Player Experience Research Articles

Creating authentic and effective practice scenarios for digital simulation-based conversation training

In this article, we describe and illustrate a five-step process model for designing practice scenarios for digital simulation-based conversation training, in which learners practice challenging conversations with a virtual character. To maximize the likelihood of a successful learning experience, it is important that these practice scenarios are perceived as authentic by learners, and that they are based on relevant theory and validated expertise from experienced professionals. Our process model describes the steps that developers can take to (1) uncover implicit expertise concerning professional conversations, (2) build a validated conversation model including feasible response options and (3) optimize the play experience so that learners feel sufficiently immersed and engaged while using the simulation-based training. The design process, which is cyclical in nature, is illustrated by means of a case study in which we developed a training for cross-cultural job interviews. Furthermore, we provide practical templates and examples of questions that can be asked to experts and learners during preliminary testing of the scenario. By doing so, we aim to make the process of designing training scenarios more transparent and duplicable, and help developers to avoid pitfalls and tackle conceptual and practical challenges that arise during the design process.

GEQ and PENS Applications for Analyzing Levels of Player Experience and Satisfaction in Mobile Video Games

Nowadays, video games are getting popular due to the rapid growth of technology, especially mobile technology. Video games are now able to be played on mobile devices whether in single or multiplayer mode by using the internet and it's free and available everywhere. Understanding player experience in mobile video games is essential for developers and researchers. This research evaluates player experience in a mobile video game using the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) and Player Experience Questionnaire (PENS). The evaluation was performed using an online questionnaire form to the participants (N = 110) who had played the specific mobile game. Using the Core Questionnaire from the Game Experience Questionnaire and Player Experience of Need Satisfaction module, this research found that the Game Experience Questionnaire shows high scores values in the aspects of Immersion (4.22), Competence (3.25), and Positive Aspects (4.38) which indicates a good player experience, and the Player Experience of Need Satisfaction shows a rather balanced yet high score for each value that indicates a satisfying player experience.

Role of AI Chatbots in Revolutionizing Gaming Experiences - A Survey

This paper investigates the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots into video games to enhance player experiences. In the realm of modern entertainment, video games often grapple with the constraint of linear storytelling, limiting replayability and the diversity of player interactions. Addressing this challenge, the study advocates for the adoption of AI chatbots, offering a detailed analysis of their features in comparison to traditional chatbot systems. The literature review explores recent research on AI chatbots in gaming, emphasizing their impact on transforming storytelling and fostering stronger connections with players. Ethical considerations related to data access and job displacement concerns are highlighted, emphasizing the necessity for player-centric development. Through a combination of comprehensive literature review and practical analysis of free and open-source games, the research assesses key features, including game type, engine, platform, AI capabilities, player engagement, NPC (non-playable character) behavior, visuals, and identified issues. The comparative analysis distinguishes the strengths and weaknesses of AI chatbots and traditional counterparts in gaming, providing valuable insights for developers aiming to create more immersive and dynamic gaming experiences.

AI applications in video games and future expectations

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have been extensively applied in various industries, including the gaming industry. The integration of different AI models into games has brought about a new era of game development, optimization, and overall gaming experience. This paper presents an overview of several AI algorithms that have been utilized in games, discussing their applications and providing predictions for the future of AI in gaming. It outlines how these algorithms have been incorporated into games to improve various aspects of gameplay. The application part of the paper focuses on game content optimization, specifically from the perspective of enhancing player experience. It examines areas such as player interaction and in-game elements, explaining how AI algorithms have been used to optimize these aspects and create a more immersive gaming experience. Furthermore, the future expectations section revolves around further advancements in optimizing the gaming experience and incorporating AI into the game design and development stages. It also discusses potential improvements in hardware that can better support AI integration in games. Finally, the article concludes with a summary and expectations for the future development of AI in gaming, highlighting the potential benefits and advancements that can be achieved through the continued use of AI algorithms.

