Game Programming Research Articles

Children’s Digital and Non-Digital Play Practices with Cozmo, the Toy Robot

Children’s Digital and Non-Digital Play Practices with Cozmo, the Toy Robot

The Zero Regrets Algorithm: Optimizing over Pure Nash Equilibria via Integer Programming

Designing efficient algorithms to compute Nash equilibria poses considerable challenges in algorithmic game theory and optimization. In this work, we employ integer programming techniques to compute Nash equilibria in integer programming games, a class of simultaneous and noncooperative games in which each player solves a parameterized integer program. We introduce zero regrets, a general and efficient cutting-plane algorithm to compute, enumerate, and select Nash equilibria. Our framework leverages the concept of equilibrium inequality, an inequality valid for any Nash equilibrium, and the associated equilibrium separation oracle. We evaluate our algorithmic framework on a wide range of practical and methodological problems from the literature, providing a solid benchmark against the existing approaches. History: Accepted by Andrea Lodi, Area Editor for Design & Analysis of Algorithms – Discrete. Supplemental Material: The online supplement is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.2022.0282 .

The Research on the Marketing Strategies and Influence of the WeChat Mini Program Game Taking the Game Sheep a Sheep for Example

With the popularity of the WeChat mini program game Sheep a Sheep, the successful marketing strategies behind it have brought reference to the game development industry, but at the same time, Internet addiction has also brought a significant negative impact on people's daily life, for example, people often immerse themselves in the Internet and thus affect their own lives, such as vision loss and other consequences. Therefore, through the literature reading, this paper aims to discuss and analyze the marketing strategies and replicability of the game, and finally discuss the methods to prevent Internet addiction. This paper concludes that game developers can create complaining points to capture people's psychology and strengthen the sense of game experience to expand the potential user base, and finally select the right communication platform to maximize the communication benefit. To prevent Internet addiction, people can start from four aspects: psychological cognition, individual behavior, game development company, and social sector.

A Systematic Literature Review on Adaptive Supports in Serious Games for Programming

This paper reviews the research on adaptive serious games for programming regarding the implementation of their support systems. Serious games are designed to educate players in an entertaining and engaging manner. A key element in terms of meeting their educational goals is the presentation of the learning content through a support system. Recent developments in artificial intelligence, data analysis, and computing made the development of support systems that adapt to player individual characteristics possible. A systematic literature review is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of adaptive supports and examine the implementation approaches. This review identified 18 papers reporting evidence about the efficiency of the provided support and methods of development. A variety of techniques for presenting educational content was found, with text being the preferred type. Researchers employed data-driven approaches to model student knowledge levels and behavior such as Bayesian networks and questionnaires, with fuzzy logic being utilized most frequently. The efficiency of the supports, when compared with non-adaptive or traditional methods of teaching, was mostly positive, although this is not a decisive conclusion. Some papers did not provide empirical evidence or concluded no difference in efficiency. The limited number of articles in the field, together with the lack of a standard evaluation methodology, leads to the conclusion that further work needs to be carried out in the area.

Becoming Official

This article addresses technological and aesthetic intersections between DJing and modern video game audio modding, with the aim of elucidating a technological context that allows game scorers without programming backgrounds to practice audio design and programming for video games. Game audio modding is a form of music remix that depends on access to game audio programming and design technologies that are embedded in game code. Though modern audio modders still require access to this code to create advanced audio mods, game audio programming and design technologies have grown in accessibility, such as the audio middleware program FMOD Studio, the design and functionality of which resembles technologies used by DJs. In fact, DJs are uniquely suited to modern game audio modding, and hence game audio design and programming, as these activities necessitate looping and transitioning between musical themes, as well as designing and programming such techniques in relation to gameplay, resulting in a kind of gameplay-automated DJ for modded scores. To elucidate this point, this article will use video game music composed by Lena Raine, and its accompanying audio programming project file designed and programmed by Kevin Regamey and Power-Up Audio, for the 2018 multiplatform two-dimensional platformer game Celeste, as an instructive example.

