Exploring the Empirical Link Between Game Features, Player Motivation, and Game Behavior

This research-in-progress paper aims to propose a framework for predicting use continuance and subsequent in-game purchases in the context of online, free-to-play (F2P) mobile games. Using previous games research, we first propose Perceived Enjoyment (PE) and Use Continuance (UC) as the key predictors of Purchase Intention (PI). However, in order to extend the extant literature and generate practical insights for game developers into how to enhance the level of PE and UC generated by their games, we further explore the relations between a set of technical game features and their impact on users’ motivations for playing online F2P mobile games. Specifically, we look at three groups of features—connect, bonding, and share-in features—and test their effect on three key motivations underpinning perceived enjoyment in the context of digital game play, namely Achievement, Social, and Immersion motivations. Using data from a scenario-based questionnaire, our findings show that although all three motivations—Achievement, Social, and Immersion—result in greater enjoyment, and in turn, use continuance and purchase intention, only a single technical feature of the games—namely the share-in feature—triggers greater perceived immersion motivation. Implications for theory and practice are discussed

Communicative 2.0 : video games and digital culture in the foreign language classroom

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Comparative Media Studies, 2006.I explore two core concepts in today's youth entertainment culture that will increasingly become central in future attempts to design affordable foreign language learning materials that hope to bridge the chasm between education and foreign popular culture. In the process, I outline a series of example applications that apply these concepts to developing rich foreign language materials -- starting with more experimental/long-term approaches such as using video game modding techniques to make language learning friendly video games and ending with more concrete, ready-to-go, applications like extending open source content management applications. The first concept I look at is that of "Remix culture." In short, Remix culture describes the way in which youth culture today more visibly orients itself around creating media by extracting component pieces from other people's media creations, then connecting them together to form something new. In the video game world this phenomena is more specifically termed 'modding.' In this process, amateur fans take a professional commercial game title and then modify it in creative ways that the original designers may not have considered.(cont.) Outside of video games, we see terms like "web 2.0" used to describe technologies that allow website viewers to play a role in authoring additions to the sites they are reading, or "mashups" where users use programming interfaces to rapidly create web content by mashing together pieces from different sources. The second emerging concept critical for curricular designers to follow is that of transmedia storytelling. Traditionally, one might assume a model in which distinct media forms are used to serve distinct cultural practices: television or novels tell stories, video games are for play, blogs for socializing and textbooks for learning. While initially this may have been the case, as each of the media forms above have evolved, they have expanded to cover multiple other cultural practices, often by extending across other media forms. By following the evolution of the interactions between these various media forms and activities within entertainment industries, we can find valuable insight when forecasting their possible interactions in the education industry.by Ravi Purushotma.S.M

How to make money from PC and console games, even when they’re free

The purpose of this thesis was to illuminate what revenue models are in use within the PC and console gaming industries. The rapidly growing video games industry has seen a strong shift away from traditional, transactional sales, towards revenue models that enable recurring revenue generation and longer product life-cycles. the Free-to-play business model has introduced new ways of monetizing games that are making their way to pay-to-play offerings as well. Console and video games are shown to be an industry of its own, with characteristics from both software and entertainment industries. The value chains resemble those found in traditional publishing industries, while the end-products are clearly software products. This thesis identifies the most common revenue streams in use within the industry by examining literature on digital revenue models and examining real-world products. An explorative case study consisting of 3 games was conducted to identify revenue streams and their characteristics in a real-world context. Revenue streams within the games were identified based on type and targeting characteristics, mainly player typology. The study found that recurring revenue streams seemed to be in increasing use and confirmed that recurring revenue streams can be employed regardless of the underlying business model. Some differences were observed between single- and multiplayer games. Care should be taken in utilizing some repetitive revenue models (especially those found in mobile games) as PC and console players are more averse to so-called pay-to-win offerings. Although player typologies and purchase motivators ultimately proved to be poor characteristics for observing revenue models, the study found that games are increasingly leveraging network effects, for example by encouraging the growth of communities outside the game context. Providing long-term support and development of an existing game with recurring revenue models can increase profits, compared to releasing completely new offerings

Gaming, Gamification and BYOD in academic and library settings: bibliographic overview

Lev Vygotsky’s “Zone of proximal development” and his Sociocultural Theory opened new opportunities for interpretations of the learning process. Vygotsky’s ideas overlapped Jean Piaget’s and Erik Erickson’s assertions that cooperative learning, added to experimental learning, enhances the learning process. Peer interaction, according to them, is quintessential in accelerating the learning process (Piaget, 1970; Erickson, 1977; Vygotsky, 1978). Robert Gagné, B.F. Skinner, Albert Bandura, and others contributed and constructivism established itself as a valid theory in learning. Further, an excellent chapter of social learning theories is presented by Anderson, & Dron (2014). Games are type of cooperative learning. Games embody the essence of constructivism, which for students/gamers means constructing their own knowledge while they interact (learn cooperatively). Learning can happen without games, yet games accelerate the process. Games engage. Games, specifically digital ones, relate to the digital natives, those born after 1976-80, who are also known as Generation Y, or Millennials (Howe & Strauss, 2000). Millennials in the United States, as per the recent Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), are performing rather poorly compared to their peers from 22 countries around the world (Schaffhauser, 2015b). While research is still tackling the reasons why, novel approaches to learning needs to be considered for a generation, which differs from previous generations in acquiring information and constructing knowledge. Millennials are gradually leaving the educational field and entering the working force, to be replaced in school settings by Generation Z (Levine & Dean, 2012). Gen Z, the next digitally- native generation, seeks changes of the learning process; changes even more drastic then the ones sought by the Millennials (Hackschooling, 2013). Gaming for Generation Z is not an alternative, but rather expectance. Gaming for Generation Z is associated with creativity (Jackson, A., Witt, Games, Fitzgerald, von Eye, & Zhao, 2012). Creativity, next to collaborative learning and knowledge construction, is one of the prevalent characteristics of games. Using games increases learning, making games increases learning more and is “tantamount to project- based learning” (Shapiro, 2014b). Games and gamifying of the learning process transforms from a cutting edge idea to a regular expectance. Beyond a fad or choice, it becomes, next to lecturing, an expected teaching method, which we, the older generation of educators will have to consider as a feasible alternative to traditional “lecturing” type of teaching

Technological Convergence Of Consumer Electronics Products: A Study of Consumer Behavior and Business Strategy Toward Value Creation

Technological convergence creates an evolution for different technological systems to evolve toward performing similar tasks. Those tasks were previously performed in separate devices, which now can be integrated into one integrated device. Separate technologies such as voice (and telephony features), data (includes basic office tasks and other productivity application) and video now share resources and interact with each other synergistically. Learning from case by case of three major converged products in the consumer electronics industry, it is a certain that in the 21st century is fast integrating the world’s media, telecommunication and information technology and online industries under a single platform.The consumers themselves are getting more educated and aware for his condition, while they are purchasing the products not only by its price, but starting to consider the key feature and value benefit which offered by the brands for them. On the consumer choice pattern it is certain that the acceptance of the concept of technological convergence might not be applied to the entire product yet by seeing case by case among product tested, it could bring some evidences that the key convergence feature has not yet absorbed by the diverged products. However, it still indicates that there will be a time when the quality of converged features are over the diverged one, which can result that a consumer will choose to use the “multi-feature†device instead of a single-featured device. The stages that have led to the transformation of digital convergence have left an impact with the passing of each era of the timeline. Comparing to the last decade, in this era, software and services are become a major part required to win the competition within the converged products. Keywords: technology, convergence, media, marketing, strategy, valu