The lived experiences of play and the perspectives of disabled children and their parents surrounding brain-computer interfaces

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) offer promise to the play of children with significant physical impairments, as BCI technology can enable disabled children to control computer devices, toys, and robots using only their brain signals. However, there is little research on the unique needs of disabled children when it comes to BCI-enabled play. Thus, this paper explored the lived experiences of play for children with significant physical impairments and examined how BCI could potentially be implemented into disabled children’s play experiences by applying a social model of childhood disability. Descriptive qualitative methodology was employed by conducting four semi-structured interviews with two children with significant physical impairments and their parents. We found that disabled children’s play can be interpreted as passive or active depending on one’s definition and perceptions surrounding play. Moreover, disabled children continue to face physical, economic, and technological barriers in their play, as well as play restrictions from physical impairments. We urge that future research should strive to directly hear from disabled children themselves, as their perspectives may differ from their parents’ views. Also, future BCI development should strive to incorporate video games, recreational and entertainment applications/platforms, toys and switch-adapted toys, and power wheelchairs to better support the play of children with significant physical impairments. Implications for Rehabilitation Assistive technology research should strive to examine the social, infrastructural, and environmental barriers that continue to disable and restrict participation for disabled children and their families through applying a social model of childhood disability and other holistic frameworks that look beyond individual factors Future research that examines the needs and lives of disabled children should strive to directly seek the opinions and perspectives of disabled children themselves Brain-computer interface development should strive to incorporate video games, recreational and entertainment applications/platforms, toys and switch-adapted toys, and power wheelchairs to better support the play of children with significant physical impairments

Bluetooth Enabled LCD Cricket Scoreboard

This abstract centres on designing and developing a Bluetooth-enabled LCD cricket scoreboard with a primary focus on reducing delay time during score display, aiming to significantly enhance the cricket match experience for players, spectators, and officials. The scoreboard seamlessly integrates Bluetooth technology with LCDs to ensure real-time transmission and instant display of match statistics, scores, player information, and game progress. The system incorporates Arduino-based hardware for LCD control and Bluetooth communication, complemented by a dedicated mobile application functioning as an intuitive interface for scoreboard management. Through the mobile app, users can wirelessly interact with the scoreboard, thereby reducing delays by enabling swift updates of match data, configuring display preferences, and ensuring rapid data exchange between the app and the LCD scoreboard. The emphasis on reducing delay time in score presentation underscores the commitment to delivering timely and accurate information, contributing to an enriched viewing experience for cricket enthusiasts, sports venues, educational institutions, and community cricket events. This represents an innovative approach, leveraging Bluetooth connectivity and LCD technology to minimize delays and provide comprehensive, real-time match information, thereby modernizing and augmenting traditional cricket scoreboards.

Rethinking dynamic difficulty adjustment for video game design

Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) has garnered significant interest in game research fields for many years. Despite high expectations, the effectiveness of DDA in enhancing player experiences has yielded mixed results. This paper aims to rethink the theoretical foundations of DDA by addressing four crucial questions about the issues, definition, scope, value, and design of DDA. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to provide novel insights into DDA and DDA design. We revealed DDA’s unhealthy reliance on Flow theory, redefined DDA based on the concept of game difficulty, and discussed DDA’s scope and value. Additionally, we presented a goal-based DDA design framework and proposed a 6-step DDA design process as a practical approach. This work offers theoretical support for understanding and designing DDA in future game research.

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

Designing Dexterity Gameplay to Impart Awareness among Children

Growing children, especially those aged 4 to 6, are surprisingly intuitive and impressionable. Imparting theawareness of essential topics among children in this age group can assist in building a curiosity-driven andaware generation. The utilization of dexterity gameplay as a medium for teaching can benefit by allowingthe children to be involved in the learning process rather than being taught directly. Solely impartingknowledge about the crucial matter through games would not be sufficient to reach the masses. The conceptof developmental play has become a key contributor to the toys and games industry over the last few years.With the newfound requirement for indulging indoor play, there is great potential for products that assist infine motor development, giving us the avenue to teach through play. For this paper, the implications wouldbe tested through the design and development of an economic dexterity board game that imparts awarenessof endangered native animals of India. Through this paper, we can look at the learning stages of children inthis age group and understand ways to promote understanding and awareness among children at their ownpace by designing a dexterity game that imparts learning while ensuring a playful experience. The researchentails the target age group's key milestones in learning, followed by proposing a design for developing asuitable and economical dexterity game solution that would help venture into the arena to target thestatement at its core.

Play Activities Are Associated with Force Regulation in Primary School.

