Group items tagged

From the abstract: "Here we demonstrate for the first time the iterative development of agent behaviour for a real-time strategy game (here StarCraft) utilising Behaviour Oriented Design (BOD) [7]. BOD provides focus on the robust creation and easy adjustment of modular and hierarchical cognitive agents. We demonstrate BOD's usage in creating an AI capable of playing the StarCraft character the Zerg hive mind, and document its performance against a variety of opponent AI systems. In describing our tool-driven development process, we also describe the new Abode IDE, provide a brief literature review situating BOD in the AI game literature, and propose possible future work."

"This article is about the learning that occurs from making games, rather than from playing games. In this paper, we describe the use of Rapid Digital Game Creation (RDGC) for learning and teaching Object-Oriented (O-O) concepts. RDGC involves the rapid building of digital games with high-level software that requires little or no programming knowledge. We examine how RDGC supports the understanding of various O-O concepts. Using a theoretical framework of constructionism, we discuss pedagogical guidelines for RDGC-based learning. We suggest that RDGC is a useful pedagogic tool that complements formal programming languages and can help flatten the steep learning curve needed to learn O-O computer programming (or OOP)."

Abstract: "As a way to support developers , we propose the creation of specialized tools to deal with accessibility. The hypothesis defined was that it is possible to produce tools that coul d reduce the cost and effort needed to adapt games for people with special needs while achi eving a sufficient level of usability and a pleasant player exper ience . Because of the ambitious of the approach , the goal of the project is to explore if it is feasible through preliminary research . T hree experiments were set up to cover and explore different alternatives , given the diversity of player characteristics and game develop ment approaches . In these experiments we targeted t wo different platforms: a desktop game authoring tool oriented to educators , and a mobile game development framework oriented to programmers . In these experiments we used the to ols developed to produce several games that were also tested by end users . While the project focuses on disability, the ideas proposed can be generalized and applied to support optimizing game interfaces for a wide and diverse audience."

Abstract: "Location-based mobile gaming combines gameplay with physical ac tivity. We have developed a game, O- Mopsi, based on the concept of orienteering, which can be played on mobile phones with GPS receiver and Internet connection. In order to complete a game, a play er must visit a set of targets that are photos chosen from a user-generated geotagged database. Game crea tion, management and live tracking can be done using a web interface. The game was presented at an annual international festival whic h is aimed at introducing science and technology to school children and the overa ll feedback received from the players was positive. "

Using a video game to orient incoming students to college offices and services and improve the game as a result of participant feedback.

"Abstract The eective information processing (e.g. search, organi- zation) of the heterogeneous information spaces requires metadata layer above the resources. However, the acqui- sition of resource metadata and domain models are chal- lenging tasks. Here, the crowdsourcing has emerged as an alternative to expert-based and automated semantics acquisition approaches. One of its branches are the games with a purpose (GWAPs) which encapsulate the seman- tics acquisition tasks into the game processes. We analyze existing GWAPs and propose their classication. Fur- thermore we devised our own GWAP-based approaches. For acquisition of lightweight term relationship network, we devised a search query formulation game, usable also for specic domain models. For acquisition of (personal) image tags, we devised a card game, where players mem- orize positions of concealed cards and identify identical pairs. For validation of music metadata, we devised a multi-choice question-based game, where players identify tag sets that are characteristic to music tracks they hear. We also looked at the GWAPs from their design per- spectives. We present a design oriented classication sys- tem for GWAPs, adress several design issues recurring in GWAPs and present new design patterns to solve them"

abstract: "This work focuses on the design and implementation of an educational game for deployment on the Xbox 360 commercial game console. Video games can be extremely powerful and effective learning tools when deployed with methodical precision. Currently, no learning tools are available for commercial consoles that focus on teaching core concepts in Engineering. This work presents an overall design for an educational game to address Number Systems in the scope of the Electrical and Computer Engineering curricula. BINX is an educational adventure game designed to address Number Systems and their arithmetic operations in Digital Logic Design, a core course is Electrical and Computer Engineering programs. Object Oriented Design Principles were used in the development of this game. This work presents one sublevel implemented using the XNA framework - a Microsoft Software Development Kit (SDK).The BINX gameplay takes place inside a computer where a malicious virus is threatening the computer's operability. The player has to find the virus and eradicate it by disconnecting the terminals of the graphics processor. The player has the opportunity to practice before taking on the Boss Challenge. In the practice phase, the player practices number conversions without fear of penalties. In the Challenge phase, the player is timed and has to perform the number conversions before the allotted time expires. The combination of practice and challenge provides players with the ability to practice number conversions and, when ready, to take on the challenge task where assessment is conducted to provide the player with the knowledge of how well he/she has performed on the challenge. The number conversion level of BINX was implemented and formally evaluated showing improvement in student scores after using BINX."