The Effect Paintball Game on Motor Performance, Neuropsychological and Behavioral Features Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: Poor motor skill performance can place children with ADHD at risk of developing a weak self-concept, high anxiety levels, and a poor social function. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of a moderate- to high-intensity paintball game program on fitness, cognitive functions, and ADHD-related behavior in children with ADHD. Method: A total of 21 participants (age in years: M = 9.1, SD = 1.1, ranging from 7 to 12) took part in the study. Measuring tools were included Fitness and Motor Tests Measures, Behavioral Measures, Neuropsychological Measures. Fitness level, motor skills, behaviors, and cognitive functions are assessed by standardized tests before and after a 10-week training or control period Results: Findings show that participation in a paintball game program (improves muscular capacities, motor skills, behavior reports by parents and teachers, and level of information processing. Posttest analysis revealed that with the exception of rule breaking behaviors, a tendency for improvements was reported by the teachers in the experimental group for all scales, but all differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Structured paintball game program may have clinical relevance in the functional adaptation of children with ADHD. This supports the need for further research in the area of physical activity with this population

AN EFFICIENT APPROACH FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOBANG GAME USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE METHODS

Gobang is one of the most ancient abstract strategy games for two players. The game is traditionally played on a board with black and white stones, where players take turns placing a colored stone on an empty intersection. The winner is the first player to form an unbroken chain of five stones, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Although the rules of Gobang seem pretty straightforward, the game tree complexity is enormous since the board state is more intuitive than in other games. In this paper, we will implement an algorithm that will solve the Gobang game using artificial intelligence (AI) methods. The program will begin learning from scratch, then use self-play to produce training data, and eventually steadily build up its strength. 
 The present work first focuses on the implementation of the supervised learning algorithm in the identification procedure in order to identify the position of the current fallen piece. This will be achieved by utilizing image processing and a convolutional neural network. Then a Gobang game procedure will be implemented using a game search algorithm, in which the state of the game is judged by means of a human-set function. After that, the function of judging the game state in the above game search algorithm will be changed to an artificial neural network (ANN) model, since it is convenient to train a model with a small dataset. Finally, the reinforcement learning algorithm will be applied to learn the artificial neural network model so that the playing level of the Gobang game program can be continuously improved.

Is a cyberathlete an athlete? Brazilian athlete perspectives

Considering the significance that Esports as professional sport and entertainment has attained recently, discussion about the legitimacy of esports as part of traditional sport has risen. This issue becomes more pronounced because Esports will start in the Olympic Games program. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics and similarities between Brazilian Olympic athletes and esport athletes. Ten Brazilian athletes were interviewed. Dedication, discipline, and competitiveness were found as components of the narratives of the athletes. Similar to Olympic athletes, cyberathletes have workout routines to improve techniques, exercises, and diets to provide opportunities for optimal performances in competitions. The results showed that although the virtual environment differs from an Olympic sport environment, common characteristics are present relative to the understanding of competition as in the elements of athlete identity. Keywords: cyber athletes; Olympic athletes; esports; Olympic Games; Olympism

Design and Realization of Surakarta Chess Game Program

At present, the research on Surakarta game is relatively less than other games. Aiming at this situation, a Surakarta chess game program is designed. This program implements basic algorithms such as board representation, move generation, game evaluation, and game tree search. The evaluation of the chess game takes into account the number of pieces, moving range, attacking range, attacking power of pieces, board value, arc value, etc. The game tree search algorithm uses the Alpha-Beta pruning algorithm. The whole program is fully functional and has a strong game level, which provides reference significance and reference value for related research. The program won the second prize at the national level in the computer game competition for college students in China, and the second prize at the provincial level in the computer game competition for college students in Liaoning Province, which verified the feasibility of the game program algorithm.

