Game Structure Research Articles

Distributed Formation Control of Multi-Agent Systems: A Novel Fast-Optimal Balanced Differential Game Approach

This paper proposes an efficient fast-optimal balanced differential game (DG) approach to address the formation control problem in dynamic environments for networked multi-agent systems (MASs). Compared to existing receding horizon distributed differential game (RH-DDG) approaches, the proposed approach employs a two-layer game structure to balance optimality and real-time performance, with a focus on formation control, collision avoidance and obstacle avoidance. In the offline layer, the problem is converted into a distributed differential game (DDG) where each agent computes strategies using distributed information from locally neighboring agents. The strategy of each agent self-enforces a unique global Nash equilibrium (G-NE) with a strongly connected communication topology, providing an optimal reference trajectory for the online game. In the online layer, a receding horizon differential game with an event-trigger mechanism (RH-DGET) is presented to track the G-NE trajectory. Ego players are triggered to update online Nash strategies only when the event-triggering condition is satisfied, ensuring the real-time safety certificate. Rigorous proofs demonstrate that the online Nash strategies converge to the offline G-NE until the trigger ends, and a certain dwell time condition is given to prevent the Zeno behavior. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Rent dissipation and streamlined costs: Laboratory experiments

The effect of group size and effort cost on rent dissipation in the standard Tullock rent seeking model is examined using a laboratory experiment. Data support qualitative comparative static Nash equilibrium predictions as reductions in both group size and effort cost increase effort levels. However, effort and dissipation rates are above Nash predictions for all treatments. In addition, while cutting per-unit effort costs in half increases individual effort levels, they do not fully double as predicted and therefore lower rent dissipation, creating a policy-relevant “streamlining effect”. A quantal response equilibrium, which adds stochastic elements into the game structure, predicts the observed higher effort levels and dissipation but is proven to be unable to explain the streamlining effect. A modification of quantal response that incorporates implementation error noise and loss aversion outperforms other estimated models and tracks the observed all data patterns more closely, including the streamlining effect.

An Augmented Game Approach for Design and Analysis of Distributed Learning Dynamics in Multiagent Games.

In this article, an augmented game approach is proposed for the formulation and analysis of distributed learning dynamics in multiagent games. Through the design of the augmented game, the coupling structure of utility functions among all the players can be reformulated into an arbitrary undirected connected network while the Nash equilibria are preserved. In this case, any full-information game learning dynamics can be recast into a distributed form, and its convergence can be determined from the structure of the augmented game. We apply the proposed approach to generate both deterministic and stochastic distributed gradient play and obtain several negative convergent results about the distributed gradient play: 1) a Nash equilibrium is convergent under the classic gradient play, yet its corresponding augmented Nash equilibrium may be not convergent under the distributed gradient play and, on the other side, 2) a Nash equilibrium is not convergent under the classic gradient play, yet its corresponding augmented Nash equilibrium may be convergent under the distributed gradient play. In particular, we show that the variational stability structure (including monotonicity as a special case) of a game is not guaranteed to be preserved in its augmented game. These results provide a systematic methodology about how to formulate and then analyze the feasibility of distributed game learning dynamics.

Technical Analysis of Goals Scored in 3 Different European Leagues in The 2020-2021 Football Season

The aim of this study is to classify the goals scored in the 2020-2021 football season in Turkish Super League (TSL), English Premier League (EPL), and French League 1 (FL1) according to technical and tactical criteria, and to reveal the differences and similarities between the leagues. The scope of the research consists of a total of 3209 goals scored in 1180 football matches played in 3 different European Leagues in the 2020-2021 season. Each goal was classified according to the minute interval, the area where the attacking move started, the number of touches by the player before scoring, and the goals scored from set pieces. The frequency and percentage distributions of all data were calculated separately for each league. According to the results obtained, the most goals were scored in TSL (f: 1136 goals), while the least goals were scored in EPL (f: 1024 goals). Looking at the distribution of total goals by minute intervals, the most goals were scored in the last quarter of the game in TSL (f:199; 17.5%), EPL (f:166; 16.2%), and FL1 (f:186; 17.7%), while the least goals were scored in the added time of the first half. When looking at the number of touches by the player who scored the goal, it was found that the most goals were scored with one touch. Regarding the direction of the attacking move, it was observed that the rate of goals scored after wing attacks was lower in FL1 than in TSL and EPL, but the number of goals scored from central attacks was higher. According to the results, it is understood that the teams in the leagues have different game structures, which are decisive in determining the goal criteria.

