Measuring Uncertainty in Games: Design and Preliminary Validation

Uncertainty is an important element of game play, which is widely believed to act as a precondition for player experience (PX). To investigate the concept and examine its relation to other PX concepts, we should be able to measure it. We present the design and preliminary results of the validation of the Player Uncertainty in Games (PUG) questionnaire. Based on various sources from games user research and work done with regards to searching digital archives, we designed a questionnaire that measures the experience of uncertainty in games. The scale was refined down to 66 items via interviews with players and expert reviews, which was then validated and further refined based on data gathered from gamers in an online survey. The Principal Component Analysis showed high level of internal consistency for the scale and each of its four factors: Disorientation, Exploration, Prospect, and Randomness. This work demonstrates the initial findings towards a validated tool for measuring uncertainty of players in digital games

Directed transport in periodically rocked random sawtooth potentials

We study directed transport of overdamped particles in a periodically rocked random sawtooth potential. Two transport regimes can be identified which are characterized by a nonzero value of the average velocity of particles and a zero value, respectively. The properties of directed transport in these regimes are investigated both analytically and numerically in terms of a random sawtooth potential and a periodically varying driving force. Precise conditions for the occurrence of transition between these two transport regimes are derived and analyzed in detail.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure

Lost at the Edge of Uncertainty: Measuring Player Uncertainty in Digital Games

Uncertainty has previously been identified as an important ingredient of engaging games. Design in games can create different levels of uncertainty in players that they can recognize and describe as being either attributable to external forces, such as chance or hidden information, or internal to their own understanding of what to do in relation to their own goals. While it appears that uncertainty can contribute both positive and negative play experiences, there is little work in trying to operationalize and measure this concept as a component of player experience. Reported in this article is an analysis of data from over 700 players using modern bi-factor analysis techniques resulting in a five factor psychometric scale which captures the broad feelings of players about uncertainty in games. Three of these specific factors appear to point toward a single generic factor of uncertainty that is internal to the players, one captures experiences relating to external uncertainty, with the final factor relating to player’s experience of exploring the game to resolve uncertainty. In order to further validate the scale, we conducted an experiment with a commercial puzzle game manipulating the duration of play with predicted outcomes on the different specific factors of the scale. Overall the scale shows promise with good statistical reliability and construct validity of the separate factors and so will be a useful tool for further investigating player experiences in digital games

Innovations and support for quality in agriculture : a case study

The aim of the article is to investigate the economic and legal aspects of integrating innovations in agriculture and supporting the quality of agricultural products in the context of modern Russia. Throughout the process of research, the authors analyzed the directions of agricultural sector development, mechanisms of quality and safety support, as well as customer rights protection. As a result the authors have agreed on, the need to integrate cluster models in the agricultural sector, notably in the bee-keeping, seed production (including financing of this activity), as well as legislative stimulus to shift towards «green» biotechnology in the domestic agriculture. Based on the research conducted, the authors have proposed mechanisms to improve the current Russian legislation in the spheres of innovation development and support for quality and safety of agricultural production.peer-reviewe

Heterogeneity of population of microorganisms grown in presence of iron oxide maghemite nanoparticles

In this work γ-Fe2O3 MNPs were obtained by laser target evaporation and water based suspensions were prepared. Maximum permissive dose of iron in water (MPD) is 0.3 mg/L. It was found that 100 MPD dose of iron induces formation of non-typical colonies after 72 or 96 hours exposition: against a background of small black colonies large white colonies appeared due to a disruption in tyrosine synthesis. Multiple re-cloning of the white colonies grown with MNPs showed that they retained their properties both under standard conditions (temperature of 24 °C) and at the temperatures up to 37o C. E.nigrum grown with MNPs demonstrated very scant extension of small colonies at the cultivation temperature of 24o C, their growth was completely blocked at 37°C. Significant changes in the structure of the population were noted. First of all, large cells with pronounced aggregation were observed among the black colonies. These aggregates consisted of large cells connected to each other by matrix. In the white colonies the appearance of very long threadlike cells connecting different groups of the cells establishing an intercellular communication was evident. Fe2O3 MNPs induce an increase in the heterogeneity of the population, expressed as a change in morpho-physiological states. © 2018 The Authors, published by EDP Sciences.The work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (project No. 3.6121.210 )7 and R FFI №16-34-015 92 grant s. e tW hank R ndrA ade, Iu. Novoselova and I.V. Beketov for special support. Selected measurements were made at ISG KER services UPV/EHU

Predicting Player Experience Without the Player. An Exploratory Study

A key challenge of procedural content generation (PCG) is to evoke a certain player experience (PX), when we have no direct control over the content which gives rise to that experience. We argue that neither the rigorous methods to assess PX in HCI, nor specialised methods in PCG are sufficient, because they rely on a human in the loop. We propose to address this shortcoming by means of computational models of intrinsic motivation and AI game-playing agents. We hypothesise that our approach could be used to automatically predict PX across games and content types without relying on a human player or designer. We conduct an exploratory study in level generation based on empowerment, a specific model of intrinsic motivation. Based on a thematic analysis, we find that empowerment can be used to create levels with qualitatively different PX. We relate the identified experiences to established theories of PX in HCI and game design, and discuss next steps

The Emerging Aversion to Inequality: Evidence from Poland 1992-2005

This paper provides an illustration of the changing tolerance for inequality in a context of radical political and economic transformation and rapid economic growth. We focus on the Polish experience of transition and explore self-declared attitudes of the citizens. Using monthly representative surveys of the population, realized by the Polish poll institute (CBOS) from 1992 to 2005, we identify a structural break in the relation between income inequality and subjective evaluation of well-being. The downturn in the tolerance for inequality (1997) coincides with the increasing distrust of political elites.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64387/1/wp919.pd

CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL PARRALLELS IN THE COURSE OF RESPIRATORY SARCOIDOSIS

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease characterized by the development of chronic immune inflammation and formation of granulomas. It is important to know clinical, morphological and immunologic variants of the course of this disease in order to investigate the pathomorphologic parameters of the granuloma.Of late negative trends have been observed in the changes of sarcoidosis pathomorphology. Due to the above it is important to investigate predictors for the course of this disease, including specific parameters of granulematous inflammatory process in various clinical variants not only from the point of view of diagnostics but further management tactics for those suffering from this disease

Changes in morphotype in the population of E.coli in the presence of metal containing nanoparticles

The level of variability of the E.coli morphotype under the influence of iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) depending on their concentration was studied as well as the adaptive capabilities of the microbial population under growth conditions was evaluated.The presence of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles in the cultivation fluid affects the cultural and morphological properties of the microbial population of E.coli in the process of its development. The appearance of new morphotypes of colonies and cells can be considered as a manifestation of an adaptive mechanism. A change in the morphology of the microbial cell with a high concentration of MNPs leads to abnormal growth and disruption of the division process. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.MAT2017-83631-C3In part this research was supported by the Spanish Government under project MAT2017-83631-C3. We thank I.V. Beketov and O.M. Samatov for special support