Motivational game design patterns of ’ville games

The phenomenal growth of social network games in the last five years has left many game designers, game scholars, and long-time game players wondering how these games so effectively engage their audiences. Without a strong understanding of the sources of appeal of social network games, and how they relate to the appeal of past games and other human activities, it has proven difficult to interpret the phenomenon accurately or build upon its successes. In this paper we propose and employ a particular approach to this challenge, analyzing the motivational game design patterns in the popular ‘Ville style of game using the lenses of behavioral economics and behavioral psychology, explaining ways these games engage and retain players. We show how such games employ strategies in central, visible ways that are also present (if perhaps harder to perceive) in games with very different mechanics and audiences. Our conclusions point to lessons for game design, game interpretation, and the design of engaging software of any type

Dark Patterns in the Design of Games

Game designers are typically regarded as advocates for players. However, a game creator’s interests may not align with the players’. We examine some of the ways in which those opposed interests can manifest in a game’s design. In particular, we examine those elements of a game’s design whose purpose can be argued as questionable and perhaps even unethical. Building upon earlier work in design patterns, we call these abstracted elements Dark Game Design Patterns. In this paper, we develop the concept of dark design patterns in games, present examples of such patterns, explore some of the subtleties involved in identifying them, and provide questions that can be asked to help guide in the specification and identification of future Dark Patterns. Our goal is not to criticize creators but rather to contribute to an ongoing discussion regarding the values in games and the role that designers and creators have in this process

Understanding Computer Role-Playing Games: A Genre Analysis Based on Gameplay Features in Combat Systems

A game genre as diverse as that of computer role-playing games is difficult to overview. This poses challenges or both developers and researchers to position their work clearly within the genre. We present an overview of the genre based on clustering games with similar gameplay features. This allows a tracing of relations between subgenres through their gameplay, and connecting this to concrete game examples. The analysis was done through using gameplay design patterns to identify gameplay features and focused upon the combat systems in the games. The resulting cluster structure makes use of 321 patterns to create 37 different subgenre classifications based solely on gameplay features. In addition to the clusters, we identify four categories of patterns that help designers and researchers understand the combat systems in computer role-playing games

Making Text Annotation Fun with a Clicker Game

In this paper we present WordClicker, a clicker game for text annotation. We believe the mechanics of 'Ville type Free-To-Play (F2P) games in general, and clicker games in particular, is particularly suited for GWAPs (Games-With-A-Purpose). WordClicker was developed as one component of a suite of GWAPs meant to cover all aspects of language interpretation, from tokenization to anaphoric interpretation. As such, WordClicker is intended to have a dual function as part of this suite of GWAPs: both for parts-of-speech annotation and for teaching players about parts of speech so that they can go on and play GWAPs for more complex syntactic annotation. Therefore, game-based language learning platforms also had a strong influence on its design

Towards motivation modelling within a computer game based learning environment: an empirical study

This thesis addresses the issue as to how to model a student’s motivation when using a learning environment. Currently, this is considered as an important topic since a) motivation is regarded as key to successful learning by educationalists, b) those building computer-based learning environments are attempting to design in features that will assist in motivating learners while using their systems, c) researchers in the areas of intelligent learning environments (ILEs) and intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) are looking for methods to detect a student’s motivation during their interaction with an adaptive system, and d) researchers in ITSs are looking for strategies that a learning environment could use to motivate a student or to scaffold his/her motivation. A well-founded model that partially explains the way in which motivation changes during an interaction with an ILE is potentially very valuable to these different goals. In particular, the model should prove to be of great benefit when creating learning environments that take into account the motivational aspects of the learners since it represents the process of how they are motivated through the use of an ILE. In this thesis the focus is on the construction of a learner’s motivational structure for an ILE grounded in the context of an educational game. The thesis reports the development of a qualitative model of the motivation of learners during their interaction with the ILE. One of the main issues is the specification of the context as the motivational structure of learners cannot be assumed to be the same in different contexts. A preliminary causal model showing the relationships between a learner’s motivational characteristics and features of the ILE was developed. Two computer-based research instruments were then built: a game prototype aiming to teach some concepts in databases (Alex’s Adventure) and a computer program (MoRes). Alex’s Adventure was developed in such a way that it included all features of the ILE presented in the model whereas the other parts of the model were implemented through MoRes. Six detailed case studies were performed in order to validate the preliminary model. The validation resulted in changes to the preliminary model which are believed to produce an improved model. The analysis also resulted in a number of key points and condition–action rules which are considered to be of use for the implementation of future adaptive computer systems that could manage and support learners. The thesis makes an original contribution to the Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) community, particularly in terms of the method of case study analysis and the new model of motivation

