Version Of Game Research Articles

Moralistic and local god beliefs and the extent of prosocial preferences on Tanna Island, Vanuatu

ABSTRACT The co-existence of Christian and indigenous “Kastom” belief systems on Tanna Island, Vanuatu provides a rare opportunity to explore the relationship between cooperation and religion. Here, we use data on religious beliefs and practices, religious priming, and four versions of a dictator game at two sites—one predominantly Christian and one predominantly Kastom—to test a suite of hypotheses linking prosocial behavior to beliefs about and commitment to both a powerful moralistic god and a less morally concerned local supernatural force. We found belief that the moralistic god was more punitive did not predict increased giving towards co-religionists but did predict giving more to a religious outgroup member over a co-religionist. Belief that the moralistic god was more rewarding predicted less giving towards a distant coreligionist or outgroup member. Religious commitment predicted giving to a distant coreligionist over someone from one's own village. We did not find any effect of beliefs about and commitment to less morally-concerned local supernatural forces on giving. We also did not find the predicted effects of religious priming on giving. These findings suggest a more complex relationship between religious beliefs and prosocial behavior than current theory can accommodate.

Do avatars weep? Ritual and sacred space at virtual burning man

ABSTRACT In 2020, the organizers of Burning Man, a transformational festival that serves for many participants as a spiritual destination, decided to go virtual. Some ‘Burners’ dismissed a virtual festival as a ‘video game version’ of the event, while programmers and artists developed online venues that would facilitate transformation, a sense of community, and ritual activities, especially those around ‘The Temple,’ the spiritual heart of Burning Man. Based on twenty years of ethnographic research at Burning Man, this article will compare the event in Nevada's Black Rock Desert to the virtual version by focusing on central themes that speak to the effectiveness of online rituals in the time of Covid-19. Through a variety of embodied practices like making offerings, meditating, and dancing that elicited sensual memories and emotions linked to past experiences at Burning Man, participants effectively transposed the face-to-face event in a distant desert to intimate spaces in their homes.

Consensus Game: An Extension of Battle of the Sexes Game

This paper introduces “Consensus Game” as a multiplayer extension of the well-known “Battle of the Sexes” game to model situations where multiple parties (e.g., buyers–sellers) need to come to an agreement on a common issue in order for all players to be better off. We develop closed-form analytical expressions for the mixed-strategy Nash Equilibrium of a Consensus Game and thereafter, under a mildly restrictive assumption of completely mixed strategies, demonstrate the uniqueness of this equilibrium. We also show that in the constant-sum version of the Consensus Game, this unique Nash Equilibrium guarantees equal payoffs to all players. This result pertaining to equal payoffs as the only Nash Equilibrium suggests that in applications where multiple parties need to arrive at a consensus in order to share a common and fixed pool of a resource, an equal-utility distribution of the pool is the only stable solution that does not provide any party a unilateral incentive to deviate.

Variation in first-generation L1 deictic systems: Language attrition and bilingualism effects

Aims and Objectives: This study explored the extent to which bilingual language exposure and practice might alter the way in which bilingual first-generation adult speakers use deictic demonstratives in their first language (Spanish) after immersion in a new language environment (Norwegian). Fully developed L1 systems are expected to be stable and less susceptible to change or restructuring than child systems. In addition, core domains of a language such as deictic demonstrative reference are hypothesized to be more robust. Design: Participants were tested with the Spanish version of the memory game. They completed an ethnolinguistic background questionnaire with questions targeting demographic data, experience with language, and daily routines in language use. Data and analyses: Demonstrative use was analysed using binomial multilevel modelling, allowing residual variance to be partitioned into a between-participant component and a within-participant component. Findings: Results demonstrate a shift in the demonstrative system of Spanish native speakers who have resided in Norway for a median of 6.5 years. This shift is reflected in extensive use of the semantically underspecified item ese at the expense of the form aquel. The latter form is less frequent and highly context-dependent in corpora of the modern language. It can be hypothesized that first-generation speakers are faster in converging on a simplified system of deictic reference than the native speaker group tested in Spain, but this development parallels tendencies observed in the monolingual variety of the language. This faster shift may well be influenced and catalysed by bilingual language practice. Originality: This article addresses a gap in research on deictic terms under conditions of language attrition. It documents a restructuring of the deictic system in first-generation speakers of Spanish residing in another country. The results suggest that marking peri-personal space is a core feature of deictic systems across languages, also preserved under deictic system shift.

