from gaming communities, the measurement and structural models were evaluated using AMOS 26.0 and SPSS 26.0 software. The empirical results show that the clarity and total volume of external marketing information can significantly influence purchase intentions by affecting consumer perceptions. Ambivalent attitudes directly influence purchase intentions and serve as a mediating factor in the pathways where perceptions affect purchase intentions.

The effect of game playability on avatar identification for mobile role-playing games

The effect of game playability on avatar identification for mobile role-playing games

Comparison of Volleyball Skills of Rural and Urban Students in Bardiya

This study aims to compare the volleyball skills of rural and urban secondary school students in Bardiya district. A descriptive research method was employed, and respondents were selected using a random sampling technique. The AAHPER volleyball skill test, a standardized assessment tool, was utilized, comprising four specific skills: volleying, serving, passing, and setting. To analyze the data, various statistical techniques were applied as required. Each test item was compared separately between the rural and urban groups. The findings indicated that the mean scores of rural school students were higher for all four skills. A Z-test was conducted to determine the significance of the differences, revealing significant differences in each skill item. The study concluded that rural secondary school students in Bardiya district possess better volleyball skills compared to their urban counterparts. This conclusion is based on the higher mean scores and significant differences observed in the AAHPER volleyball skill test items. These findings suggest that rural students may have more opportunities or better conditions for developing their volleyball skills compared to urban students in this region. The findings of this study may be helpful to the coaches and selectors of players of volleyball game to find new players who possess potentiality to be good player of the game.