Undercurrents – A Computer-Based Gameplay Tool to Support Tabletop Roleplaying

This paper introduces Undercurrents, a computer-based gameplay tool for providing additional communication and media streams during tabletop roleplaying sessions. Based upon a client-server architecture, the system is intended to unobtrusively support secret communication, timing of audio and visual presentations to game events, and real-time documentation of the game session. Potential end users have been involved in the development and the paper provides details on the full design process

Extensible method for developing multi-user media interaction platforms for shared spaces

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-157).As digital entertainment applications evolve, there is a need for new kinds of platforms that can support sociable media interactions for everyday consumers. This thesis demonstrates an extensible method and sensing framework for real-time tracking of multiple objects on an interactive table with an embedded display. This tabletop platform can support many different applications, and is designed to overcome the commercial obstacles of previous single purpose systems. The approach is supported through the design and implementation of an acoustic-based sensing system that provides a means for managing large numbers of objects and applications across multiple platform instances. The design requires precise and dynamic positioning of multiple objects in order to enable real-time multi-user interactions with media applications. Technical analysis shows the approach l:o be robust, scalable to various sizes, and accurate to a within a few millimeters of tolerance. A qualitative user evaluation of the table within a real-world setting illustrates its usability in the consumer entertainment space for digital media browsing and game play. Our observations revealed different ways of mapping physical interaction objects to the media space, as either generic controls or fixed function devices, and highlighted the issue of directionality on visual displays that are viewable from different sides.(cont.) The thesis suggests that by providing a general purpose method for shared tabletop display platforms we give application designers the freedom to invent a broad range of media interactions and applications for everyday social environments, such as homes, classrooms and public spaces. Contributions of the thesis include: formulation of an extensible method for media table platforms; development of a novel sensing approach for dynamic object tracking on glass surfaces; a taxonomy of interface design considerations; and prototype designs for media content browsing, digital storytelling and game play applications.Alexandra Mazalek.Ph.D

RealTimeChess: Lessons from a Participatory Design Process for a Collaborative Multi-Touch, Multi-User Game

We report on a long-term participatory design process during which we designed and improved RealTimeChess, a collaborative but competitive game that is played using touch input by multiple people on a tabletop display. During the design process we integrated concurrent input from all players and pace control, allowing us to steer the interaction along a continuum between high-paced simultaneous and low-paced turn-based gameplay. In addition, we integrated tutorials for teaching interaction techniques, mechanisms to control territoriality, remote interaction, and alert feedback. Integrating these mechanism during the participatory design process allowed us to examine their effects in detail, revealing for instance effects of the competitive setting on the perception of awareness as well as territoriality. More generally, the resulting application provided us with a testbed to study interaction on shared tabletop surfaces and yielded insights important for other time-critical or attention-demanding applications.

Curioscape: A Curiosity-driven Escape Room Board Game

Are you frustrated when a board game has too many rules? Do you want to jump straight into the game and just play? We created Curioscape, an escape room board game that focuses on the idea of whether eliminating a rule book is possible in a board game context. This means players can start the game without having to learn rules or understand how the game works. This paper describes Curioscape’s conception to release, along with the exploration of replicating escape rooms in a smaller space and investigates if we can use curiosity to create meaningful game design choices.SERC CREATE SWaGUR grant, Lennart Nacke’s NSERC Discovery Grant 2018-06576, the Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund 35819 “SURGE—The Stratford User Research and Gameful Experiences Lab,” Mitacs, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Grant 895-2011- 1014 (IMMERSe)

Views of young people in rural Australia on SPARX, a fantasy world developed for New Zealand youth with depression.