From the introduction: "We introduce the FCO-IM modelling methodology and some of the short comings we perceive. Next we introduce some theories. First we introduce the notion of serious gaming. Then we move on to the Game Design Theory as proposed by Järvinen, augmented by a view on goals for serious gaming. These theories helped us generating the framework for a serious game. Next we introduce the concept of Focused Conceptualisation. This theory helped us shaping the contents of the game. In the final section of this chapter we will discuss some previous attempts by students to design a serious game for FCO-IM and how we want to make a new contribution towards this field. In chapter 3 we unified the theories by creating a first design. We do not exhaustively describe these first designs, but only the genesis and design choices made at the start and during the process. This work culminates into a final design in chapter 4. The final design consists of a global description of the game, a more detailed description and an abbreviated "rulebook". The rulebook can be compared to the rulebook of a board game. It is intended for someone already familiar with the game. The detailed description can be viewed as a thorough reference guide for first time players or players seeking clarification. This final design was subjected three test sessions. We realize this is not a whole lot. But the objective was to see whether the approach is workable. Exhaustive testing was not part of the scope. We gained some valuable insights nonetheless. In chapter 5 we derived a generic conceptual model for dialogue games. We present a framework that can be used to create dialogue games for a number of different purposes. We hand one the basic tools, make one's own game. This can be viewed as a basic game engine as it is found in the video gaming industry. Chapter 6 will recap our design question and discuss if and how this design question has been answered. This includes insights gaine

Abstract: "Commissioned by the campus Office of Admissions, we have built a series of three campus tour and orientation games over the past academic year with undergraduate student project teams. Based on well-established game industry practices we followed an iterative agile process with Scrum and managed to avoid many classical pitfalls in game development. While we achieved some measure of success, in post-project analysis, it becomes obvious that our process would have benefited from the heavy emphasis of "users" in the User-Centered Design (UCD) methods. In this position paper, we propose that the serious game development community continue to critically analyze the results from the UCD projects to benefit from its lessons, well-understood good practices, and development paradigms."

"Automated lm editing involves the generation of the position, orientation, motion and selection of virtual cameras in interactive 3D graphics applications. There is a pressing demand for techniques to assist and automate the control of virtual cameras in the computer games industry where the rapid development of personal computers and high performance consoles has led to substantial improvements in the visual delity of games. The goal of this survey is to characterize the spectrum of applications that require automated lm editing, present a summary of state-of-the-art models and techniques, and identify both promising avenues and hot topics for future research"

Description in Google Books: "The Video Game Industry provides a platform for the research on the video game industry to draw a coherent and informative picture of this industry. Previously this has been done sparsely through conference papers, research articles, and popular science books. Although the study of this industry is still stigmatized as frivolous and 'only' game oriented, those who grew up with video games are changing things, especially research agendas, the acceptance of studies, and their interpretation. This book describes and defines video games as their own special medium. They are not pinball from which they grew, nor movies which they sometimes resemble. They are a unique form of entertainment based on meaningful interactions between individuals and machine across a growing sector of the population. The Video Game Industry provides a reference foundation for individuals seriously interested in the industry at the academic level. As a result, this book will serve as a reference in curricula associated with video game development for years to come. "

From the abstract:"Based on game qualities like simplification and coherence, my approach aims at designing aesthetically holistic games. Other aesthetic qualities that are treated in relation to the design process include representation, embodiment, presence, immersion, flow, fun, pliability and pace. The approach is argued to have strengths in the sense that it does not conform to pre-established genres, is more player oriented, can create coherent experiences and aid innovation. The backdraws are that it is not effective and does not guarantee that the outcome is neither pleasurable nor playable."

An interactive sci tech oriented video project at Queensland University of Technology