Enhancing adolescent reasoning skills through a video game program

Much research has been done on the benefits of video games in a physical education context (Camunas-Vega & Alcaide-Risoto, 2020; Fang et al., 2020). However, little attention has so far been paid to the effectiveness of commercial video games combined with actual basketball practice in helping students improve their reasoning skills (Chuang et al., 2021; Rogers et al., 2020). The study presents a quasi-experimental pre-post design with a control group in order to evaluate the impact of a specific training program in reasoning with the video game NBA 2K16. A convenience sample of 215 high school students participated in the study. Three reasoning subscales of the Evalua-9 psycho-pedagogical test (inductive α = 0.88; deductive α = 0.85; spatial α = 0.89) were used for data collection. Our findings show a significant moderate effect in the students who participated in the training program. An additional outcome was that sex differences in spatial and deductive reasoning in the pre-test disappeared in the post-test. We discuss the educational implications of the use of the video game as the main learning tool to enhance the reasoning process of Secondary Education students in Physical Education.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MOVEMENT GAMES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS

ABSTRACT. Introduction. As one of the most fundamental activities of childhood, dynamic game can have a primary significance as a mean of recreation and gradually advance to a major pedagogical influence. Movement games are an ideal means of education, fulfilling the highest level of movement, motor and cognitive development, personality shaping and social integration, ensuring the formation of a strong profile of the primary cycle graduate. The way the student responds, applies and adapts to the rules imposed by the game directly influences memory, thinking, language, creativity, sensations and perceptions, thus, its implications hold a significant percentage in cognitive development. Objectives. 1) knowing of the implications of motion games in the cognitive development of primary-cycle pupils; 2) increasing the attractiveness of physical education lessons; 3) learn to spend free time as actively as possible. Methods. The knowledge test contains 10 items and was applied to 54 students in the 3rd and 4th grades in rural areas, divided into control group - 27 students and experimental group - 27 students, following the implementation of a dynamic game program applied to the experimental group during the school year 2021-2022. Knowledge testing verifies how they have understood the games and the ability to use, adapt or build them in a personalized way. Results. The knowledge test has a maximum score of 10 points, each question being scored differently. The average score for the experimental group is 9.11 points and for the control group is 6.27. The difference between the result obtained by the experiment group and the control group is 2.84 points, a difference that confirms the proposed objectives given the dynamic game program applied to the experiment group. Conclusion. Applied dynamic games aim to stimulate students’ thinking, attention, memory and creativity in a fun way that does not provide the fear of rejecting their own ideas, rewarding and encouraging all attempts to build new dynamic games.

Designing a game program in a camp for children

The inclusion of the game in the camp program is in the interests of children, teachers, camps. Game change is a creative project, a way of holistic implementation of the plan for teachers. It affects the formation of the face of the camp for parents and children. The task of the research is to identify options where playing is a must-have for the camp. Analysis relies on knowledge about the structure of the game, its elements. The empirical base was the author's camp of role-playing games “Centaurˮ (Kostroma region), the author's camp “City of Hopeˮ (Kostroma region), the group of companies “Collection of Adventuresˮ (Moscow). We studied the experience of these organizations between 1990 and the present. The place of the game in the camp is associated not only with the scale of its use, but also with its functions in the program. We highlighted five options for playing in camp: playing as a form of organization; a combination of games combined by a common theme and plot; the business game as the main construction of the camp; role-playing as the main construction of the camp; role-playing epic. We have developed recommendations for designing the game in the camp. They address such issues: plot choice; the relationship between camp conditions, the plot of the game, and children's activity; game control; roles for children outside the game.

An interactive design change methodology using a BIM-based Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Changes in design and construction constitute variations from the original design prepared by a design team and are inevitable. Despite the fact that rework has been identified as having adverse effects on performance, there have been limited studies on how to mitigate rework in design changes. Despite improving change management, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is insufficient in mitigating rework. However, the convergence of the capabilities of BIM, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) are integrated solutions to reduce the impact of rework in design change. In this research, we improve the requirements for reworking design changes, which include redesign, information flow, and delivery for users with no experience with BIM. For interactive design change with BIM in VR and AR, the proposed methodology integrates BIM, as-built data from web sources, and VR and AR functions using game engines and programming. In VR and AR, BIM objects are used to create multiple variants that are matched with BIM databases that provide options for design changes. The interactive design change platform is validated in a VR and AR environment and presented multiple design change options for wall elements based on a set required change factor of a building project. This paper highlights the need for a change platform that reduces the rework of design changes in BIM through VR and AR in three main areas redesign, maintaining the flow of information and delivery of solutions for design changes. The VR and AR proposed solution to design change improves rework collaboration and communication among stakeholders of a building project.

