Traditional Video Games Research Articles

Adaptive mixed reality robotic games for personalized consumer robot entertainment

The Adaptive Mixed Reality Robot Games (AMRRG) framework represents an innovative approach to integrating consumer robots into public spaces for personalized and engaging entertainment. AMRRG uses a combination of mixed reality headsets, robot movement, and interactive objects. These responsive entertainment environments need a new way to tell their story. Admixing game mechanics algorithm utilizes the world’s most advanced depth perception, computer vision, and simultaneous mapping and localization (SLAM) to enable effective distinguishing between player spaces, mixed reality areas, and robot paths for safe interaction. Reinforcement learning enables real-time adaptation of game difficulty and gameplay mechanics as players react to it. At 35 % higher than traditional video-game installations in a 5 m × 5 m environment accommodating up to 20 people, adaptive algorithms recorded efficiency values of 92 % and responsiveness of 98 %. The AMRRG framework brings home consumer robot platforms to deliver a happy gaming experience. Future research will explore the potential of AMRRG beyond simple adaptation, extending its use to therapy and education.

Innovative Strategies of Mobile Game Marketing in Social Media Environment

Compared with traditional computer games, mobile games have advantages such as portability, ease of use, and fragmented time utilization, attracting a large number of users. In the current era where social media and mobile games are intertwined, effective mobile game marketing in the social media environment has become a topic worthy of in-depth exploration. The article provides an overview of the current situation of the mobile game market in the social media environment, emphasizing the importance of social media in game marketing. Next, the challenges and issues of current mobile game marketing in the social media environment were analyzed, including user positioning, content creativity, and interactive participation. This article proposes a series of innovative strategies to address these issues. These strategies aim to fully utilize the characteristics and advantages of social media, establish closer connections and interactions with target users, and enhance the visibility and competitiveness of mobile games.

The application of virtual reality: Authenticity and interactivity

In recent years, with the continuous advancement of science and technology, virtual reality technology has also been further developed and gradually applied to various fields. In the field of games, virtual reality technology has been fully applied, and virtual reality games provide the public with a more playable virtual space. At present, the research and analysis on virtual reality games is not sufficient enough to fully analyze and summarize the uniqueness of virtual reality games. Therefore, this paper makes the following research. First analyzes the characteristics of traditional computer games, then focuses on the application of virtual reality technology in games, elaborates from three aspects of game quality, authenticity and interactivity, and finally summarizes some shortcomings of the game at current virtual reality. Game quality refers to the improvement in game design, and the entire virtual reality game provides players with more realistic pictures and different interaction methods. At the end of the article, this article summarizes the full text and looks forward to the future research direction.

Metaverse platform ecosystems

Traditionally, the metaverse has been defined as a virtual reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users. Nowadays, it is much more than that—the metaverse can be described as a variety of digital platforms and ecosystems, with each ecosystem as an independent universe with its own material, complementors, and functionalities. Creating metaverse ecosystems and integrated platforms results in different roles and responsibilities for complementors, consumers, platform owners, and orchestrators. The term metaverse platforms is further structured and clarified by four perspectives: innovation, production, transaction, and social interaction. Consequently, this fundamental paper defines it as: “A Metaverse is a massively scaled and interoperable meta-ecosystem of other digital ecosystems of real-time rendered 3D virtual worlds which can be experienced synchronously and persistently by an unlimited number of complementors and consumers with an increased user experience caused by a creativity-guided co-creation of goods managed by orchestrators and supported by platform owners.” Consequently, the metaverse offers vast opportunities for digital innovations beyond traditional social media or computer games and creates new infrastructures for add-on innovations in all areas of the digital economy.

Social network games (SNGs) addiction: Psychological dimensions and impacts on life quality and society

An integral part of socio-technological evolution, social network games (SNGs) are played on various social networking platforms by multiple players who often do not know each other. This phenomenon has intensified globally along with smartphone penetration. SNGs, though sharing characteristics with traditional video games, have distinct functionalities and affect players’ socio-psychological behavior. Despite their growing and multidimensional significance – consequent to their novelty and incessant development and penetration – the personal and wider social effects of SNGs have been visibly inadequately researched. Aiming to fill this knowledge gap, the present study investigates the psychological and social impacts of SNGs on users, as well as the moderating role of age and gender therein. Methodologically, hypotheses and a conceptual model are first developed based on extant contextual, behavioral, and addiction-specific theories. They are subsequently validated through a survey-based PLS-SEM technique. The study ultimately identifies and elucidates the role of explicit dimensions leading to SNG addiction and highlights its impact at the micro (personal) and macro (society) levels.

