The theme of this bachelor thesis was Queer Games. We discussed how queerness is applied in video games for queer people. We made some observations on how LGBTQ characters were represented within a few games that had representations of Queer experiences. We explored the topic of Queer Mechanics as presented by game creator Avery Mcdaldno (2014) and we researched discussions about Queerness in games by a select number of scholars. Namely, Bonnie Ruberg (Campus Gotland GAME, 2017), Naomi Clark (2017, Chapter 1) and Edmond. Y. Chang (2017, Chapter 2). We explained why we used Gay Memes as our anchoring topic for our Queer Game design and then we went through the methods and design process that we had while developing our Queer Game. These methods included Innovation By Boundary Shifting (Löwgren and Stolterman, 2004), Design Pillars (Max Pears, 2017) and The Crystal Clear method (New Line Technologies, 2018). Then, we broke down the design process starting with how we came up with the game concept, what design pillars we used and the programs and tools we used in the development of the game. We also explained the relation between our design process and the information we learned from the previously mentioned scholars and creators. At the end of this bachelor thesis, we discussed the effectiveness of the chosen methods, the results we found through research which included questioning the role of empathy and fun in games, putting less focus on superficial forms of representation and creating game mechanics that are queer. We described the finished video game we made and we introduced our ideas for future research on Queer Game Design. / Temat för detta kandidatarbetet var Queer Spel. Vi diskuterade hur queerhet appliceras i digitala spel för HBTQ personer. Vi gjorde några observeringar kring hur HBTQ karaktärer representerades inom några spel som innehöll representationer av queer upplevelser. Vi undersökte ämnet “Queer Mechanics” som presenterades av spelskaparen Avery Mcdaldno (2014) och undersökte diskussioner från vissa forskare om Queerhet i Spel. Nämligen, Bonnie Ruberg (Campus Gotland GAME, 2017), Naomi Clark (2017, Kapitel 1) and Edmond. Y. Chang (2017, Kapitel 2). Vi förklarade varför vi använde “Gay Memes” som vår huvudämne för vår Queer-Spelgestaltning och sedan tydliggjorde våra metoder och designprocess som vi hade under utvecklingen av vår Queer-Spelgestaltning. Dessa metoder inkluderade Innovation By Boundary Shifting (Löwgren and Stolterman, 2004), Design Pillars (Max Pears, 2017) och The Crystal Clear method (New Line Technologies, 2018). Sedan bröt vi ner designprocessen till sina olika steg från hur vi kom fram till spelkonceptet till vilka “Design Pillars” vi använde och vilka datorprogram och verktyg vi använde för att utveckla spelgestaltningen. Vi förklarade också relationen mellan designprocessen och informationen vi lärde oss från de sistnämnda forskare och spelskapare. I slutet av detta kandidatarbetet diskuterade vi hur bra de valda metoderna fungerade och resultaten vi hittade genom vår undersökning. Dessa inkluderade att ifrågasätta rollen av empati och vikten av att ha roligt i spel, att lägga mindre fokus på ytliga former av representation och att skapa spelmekanik som är Queer. Vi beskrev den färdiga spelgestaltningen som vi skapade och introducerade våra egna idéer för framtida undersökningar om Queer Speldesign. / <p>Arbetets resultat ledde till ett digitalt spel som kan laddas ner via denna länken https://ahmad-al-shehabi.itch.io/boyles-queer-quest-for-tea </p>

This study researches the possibility of video games being a helpful tool when it comes to English vocabulary knowledge, by comparing the English vocabulary knowledge of those that play video games to those that do not play video games. The study also focuses on comparing the English vocabulary knowledge of those that play video games frequently to those that play video games seldomly and discuss why this might make a difference. 37 students were asked to fill in a questionnaire with questions focusing on if they play video games or not, how often they play and what sort of games they played. The second part of the study was a vocabulary test containing 51 words one might encounter whilst playing video games, in this vocabulary test the students were asked to give an English synonym and a Swedish translation of these words. The results of the study revealed that there were differences between the groups, as those that did play video games scored higher on the vocabulary test compared to those that did not play video games. There was also a difference in terms of performance on the vocabulary test depending on how often the students played video games. / Denna studie undersöker videospels möjlighet till att vara ett hjälpmedel när det gäller kunskaper i engelskt ordförråd genom att jämföra ordförrådskunskaperna hos de som spelar videospel med de som inte spelar videospel. Studien fokuserar också på att jämföra de engelska ordförrådskunskaperna hos dem som ofta spelar videospel med de som sällan spelar videospel och diskuterar varför detta kan göra en skillnad. 37 elever ombads att fylla i ett frågeformulär med frågor med fokus på om de spelar videospel eller inte, hur ofta de spelar och vilken typ av spel de spelade. Den andra delen av studien var ett ordförrådstest innehållande 51 ord som kan stötas på i videospel, i detta ordförrådstest ombads eleverna att ge en engelsk synonym och en svensk översättning av dessa ord. Resultaten av studien visade att det fanns skillnader mellan grupperna, eftersom de som spelade videospel fick högre poäng på ordförrådstestet jämfört med de som inte spelade videospel. Det fanns också skillnader prestationsmässigt i ordförrådstestet beroende på hur ofta eleverna spelade videospel.

