This poster sketches the outlines of a theoretical research framework to assess whether and on what grounds certain behavioral effects may be attributed to particular game mechanics and game play aspects. It is founded on the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion (ELM), which is quite appropriate to guide the evaluation structure for interventions that either aim at short term or long term attitude and behavior change.
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In this paper, we detail a software platform that enables game developers to expose aspects of their games to researchers who are not necessarily familiar with game development, providing them the possibility to customize game content for behavioral user research, and more specifically to embed survey items in a game context. With this platform we introduce the concept of Games User Research as a Service (GURaaS). This articled describes the process we followed to design GURaaS, its high level architecture and its application in a case study. We envision that GURaaS will assist researchers and organizations by helping them expand their reach in finding participants and in collecting survey data reducing the tedium for survey participants.
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Game User Research is an emerging field that ties together Human Computer Interaction, Game Development, and Experimental Psychology, specifically investigating the interaction between players and games. The community of Game User Research has been rapidly evolving for the past few years, extending and modifying existing methodologies used by the HCI community to the environment of digital games. In this workshop, we plan to investigate the different methodologies currently in practice within the field as well as their utilities and drawbacks in measuring game design issues or gaining insight about the players' experience. The outcome of the workshop will be a collection of lessons from the trenches and commonly used techniques published in a public online forum. This will extend the discussion of topics beyond the workshop, and serve as a platform for future work. The workshop will be the first of its kind at CHI, tying together HCI research and Game User Research.
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In this article we compare the benefits for game design and development relative to the use of three Game User Research (GUR) methodologies (user interviews, game metrics, and psychophysiology) to assist in shaping levels for a 2-D platformer game. We illustrate how these methodologies help level designers make more informed decisions in an otherwise qualitative design process. GUR data sources were combined in pairs to evaluate their usefulness in small-scale commercial game development scenarios, as commonly used in the casual game industry. Based on the improvements suggested by each data source, three levels of a Super Mario clone were modified and the success of these changes was measured. Based on the results we conclude that user interviews provide the clearest indications for improvement among the considered methodologies while metrics and biometrics add different types of information that cannot be obtained otherwise. These findings can be applied to the development of 2-D games; we discuss how other types of games may differ from this. Finally, we investigate differences in the use of GUR methodologies in a follow-up study for a commercial game with children as players.
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Introduction: Sensor-feedback systems can be used to support people after stroke during independent practice of gait. The main aim of the study was to describe the user-centred approach to (re)design the user interface of the sensor feedback system “Stappy” for people after stroke, and share the deliverables and key observations from this process. Methods: The user-centred approach was structured around four phases (the discovery, definition, development and delivery phase) which were fundamental to the design process. Fifteen participants with cognitive and/or physical limitations participated (10 women, 2/3 older than 65). Prototypes were evaluated in multiple test rounds, consisting of 2–7 individual test sessions. Results: Seven deliverables were created: a list of design requirements, a personae, a user flow, a low-, medium- and high-fidelity prototype and the character “Stappy”. The first six deliverables were necessary tools to design the user interface, whereas the character was a solution resulting from this design process. Key observations related to “readability and contrast of visual information”, “understanding and remembering information”, “physical limitations” were confirmed by and “empathy” was additionally derived from the design process. Conclusions: The study offers a structured methodology resulting in deliverables and key observations, which can be used to (re)design meaningful user interfaces for people after stroke. Additionally, the study provides a technique that may promote “empathy” through the creation of the character Stappy. The description may provide guidance for health care professionals, researchers or designers in future user interface design projects in which existing products are redesigned for people after stroke.
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In this paper we compare the effects of using three game user research methodologies to assist in shaping levels for a 2-D platformer game, and illustrate how the use of such methodologies can help level designers to make more informed decisions in an otherwise qualitative oriented design process. Game user interviews, game metrics and psychophysiology (biometrics) were combined in pairs to gauge usefulness in small-scale commercial game development scenarios such as the casual game industry. Based on the recommendations made by the methods, three sample levels of a Super Mario clone were improved and the opinions of a second sample of users indicated the success of these changes. We conclude that user interviews provide the clearest indications for improvement among the considered methodologies while metrics and biometrics add different types of information that cannot be obtained otherwise.
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Many research projects have assessed the possibility and effectiveness of implementing games as health interventions. Recent literature shows generally positive results in specific case studies. However we acknowledged that research projects in this field regularly seem to disregard the connection to possible effective game mechanics, design principles and behavior change theories to underpin such results. Evidently most of these studies were intended and designed solely as randomized controlled trials (rct’s) to validate effectiveness of health interventions. We propose a theoretical framework to assess whether and on what grounds certain behavioral effects may be attributed to particular game mechanics and game play aspects. Our model is founded on the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion (ELM), which is quite appropriate to guide the evaluation structure for interventions that either aim at short term or long term attitude and behavior change. By means of an analysis of the working principles in the renowned game-based intervention Re-Mission we propose a small step towards such a framework.
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Following the Sector Protocol for Quality Assurance for Practice-Based.Contributors Academy for AI, Games and Media:Mata Haggis Burridge (prof. EG), Qiqi Zhou, Hillevi Boerboom, Maria Pafi (postdoc, WuR), Alexander van Buggenum, Ella Betts, Wilma Franchimon (dir. AGM), Nick van Apeldoorn (Coord.Digireal), Harald Warmelink (Coord. Cradle & MSP Challenge), Magali Patrocínio Gonçalves, Ard Bonewald (MT Games), Marin Hekman, Marie Lhuissier, Carlos Santos (CTO Cradle), Jeremiah van Oosten (MT, games), Kevin Hutchinson, Frank Peters (MT ADS&AI), Bram Heijligers, Joey Relouw, Marnix van Gisbergen (Prof. DMC), Shima Rezaei Rashnoodi (Coord. DMC), Phil de Groot, Igor Mayer (prof. SG), Niels Voskens, Fabio Ferreira da Costa Campos, Tuki Clavero, Jens Hagen, Wilco Boode, Natalia Harazhanka-Pietjouw (PPC), Jacopo Fabrini & Silke Hassreiter.
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This chapter discusses educational aspects and possibilities of serious games. For researchers as well as game designers we describe key learning theories to ground their work in theoretical framework. We draw on recent metareviews to offer an exhaustive inventory of known learning and affective outcomes in serious games, and to discuss assessment methods valuable not only for research but also for efficient serious game design. The implementation and design of serious games are outlined in separated sections. Different individual characteristics that seem to be strongly affecting process of learning with serious games (learning style, gender and age) are discussed with emphasis on game development.
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In this chapter, we propose an ethical framework for serious game design, which we term the Ecosystem for Designing Games Ethically (EDGE).EDGE expands on Zagal’s categorization of ethical areas in game design by incorporating the different contexts of design and their use. In addition, we leverage these contexts to suggest four guidelines that support Ethical Stewardship in serious game design. We conclude by discussing a number of specific areas inwhich ethics plays a role in serious game design. These include games in (a) amilitary context, (b) the consideration of privacy issues, and (c) the evaluation ofgame design choices.
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