Cloud Gaming Demystified: An Introduction to the Legal Implications of Cloud-Based Videogames

In this paper, we “demystify” cloud-based videogaming and its legal implications, in two stages. First, we describe the videogame sector; explain the basics of cloud computing and traditional videogame technologies and set out how the two converge in cloud-based videogame systems. Based on this analysis, we distinguish three separate models for cloud gaming services: (i) the “layered” model of Gaming-as-a-Service (‘GaaS’); (ii) the ‘integrated’ model of GaaS; and (iii) the ‘consumer infrastructure-as-a-service’ model. We argue that these three models are key to analyzing how intellectual property rights, contractual rights, and regulatory issues will develop in this novel environment for videogame distribution and access.

An Empirical Study of Trends of Popular Virtual Reality Games and Their Complaints

The market for virtual reality (VR) games is growing rapidly and is expected to grow from 3.3 billion in 2018 to 13.7 billion in 2022. Due to the immersive nature of such games and the use of VR headsets, players may have complaints about VR games, which are distinct from those about traditional computer games, and an understanding of those complaints could enable developers to better take advantage of the growing VR market. We conduct an empirical study of 750 popular VR games and 17 635 user reviews on Steam in order to understand trends in VR games and their complaints. We find that the VR games market is maturing. Fewer VR games are released each month, but their quality appears to be improving over time. Most games support multiple headsets and play areas, and support for smaller scale play areas is increasing. Complaints of cybersickness are rare and declining, indicating that players are generally more concerned with other issues. Recently, complaints about game-specific issues have become the most frequent type of complaint, and VR game developers can now focus on these issues and worry less about VR-comfort issues such as cybersickness.

A Virtual Reality Serious Videogame Versus Online Chess Augmentation in Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: Serious videogames and virtual reality (VR) have gained increasing interest for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). "The Secret Trail of Moon" (TSTM) study is a clinical trial devoted to testing the efficacy of TSTM, a VR serious videogame developed to train in five major cognitive skills usually compromised in patients with ADHD. This study is a three-arm nonequality trial comparing TSTM to online chess training and a control group (CG). This study aims to demonstrate that augmentation with either TSTM or online chess is efficacious in clinically drug-stable patients with ADHD. Materials and Methods: This study is prospective, unicentric, and randomized with a CG. One hundred five patients with ADHD, ages 12-22 years old, and pharmacologically stable were enrolled. Patients were randomized into three groups: TSTM group, online chess group (therapeutic chess [TC]), and CG. Objective and subjective measures of the patient and parents are included. Patient visits differ for each group. TSTM group patients have 15 face-to-face visits: preinclusion visit, inclusion visit, 12 training visits, and final visit. TC and CG patients have 3 face-to-face visits (preinclusion, initial visit, and final visit) and 12 e-mail or phone communications during training (TC) or follow-up (CG group). This study was approved by the local Institutional Review Board (IRB). Results: Not applicable. This is a study protocol. Conclusion: This is the first study testing an augmentation strategy using either a serious videogame or chess in clinically drug-treated patients with ADHD. Using VR serious videogames present with several advantages over traditional videogames. Trial Registration: NCT04355065.

Retracted] Research Based on Visual Sensors and VR in the Field of Visual Culture

Visual sensors provide us with a wealth of multimedia data; one of the core parts of VR technology is to present people with a real and immersive simulation environment; the application of this technology makes the human narrative to achieve visual transformation and further strengthens the central position of visual culture. This paper studies the field of visual culture from two aspects of visual sensor and VR. In this paper, the HSV color model models task processing problems in visual sensor networks using separable load theory and studies ways to seek optimal task scheduling strategies to minimize the completion time of the visual task. This paper mainly uses literature research method, questionnaire survey method, and statistical analysis method to design a model image output process to explore the application of visual culture under the development of visual sensor and VR and analyzes the development status of film, game, and cultural tourism industry VR in the field of visual culture. Questionnaire data show that compared with traditional video games, more people chose games under the application of VR technology for entertainment; in VR game experience, more than 70% are satisfied with game color and style, operation form, scene design, and experience of VR game itself, which shows to some extent the role of visual sensor and VR in visual culture.