Research on digital transformation strategy of the energy industry based on differential game under the dual-carbon background in China

Digital transformation of the energy industry is at the vanguard of promoting green and low-carbon development of energy, and the transformation and upgrading of the energy industry is a critical path to achieve the goal of “dual carbon.” The study takes energy enterprises, digital technology providers, and local governments in China as the research objects, then by constructing a three-party dynamic differential game model, four scenarios are considered respectively. The optimal digitization effort, digitization level, carbon emission reduction expectations, and optimal benefits of each subject are studied. The results show that: (1) Government subsidies function as an effective regulating mechanism, helping regulate the profit distribution of energy enterprises. With government subsidies, cost-sharing contracts can improve the profits of energy enterprises and digital service providers and enhance industry digitization and carbon emission reduction to some extent. (2) When there are government subsidies, the optimal digitalization efforts of energy enterprises and the optimal subsidy coefficient of government under the three decisions are independent of time. The extent to which subsidies improve system members' income is correlated to its game structure and status. (3) In the centralized decision-making state, digitalization level, product emission reduction, and total system profit are higher than in the decentralized decision-making state, which can better help the overall revenue system composed of energy enterprises, digital service providers, and local governments to achieve economic and environmental optimization at the same time and reach the Pareto optimal state. (4) With government subsidies and after the introduction of contracts, when certain conditions are met, the followers' optimal digital effort level, product emission reduction, digitization level, demand and profits of each member are all improved except for the leader's optimal effort level, Pareto improvement of profits of all participating members in the system is realized.

Optimal decisions for selling on an online group buying platform in a competitive fuzzy game environment

Online group buying platforms (OGBPs) as a new form of e-commerce, offer a new channel for vendors to provide discounts on assorted services through promotion, and attract new customers with the opportunity to experience their services. This paper is conducted based on genuine issues observed in OGBPs where a vendor decides to advertise its service by offering a discount coupon on an OGBP. Accordingly, we propose a fuzzy, dual-channel supply chain, with one OGBP and one vendor who sells her/his service through both offline and online channels. Considering the cognitive uncertainty of parameters in a supply chain, all parameters of the problem are specified as fuzzy variables based on experts’ opinions. This paper develops a demand function of online customers depending on online and offline prices, sales period on the OGBP and vendor's credibility. The vendor's credibility is also affected by service level and advertisements. Furthermore, in the competitive OGB market, two game structures, i.e., a centralized model and a decentralized model called as OGBP-leader Stackelberg, are considered under different refunding and revenue sharing scenarios of unredeemed coupons. By comparing these scenarios, the purpose of this paper is to examine the optimal approach for OGBP’s pricing strategy and vendor’s decisions. Expected value models are developed to evaluate how members decide commission price, online price, service quality, and sales period of a service in each scenario. According to the results, the vendor or OGBP that provide a full refund to the customers maximizes the expected profits compared to No-refund policy; sharing the entire revenue from the coupons sales with the vendor increases the commission price. This increases the online price and reduces the quality, sales period and expected profits; the vendor's generosity, meaning providing a refund to customers and earning revenue from redeemed coupons, is in favor of both the vendor and OGBP; and we investigate the impact of quality and credibility factors under a fuzzy environment on optimal profits.

Dynamic Resource Allocation in Queue-Constrained and Delay-Sensitive Vehicular Networks

Since performing reliable and real-time data transmission is challenging, this paper focuses on the dynamic resource allocation framework with queue and delay constraints in vehicular relay networks, where vehicle users and roadside users are in cooperative communications. To reduce data fluctuation and tackle channel uncertainty, the Lyapunov optimization theory is integrated into the long-term dynamic resource allocation framework, which addresses multiple performance indicators including queue backlog, communication delay, and user utility. In particular, the hierarchical competitive relationship between vehicle users and roadside users is captured, and the Stackelberg game structure is adopted to maximize the utilities of all users. Furthermore, the lower-game subproblem is transformed by the Lyapunov optimization method and is solved by the Lagrangian function method. As the best response function, the lower-game solution is used to formulate the upper-game strategy. Since the existing of game equilibrium (GE) solution, a Stackelberg game-enabled robust resource allocation algorithm can be proposed. Finally, various numerical simulations are performed to show that the proposed algorithm has better robustness and higher throughout than the benchmarks.

Literature Review for the Design Methods of Serious Games

This study emphasises the primary designing characteristics of serious games that make a balance between entertainment and education. The method description was utilised as a tool based on the analysis of serious game structure, strategies, model application, and factors of games supporting entertainment and the learning process in the literature. Through Summon system (a systematic digital library that includes various popular digital libraries), 52 potential studies were collected within the recent five years (from 2018 to 2023). The result shows that 13 methods are utilised to design serious games in reviewed papers. These methods involve a diversity of design theories proposed in these papers selected and some potential dimensions that impact the design of serious games to create the balance between entertainment and education.