The daily exercise habits and play activities of children are known to have a significant impact on the development of body control. However, previous studies have not adequately explored the correlation between force regulation during submaximal visual effort, exercise, and play experience. This study aimed to examine the correlation between exercise habits and play experience and their impact on the ability to regulate force. This study involved 23 children with an average age of 9.2 ± 1.0 years. The participants were required to match their force exertion during submaximal effort to a varying demand value displayed in a sinusoidal pattern on a screen (controlled force exertion, CFE). Individual interviews were conducted to gather information on the exercise experience (time, frequency, and duration) and play activities (number of experiences and frequency). Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the association among exercise experience, play activity, and CFE. The results indicated that the amount of exercise experience was not significantly associated with CFE (β = -0.203, p = 0.254). However, in terms of play activities, the number of play experiences was associated with CFE (β = -0.321, p = 0.038). On the contrary, play frequency was not significantly associated with CFE (β = -0.219, p = 0.191). These findings suggest that play activities are effective in improving force regulation during childhood and that a greater variety of play experiences may be important.

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

Exploration of Novelty as Part of the Player Experience of Need Satisfaction in Games

Abstract Need for novelty has been proposed as a potential candidate to be a basic psychological need, in addition to autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the Self-Determination Theory literature. In this paper, we investigate the need for novelty in the video gaming domain, and examine whether it differentiates as a distinct construct from the other three basic needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. To be able to test this, we examined whether novelty uniquely predicts context specific outcomes, such as concentration, satisfaction and commitment in games. We conducted an online survey with 390 online video game players. Regression analyses showed that need for novelty indeed emerges as a distinct construct, and uniquely predicts positive outcomes. This study provides initial support for novelty as a basic psychological need that is needed for players' intrinsic motivation, and shows the importance of novelty in online video gaming. We discuss new avenues for research related to need for novelty and how consideration of novelty may impact game design.

유아의 코딩놀이 경험에 따른 수학적 문제해결력과 스마트폰 중독의 차이 및 관계 분석

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the difference between mathematical problem-solving ability and smartphone addiction according to the experience of coding play in 5-year-old children, and the relationship between mathematical problem-solving ability and smartphone addiction.
 Methods To achieve the objectives of this study, 135 5-year-old children enrolled in early childhood education institution located in Gyeonggi Province were selected as research subjects. Data were collected through interviews with the children and questionnaires administered to their parents. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analyses were conducted using the SPSS WIN 24.0 program to analyze the collected data.
 Results First, it was found that children with coding play experiences demonstrated higher mathematical problem- solving abilities than those without such experiences. Additionally, children with coding play experiences showed higher abilities in number and operation, algebra, and measurement. Smartphone addiction was also higher in children with coding play experiences, and they exhibited higher severity and resistance to smartphone addiction. Second, as the mathematical problem-solving abilities of children with coding play experiences increased, smartphone addiction decreased, and impulsive-compulsive use of smartphones was lower. Moreover, among the subfactors of mathematical problem-solving abilities, higher geometric and statistical abilities were associated with lower severity of smartphone addiction, withdrawal symptoms, daily life issues, and interpersonal conflicts. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between mathematical problem-solving abilities and smartphone addiction in children without coding play experiences.
 Conclusions The study suggests that early experiences with coding play can contribute to the development of mathematical problem-solving skills in 5-year-old children. However, it also indicates a potential risk of smartphone addiction. Nevertheless, the study demonstrates that higher mathematical problem-solving abilities in children with coding play experiences are associated with a lower risk of smartphone addiction. This highlights the importance of mathematical problem-solving skills, which can reduce the risk of early childhood smartphone addiction while enhancing the educational effects of coding play.

Bluetooth Enabled LCD Cricket Scoreboard

This abstract centres on designing and developing a Bluetooth-enabled LCD cricket scoreboard with a primary focus on reducing delay time during score display, aiming to significantly enhance the cricket match experience for players, spectators, and officials. The scoreboard seamlessly integrates Bluetooth technology with LCDs to ensure real-time transmission and instant display of match statistics, scores, player information, and game progress. The system incorporates Arduino-based hardware for LCD control and Bluetooth communication, complemented by a dedicated mobile application functioning as an intuitive interface for scoreboard management. Through the mobile app, users can wirelessly interact with the scoreboard, thereby reducing delays by enabling swift updates of match data, configuring display preferences, and ensuring rapid data exchange between the app and the LCD scoreboard. The emphasis on reducing delay time in score presentation underscores the commitment to delivering timely and accurate information, contributing to an enriched viewing experience for cricket enthusiasts, sports venues, educational institutions, and community cricket events. This represents an innovative approach, leveraging Bluetooth connectivity and LCD technology to minimize delays and provide comprehensive, real-time match information, thereby modernizing and augmenting traditional cricket scoreboards.