A Guideline Study For Designing Virtual Reality Games

Virtual reality has great potential for immersive experiences that is not available in other mediums. Thus, it has a significant place in the entertainment and the game industry. However, creating a well-designed immersive experience can be extremely complicated due to the replacement of human perception from the real-world to an isolated virtual world. Understanding the essentials of virtual reality (VR) experiences and game design principles is necessary for designing an immersive VR game. Although there are many differences in design elements of VR games according to the experience that is wanted to be given to the player, many games also have common elements. In the line of this view, a guideline is aimed to be framed for VR game designers in the current study. For this purpose design pillars of VR experiences and game design principles were reviewed, and five VR games were analyzed. Games are highly plastic mediums that can be adapted to any environment and technology. Many game types have a close relationship in terms of game elements and design. However, the implementation of game elements from other mediums to the VR medium is challenging. Therefore, game design principles should be well-comprehended and implemented to the VR medium by considering the existed technology. Virtual reality takes the player and put him in a new virtual world. In this world, everything should be designed to be easily perceivable by the player. Thus, the human perception was reviewed as one of the design pillars. Virtual reality also offers an interactive experience that allows the user to affect the world. Like in traditional video games, players can interact and navigate in the virtual world. Therefore, interaction and navigation were reviewed as two other design pillars. Based on the reviewed design pillars, five VR games were analyzed. Then, a VR game design guideline is proposed based on common game design elements in those games

Co-Op World: Adaptive computer game for supporting child psychotherapy

This paper introduces the Co-Op World computer game for supporting child psychotherapy. The game involves a virtual AI-based player and a human player, thus facilitating repeated interactions for requesting help from one another. The therapist, who is not part of the interaction, can then focus on reciprocity aspects emerging from playing the game, either in real-time by discussing different considerations for providing or refusing to help, or offline through a set of supporting tools (e.g., reports). One critically innovative aspect of the system is that, unlike with traditional computer games or traditional therapy, our game offers the therapist a-priori control over the behavior of the virtual player, facilitating various kinds of targeted reciprocity-related interactions between the patient and the virtual player. This capability of offering appropriate social communication challenges via the game has various advantages, as discussed throughout the paper. As a proof of concept, the game was tested in psychotherapy with four school-aged children. The case studies reveal high acceptance of the game among the users, as well as a varied set of behavioral strategies that the children adopted. The insights gained point to various directions for future development and research.

Personalized Tracking of Physical Activity in Children Using a Wearable Heart Rate Monitor.

Serious games are video games that are intended to support learning while entertaining. They are considered valuable tools to improve user-specific skills or facilitate educational or therapeutic processes, especially in children. One of the disadvantages of computer games, in general, is their promotion of sedentary habits, considered as a significant risk factor for developing diseases such as obesity and hypertension. Exergames are serious games created to overcome the disadvantages of traditional computer games by promoting physical activity while playing. This study describes the development and evaluation of an adaptive component to monitor physical activity in children while using an exergame. The system is based on wearable technology to measure heart rate and perform real-time customizations in the exergame. To evaluate the adaptive component, an experiment was conducted with 30 children between 5 and 7 years of age, where the adaptive system was contrasted with a conventional interactive system (an exergame without adaptive component). It was demonstrated that the computer game, using the adaptive component, was able to change in real-time some of its functionalities based on the user characteristics. Increased levels of heart rate and caloric expenditure were significant in some of the game scenarios using the adaptive component. Although a formal user experience evaluation was not performed, excellent game playability and adherence by users were observed.

Interactive Sculpting of Digital Faces Using an Anatomical Modeling Paradigm

AbstractDigitally sculpting 3D human faces is a very challenging task. It typically requires either 1) highly‐skilled artists using complex software packages for high quality results, or 2) highly‐constrained simple interfaces for consumer‐level avatar creation, such as in game engines. We propose a novel interactive method for the creation of digital faces that is simple and intuitive to use, even for novice users, while consistently producing plausible 3D face geometry, and allowing editing freedom beyond traditional video game avatar creation. At the core of our system lies a specialized anatomical local face model (ALM), which is constructed from a dataset of several hundred 3D face scans. User edits are propagated to constraints for an optimization of our data‐driven ALM model, ensuring the resulting face remains plausible even for simple edits like clicking and dragging surface points. We show how several natural interaction methods can be implemented in our framework, including direct control of the surface, indirect control of semantic features like age, ethnicity, gender, and BMI, as well as indirect control through manipulating the underlying bony structures. The result is a simple new method for creating digital human faces, for artists and novice users alike. Our method is attractive for low‐budget VFX and animation productions, and our anatomical modeling paradigm can complement traditional game engine avatar design packages.