Multiplayer Serious Games Supporting Programming Learning

Computational thinking (CT) is crucial in education for providing a multifaceted approach to problem-solving. However, challenges exist such as supporting teachers' knowledge of CT and students' desire to learn it, particularly for non-technical students. To combat these challenges, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) has been introduced in classrooms and implemented using a variety of technologies, including serious games, which have been adopted across several domains aiming to appeal to various demographics and skill levels. This research focuses on a Collaborative Multiplayer Serious Game (MSG) for CT skill training. The architecture is aimed at young students and is designed to aid in the learning of programming and the development of CT skills. The purpose of this research is to conduct an empirical study to assess the multiplayer game gameplay mechanics for collaborative CT learning. The proposed game leverages a card game structure and contains complex multi-team multi-player processes, allowing students to communicate and absorb sequential and conditional logics as well as graph routing in a 2D environment. A preliminary experiment was conducted with four fourth-graders and eight sixth-graders from a French school in Morocco who have varying levels of understanding of CT. Participants were split into three groups each with two teams and were required to complete a 16-question multiple-choice quiz before and after playing the same game to assess their initial structural programming logics and the effectiveness of the MSG. Questionnaires were collected along with an interview to gather feedback on their gaming experiences and the game’s role in teaching and learning. The results demonstrate that the proposed MSG had a favourable effect on the participants’ test scores as the scores of 4 of the teams increased and 1 remained the same. All students performed well on the sequential and conditional logics, which was significantly better than the achievement of the Bebras test of the graph routing. Furthermore, according to the participants, the game provides an appealing environment that allows players to immerse themselves in the game and the competitive aspect of the game adds to its appeal and helps develop teamwork, coordination, and communication skills.

A REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE OF HUMAN CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS – PART III: SEMANTIC FOUNDATIONS

The design and analysis of multi-agent human cyber-physical systems in safety-critical or industry-critical domains calls for an adequate semantic foundation capable of exhaustively and rigorously describing all emergent effects in the joint dynamic behavior of the agents that are relevant to their safety and well-behavior. We present such a semantic foundation. This framework extends beyond previous approaches by extending the agent-local dynamic state beyond state components under direct control of the agent and belief about other agents (as previously suggested for understanding cooperative as well as rational behavior) to agent-local evidence and belief about the overall cooperative, competitive, or coopetitive game structure. We argue that this extension is necessary for rigorously analyzing systems of human cyber-physical systems because humans are known to employ cognitive replacement models of system dynamics that are both non-stationary and potentially incongruent. These replacement models induce visible and potentially harmful effects on their joint emergent behavior and the interaction with cyber-physical system components.

Mediayazyk videoigr: istoriya stanovleniya i semiotika kibertekstov

The article analyzes the linguistic structures of video games, their formation in a historical perspective and explication of the current semiosphere of video game cybertexts. The history of the formation of the graphic code system of video games is reconstructed. The significance of the technical factor (computing capabilities of hardware game devices) in shaping the diversity of the spectrum of video game icons is highlighted. Parallels in the visual semiotics and aesthetics of cinematic animation and video games are noted. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the procedural cluster of video game semiotics.

Pyow-Hack: Ordered Compositions in Lewis-Skyrms Signaling Games

AbstractThis paper presents a Lewis-Skyrms signaling game that can exhibit a type of compositionality novel to the signaling game literature. The structure of the signaling game is motivated by an analogy to the alarm calls of putty-nosed monkeys (Cercopithecus nictitans). Putty-nosed monkeys display a compositional system of alarm calls with a semantics that is sensitive to the ordering of terms. This sensitivity to the ordering of terms has not been previously modeled with a Lewis-Skyrms signaling game literature. Signaling games are valued for showing how communicative systems can arise with minimal learning tools. Simulation results show that basic (Roth-Erev) reinforcement learning is sufficient for the acquisition of a compositional signaling system sensitive to the ordering of terms.