Background: A randomized control trial demonstrated that a computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) program (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts [SPARX]) was an appealing and efficacious treatment for depression for adolescents in New Zealand. Little is known about the acceptability of computerized therapy programs for rural Australians and the suitability of computerized programs developed in one cultural context when used in another country. Issues such as accents and local differences in health care access might mean adjustments to programs are required. Objective: This study sought to explore the acceptability of SPARX by youth in rural Australia and to explore whether and how young people would wish to access such a program. Methods: Focus groups and semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 young people attending two youth-focused community services in a small, rural Tasmanian town. An inductive data-driven approach was used to identify themes using the interview transcripts as the primary data source. Interpretation was supported by demographic data, observer notes, and content analysis. Results: Participants reported that young people want help for mental health issues but they have an even stronger need for controlling how they access services. In particular, they considered protecting their privacy in their small community to be paramount. Participants thought computerized therapy was a promising way to increase access to treatment for youth in rural and remote areas if offered with or without therapist support and via settings other than school. The design features of SPARX that were perceived to be useful, included the narrative structure of the program, the use of different characters, the personalization of an avatar, “socialization” with the Guide character, optional journaling, and the use of encouraging feedback. Participants did not consider (New Zealand) accents off-putting. Young people believed the SPARX program would appeal to those who play computer games generally, but may be less appealing for those who do not. Conclusions: The findings suggest that computerized therapy offered in ways that support privacy and choice can improve access to treatment for rural youth. Foreign accents and style may not be off-putting to teenage users when the program uses a playful fantasy genre, as it is consistent with their expectation of fantasy worlds, and it is in a medium with which they already have a level of competence. Rather, issues of engaging design and confidential access appeared to be more important. These findings suggest a proven tool once formally assessed at a local level can be adopted cross-nationally

Un modelo conceptual para el soporte de ecosistemas 2d basados en simulación física para superficies

[ES] Los ordenadores puede considerarse un medio para fomentar ciertas habilidades como la creatividad, el pensamiento computacional o la capacidad de resolución de problemas. Estas habilidades son de especial importancia para el desarrollo de los individuos. En el presente trabajo, se ha realizado un estudio de trabajos relacionados en ese ámbito, que de alguna manera se centran en la creación y ejecución de juegos. A continuación, en este trabajo de máster se propone un modelo conceptual que permita la construcción de un sistema que soporte colaborativamente actividades de juegos centradas en el aprendizaje sobre superficies interactivas. En particular, el modelo propuesto permite la creación y ejecución de juegos 2D con un comportamiento físico. La infraestructura necesaria desarrollada se divide en tres capas. La primera se encarga de la carga y persistencia del modelo propuesto. La segunda es responsable de la simulación a bajo nivel de los elementos con comportamiento físico, mientras que la tercera se encarga de la orquestación de la evaluación del juego a partir de las dos capas anteriores. Finalmente se presenta un par de casos de estudio, el Arkanoid y el Pong, que se han implementado utilizando el modelo propuesto con el doble objetivo de: 1) ilustrar el uso del modelo; 2) así como de validarlo.[EN] Computers can be considered as a mean to foster certain skills as creativity, computational thinking and problem solving. These skills are very important for the development of individuals. In this work, it has been made a study of related works in this ambit centered in creation and execution of games. Afterwards, it is proposed a conceptual model that allows the building of a system which collaboratively supports game activities centered in learning over interactive surfaces. Particularly, the proposed model allows the creation and execution of 2D games with a physical behavior. The necessary developed infrastructure is divided in three layers. The first one deals with the load and persistence of the proposed model. The second one is responsible of the low level simulation of those elements with physical behavior. The third one deals with the orchestration of the game evaluation using the previous layers. Finally, two case studies (Arkanoid and Pong), implemented using the proposed model, are presented with the goal of illustrating the use of the model and validating it.Azorín Vicente, JP. (2012). Un modelo conceptual para el soporte de ecosistemas 2d basados en simulación física para superficies. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/27251Archivo delegad

The Ticker, March 1, 1983

The Ticker is the student newspaper of Baruch College. It has been published continuously since 1932, when the Baruch College campus was the School of Business and Civic Administration of the City College of New York