Exergaming in Youth and Young Adults: A Narrative Overview.

Because of rapid evolution in exergaming technology and content, the literature on the benefits of exergaming needs ongoing review. Updated syntheses incorporating high-quality critical assessments of included articles can provide cutting-edge evidence to drive research and practice. The objectives were to summarize evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the association between exergaming and (1) physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior and energy expenditure (EE); and (2) body composition, body mass index (BMI), and other weight-related outcomes among persons younger than 30 years; and to summarize recommendations in the articles retained. The Elton B. Stephens Co. (ESBSCO) database for reviews was searched from January 1995 to July 2019. Data on study characteristics, findings, and recommendations for future research, game design, and intervention development were extracted from articles that met the inclusion criteria, quality scores were attributed to each article, and a narrative overview of the evidence was undertaken. Twenty-eight reviews, with 5-100 articles per review, were identified. Seventeen assessed the evidence on the association between exergaming and PA, EE, and/or sedentary behavior, and 11 examined the association with body composition, BMI, or other weight-related outcomes. There was substantial heterogeneity across reviews in objectives, definitions, and methods. A positive relationship between exergaming and EE is well documented, but whether exergaming increases PA or changes body composition is not established. The reviews retained also provide evidence that exergaming is a healthier alternative to sedentary behavior and that it can be an exciting enjoyable pastime for youth, which adds variety in PA options for health and dietary interventions. Exergaming is likely more physically health promoting than traditional videogames because of higher EE and possibly improved physical fitness and body composition. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess if exergaming reduces sedentary time, has other health benefits, or is a sustainable behavior. We recommend that exergaming interventions be designed using behavior change theory, and that future reviews use standard review criteria and include recommendations for research, game design, and intervention development.

On the effectiveness of using virtual reality games in social marketing

Abstract Social marketing aims to influence behaviors that would be beneficial to individuals and communities. To achieve this goal, it is based on various interventions. Such interventions need to include all four P’s of marketing mix: product, price, place, and promotion. Among all these elements, promotion is assumed to be the most important and associated with common understanding of social campaign. Although, interventions which only use the promotion are not considered to be social marketing, social advertising is very essential for the success of the campaign as it plays a key role in terms of its perception and draws attention of a wide audience to the problem. Thanks to the occurrence of advertising in the media it can reach the larger number of recipients and initiate many positive changes. Recently, next to the traditional communication channels, like TV and press, relatively new media have occurred (mobile phones, social media, etc.). Apart of that, social marketing campaigns may also use advertising in games. This type of entertainment is widely popular and provides a deep recipient’s engagement, especially when the game is presented in virtual reality. Therefore, it can significantly increase the effectiveness of social advertising. The aim of the article is to present an experiment that allows to study the efficacy of virtual reality game in social advertising. The research is designed to gather data from two different sources - survey and cognitive neuroscience tools. The study proposal is based on the simple action game that aims to raise players’ awareness of healthy eating. The application of virtual reality for this purpose is very promising since it is quite novel technology and because of its features allows for much deeper immersion into game’s world that traditional computer or video games.

Predicting Intention to Play Random and Skill-based Electronic Gambling Machines Using the Theory of Reasoned Action.

Hybrid gambling machines (HGMs) are a new gambling activity that combine the skill element of traditional video games with the random pay-out schedule of electronic gaming machines (e.g., slots). Developed to increase gambling by younger generations that favor video games, there is currently no empirical evidence regarding consumer views of HGMs to guide policy-decision making related to this new gambling activity. We use the theory of reasoned action (TRA) to investigate factors that motivate intentions to play these machines in two studies: (1) among 43 casino patrons and (2) among 184 US online participants residing in states where HGMs were available. Both samples completed surveys after exposure to actual or explanations of HGMs and slots. Analyses supported the prediction that positive attitudes towards HGMs and positively perceived subjective norms would predict intention to play HGMs and slots. The results suggest that the TRA is a useful framework for explaining intentions to gamble on traditional slot machines and new HGMs. The absence of research on HGMs makes these studies an important and necessary contribution to the empirical literature on machine gambling. Understanding individuals' intentions to engage with HGMs is important to guide development of harm-minimisation practices and evaluate impact of policy changes.