Play value of digital play spaces: Children's voices

Play for plays sake emphasises the significance of how children characterise play opposed to any secondary purposes or benefits it may generate. The concept of play value draws attention to how the space in which children play proffers the experiences that children want. Increasingly, digital play experiences are emerging as spaces for play. This inquiry aims to examine the play value of digital spaces, specifically how play is afforded by the digital space from the perspective of children. Eight children aged 11 years old participated in seven focus groups, creating comic strips which were used to elicit discussions. Focus group analysis generated three themes with associated sub-themes which were collectively explained by the overarching theme of endless possibilities in play in digital spaces. This study provides a new understanding of how digital spaces affords play value from the child's perspective.

Exploring Curiosity in Games: A Framework and Questionnaire Study of Player Perspectives

In game design, curiosity is often a critical driver of player engagement, yet its complex role in influencing player experience remains underexplored. The present study aims to delineate the categorisation and representation of curiosity in game playing and how it contributes to the game experience. A survey of 482 participants was conducted to investigate the multifaceted nature of curiosity. The findings indicate that game-related curiosity encompasses seven broad categories and 13 separate performance dimensions. Notably, the study reveals players’ pronounced preference for games that foster social interaction, offer strategic challenges, and strike a delicate balance between uncertainty and the anticipation of future rewards. The results also highlight that beyond appreciation for high-quality games, those that effectively tap into diverse dimensions of curiosity can sustain player engagement. This nuanced comprehension of curiosity within game environments highlights the potential for more focused and efficacious design strategies, potentially augmenting player satisfaction and fostering loyalty.

Player Experience of Minimalist Video Game Design: Case Study of Indie Horror Iron Lung

Player experiences of minimalist video games are not well documented. This article addresses this gap by exploring players’ experiences of the minimalist horror video game Iron Lung. This game is identified as employing unique methods of gameplay toward affecting players. A case study design was framed using Caroux et al.’s player–video game interactions and Nealen et al.’s minimalist video game design characteristics and observed through affect theory to consider how bodies (video games) affect other bodies (players). A selection of player reviews was thematically analyzed, and three video streams were observed and analyzed. Results demonstrate that most players were affected as the developer intended using obfuscation, deliberately clumsy mechanics, and unique gameplay pacing. This article contributes to the field of minimalist design by filling the gap of player experiences of minimalist game design. This is useful to video game designers, minimalist designers, interactive experience designers, scenographers, or environmental design specialists.

Figured actions in the Transformers action figure, nonnormative positivism, disability, and transformation

ABSTRACT Fan studies has discussed the action figure as a significant avenue of franchise and fan expression. However, there has been little discussion about the ways the action figure affects the fan once purchased and brought home. This article argues that Hasbro’s Transformers toy affords the fan ways of being in the world that are unique to the physical play experience. The toy hails the fan in an immediate way, and the fan responds through haptic and auditory engagement. This article sutures theories of affect and embodiment found in fan studies to articulations of nonnormative positivism discussed by scholarship in disability studies. The article uses the methods of autoethnography and sensory ethnography to analyse the toy as a cultural and textual object. Such an analysis has broad potential to illuminate the fan’s countercultural agency as they pick up and play with their toys.

“Soul on Ice”: Black Commodification, Race, and the National Hockey League

The NHL has a long-standing, problematic relationship with race. The North American sporting and racial climate have brought even more attention to this reality. A notable tactic to counter the accusation of reinforcing racism within sports corporations, including the NHL, is publicly associating themselves with minoritized organizations. This often occurs through formal partnerships or the acquisition of minoritized-founded entities, initiatives, and organizations. This paper considers how salient discourses of race and Blackness are articulated by the hosts and contributors of NHL Studio’s Soul on Ice: The Podcast (SOIP) as an acquired NHL entity. The NHL aims to reposition itself on issues of race and the portrayal of Black members within hockey through SOIP. The podcast gives a platform to empower Black voices within White hockey culture but also problematically enmeshes the NHL within the commodification of Black culture and hardship. The acquisition of Soul on Ice: The Podcast by the NHL is used to sanitize and shield the league while reinforcing the normative Whiteness of hockey. Further, the consequences of the leagues’ commodification of Blackness and the nuanced experiences of Black NHL players and community members shared via the podcast are unpacked.

Philosophical Siblings: Varieties of Playful Experience in Alice, William, and Henry James by Jane F. Thrailkill (review)

Philosophical Siblings: Varieties of Playful Experience in Alice, William, and Henry James by Jane F. Thrailkill (review)