School-Based Nursing Interventions for Preventing Bullying and Reducing Its Incidence on Students: A Scoping Review.

Incidents of bullying have increased on students in schools. This has a negative impact such as mental health problems and risk of suicide. Interventions related to bullying are still focused on being carried out independently. Meanwhile, collaborative interventions between nurses and the school are needed to acquire maximum results in preventing and reducing the incidence of bullying. The purpose of this study is to describe school-based nursing interventions in preventing and reducing the incidence of bullying among students at school. This study used scoping review with a search strategy using the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Review process to find the articles. The PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus electronic databases were searched. We found 12 articles from 594 articles in 3 databases which discussed nursing interventions based on school to prevent and reduce incidence of bullying in students. The studies included are design randomized control trials and quasi experiments. The samples with the range of 40-7121 respondents. We classified the school-based nursing interventions being three methods, there are Game programs, physical activity programs, training programs, and peer-group programs. The content of interventions are psychoeducation, empathy training, counseling, and self-management. This study shows that school-based nursing interventions can be an option in preventing and reducing the incidence of bullying among students at school.

Policy gradient adaptive dynamic programming for nonlinear discrete-time zero-sum games with unknown dynamics

Policy gradient adaptive dynamic programming for nonlinear discrete-time zero-sum games with unknown dynamics

Evolution of postural control assessment: From dynamic posturography to virtual reality.

During the early years of spaceflight it was documented that astronauts were impaired and incapacitated upon return to earth. Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) was devised to investigate and quantify this deficit, and eventually progressed into a clinical assessment tool. The current sprouting of virtual reality (VR) technologies has allowed for the development of an alternative approach that could be more informative. Many low-cost VR systems (including desktop gaming programs designed for rehabilitation) are now available. Continued improvements in this technology indicate a high probability that VR will become an integral component of posturography by replacing present mechanical CDP techniques. We researched the relevant literature to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of CDP using the Equitest (Neurocom International; Clackamas USA), and the added benefits of incorporating VR to help clinicians assess the complex task of balance maintenance. VR is capable of manipulating task and environmental demands in order to assess functional postural behavior. VR is also a useful tool for clinical testing of postural disorders resulting from sensory mismatch. Although posturography is still a useful clinical tool, VR provides an inherent conflict between the visual and vestibular senses and can elevate the effectiveness of CDP for both assessment and intervention. We conclude that, when initially developed, CDP was innovative and ahead of its time. However, with the advent of VR, we have a chance to modernize CDP and enhance its value as a clinical instrument.

Development of Interactive Digital Learning Multimedia Applications as Independent Learning Module in 2-Dimensional Game Programming Courses

Learning activities at the Creative Media State Polytechnic after the pandemic period, especially in the design department of the game technology study program, were held in blended learning. Blended learning is the right choice of learning because it needs adaptation from lecturers and students, where previously learning was held fully online, now it is held online and offline. Blended learning activities can be very effective and efficient in their implementation if the learning process is well prepared. One of the learning activities carried out is independent learning activities. Therefore, this study aims to produce a learning application that can be used as an independent learning module so that students can learn without being assisted by anyone just by using this independent learning module. The approach taken is the ADDIE development method. The ADDIE development model consists of five stages, namely analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Expert response to this learning application is a crucial thing to do. This application is evaluated by an expert with a background in graphic design, learning media, and communication. The independent learning module application was successfully developed and implemented in semester 3 of the 2-dimensional game programming course.