Judgment and Embodied Cognition of Lawyers. Moral Decision-Making and Interoceptive Physiology in the Legal Field.

Past research showed that the ability to focus on one’s internal states (e.g., interoceptive ability) positively correlates with the self-regulation of behavior in situations that are accompanied by somatic and/or physiological changes, such as emotions, physical workload, and decision-making. The analysis of moral oriented decision-making can be the first step for better understanding the legal reasoning carried on by the main players in the field, as lawyers are. For this reason, this study investigated the influence of the decision context and interoceptive manipulation on the moral decision-making process in the legal field gathering the responses of two groups of lawyers. A total of 20 lawyers were randomly divided into an experimental group (EXP), which was explicitly required to focus the attention on its interoceptive correlates, and a control group (CON), which only received the general instruction to perform the task. Both groups underwent a modified version of the Ultimatum Game (UG), where are presented three different moral conditions (professional, company, and social) and three different offers (fair, unfair, and equal). Results highlighted a significant increase of Acceptance Rate (AR) in those offers that should be considered more equal than fair or unfair ones, associated with a general increase of Reaction Times (RTs) in the equal offers. Furthermore, the interoceptive manipulation oriented the Lawyers toward a more self-centered decision. This study shows how individual, situational, contextual, and interoceptive factors may influence the moral decision-making of lawyers. Future research in the so-called Neurolaw field is needed to replicate and expand current findings.

A novel version for three-player gambler's ruin problem

In the classic three-player ruin problem, the play continues until at least one of the players is completely ruined. In this research, we present a novel version of the classic three-player game with interest lies in a specific player. We determine the ruin probabilities and expected durations of the game given that our player (i.e. the gambler or the casino's player) wins or loses. The desired game plan is executed for both the cases, i.e. symmetric and asymmetric with all of the players having equal initial stakes. We also obtained the asymptotic results of the ruin probabilities and expected durations of the proposed game plan. Further, the validity of the desired game structure is also verified through a Monte Carlo simulation study.

The Hats game. On maximum degree and diameter

We analyze the following version of the deterministic Hats game. We have a graph G, and a sage resides at each vertex of G. When the game starts, an adversary puts on the head of each sage a hat of a color arbitrarily chosen from a set of k possible colors. Each sage can see the hat colors of his neighbors but not his own hat color. All of sages are asked to guess their own hat colors simultaneously, according to a predetermined guessing strategy and the hat colors they see, where no communication between them is allowed. The strategy is winning if it guarantees at least one correct individual guess for every assignment of colors. Given a graph G, its hat guessing number HG(G) is the maximal number k such that there exists a winning strategy.We disprove the hypothesis that HG(G)≤Δ+1 and demonstrate that diameter of graph and HG(G) are independent.

An old game, new experience: exploring the effect of players’ personal gameplay history on game experience

This experimental study explores how game experience differs between players with different gameplay histories within the same game universe. We are interested in how prolonged engagement with a game series affects the gameplay experience in relation to the most recent game version in the series. A total of 54 participants were divided into four groups depending on their gaming experience, namely non-gamers, new-gamers, old-gamers and core-gamers. They played the mobile version of Super Mario Run, and questionnaire data was collected after the gameplay session. The results of the study showed that not only the players’ personal gameplay history but also the length of experience or degree of familiarity with the game universe affected the experience of playing a new game in the same game universe. Additionally, familiarity with the game universe had a positive impact on the feeling of competence, immersion, emotions and flow.

Quantum Game Theory approach for data network routing: a solution for the congestion problem

Because of the sustained growth of information and mobile users transmitting a great amount of data packets, modern network performances are being seriously affected by congestion problems. In fact, congestion management is a challenging task that can be roughly summarized as a trade off between transmission latency and cost. In this context, a novel framework is proposed for solving the congestion problem on communication networks using a quantum game theory model, where network packets compete selfishly for the shortest route. Simulations show that final network routing and traveling times achieved with the quantum game version outperform those obtained classically. This leads to the opportunity of developing full-stack protocols that may be capable of taking advantage of the quantum properties for optimizing communication systems. Due to its generality, the game theoretic approach can be applied both in local networks and in more complex networks such as 5G or LTE-A.

