Game Genre Research Articles

The design of The Troubles: simulating terror in Northern Ireland

ABSTRACT Analogue and digital simulations have been used in conjunction with other pedagogical approaches and practices for decades now as research continues to evince the positive influence that they have on learning and social interaction. There is a wealth of historical games that aim to immerse players in a variety of era-defining epochs, with varying levels of abstraction and narrative arcs. However, there appears to be a dearth of games that focus on past events that are deemed too disturbing, too divisive, or too recent, especially those that occurred in an urban setting. Additionally, the geopolitics – if any – are backgrounded, as are the socio-economic structures of the people and places being represented. So, what contexts should we not model or simulate? What stories cannot – or should not – be told through this medium? And when is a historical period ‘too soon’ to be approached – especially when a simulation, a mere ‘game’, is the method of examination something so recent, so distressing as the Troubles of Northern Ireland? This article introduces the table-top narrative-based simulation, The Troubles, 1 scheduled for publication by Compass Games LLC, to demonstrate that there is space for such titles designed with clear pedagogical aims and objectives, which augment the popular genre of historical gaming – historical wargaming in particular – and that there is much to benefit from simulations of this type which are interdisciplinary in nature, encompassing academic disciplines such as politics, history, languages, and ethics.

PUZZLINGUISTICS: A TYPOLOGY OF LUDIC LANGUAGE BASED CLUES FOR IN-GAME PUZZLES IN ROLE-PLAYING GAMES

Hundreds of role-playing video games have been produced since the creation of the first title of the genre, Dungeons and Dragons, in 1974. These titles incorporate one common feature in the genre, puzzle. In designing a puzzle which primarily revolves around its major element which is clue design, language contributes to the playfulness and playability of the game itself. This study attempts to explore the roles of ludic language in designing clues with regards to the user’s functions of the games. The study employed Crystal’s ludic language, Danesi’s puzzling language, Caillois’ ludus theory, Huizinga’s play function, and Aarseth’s user functions on twenty-three role playing video games or commonly abbreviated as RPGs and their sub-genres. The study further proposes a typology of clues. This typology comprises clues which are orbital, conditional, collocative, referential, indicative, reflective, reversal, and signalling. Game developers could employ the results of this study as a consideration in designing puzzles in video games especially role-playing video game genres.

Intensitas Bermain Game Online dan Empati pada Remaja

Playing online games is a common activity among adolescents in Indonesia as a form of entertainment, and it often becomes an influence on the development of empathy, especially in teenagers. This research aims to determine whether there is a difference in empathy among adolescents based on the intensity of online gaming. The game genre studied is MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena), which is played by 10 people, with each team consisting of 5 players. One match is estimated to last between 10-30 minutes or longer, and the objective is to destroy the opposing team's base. This game requires a high level of teamwork and social interaction among team members. The study uses the Basic Empathy Scale (BES) as a tool to measure empathy, which assesses two components of empathy: affective and cognitive. To measure the intensity of online gaming, the researchers collected data on the average amount of time spent playing online games per week. There were 108 respondents in this study, aged 15-18 years, who played MOBA games and resided in Jabodetabek. Using the ANOVA analysis method, the results showed a significant difference in empathy based on the intensity of online gaming, with a significance value of 0.027 (p-value <0.05). Significant differences in empathy were found between adolescents with moderate and high levels of online gaming intensity (p-value 0.02 <0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the low and moderate groups (p-value 0.547 >0.05), nor between the high and low groups (p-value 0.054 >0.05). Adolescents with high gaming intensity tend to have higher levels of empathy. In the context of MOBA games, which are typically played with friends and require intensive social interaction, it can be concluded that games with high social interaction (in this study, the MOBA genre) are associated with higher empathy. These findings align with other studies that have found that social interaction in games can enhance empathy.

Impact of Digital Game-Based Learning on STEM education in primary schools: a meta-analysis of learning approaches

Enhancing learning outcomes in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects for primary school students remains a challenge. This meta-analysis, guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), explores Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) interventions as a potential solution. Eighteen empirical studies published from 2010 to 2020 were analyzed to identify effective DGBL approaches. Key factors examined include subject disciplines, control treatment, game type, platforms, and intervention duration. Findings reveal significant positive effects of DGBL interventions on learning outcomes, particularly in mathematics, language, and science. The study underscores the importance of optimizing gameplay design and platform choices for DGBL effectiveness and highlights the potential benefits of incorporating DGBL into primary STEM education. Future research should further investigate contributing factors like game genres, technologies, implementation strategies, and specific game components to promote optimal learning processes in diverse educational settings.

Cross-Cultural Differences in the Pathways to Internet Gaming Disorder.