Insurance Penetration and Institutional Spillover on Economic Growth: A Dynamic Spatial Econometric Approach on the Asian and Europe Region

The contemporary environment is interrelated, and interactions between markets, countries, and international actors at different levels exist in every corner of the globe. Amid this, the failures of the free-market system have paved the way for institutionalism, which proposes minimising transaction costs, substantial property rights, and enabling proper contract enforcement. Studies on institutions and insurance development spillover concerning growth relationships are rare and a critical area needing exploration. This study explores the behaviour of economic development in terms of potential spatial dependencies and spatial institutional and insurance development spillover on economic growth. To measure insurance development by the life insurance and non-life insurance penetration, economic growth by per capita gross domestic product (GDP), and indicators of good governance for institutions in the nations. The study explored the spatial impact between countries using panel data of 56 countries between 2002 and 2020 representing the Asian and European regions. We did this by using dynamic spatial econometric modelling (DSEM) on institutional and insurance development and seeing the spatial implications and the spatial institutional impact moderated by insurance development on growth. Results indicate that developing the life insurance and non-life insurance of surrounding countries creates a spillover impact on the local countries’ economies. In contrast, institutions have created a reverse spatial spillover impact on local countries. However, life insurance development, moderated through accountability and government effectiveness, has created a spatial spillover between countries. Both life and non-life penetration moderated by the control of corruption and overall institutions have shown a reverse spillover on countries’ economies. This suggests that global governance is a positive-sum game, and monitoring and governance structures have failed at the international level concerning separate countries. Therefore, it is seen that to prevent institutional failure at the state level, good governance and links with the global governance structure could disrupt or energise local institutions.

Gamification and Soft Skills Assessment in the Development of a Serious Game: Design and Feasibility Pilot Study.

The advent of new technologies has had a profound impact on the labor market, transforming the way we work and interact with each other. With the rise of digital tools and platforms, gamification has emerged as a powerful technique for enhancing productivity and engagement in various fields, including human resource management. In particular, gamification has been found to be effective in developing and assessing soft skills, which play a critical role in determining the success of individuals, teams, and organizations. We present a serious game that identifies the most sought-after skills in the job market and offers feedback, and we provide a set of guidelines for the creation of serious games. We present the serious game Among the Office Criticality (AOC). The AOC game structure involves a set of sequence analysis techniques, which is known as process mining. The pilot study findings indicate that the game is both engaging and beneficial to subjects, suggesting that the results align with current theoretical perspectives. Furthermore, the study suggests that the obtained data can be extended to the broader population. This study illustrates a serious game structured according to the needs of the labor market and developed to put the user at the center, using evaluation techniques consistent with the literature, with the aim of constituting an interdisciplinary approach suitable for adequately assessing users and creating value for them.

Educational Game Scenario Model Based On Imperative Game Goal Typology

Educational games are digital products resulting from the application of game-based learning concepts. The main factors forming educational games include combining a learning subject with challenging elements and engaging visualization. Most educational games translate the challenge component of the game in the form of multiple choice quizzes, questions, answers, or puzzle solving. This result causes the mechanical structure of educational games less interesting than the mechanics of entertainment games. This paper proposes a scenario development model for educational games derived from the game goal typology commonly found in entertainment games. This model is expected to be a reference for developing educational game scenarios that can enrich the types of mechanics and increase the engagement of an educational game. The proposed model in the research has been tested on two educational games, both of which received high attractiveness scores of 1.632 and 1.542 respectively on the User Experience Question (UEQ) scale.

Institutional reform paths

AbstractThis paper develops a dynamic population game in which agents play a simple anonymous‐exchange game of cooperating or defecting. Agents switch to the strategy with a higher expected payoff. Reformers can affect the payoff structure of the stage game to maximize the number of cooperators in the population by either enacting legal reform (institutional quality of contract law) or focusing on the macro outlook of the economy. Based on the theoretical model, the paper predicts which types the reformer should enact first and under which conditions reform will not be successful.

The Application of TGFU Learning in Volleyball Upper Passing Learning

TGFU (Teaching Game for Understanding) is game-centered learning and students learn games related to sports using a constructive approach. TGFU is a physical education learning model that uses elements of a tactical game without eliminating the technique with the aim of active movement for the development of skills and knowledge in teaching physical education. This tactic game learning model can increase students' interest and motivation in a game structure for developing skills and knowledge of volleyball upper passing techniques. Upper passing functions to form defense and attack because it is used to receive service, receive spikes, hit the ball that bounces off the net and most importantly to feed or give the ball to the smasher. The purpose of this study was to find out the application of TGFU (Teaching Game for Understanding) learning in volleyball upper passing learning. The method used in this research is literature review. Here, we will describe the relation to the application of TGFU learning in volleyball games, especially upper passing and the instruments commonly used to measure the upper passing ability. With the results of research from various sources, it can be concluded that the application of TGFU learning has a significant effect on upper passing on volleyball.