Virtual reality technology and game enjoyment: The contributions of natural mapping and need satisfaction

Based on self-determination theory, the current laboratory experiment investigates how the use of virtual reality (VR) technology shapes the gaming experience. We hypothesize that playing the VR version offers a more naturally mapped playing experience than playing the non-VR version of the same game. Further, we assume that natural mapping is positively related to autonomy and competence need satisfaction, which in turn will predict higher levels of game enjoyment. One hundred thirty-three participants either played the non-VR or the VR version of the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. We found that playing the VR version induced higher levels of game enjoyment than playing the non-VR version. Path analysis affirmed our assumption that VR technology can increase game enjoyment via natural mapping and the resulting satisfaction of competence and autonomy needs. Implications of these findings for games research and game design are discussed.

Orangutan strategies for solving a visuospatial memory task.

The popular game known as Concentration (also commonly referred to as Memory), in which players search for matching pairs among a grid of face-down cards, provides a robust platform for examining visuospatial memory in a simple and nonverbal way. Five orangutans (Pongo ssp.) at the Indianapolis Zoo were given a modified version of the Concentration Game in which three cards were shown face-down on a computer screen, two of which matched each other while the third was a foil. Subjects overturned two cards at a time by touching them, with trials terminating in a food reward if the overturned cards matched, or reverting to their face-down position if they did not. A constraint was experimentally imposed on the game whereby the first two cards touched would never match, resulting in an optimal strategy composed of touching the first two cards, followed by the third, followed by the card among the first two cards that matched the third. We aimed to measure the extent to which orangutans would memorize and utilize visuospatial cues to solve the task in the optimal manner. Findings showed that three of five subjects utilized an optimal strategy more often than would be expected by chance, but also over utilized specific patterns of choices instead of adjusting their strategies to minimize the overall number of card flips. Visuospatial recall played a role in several of the participants' strategies for completing the task, but not to an extent that was necessary to achieve optimal gameplay.

Solving Static Permutation Mastermind using $O(n \log n)$ Queries

Permutation Mastermind is a version of the classical mastermind game in which the number of positions $n$ is equal to the number of colors $k$, and repetition of colors is not allowed, neither in the codeword nor in the queries. In this paper we solve the main open question from Glazik, Jäger, Schiemann and Srivastav (2021), who asked whether their bound of $O(n^{1.525})$ for the static version can be improved to $O(n \log n)$, which would be best possible. By using a simple probabilistic argument we show that this is indeed the case.

Assessing and Optimizing Socio-Moral Reasoning Skills: Findings From the MorALERT Serious Video Game

BackgroundSocial cognition and competence are a key part of daily interactions and essential for satisfying relationships and well-being. Pediatric neurological and psychological conditions can affect social cognition and require assessment and remediation of social skills. To adequately approximate the complex and dynamic nature of real-world social interactions, innovative tools are needed. The aim of this study was to document the performance of adolescents on two versions of a serious video game presenting realistic, everyday, socio-moral conflicts, and to explore whether their performance is associated with empathy or sense of presence, factors known to influence social cognition.MethodsParticipants (12–17 years, M = 14.39; SD = 1.35) first completed a pre-test measure of socio-moral reasoning based on three dilemmas from a previously validated computer task. Then, they either played an evaluative version (n = 24) or an adaptive (n = 33) version of a video game presenting nine social situations in which they made socio-moral decisions and provided justifications. In the evaluative version, participants’ audio justifications were recorded verbatim and coded manually to obtain a socio-moral reasoning maturity score. In the adaptive version (AV), tailored feedback and social reinforcements were provided based on participant responses. An automatic coding algorithm developed using artificial intelligence was used to determine socio-moral maturity level in real-time and to provide a basis for the feedback and reinforcements in the game. All participants then completed a three-dilemma post-test assessment.ResultsThose who played the adaptive version showed improved SMR across the pre-test, in-game and post-test moral maturity scores, F(1.97,63.00) = 9.81, pHF < 0.001, ϵ2 = 0.21, but those who played the Evaluative version did not. Socio-moral reasoning scores from both versions combined did not correlate with empathy or sense of presence during the game, though results neared significance. The study findings support preliminary validation of the game as a promising method for assessing and remediating social skills during adolescence.