СУЧАСНЕ АРХІТЕКТУРНЕ ПРОГРАМНЕ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ТА ЙОГО ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ РОЗВИТКУ. «ПАЙПЛАЙН»

The article examines the methodology of programs used by architects and other specialists in creative specialties. The transition to remote work has changed the standards of teaching and working material in Higher Education Institutions and forced most of society to use modern computer technologies. The main problem of the software is its constant updating, which leads to the difficulty of self-study, regardless of the availability of a huge amount of information on Internet resources. Moreover, depending on the specialization of the profession, as well as personal interests, at least three or four programs are required. At the moment, due to the limitations of computers and the complexity of programming such programs, such multifunctional programs that would cover all the necessary needs do not exist. All this gave birth to such a term as «pipeline» (conveyor) in the professional environment. The essence of the term is the correct sequence of stages and programs through which the model passes. The most common software methodology used by architects is as follows: by spatial functionality – 2D graphic editors (raster, vector and fairly new interface editors), 3D modeling programs and 4D (+ time) editors for creating animation. 3D programs are divided by model construction technologies: polygonal modeling (High Poly, Low Poly), curve-based NURBS technology, and BIM information building model. 3D also includes visualization programs, namely photo-realistic ones based on Ray-Trace technology, programs for online visualization (Real-time) and games. These programs will be relevant for study for another 6–7 years. Now, there is a trend of software providers moving from installing programs on users' computers to online services, as they did with Photoshop. This allows you to use the necessary programs on an inexpensive computer.

The Effect of Movement Games on the Level of Physical Fitness and Mental Health of Students with Disabilities: Mixed Method

Study purpose. This study aims to investigate the effects of movement games as an effort to increase the level of physical fitness and mental health of students with disabilities during COVID-19.
 Materials and methods. This study adopted a mixed method. The participants involved in this study were students with disabilities who came from two special schools students with disabilities in Karawang Regency, Indonesia (n=40). Participants were divided into an experimental group who carried out a movement game program (n=20) and a control group (n=20) who followed routine learning without participating in any activities. After implementing the movement game program, 20 participants were interviewed about the experiences, advantages and disadvantages of the movement game program. Quantitative research instruments used muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness tests. Meanwhile, the qualitative research instrument used in-depth interviews for 30 minutes. Analysis of quantitative data used IBM SPSS, and analysis of qualitative data used thematic analysis.
 Results. The quantitative study results showed that there was a significant increase in the level of physical fitness and mental health in the experimental group (p<0.05), and no increase was found in the control group (p>0.05). In addition, the qualitative study results showed that the majority of participants acknowledged that the movement game program was a fun method of education and had a positive effectiveness.
 Conclusions. After carrying out this research, we confirm that the movement game activity is an education method that has a great effect on the increase in the physical fitness level and mental health of students with disabilities during COVID-19.

The Ability of Scratch Teaching in Programming Language—Taking Roguelike Mathematical Games as an Example

In recent years, Japan and Taiwan have begun to include programming education in the elementary and secondary school curriculum as well as in universities so as to strengthen students’ programming language ability. In this study, the Scratch programming language was used to design a roguelike mathematical game based on a prince saving a princess in a forest. Mathematics refers to the positioning of each object, its XY coordinates, movement and distance, positive and negative movement angles, waiting time (seconds), and speed. In this study, the mathematical game program was provided to a class of rural elementary school students in southern Taiwan. By imitating the design, the teachers, and students can work together on this hands-on programming project to design the pictures, cooperate in discussing and solving the programming dilemma, and enjoy the game together. The elementary school principals and teachers who participated in the scene observed and concluded that it allowed the pupils to think seriously, enjoy discussing the integration of mathematics and programming, design digital games, and develop the final result of roguelike digital games. This project allowed students to take on the challenge of learning to write programs with curiosity and learn to use different building block programming languages in Scratch to produce a program by imitation. Students can also learn to change and add objects, and arrange the things to be done by different characters through programming. The mathematical roguelike challenges let the students understand the learning achievements through the taste of each victory. Through the game attraction, this study fostered cross-domain digital talents in areas such as digital technology, program education, and artificial intelligence.