Detta kandidatarbete lyfter fram virtual reality som ett medium med potential för både lärande och underhållande syften. Begrepp som serious games, gamification, och edutainment undersöks för att ta reda på vad som gör vissa spel lärorika, vad som motiverar användaren till att vilja fortsätta spela ett spel, samt hur dessa egenskaper kan kombineras. För att utforska dessa områden har en gestaltning designats i form av en interaktiv miljö som kan upplevas med hjälp av ett VR-headset såsom Oculus Quest (2019) eller Oculus Rift (2014). I denna miljö får spelaren en unik möjlighet att lära sig om cirkulär ekonomi på ett inlevelserikt och interaktivt sätt. Förhoppningen är även att spelaren kan använda sig av denna nyvunna kunskap i verkligheten för att bidra till det framtida välmåendet av vår planet. / This bachelor thesis aims to highlight virtual reality as a medium with potential within both educating and entertaining purposes. Exploration of concepts such as serious games, gamification, and edutainment is conducted to discover what makes certain games educational, what motivates the user to keep playing a game, as well as how these characteristics could be combined. To explore these areas, an interactive environment in virtual reality is designed, and meant to be used with VR-headsets such as Oculus Quest (2016) or Oculus Rift (2014). This environment allows the player to learn about circular economy in an immersive and interactive way. The hope is that the player can use this knowledge in real-life to contribute to the future wellbeing of the planet.

Much investigation has explored the potential effects of video games in adolescence. However, limited research has been conducted on the effects of social video game play and individual and relational well-being in adults. The Social Organization Theory of Action and Change (SOAC) may be a helpful way to examine social behaviors (like gaming) and how they relate to well-being. This exploratory study will utilize the SOAC to examine social gaming behaviors in adults, and examine the relationships between these behaviors and adult individual and relational outcomes (e.g., loneliness, relationship satisfaction). Descriptive statistics and correlations are provided. Regression analyses will be performed. Results will be used to discuss the viability of applying the SOAC to online, social gaming contexts. Implications for social video game play in adults will be provided.

Critical examination on the topic of gender representation, sexualisation, video gamecharacters and their designs is not untreated ground, and has been analysed using variousmethods; qualitatively, quantitatively (Tompkins &amp; et. al., 2020), and textually. However,these analyses are often analysed from the assumption that the consumer of video game mediais male, cis, and heterosexual. This assumption is not unfounded, but ignores the experienceof the part of the population that does not fit this description. Therefore, the research question;“How is gender represented in Street Fighter V, when analysed from different gazes?” A textual corpus analysis on Street Fighter V: Champion Edition was performed using gazetheory as a theoretical framework. It was found that although the male gaze applied in almostevery point of the study, instances where the queer gaze applied could still be found. / Kritisk examination runt könsrepresentation, sexualisation, videospelkaraktärer och derasdesign är ej otrampad mark, och har blivit analyserad under mångfaldiga metoder; kvalitativt,kvantitativt, och textuellt. Dock så är dessa analyser ofta analyserade från antagandet attkonsumenten av videospelmedia är cis, heterosexuell, och manlig. Detta antagande är inteogrundad, men ignorerar upplevelsen av elen av populationen som ej passar dennabeskrivning. Därav utforskningsfrågan; “Hur är kön representerad i Street Fighter V, näranalyserad från olika blickar?” En textuell korpusanalys som använder sig blick-teori som teoretiskt ramverk av StreetFighter V: Champion Edition var genomförd. Det var funnet att trots att den manliga blickenkunde appliceras i varje punkt i studien, exempel där den queera blicken kunde appliceraskunde fortfarande hittas.