Applying Game-Based Experiential Learning to Comprehensive Sustainable Development-Based Education

To promote the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), public awareness of the importance and urgency of sustainable development should be raised by providing relevant education programs. Although game-based learning has been confirmed to be one of the most effective routes to deepen public understanding of the SDGs and sustainable development in general, games for comprehensive sustainable development-based courses have yet to be popularized. Thus, we developed a game-based learning approach that delivers comprehensive conceptual information on SDGs. Based on Kolb’s theory of experiential learning, students understood the relevance of the SDGs by playing a board game designed to simulate the real world, including national and international policies. Furthermore, considering the suspension of in-person learning and shifts to digital instruction caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a digital version of the board game was created to compare the effects of digital and non-digital game-based learning. A comprehensive sustainable development evaluation questionnaire was developed and optimized using the fuzzy Delphi method to assess the participants’ knowledge of and attitudes toward the SDGs. Our results reveal that the digital and non-digital board game both improve students’ knowledge and attitude toward sustainable development. However, the digital board game was more effective than the non-digital board game.

Personal characteristics and risk tolerance in a natural experiment

PurposeThis paper examines students' decisions when playing an in-class version of the TV game, Deal or No Deal (DOND), to study the relation between personal characteristics and individual decision-making under risk.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzes DOND game play data collected from 374 students in 13 university finance classes, and their personal characteristics collected in a post-game survey. It uses ordered probit, OLS and probit regression analysis to examine the impact of personal characteristics on an individual's risk tolerance.FindingsThe key finding is that international students are significantly more risk averse than US domestic students. Additionally, given the natural control for age and education, the study finds that gender, race and religion have a limited impact on an individual's risk tolerance. Finally, the study provides evidence that the structure of the DOND game, in general, rewards risk-taking as long as it is not excessive. Once participant behavior becomes risk-seeking, the correlation between risk-taking and game payoff becomes negative.Research limitations/implicationsThe homogeneous set of contestants (business students) analyzed in this study presents some limitations yet provides opportunities to examine risk tolerance differences between the US and international students, and whether gender, race or religious affiliation has an impact on the level of risk tolerance given a natural control for age and education level.Practical implicationsThe evidence suggests that culture and environmental unfamiliarity may impact an individual's risk tolerance. This finding is useful when providing financial advice to diverse clients or when conducting international business. Additionally, understanding that education and financial literacy reduces differences in risk tolerance across gender, race and religion can impact the way we interact with others. A broader practical implication for all investors is that, while under normal circumstances, risk-taking is rewarded with a higher expected return, excessive risk-taking may harm their investment performance.Originality/valueThis paper utilizes a unique data set, collected through a class activity and post-class survey. While there have been empirical studies using DOND data, this is the first study that examines the impact of personal characteristics on game participants' behavior, thereby generating unique findings not reported in previous studies employing DOND data.

INTEGRATION MODEL TPB AND PERCEIVED RISK OF INTENTION OF USE APPLICATIONS AND GAMES ONLINE FREEMIUM PAID VERSION: INDONESIAN STUDENTS CONTEXT

This study examines how the Theory of Planned Behavior and perceived risk can affect the intention to switch users of free versions of freemium online applications and games to use paid versions of freemium online applications and games. Data was collected using an online questionnaire which was distributed to 226 students at several universities in Indonesia. This study was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with Amos. The results showed that attitude proved to have a positive effect on intention. Subjective norms proved to have a positive effect on perceived behavioral control and attitudes. Perceived behavioral control has a positive effect on attitudes and intentions. Subjective norms were not shown to have a negative effect on intentions. Perceived performance risk does not affect attitudes and intentions to use freemium paid versions of online applications and games.

