This paper presents a comprehensive research study that investigates the perspectives of video game preservation from three distinct target groups consisting of game developers, game museums, and video game enthusiasts. Each target group expressed their thoughts and opinions regarding game preservation efforts and the use of emulation as a preservation method. Through a mixed-method approach, including questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, the study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from 148 respondents. By examining the responses, different challenges, obstacles, and possible improvements were identified for each target group. The findings of this study revealed several common themes among the participants. The importance of collaboration and communication between all three target groups can help improve current video game preservation efforts.

How do games express meaning and participate in societal development? A significant contribution to the scholarly efforts that seek to answer such questions takes the rule-based properties of games as its starting point. Termed Procedural Rhetoric, the theory is tightly interwoven with major research questions in Game Studies, yet is under-researched and lacks clarity in several respects. This paper conducts an exploratory, qualitative literature review of the theory to address the lack of information about accumulated knowledge. It discovers new perspectives that may help chart a future for the theory and for Game Studies more broadly. Three possible paths forward are also outlined. A New Agenda is suggested in which game rules and procedures are (re)instated at the core of the analysis but new perspectives are embraced concerning the role of players and of developers, the societal context, and the contributions of the researchers and the educators who study them.

Perverted in Neon is collection of short fictions engaged with various facets of modern popular culture. In its stories, a washed-up rocker enlists the aid of pigeons to deliver messages to his estranged wife; a writer obsessed with finding out what “really” happened to Andy Kaufman is pushed into the fringes of his own life; a kid on restriction discovers a secret level to a video game that threatens to change the nature of his reality; a woman on Airbnb advertises her home—and her life—to potential house renters. The characters throughout this collection tread among the desperate and downtrodden, often seeing some faint impression of hope in the distance, something worth continuing to fight for. Perverted in Neon challenges traditional distinctions of literary genres, often incorporating elements of non-fictional pop culture into fictional worlds, and vice-versa. The stories throughout aim to interrogate some notion of emotional maturity, or lack thereof—characters who think they understand the world, but quickly realize that they understand only their most immediate desires. / MFA

Synchronization of visual and auditory stimuli is important for creating a convincing sound designin games. Understanding the factors that constitute synchrony is both a question of synchrony inthe physical space but also an experience based on perception. Developing on a simpleflash-and-click test used by Eijk (2008), a test was designed to determine the point of synchrony in agame engine environment, a system that inherently has latencies. Test subjects were tasked withfinding a point of subjective synchrony (PSS), meaning the point where they perceived auditoryand visual stimuli to be synchronized. The visual stimulus was a commonly occurring rifle modeland three sound designs with different characteristics were implemented into the Unreal 4 Engine.The latencies of the system were calculated and summed with the PSS value of van Eijk’s (2008)flash-and-click test to create a hypothesized PSS. The results showed that the PSS for the testsubject group aligned with the PSS values given by van Eijk (2008) and that this test has potentialfor testing synchrony in game engine environments.

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Research has unearthed an abundance of objectification and hypersexualization of female characters within video games. However, the recurring element of the damsel in distress trope is also harmful to the medium. This cliché of a helpless princess in need of a man to save her is a recurring element of The Legend of Zelda series. This experimental design tested the effects of a prototypical œsave the princess mission on players agreement to sexist statements on gender roles, objectification, and female dependency, and examined the factors of self-efficacy and gamer status as potential mediators. Participants played a modified version of a classic Legend of Zelda game, where the genders of the hero protagonist and damsel are manipulated. This 2 x 2 study included male and female heroes rescuing male and female victims in the four different cells. Immediately following the experiment, participants then took a post-test survey to gauge if there was any difference on their agreement to sexist statements. These results were also compared to their previous responses on their self-efficacy scores and their gamer status.

The rapid growth of technology, including video games and mobile phones, has raised concerns about addiction and mental health. This study explores the feasibility of using the game Medieval Dynasty to alleviate mental stress. Through a literature review and empirical research, the paper examines the game's potential for stress reduction and psychological wellbeing. By analyzing data and observations from play sessions, this study highlights the benefits and limitations of the Medieval Dynasty as a stress management tool. The findings reveal that the game can reduce stress for some individuals but may evoke boredom or elevated stress in others. These findings contribute to understanding video games and stress reduction, offering insights for improving psychological well-being. Practical recommendations are provided for integrating the Medieval Dynasty into stress management strategies, emphasizing the importance of individual differences and preferences. This research underscores the potential of video games to promote psychological well-being and stress reduction. Understanding the complexities of using video games for stress management enables tailored interventions to enhance mental health outcomes in the digital era. Further research is needed to explore other factors influencing the game's effectiveness, such as game mechanics and gaming preferences.

This study is focused on the challenges in puzzle video games. Based on several previous studies, the researcher created seven different types of challenges in puzzle games. To study the key of challenging levels in puzzle games, three games were chosen, then walkthrough videos of these games were watched and challenges were noted and categorized into different types. The collected data showed that different puzzle games have different challenge types while abstract reasoning is the most common challenge in every puzzle game. The total challenge numbers and pacing in puzzle video games strongly depend on the design intention of the game. And The number of challenge types has no direct connection with difficulty. The category of seven types of challenges and the results of this study may bring reference and inspiration to future studies. It may also shed some light on puzzle game design.

While character design and representation have been extensively discussed within feminist discourse, the attention given to game mechanics has been limited. This study aims to challenge the assumption that feminist ideals in video games can only be conveyed through narrative elements and investigate the potential of integrating feminist principles into game design, with a specific focus on game mechanics. Drawing on Bogost's (2007) Procedural Rhetorics theory, which asserts that digital systems can enable the creation of interactive arguments surpassing traditional rhetoric, the thesis examines how mechanics can prioritize inclusivity and diversity. Through critical analysis of existing discourses and semi-structured interviews with game design students who are pursuing a career as industry professionals, the study evaluates the current state of the industry and identifies areas for improvement. Nine interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis using a deductive approach was employed. The study highlights the significance of representation, with participants expressing a preference for strong female protagonists, while also recognizing divergent perspectives on whether the mere inclusion of a female character equates to a feminist game. Player agency during gameplay was not frequently mentioned in the interviews, a topic commonly discussed in scholarly literature. The study calls for clearer guidelines and definitions in the field and proposes two categories: Empowerment and Equality, derived from participant responses. Participants suggested examples of feminist game mechanics related to empowerment (addressing real-life issues and encouraging collaboration) and equality (ensuring equal chances regardless of gender).

The unified learning model (ULM) focuses on students' engagement, motivation, prior knowledge, and working memory. This study employs the use of video games to assess students' learning through a 3D chemistry gaming environment. In this human-subjects research, students carried out missions and applied reasoning to solve problems appropriate for general chemistry content. For learning to occur, students must be engaged and motivated as stated in the ULM. Learning cannot necessarily be accomplished by experience alone, and critical thinking is required to turn the experience into learning. The interpretation of educational theory applied to video games and this proposed study are discussed. A moderately positive correlation was found between exam score and study time (playing the game). Essentially the more time spent playing the game or an online activity the higher the exam scores. There was an alpha level less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) between the experimental group and non-traditional group (no game or online activity). Supporting that there was a statistically significant difference between groups, the null hypothesis was accepted between the game and online activity. Furthermore, as stated under the ULM, engagement is necessary for optimal learning.