Pendampingan Pembuatan Video Game untuk SMAN 3 Batusangkar

Student creativity in the field of research can develop a method that has excellent potential to be utilized by the wider community. SMAN 3 Batusangkar students have high creativity and interest in participating in research olympiads, such as designing a video game structure as a therapeutic tool to help children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in problems with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. The designed video game is part of their research plan proposed in the Indonesian Student Research Olympiad. However, the lack of understanding of the students in making video games with the concept of visual attention for children with ADHD to be used in research is a problem in itself. Therefore, the community service team in the Information Systems Department, Universitas Andalas, assisted in making video games to increase the understanding of the SMAN 3 Batusangkar team on making video games. This activity aimed to disseminate process knowledge related to making simple video games to support innovations that benefit society. Assistance was carried out intensively at the Basic Laboratory of the Information Systems Department to help the SMAN 3 Batusangkar team complete a series of research plans proposed for the Olympics, especially at stages related to making video games.

Stroke of Genius: A Customizable Card Game Structure to Exercise Differential Diagnostic Skills

The practice of medicine includes many skills that are difficult to teach and master, including the development of broad differential diagnoses. Opportunities to practice these skills require time, attention, and, optimally, a safe, structured setting. Typically, trainees exercise these skills informally during patient care or in didactic “table case” sessions. These exercises are limited by the need to cover the most common or iconic presentations or are subject to those diagnoses that present for care. Time constraints and patient volumes make opportunities for teaching and skills exercises increasingly rare. Games are an effective, fun, and low-resource method of teaching and are increasingly being used in medical education.1,2 We seek to create games that help trainees develop skills not amenable to didactics and that require practice to master.We created a card game for trainees to develop and exercise differential diagnostic skills. In the game there are 2 card decks. The first includes presenting symptoms, such as “Weakness.” The second contains 4 types of cards: Anatomy, such as “Precentral Gyrus”; Predisposing Condition, such as a tracing of atrial fibrillation; Pathology, such as a CT scan of a stroke; and Pathophysiology, such as “Cardioembolism.” Trainees draw a hand of 7 cards from the second deck and must play a card that matches the symptom card. Each trainee plays any card from their hand that works with the symptom, but it must also work with the previously played cards. Consequently, the evolving case becomes more specific with subsequent plays (see Figure). Trainees are encouraged to argue for their card and discuss possible explanations. A proctor, usually an attending or fellow who can monitor several games at once, makes the final decision. The last player to play an appropriate card on the case wins the hand. A new symptom card is then played. This original game, called Stroke of Genius, presents neurovascular concepts and is played in groups of 4 lasting 1 hour. After Institutional Review Board approval, players were surveyed to rank ease of play, enjoyability, and effectiveness in reinforcing neurovascular concepts, as well as whether games should be included more frequently in educational settings. A second version, presenting otolaryngology concepts, was adapted to an online format for individual practice, with a random generator presenting a symptom card and then a sequence of random concept cards for the trainee to consider how they could relate. This format could also be used as a 2-minute “warm-up” before didactics or even prior to rounds to initiate discussion.The neurovascular game has been played by more than 65 medical students and residents (24 residents) and has been extremely well received. Median evaluations (for the whole group and the resident subgroup) on a 1 to 5 Likert scale were 5 for ease of play, 5 for enjoyability, and 5 for effectiveness at reinforcing neurovascular concepts. All 65 trainees surveyed ranked the game as somewhat or very effective and somewhat or very enjoyable. Written comments also stated that trainees would like to do more of this sort of learning. This game presents hundreds of case combinations in the span of 1 hour and may be played repeatedly. The structure of matching cards presenting anatomy, predisposing conditions, pathology, and pathophysiology to a presenting symptom can be adapted to almost any area of medicine, as evidenced by the successful use in both neurovascular disease and otolaryngology. Games increase individual trainee engagement and encourage active creativity and discussion of content, while creating a limited faculty burden.

Digital Game Design Process for the Concept of Area

Designing a digital game using method, activities, contexts and problems which have been proved to be effective in mathematics education for a long time, will increase the effectiveness and success of the game. The purpose of this study was to reflect the digital game design process for the area concept. The design-based research method was used in the study. The digital game was developed by the researchers in a circular design process including the design, analysis, evaluation, and revision. In the design process, preliminary concepts, skills, and the way to teach them were determined with the help of the literature on the concept of area aimed to be taught via the digital game, and then the mechanics and context of the game were designed under the supervision of three instructors of mathematics. After the design stage, fifteen students were asked to play the game in order to evaluate it. The findings showed that it is important to refer to the literature and to involve mathematics instructors in the process of creating a digital game by considering how such a game should be in terms of mathematics. Getting help from students with different socio-economic levels during the game design phase will help the development of the educational and game structure of the game.