Ce mémoire tente de mieux comprendre ce que sont les jeux otome japonais et le rapport entre le jeu et la culture. En effet, à travers l’interaction que le jeu permet, celui-ci offre au joueur la possibilité d’explorer de nouvelles identités et par la même occasion, devenir un outil de (re)négociation culturelle. Puisque les jeux otome sont principalement créés pour plaire à un marché féminin japonais, les idéaux culturels en ce qui concerne les performances de genre féminin seraient logiquement intégrés dans les diverses trames narratives qui sont présentées, bien que ce processus puisse être involontaire de la part de leurs créateurs. Puisque les jeux otome reposent principalement sur la réussite de la formation d’une relation amoureuse avec un personnage masculin, ceci semble faire écho à la critique nationale envers le célibat féminin; il est attendu des femmes qu’elles remplissent leur rôle en tant qu’épouse et mère sous l’institution du mariage. Malgré le fait que cet idéal ne puisse pas toujours être suivi en raison de situations socio-économiques tel l’éclatement de la bulle financière de 1990 et des nœuds de résistance de la part des plus jeunes générations au fil du temps, cette notion demeure imprégnée dans la culture japonaise. Cela ne veut pas dire que les femmes jouant à des jeux otome sont contraintes d’accepter ces rôles. Par le biais de la jouabilité et de leur alter-ego numérique qu’est leur avatar, elles peuvent prendre part à l’ordre social établi sans pour autant s’y conformer. En fait, cela peut même être perçu comme un moyen de subvertir l’intention originale puisque ces femmes alimentent une relation retranchée des attentes sociales de la maternité. / This thesis tries to shed light on Japanese otome games and how player agency through the video game medium can lend itself to the exploration of new identities by the player and become a tool for cultural (re)negotiation. As otome games have been mainly created for female customers in the insular Japanese market, cultural ideals regarding female gender performance would logically be embedded in the various narratives that are presented, albeit this process may be unintentional by their creators. Since otome games hinge mostly on obtaining a successful romantic relationship with a male character, this seems to echo national criticism of female celibacy; women should fulfill their roles as wives and mothers through marriage. Although this ideal may not be upheld due to socioeconomic happenstance such as the crash of 1990 and has found pockets of resistance throughout the younger generation as time went by, this notion still permeates Japanese culture. That is not to say women who play otome games are bound to accept these roles. Through the use of play and their digital proxy that is their avatar, they can take part in the social prescribed order without submitting to it. Moreover, it could be seen as a way to subvert the original intent in doing so, as they embrace a relationship that is withdrawn from the social expectation of childbirth.

This master's thesis focuses on the research of similar video game experiences among players of different cultures. Because video games are a product of the worldwide gaming industry, the same content is available for players of various cultural backgrounds, who can then share their experiences via internet forums. In a cross-cultural comparison, the thesis examines similarities in gaming experiences the players of different cultural backgrounds have, and thus exploring the potential of videogames to overcome national borders and to bring players closer. Because four generations of gamers had already got the opportunity to play videogames, the thesis also focuses on similar gaming experiences across the age groups, and thus potentially bringing together also players of different ages. The theoretical basis of this thesis is built on the works of theorists of play Johan Huizinga, Vladimír Borecký, and Roger Caillois, theories of anthropologists George P. Murdock, Thomas Hylland Eriksen, Michal Tošner, and Clifford Geertz, and lastly, the history of video games as a medium along with the history of computers in general as described by Lev Manovich. The research itself was conducted by using two methods. An online survey, shared among respondents by using the Snowball Sampling method, followed by a...

Los videojuegos son un tema interesante de estudio porque el mercado es bastante grande y llama la atención de miles de personas al año, por lo que son utilizados como objeto de estudio para diversos campos. Este estudio tiene como finalidad utilizar al videojuego Cyberpunk 2077 para analizar cómo el Storytelling en el tráiler publicitario, provoca una influencia en los consumidores gamers y los lleva a generar una motivación de compra. Esta investigación desarrolla el paradigma interpretativo con una metodología cualitativa. El diseño es de carácter biográfico narrativo en el cual se escogen, con la técnica de muestreo por conveniencia, a hombres y mujeres de 18 a 24 años de edad que sean considerados regular-gamers, para formar parte de entrevistas semi-estructuradas con el fin de recolectar información necesaria para el estudio. Los resultados encontrados en el estudio dan a entender que el Storytelling del tráiler es importante para el consumidor gamer, sin embargo, no es la fuente de decisión final, ya que ellos recurren a reseñas y videos sobre el producto. Por lo que, podemos concluir que el gamer es de los que prefiere investigar a profundidad los aspectos del videojuego, ya que supone una inversión de dinero y tiempo; algo que los regular-gamers tienen muy presente antes de realizar alguna decisión. / Videogames are an interesting subject of study because the market is quite large and draws the attention of thousands of people a year, which is why they are used as an object of study for various fields. The purpose of this study is to use the Cyberpunk 2077 video game to analyze how Storytelling in the advertising trailer causes an influence on gamers consumers and leads them to generate purchase motivation. This research develops the interpretive paradigm with a qualitative methodology. The design is of a narrative biographical nature in which, with the convenience sampling technique, men and women between 18 and 24 years of age who are considered regular-gamers are chosen to take part in semi-structured interviews in order to collect information necessary for the study. The results found in the study suggest that the Storytelling of the trailer is important for the gamer consumer, however it is not the source of final decision, since they resort to reviews and videos about the product. So we can conclude that the gamer is one of those who prefers to investigate in depth the aspects of the video game, since it involves an investment of money and time; something that regular-gamers keep in mind before making a decision. / Tesis