No research to date has examined cross-cultural differences in the pathways to internet gaming disorder (IGD). The current study aimed to address this limitation by examining the relationships between nationality (Singaporeans vs. Australians), culture orientation, gaming motivations, and IGD. Participants were 101 Singaporeans (55.4% males) and 98 Australians (52.0% males). They completed the Culture Orientation Scale, the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire, and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form. A series of mediational analyses showed that Singaporeans tend to be more collectivistic (both horizontally and vertically). In turn, this culture orientation motivates them to play games for social reasons, increasing the risk for IGD. In contrast, Australians tend to be more individualistic (vertically only). In turn, this culture orientation motivates them to play games for competitive reasons, increasing the risk for IGD. Limitations include the use of samples from two countries only, precluding a generalization of the results. Future research directions include examining the role of game genres as a mediator in the nationality-IGD relationship.

마스코트 호러 게임 장르의 트랜스미디어 스토리텔링 연구

This study aims to define the ‘mascot horror’ genre, which has recently gained a lot of popularity among players in the horror game market, as an alternative genre and analyze its use of transmedia storytelling. Mascot horror is a game genre that transforms familiar mascot characters into objects of horror to induce psychological discomfort and fear in players, and we found the possibility of realizing sustainable transmedia storytelling in its characteristics. Transmedia storytelling is more than just telling a narrative, it is a way to expand the world and characters through various mediums and engage fans. In particular, mascot horror games have been utilizing original worlds and characters in various media such as games, movies, music, and other secondary creation to expand their content and engage fans. This study analyzes the worldview, characters, etc. of the mascot horror genre to argue that its genre characteristics can contribute to strengthening the sustainability of game content, and to study the ways in which they are utilized. In addition, we will examine the limitations and problems of the mascot horror genre as experienced by players. By doing so, we hope to establish the mascot horror genre as a subcategory of horror games and identify its potential to expand into transmedia content.

Idle Games: A Cozy Genre Turned Exploitative

This paper explores the connection between cozy games and idle games, analyzing shared elements and underlying principles. Cozy games are characterized by an emphasis on comfort, relaxation, and safety, offering players an escape from the pressure of daily life through soothing gameplay experiences. Meanwhile, idle games feature waiting as a core mechanic, allowing progress to be made even in the player’s absence. This provides a continuous sense of growth and progression throughout the player’s day but may also lead to frequent engagements to optimize production. Furthermore, this desire for continuous progress may also be exploited by developers who capitalize on player impatience by incorporating microtransactions that expedite progression in exchange for real-world money. Thus, while idle games can fit within the cozy game genre, their monetization practices raise questions about ethical responsibility on the part of game developers and taint the genre’s potential as a serene gaming experience.

From active escapism to virtual withdrawal: Validation of the Compensatory-Dissociative Online Gaming scales (C-DOGs).

In the Compensatory-Dissociative Online Gaming (C-DOG; Giardina etal., 2024) model, we proposed a continuum from compensatory to dissociative gaming involvement. This continuum represents different degrees of integration between physical and virtual environments with three core processes - Active Escapism, Escape, and Dissociation - and two peripheral processes - Gaming-Related Relaxation and Body-Mind Detachment. Here, we developed and tested a multidimensional measure based on this model. We capitalized on existing items for measuring escapism and dissociation and we generated new items consistent with the hypothesized model dimensions. A total of 54 items were administered to 1,176 online gamers playing different game genres, together with measures of problematic gaming, passion for gaming, and other psychological distress indicators. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded a six-factor, 36-item structure, with multiple hierarchical regression analyses highlighting unique associations with other psychological constructs assessed. The following factors were identified: (1) Emotional Displacement - redirection of negative emotion into the game with associated relaxation; (2) Absorption - detachment of the player from time and space while gaming; (3) Active Escapism - simulative use of the game to compensate for lack of self-confidence in reaching physical life objectives; (4) Virtual Withdrawal - maladaptive gaming to balance impaired social functioning, predicted by traumatic experiences and pervasive depression; (5) Dissociative Regulation - dysfunctional level of engagement associated with excessive anxiety; (6) Failure Escape - problematic avoidance via gaming related to fear of future failures. The C-DOG factors identify critical psychological processes associated with problematic gaming, with relevant research and clinical implications.

El teatro como un acontecimiento pedagógico de Juan Campesino

The first part of this book was led by a historical vision and synthetic purposes, the avatars of the recently named “theatre pedagogy” being reviewed in their different aspects: theatre in school, school theatre, curricular design, institutional programs, teacher training, drama in the classroom, focusing mainly on the case of Mexico, although without leaving aside, certainly, the place that our country occupies in the framework of global culture. The second part goes into a pedagogical perspective regarding children’s developmental processes, the educational aspects of theatre and, above all, of that phenomenon which is common to theatrical art and to a certain genre of games, usually known as theatricality.