The challenge of Automatic Level Generation for platform videogames based on Stories and Quests

In this article we bring the concepts of narrativism and ludology to automatic level generation for platform videogames. The initial motivation is to understand how this genre has been used as a storytelling medium. Based on a narrative theory of games, the differences among several titles have been identified. In addition, we propose a set of abstraction layers to describe the content of a quest-based story in the particular context of videogames. Regarding automatic level generation for platform videogames, we observed that the existing approaches are directed to lower abstraction concepts such as avatar movements without a particular context or meaning. This leads us to the challenge of automatically creating more contextualized levels rather than only a set of consistent and playable entertaining tasks. With that in mind, a set of higher level design patterns are presented and their potential usages are envisioned and discussed

Towards a playful approach to learning collaboration

This thesis looks into whether soft skills and group comprehension can be af- fected by playing a game designed for this purpose. If students can gain group work experience by playing. We developed a game for this purpose. With this game we could freely choose which elements we want to draw from reality. Games are often a limited and simplified version of reality. Limited in this context means that we have picked out some of the most important aspects of group work. This let players experience these elements during a short game round in contrast to everyday life, where a group work often takes days, or weeks. Initially, we hypothesized that among students there are many with little knowledge about how important it is to manage working in groups. This is because, especially during the corona shutdown, there were many students who did not work in, or form groups, even after encouragement from the lec- turers. Not forming groups, especially at the beginning of a course can have consequences, like social implications, and losing out on gaining group work experience. It is certainly a problem that should be solved as soon as possible. Thus, we created a solution which we then tested. The results show that it is the case that students do have a grasp of soft skills and group comprehension. By using the game students get introduced to four of the five stages in Tuck- man’s Five-Stage Theory of Group Development. (Tuckman, 1965) where they can gain additional valuable experience without risk

Creative engagement: multimodal digital games in children's learning environment in Macau S.A.R.

One of the biggest challenges that we have encountered, when trying to encourage digital games in schools, is trying to explain what its benefits are in teaching and learning environments. In this pilot experimental study we explore how multimodal audio and visual games can be used in learning environments for children, specifically by fostering creative behaviors through User-Centered design approaches. To achieve this objective, a framework is being developed with multimodal experiences based on flexible design patterns that exploits basic visual and audio elements, allowing children from three to six years of age to play and learn through fun and subsequently trigger creative behaviors. These studies are making use of tangible objects, digital games and mobile platforms. We are making use of commercial digital games to understand and discuss the affordances of these games in an educational environment and how they support creativity in learning.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Towards a playful approach to learning collaboration

This thesis looks into whether soft skills and group comprehension can be affected by playing a game designed for this purpose. If students can gain group work experience by playing. We developed a game for this purpose. With this game we could freely choose which elements we want to draw from reality. Games are often a limited and simplified version of reality. Limited in this context means that we have picked out some of the most important aspects of group work. This let players experience these elements during a short game round in contrast to everyday life, where a group work often takes days, or weeks. Initially, we hypothesized that among students there are many with little knowledge about how important it is to manage working in groups. This is because, especially during the corona shutdown, there were many students who did not work in, or form groups, even after encouragement from the lecturers. Not forming groups, especially at the beginning of a course can have consequences, like social implications, and losing out on gaining group work experience. It is certainly a problem that should be solved as soon as possible. Thus, we created a solution which we then tested. The results show that it is the case that students do have a grasp of soft skills and group comprehension. By using the game students get introduced to four of the five stages in Tuckman's Five-Stage Theory of Group Development. (Tuckman, 1965) where they can gain additional valuable experience without risk

Introductory programming: a systematic literature review

As computing becomes a mainstream discipline embedded in the school curriculum and acts as an enabler for an increasing range of academic disciplines in higher education, the literature on introductory programming is growing. Although there have been several reviews that focus on specific aspects of introductory programming, there has been no broad overview of the literature exploring recent trends across the breadth of introductory programming. This paper is the report of an ITiCSE working group that conducted a systematic review in order to gain an overview of the introductory programming literature. Partitioning the literature into papers addressing the student, teaching, the curriculum, and assessment, we explore trends, highlight advances in knowledge over the past 15 years, and indicate possible directions for future research