Malgré les nombreux bienfaits des jeux vidéo, environ 10% des joueurs présenteraient un profil d’utilisation problématique associé à de graves répercussions sur le fonctionnement – profil néfaste qui toucherait particulièrement les jeunes adultes. Selon les modèles théoriques généraux de stress-coping (Folkman et Lazarus, 1984) et spécifiques à la dépendance aux nouveaux médias (Douglas et al., 2008), l’exposition à des stresseurs serait un des facteurs étiologiques les plus importants de l’utilisation problématique des jeux vidéo (UPJV), dont l’impact serait amplifié par certains états internes, notamment les traits dépressifs. Plusieurs études empiriques sur l’UPJV appuient ces prémisses, mais utilisent des mesures d’exposition aux stresseurs problématiques et excluent généralement les jeunes adultes ne fréquentant pas les institutions d’enseignement. Cette étude visait ainsi à examiner le lien entre l’UPJV et l’exposition à des stresseurs ponctuels et chroniques (évènements de vie et difficultés) telle que captée par des mesures fiables et valides, ainsi que le rôle modérateur des traits dépressifs auprès d’un échantillon constitué majoritairement de jeunes peu scolarisés (N = 386, 52,3% garçons) et suivi de l’adolescence au début de l’âge adulte (devis longitudinal ; environ de 16 à 20 ans). En contrôlant divers facteurs confondants potentiels, un lien direct avec l’UPJV a été observé pour les traits dépressifs, mais pas pour l’exposition aux stresseurs. Parmi un ensemble d’interactions testées à partir des différentes mesures d’exposition aux stresseurs, une seule s’est avérée significative ; la méthode de décomposition de la variance a révélé des patrons inverses à ceux attendus. Les possibles interprétations de ces résultats sont discutées, ainsi que leurs retombées pour la pratique et la recherche. / Despite the many benefits of video games, approximately 10% of gamers have a problematic use profile associated with severe repercussions on functioning - a negative profile that could particularly affect young adults. According to general theoretical models of stress-coping (Folkman et Lazarus, 1988) and specific to addiction to new media (Douglas et al., 2008), exposure to stressors is one of the most important etiological factors of problematic video games use (French acronym: UPJV), and its impact is likely to be amplified by certain internal states, in particular depressive traits. Several empirical studies of the UPJV support this premise but use weak measures of problematic stressors exposure and generally exclude young adults not attending educational institutions. This study thus aimed to examine the link between the UPJV and exposure to occasional and chronic stressors (life events and difficulties) as captured by reliable and valid measurements, as well as the moderating role of depressive traits in a sample made up mainly of young people with low levels of education (N = 386, 52.3% boys) and followed from adolescence to early adulthood (longitudinal design; around 16 to 20 years old). Controlling for various potential confounder factors, a direct association with UPJV was observed for depressive traits, but not for exposure to stressors. Among a set of interactions tested using different measures of exposure to stressors, only one was found to be significant; the variance decomposition method revealed reverse patterns to those expected. The possible interpretations of these results are discussed, as well as their implications for practice and research.

This study conducts a video game character content analysis to examine villains and heroes in video games by visual design, specifically how the visual design differs from one another between the alignments. Samples were collected by browsing a list of top rated video games, sorted by year, at least one villain and hero were chosen from a number of games until a sample of (N=100) was reached. After the samples had been examined according to a number of variables and codes, they were analysed using a chi-square analysis. The results indicate that villains’ visual design is done in a way to create a negative impression towards the villainous character, whilst the heroes’ design is intended to appeal to the player. The villains tend to be larger in size and look older than the heroes, meanwhile the heroes tend to have rounder face- and eye shapes, in contrast to the villains’ narrow eyes and faces. / Denna studie utför en innehållsanalys på spelfigurer inom datorspel för att granska skurkars och hjältars visuella design inom datorspel, specifikt hur den visuella designen skiljer sig åt mellan dem. Urvalen samlades genom att granska topplistor för videospel enligt årtal, där minst en skurk och hjälte valdes från ett antal spel tills ett urval av (N=100) nåddes. Efter att urvalen undersökts enligt en uppsättning av variabler och koder analyserades de med en chi-square analys. Resultaten indikerar att skurkars visuella design är gjord på ett sätt som skapar ett negativt intryck av den skurkaktiga spelfiguren, medan hjältarnas design är menad att tilltala spelaren. Skurkarna tenderar att vara större i storlek och ser äldre ut än hjältarna, medan hjältarna tenderar att ha rundare ansikts- och ögonformer i kontrast till skurkarnas smala ögon och ansikten.