Feminist art game praxis

This paper explores multiple approaches to building an art game project created from a feminist perspective. Funded by a research grant, this can be seen as an experimental praxis that plays with connecting metaphors invoked in feminist theory to playable media. This connection is figurative not literal and manifests throughout the development process: in conception (artistic intent), production (technical approach) and engagement with existent and emergent theory. Intentionally playing in the space between art games and game art and inspired by Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto, PsXXYborg1 is an art game in development that presents a rich cyber-feminist mythos across multiple screens as an allegorical play with the eternal fascination of 'becoming-machine'. PsXXYborg blends feminist art practice, makerism and academic research in order to birth itself as a glitch for the hermetically sealed structures of game culture. When politically motivated the game glitch aims at disturbing the hegemonic structures of normative game culture questioning the evident exclusions growing over time. Questions include: How can digital play represent and reflect the human condition? What is a feminist game? Why does society position play as inconsequential? How might we play our way to an equitable future

The influencing factors of past memories, age, gender, nostalgia proneness and consumer’s affective state on nostalgic-themed ads effectiveness

Nostalgia is an increasing trend in today’s marketing sphere. In an era of impersonal digital media, building relationships and connections through nostalgia is a simple way for companies to leverage the optimistic feelings of remembering and reliving past experiences and memories. Associating brand message with positive references from the 90s, 80s or 70s, humanizes brands, bringing past and present together. Despite the growing tendency of nostalgia being seen as a marketing solution, the actual impacts of nostalgia in the marketing field have yet to be explored. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation is to enlighten the influence of past memories, age, gender, nostalgia proneness and a consumer’s affective state, in nostalgia-themed advertisement’s effectiveness within the Portuguese population. This dissertation’s research was conducted through a wide-ranging study of related literature and empirical research. The empirical research was carried out through both quantitative and qualitative methods. A sequential framework was developed based on the literature review, displaying the assumed interrelation between the items. These interrelations were later on tested in the empirical research. The findings revealed that past memories and age influence a consumer’s response to nostalgic advertisement. Additionally, gender, nostalgia proneness and a consumer’s affective state, do not significantly influence the consumer’s response to nostalgic advertisements. In order to successfully use nostalgic advertisements in marketing campaigns, managers must first understand how past memories and age influence consumers. Only then can an advertisement be designed in a way that is relatable to the targeted audience.A nostalgia é uma tendência crescente na atual esfera do marketing. Numa era que vive em torno dos medias digitais e impessoais, criar relações e conectarmo-nos através da nostalgia é uma simples forma das empresas influenciarem os consumidores fazendo uso dos sentimentos otimistas e reconfortantes de vivências e lembranças passadas. Através de uma associação entre mensagem de marca e referências positivas do passado (anos 90, 80, 70), as marcas têm a capacidade de se humanizar e criar uma ligação entre o passado e presente. Contudo, apesar desta crescente tendência de gestores e "marketers" utilizarem a nostalgia como uma "solução" de marketing, os impactos da nostalgia no ramo do marketing ainda estão por explorar. Consequentemente, o objetivo desta dissertação é estudar a influência que as memórias passadas, idade, género, propensão à nostalgia e estado de espírito do consumidor, têm na resposta dos consumidores aos anúncios nostálgicos, tendo em conta apenas a população Portuguesa. A pesquisa desta dissertação foi realizada através de um amplo estudo de literatura relacionada com o tema e através de pesquisa empírica. A pesquisa empírica foi realizada utilizando ambos os métodos quantitativos e qualitativos. Foi desenvolvido um "framework" com base na revisão literária, ilustrando as inter-relações entre os diversos fatores. Estas inter-relações foram posteriormente testadas utilizando métodos quantitativos e qualitativos. Os resultados revelaram que tanto as memórias passadas como a idade dos consumidores, influenciam as suas respostas a anúncios nostálgicos. Contudo, o género, propensão à nostalgia e estado de espírito do consumidor não influenciam significativamente as respostas dos consumidores a anúncios nostálgicos. De modo a executar com sucesso campanhas de marketing com recurso a anúncios nostálgicos, gestores e "marketers" devem entender a influência que memórias passadas e idade têm, e criar um anúncio nostálgico em conformidade com o público-alvo

Let There Be Dragons! Towards Designing an Engaging Quest that Enhances Curiosity and Learning About Genetics

This study implemented a convergent parallel mixed methods approach to investigate game-based learning within an educational game compared to a modified entertainment game. Participants (N=31) were recruited from public middle and high schools as well as home school groups. Comparative data of participants’ perceptions, preferences and learning outcomes were investigated to inform better educational game design. This study also considers player personality to determine how dispositional curiosity influences an individual’s approach, acceptance, and interaction with novel learning environments, specifically games. Findings show a statistically significant gain in genetics academic knowledge after the game-based learning intervention. The difference in knowledge gained for the two games was not statistically significant. All dimensions of engagement, motivation and curiosity were statistically significantly higher for the modified entertainment game. Increases in scientific curiosity was statistically significantly higher for the modified entertainment game while scientific curiosity statistically significantly decreased after playing the educational game. Qualitative analysis revealed five themes and provided deeper understanding of game design features that enhance learning, curiosity and engagement from the player’s perception. Integration of quantitative and qualitative results suggest overall convergence and enhanced understanding of theoretical and practical implications of this research and identifies key relationships between game design, player perceptions and learning outcomes to inform better educational game design and implementation