The Harmony Index: Evaluating, Predicting, and Visualizing Effectiveness in Multi-Agent Team Dynamics

Team-based games are a keystone pillar of the gaming industry. Sadly, the understanding of team dynamics—and the recommendations for both human and AI-based teammates—are based on a rudimentary understanding of human-AI teaming. We propose a superior metric, which provides information about team effectiveness in an efficient and easily-replicable manner. Without an accurate and effective metric for team evaluation, it is nigh-impossible to provide feedback to players and game designers to improve team balance. We provide such a metric. The Harmony Index, a novel algorithm using real-world data, provides simpler and more accurate actionable directives to improve game design across MOBAs and other game genres. We prove its predictive power in a separate analysis and make recommendations for its use in assessing team effectiveness as well as its future use in additional domains.

A scoping review on serious games as rehabilitation technologies for ankle rehabilitation: game genres, game accessibility, and game usability

A scoping review on serious games as rehabilitation technologies for ankle rehabilitation: game genres, game accessibility, and game usability

Visual Hermeneutics Reception Xiao Character In Genshin Impact Game

Video games are an entertainment phenomenon that is popular among today's people. Various genres of video games have emerged and have their own impression on the players. In it, video games have visual elements that have their own uniqueness and aesthetic value. These visuals can provide information, especially on the character designs in the game world. Like the visual elements in the game Genshin Impact, where the visual elements in it certainly have meaning and interpretation of each other and form the narrative in the game itself. Characters created with certain characteristics will certainly attract players' interest. This research aims to interpret the visual design contained in the creation of a character using Ricoer's hermeneutic theory. Through analysis carried out with Ricoer's visual hermeneutics perspective, we can view Xiao's character design as a work of art that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also summarizes a philosophical and emotional narrative that gives character depth in this fantasy world. Hermeneutics plays a central role in helping us understand the meaning and complexity of Xiao's character behind his visual elements.

How do different game genres impact adolescent players’ problematic game use?

This study investigates the influence of video game genres on adolescent behavior, focusing on tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and impaired control. With the increasing prevalence of gaming among adolescents, understanding the specific impacts of game genres becomes crucial. This research aims to identify how different genres affect adolescent gamers and to provide insights for educators, parents, and policymakers on managing gaming-related behaviors. Using ANOVA and Sidak post-hoc test to analyze responses from a sample size of 60,029 adolescents, the study found significant differences in tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and impaired control across various game genres. RPG and AOS games were associated with higher levels of tolerance and withdrawal symptoms compared to sports and casual games, suggesting a genre-specific influence on these behaviors. The findings underscore the need for targeted strategies in educational and parental guidance to address game genre-related issues among adolescents. The implications of this research are vital for developing effective interventions and supports that cater to the specific needs of adolescent gamers, aiming to foster healthier gaming habits and mitigate potential negative outcomes.

Exploring the Relationship Between Video Game Engagement and Creative Thinking in Academic Environments: Cross-Sectional Study

This study explores the relationship between video game engagement and creative thinking among university students in an academic setting. Utilizing a descriptive cross-sectional qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 university students aged 17–25 years, from various academic disciplines. The sample, predominantly female (57.5%) and aged 22 years (27.5%), provided diverse perspectives on the impact of video games on their academic and creative capabilities. The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed significant insights into how video games may enhance creative problem-solving skills and overall creative thinking in an educational context. The study found that a high percentage of participants (47.5%) had a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0, suggesting a potential link between academic performance and video gaming habits. The results highlight the need for further research into specific game genres and their distinct influences on creativity among different demographics. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the cognitive benefits of video games and their potential to foster creative skills in higher education environments.

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

Advancing Mixed Reality Game Development: An Evaluation of a Visual Game Analytics Tool in Action-Adventure and FPS Genres

In response to the unique challenges of Mixed Reality (MR) game development, we developed GAMR , an analytics tool specifically designed for MR games. GAMR aims to assist developers in identifying and resolving gameplay issues effectively. It features reconstructed gameplay sessions, heatmaps for data visualization, a comprehensive annotation system, and advanced tracking for hands, camera, input, and audio, providing in-depth insights for nuanced game analysis. To evaluate GAMR 's effectiveness, we conducted an experimental study with game development students across two game genres: action-adventure and first-person shooter (FPS). The participants used GAMR and provided feedback on its utility. The results showed a significant positive impact of GAMR in both genres, particularly in action-adventure games. This study demonstrates GAMR 's effectiveness in MR game development and suggests its potential to influence future MR game analytics, addressing the specific needs of developers in this evolving area.