Understanding the perceptions and experiences of the deafblind community about digital games

Purpose Participation and accessibility issues faced by gamers with multi-sensory disabilities are themes yet to be fully understood by accessible technology researchers. In this work, we examine the personal experiences and perceptions of individuals with deafblindness who play games despite their disability, as well as the reasons that lead some of them to stop playing games. Materials and methods We conducted 60 semi-structured interviews with individuals living with deafblindness in five European countries: United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Greece and Sweden. Results Participants stated that reasons for playing games included them being a fun and entertaining hobby, for socialization and meeting others, or for occupying the mind. Reasons for stop playing games included essentially accessibility issues, followed by high cognitive demand, changes in gaming experience due their disability, financial reasons, or because the accessible version of a specific game was not considered as fun as the original one. Conclusions We identified that a considerable number of individuals with deafblindness enjoy playing casual mobile games such as Wordfeud and Sudoku as a pastime activity. Despite challenging accessibility issues, games provide meaningful social interactions to players with deafblindness. Finally, we introduce a set of user-driven recommendations for making digital games more accessible to players with a diverse combination of sensory abilities. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Digital games were considered a fun and entertaining hobby by participants with deafblindness. Furthermore, participants play games for socialization and meeting others, or for occupying the mind. Digital games provide meaningful social interactions and past time to persons with deafblindness. On top of accessibility implications, our findings draw attention to the importance of the social element of gaming for persons with deafblindness. Based on interviews, we introduce a set of user-driven recommendations for making digital games more accessible to players with a diverse combination of sensory abilities.

When Less Is More: Investigating Factors Influencing the Distraction Effect of Virtual Reality From Pain.

Virtual reality (VR) is a powerful method of redirecting attention away from pain. Yet, little is known about which factors modulate the size of this distraction effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cognitive load and inter-individual differences in the cognitive and affective domain on heat pain thresholds during a VR game. Ninety healthy participants (mean age ± SD: 23.46 ± 3.28; 50% identified as male and 50% as female) played a low and high load version of a VR game while heat pain thresholds and heart rate were recorded. The effects of cognitive load were assessed by computing the difference in pain thresholds between the high and low load condition for each participant. In addition, we computed the difference in heart rate variability (HRV) measures between both conditions to explore whether these would be correlated with the difference in heat pain thresholds. Prior to the VR session, participants completed questionnaires about their emotional distress, pain-related cognitions, and different executive functioning tasks. Contrary to our expectations, not all participants benefitted from a higher load in terms of distraction from pain. Logistic regression analysis revealed that participants who reported more emotional distress were more likely to exhibit higher pain thresholds in the low relative to the high load condition. Accordingly, these participants tended to show marginally higher HRV in the low compared to the high load condition. Our study demonstrates that the potential benefits of an increased cognitive load in VR on pain sensitivity depends on individual differences in affective state.

Modeling Perishability in MIT Beer Game Business Simulator

COVID-19 pandemic showed that customers tend to create an excessive inventory, and these demand shocks caused by disruptions or disruption anticipation destabilize the supply chains. The consequences of such demand shocks are hard to predict and model. We present a modified version of the MIT Beer Game which includes product perishability constraints. The model is implemented in Python 3 and uses a client-server architecture and the internet or a local server for players’ interaction. The increased complexity of the game dynamics affects the players’ behavior. The work is aimed at identifying the specifics of supply chain actors’ decisions under constraints of the limited shelf life of a product. The main hypothesis is as follows: when the number of uncertainty factors in the supply chain operation increases, the ability of the supply chain links (players) to implement an effective algorithm for an order and shipment planning decreases. Additional operational measures can help to allocate risks in a more equal way within the supply chain.

Reformulation of bilevel linear fractional/linear programming problem into a mixed integer programming problem via complementarity problem

The bilevel programming problem is a static version of the Stackelberg's leader follower game in which Stackelberg strategy is used by the higher level decision maker called the leader given the rational reaction of the lower decision maker called the follower. The bilevel programming problem (BLPP) is a two-level hierarchical optimisation problem and is non-convex. This paper deals with finding links between the bilevel linear fractional/linear programming problem (BF/LP), the generalised linear fractional complementarity problem (GFCP) and mixed integer linear fractional programming problem (MIFP). The (BF/LP) is reformulated as a (GFCP) which in turn is reformulated as an (MIFP). The method is supported with the help of a numerical example.