On the use of participatory methodologies for video game research: Exploring disaster risk reduction in video games

Video game scholars examining the shortcomings of previous video game research reference the need for new and innovative methodologies. Existing video game research seemingly inhibits organic learning experiences by setting specific research targets or providing players with gameplay instructions, hence utilising methodological approaches that study the learning process from the outside. With the increasing popularity of both serious and mainstream disaster video games, a necessity exists for innovative research to explore how video games can be used as learning tools. Based upon the researchers’ own enquiry, this article demonstrates the potential use, benefits and challenges of participatory methodologies for the conduct of video game research. This article pushes back upon traditional video game research methods, reviewing the methodological approaches of existing video game literature and demonstrates how participatory methodologies are currently being used for disaster video game research. An examination of participatory methodologies, being used in disaster video game research, reviews the strengths and challenges of each research approach. Rationalising the potential of participatory methodologies, in the context of constructivist learning theory and active participation, to foster the learning process and explore learning from the inside. As such this article provides an innovative methodological framework, which can be used as a template when considering future video game research.

Factors Associated with Sustained Exergaming: Longitudinal Investigation.

BackgroundExergaming is technology-driven physical activity (PA) which, unlike traditional video game play, requires that participants be physically active to play the game. Exergaming may have potential to increase PA and decrease sedentary behavior in youth, but little is known about sustained exergaming.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to describe the frequency, correlates, and predictors of sustained exergaming.MethodsData were available in AdoQuest (2005-11), a longitudinal investigation of 1843 grade 5 students in Montréal, Canada. This analysis used data from grade 9 (2008-09) and 11 (2010-11). Participants at Time 1 (T1; mean age 14 years, SD 0.8 ) who reported past-week exergaming (n=186, 19.1% of AdoQuest sample) completed mailed self-report questionnaires at Time 2 (T2; mean age 16 years, SD 0.8). Independent sociodemographic, psychological, and behavioral correlates (from T2)/predictors (from T1 or earlier) were identified using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsOf 186 exergamers at T1, 81 (44%) reported exergaming at T2. Being female and having higher introjected regulation (ie, a type of PA motivation indicative of internalizing PA as a behavior) were independent correlates. None of the predictors investigated were associated with sustained exergaming.ConclusionsAlmost half of grade 9 exergamers sustained exergaming for 2 years. Exergaming may be a viable approach to help adolescents engage in and sustain PA during adolescence. Sex and PA motivation may be important in the sustainability of exergaming.

Gendered Experiences of Mobile Gaming and Augmented Reality

Gender differences in video gaming have been observed in gaming motivations, behaviors, and perceptions. Unlike traditional video games, Pokémon Go is a mobile, augmented reality game accessible on a smartphone, so it remains unclear whether previous findings about gender differences apply to this game. This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the playing habits and experiences of 452 college students. Differences in social media usage, domains and frequency in which the game interfered with, and activities during which the game was played were observed between genders. While students perceived similar risks associated with Pokémon Go, men were less likely to report bonding with others as a personal benefit of the game. Further study of mobile gaming experiences between genders is needed, particularly in relation to social and immersive motivations to play the game.

Moderating effect of social interaction on enjoyment and perception of physical activity in young adults with autism spectrum disorders

Background: Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk for a sedentary lifestyle and its associated health problems. In neurotypical (NT) individuals, social participation and enjoyment are related to physical activity engagement. Exergaming has been shown to increase energy expenditure compared to traditional video games and is an effective option for community-based recreation.Methods: We measured physiological and psychological responses of young adults with ASD to exergaming under varying conditions and sought to determine whether playing alone versus with a partner influenced physical activity level and/or experience in NT young adults (n = 18) and those with ASD (n = 18).Results: Both ASD and NT groups experienced high enjoyment and perceived exertion while exergaming. Perceived exertion was moderated by enjoyment when young adults with ASD played with a partner, reporting less effort despite actually expending more energy.Conclusion: Social interaction may lead to increased intensity and duration of physical activity for individuals with ASD. Exergaming is a socially acceptable and age-appropriate exercise modality for this group and likely represents a cost-effective and accessible way to incorporate physical activity and social interaction into their daily lives.