Storytelling Games for General Anxiety: Clinician Perspectives on Walking Simulator Games as Intervention

General anxiety is a common mental health condition across the world, with many barriers preventing people from accessing treatments. A growing body of evidence suggests that serious games offer appealing and effective solutions for anxiety. Despite their potential, an understanding of game design qualities and contextual game mechanics in game-based interventions are significantly under-explored, especially for general anxiety. Alternative and emerging game genres may offer new intervention approaches previously overlooked in digital mental health research. We use story-led exploration games, particularly the environmental storytelling walking simulator game genre, as an analytical template to understand new game design strategies and features that can potentially enable engaging and efficacious serious games as interventions for general anxiety. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, we summarize input from expert clinical participants who identified and evaluated several game design qualities towards developing walking simulators as potential serious game interventions.

Aiming, Pointing, Steering: A Core Task Analysis Framework for Gameplay

Underneath their compelling audiovisual surface, games require players to carry out mundane interaction work, such as pointing, typing, or steering. However, many of these underlying building blocks are not defined rigorously, hampering synthesis and analysis. We elaborate on the origin of tasks within human-computer interaction (HCI) and define tasks' relationship to game terminology (game mechanics, goals, and actions). Our proposed framework draws on systemic-structural theory of activity to aid systematic analysis and exploration of game design by mapping gameplay to abstract core tasks. The framework contains four task tools, applicable when 1) uncovering design properties, 2) designing experimental manipulation, 3) creating behavioral measurements, and 4) describing gameplay in literature reviews of game genres and design techniques. We evaluated our framework as a lens to design purposeful games in three case studies within a scientific education. We invite researchers and practitioners to employ the framework as a microscope, to describe and design games rigorously.

The Role of Relevance in Shaping Perceptions of Sleep Hygiene Games Among University Students: Mixed Methods Study.

Sleep games are an emerging topic in the realm of serious health game research. However, designing features that are both enjoyable and effective at engaging users, particularly university students, to develop healthy sleep habits remains a challenge. This study aims to investigate user preferences for 3 sleep game prototypes, that is, Hero's Sleep Journey, Sleep Tamagotchi, and Sleepland, and to explore their popularity and perceived utility in promoting sleep health. A mixed methods approach was used in this study. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a co-design workshop involving 47 university students. Participants were presented with storyboard cards of game features and were asked to provide an overall rating on each game, as well as ratings for individual features. They were also encouraged to provide free-form comments on the features and suggest improvements. In addition, participants were asked to express their preferences among the 3 games regarding which game they would most like to play and which one they found most useful for promoting sleep health. Surprisingly, while Hero's Sleep Journey was the most popular choice among participants, Sleep Tamagotchi was perceived as the most beneficial for improving sleep health. Relevance emerged as an overarching theme in the qualitative data analysis, with 3 interconnected dimensions: psychological relevance to users' personal lives, logical relevance to sleep health, and situational relevance to users' circumstantial context. We discussed how the 3 dimensions of relevance address the autonomy and relatedness constructs outlined in the self-determination theory and proposed 3 design recommendations. Our serious sleep game prototypes demonstrated the potential to engage university students to develop healthy sleep hygiene. Future sleep game designs should aim to create a sense of relevance to users' personal lives, sleep health goals, and situational contexts. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, it is essential to develop a wide range of game genres and features to cater to diverse users. Aligning game features with sleep health goals and educating users on the design rationale through sleep knowledge are also important aspects. Furthermore, allowing users to customize their game experience and manage technology boundaries is necessary to nurture a sense of control and autonomy in the process of forming good sleep hygiene.

Development of an Instrument for Evaluating Action Video Game Elements

Background Studies on the impact of videogame play on the brain and behavior demonstrates potential benefits of playing action video games (AVGs) for cognitive enhancements. However, it is becoming increasingly challenging to distinguish between AVGs and non-AVGs due to the emergence of new video game genres and platforms that incorporate action elements in historically non-action genres. Thus, more research is needed to understand AVG mechanics. Objective This study developed an Action Video Game Elements (AVGE) Likert-type scale for differentiating an AVG from a non-AVG and examined its performance in an AVG and a non-AVG. Method We employed standardized lab data collection procedures to administer the AVGE scale in undergraduate education majors after they played either an AVG ( n = 144) or a non-AVG ( n = 48). Results Exploratory factor analysis revealed a five-factor theoretically sensible structure: (1) focus, (2) pacing & goal setting, (3) challenge, (4) sensory stimulation, and (5) speed. Using an experimental research design, we examined the AVGE scale for its ability to distinguish an AVG from a non-AVG. Players who played the AVG rated the game significantly higher in all AVGE categories than their peers who played a non-AVG, thus providing empirical evidence regarding the scale’s discriminant validity of the game. Additionally, we explored the AVGE score differences in players with and without prior AVG experience in the AVG and non-AVG. Conclusion The AVGE scale has a promising internal consistency and discriminant validity. Future research can use it for examining AVG elements in various games as well as guiding the design and development of video games that aim to enhance cognition and better align these games with players’ demographics.