Denna studies syfte var att undersöka om det finns någon skillnad i hur stokastiskt rekombinerad musik upplevs jämfört med linjär musik i datorspelet Thunder League (2015, Hellion Studios). Åtta informanter spelade två olika versioner av spelet, en med stokastiskt rekombinerad och en med linjär uppspelning av samma musik. Därefter intervjuades de om sin upplevelse och vilka skillnader de lade märke till mellan versionerna. Resultatet på undersökning visar att informanterna oftare tyckte att den stokastiskt rekombinerade musiken var bättre än den linjära. Resultatet visade också att informanterna inte överväldigande upplevde någon av metoderna mindre repetitiv. Frågan skulle kunna undersökas igen för att säkerställa resultaten igenom till exempel en större undersökning med tillhandahållande av spelet och formulär över internet för att på ett mer resurseffektivt sätt nå ut till fler människor.

As video games continue to become larger, more complex, and more costly to produce, research into methods to make game creation easier and faster becomes more valuable. One such research topic is procedural generation, which allows the computer to assist in the creation of content. This dissertation presents a new algorithm for the generation of Sokoban levels. Sokoban is a grid-based transport puzzle which is computational interesting due to being PSPACE-complete. Beyond just generating levels, the question of whether or not the levels created by this algorithm are interesting to human players is explored. A study was carried out comparing player attention while playing hand made levels versus their attention during procedurally generated levels. An auditory Stroop test was used to measure attention without disrupting play.

Video game players demand a volume of content far in excess of the ability of game designers to create it. For example, a single quest might take a week to develop and test, which means that companies such as Blizzard are spending millions of dollars each month on new content for their games. As a result, both players and developers are frustrated with the inability to meet the demand for new content. By generating content on-demand, it is possible to create custom content for each player based on player preferences. It is also possible to make use of the current world state during generation, something which cannot be done with current techniques. Using developers to create rules and assets for a content generator instead of creating content directly will lower development costs as well as reduce the development time for new game content to seconds rather than days. This work is part of the field of computational creativity, and involves the use of computers to create aesthetically pleasing game content, such as terrain, characters, and quests. I demonstrate agent-based terrain generation, and economic modeling of game spaces. I also demonstrate the autonomous generation of quests for online role playing games, and the ability to play these quests using an emulated Everquest server.

The present diploma work describes the early development of digital narrative on the territory of the former Czechoslovakia in the 80's and at the beginning of the 90's of the 20th century. In that period, the text adventure game production and use were influenced by the socio-cultural and economic environment in the east-European Communist bloc, and by its following transformation into a democratic system with market economy. That brought about unique approaches to the computer game development and playing, and it also led to a formation of a cultural phenomenon of digital text games connected with the context of that time. The text deals with a brief historic development of digital game playing in the world, and a general situation in the information technologies on the territory of the former Czechoslovakia including direct participants' selected opinions. Within the framework of the present work, basic theoretical approaches have been presented, examining the adventure games genre, and especially their narrative part and the principles of intertextuality. The latter have been described using the examples of the respective Czechoslovak game production.

Main purpose of this thesis is to pursue the question whether it is possible to find differences (and if so, which) in attitudes towards computer (or rather digital) games resulting from various family socio-cultural backgrounds and gender. In order to explore this, the thesis analyzes selected gaming behaviors along with the socio-cultural environment and gender stereotypes shaping the gamers. The research study focuses mainly on gamers' preference in choosing the game type, reflection of their approach and ways of dealing with this phenomenon exhibited by their parents. This thesis does not aim to state any general theory; it is rather attempting to offer specific insight into this issue. Keywords: digital games, computer games, games' classification, computer games entertainment, parental attitudes towards gaming, family socio-cultural standard, gender stereotypes, computer games usefulness/ harmfulness in its consumers, virtual communication in computer games.

This thesis is focused on ethical aspects of interaction between players and virtual computer game worlds, specifically on reception of situations where player faces possibility or necessity to make a moral choice that influences the future development of the game. The goal of this thesis is to find out how seriously players approach these decisions, whether they take their impact on the game world into account, what criteria they apply when deciding and what other influences affect their decisions. Another related theme is identification with the game avatar and its influence on moral decisions. This work is based on qualitative research realized with a group of five players of computer game Mass Effect 2. During the research they answered questions regarding their decisions in particular situations as well as their general approach to decisions in the game. The research is based on recent works on the related topics of game studies. Outcomes of the research are analysed by the grounded theory method. Using its procedures the answers are decomposed into basic concepts which are then put together again in mutual context. As a conclusion of the thesis the grounded theory formulated based on these analytical procedures is presented. Future thematically related research areas are also suggested.

Studien syftar på att belysa hur dataspel påverkar unga vuxna mäns beteende samt vilka för-och nackdelar det har på hälsan. Det kommer oftast upp negativa reaktioner på dataspel och dess effekter på hälsan. Forskning visar att våldsamma spel påverkar beteendet negativt och att det leder till ett aggressivt beteende. Det är sällan positiva aspekter som tas upp i studier av dataspel och mindre forskning om unga vuxna mäns upplevelser av dataspel. Målinriktat urval valdes i studien då sex unga vuxna män från Västerås ansågs vara relevant som målgrupp för att ta reda på för- och nackdelar med dataspel samt hur de upplever påverkar deras hälsa. Studien grundar sig på en kvalitativ metod där datainsamlingen skedde genom semistrukturerade intervjuer som utformning. Intervjuerna analyserades genom en manifest innehållsanalys. Resultatet visar på att utredarna upplevde att dataspel har både negativa och positiva konsekvenser beroende på varför man spelar. Dataspel enligt utredarna i studien är avkopplande och lugnande men det kan påverka kroppen kortsiktigt. Slutsatserna är att dataspel påverkar unga vuxna män mer positivt än negativt när det gäller psykosociala faktorer men mindre positivt för fysiska konsekvenser. Detta beror på att vuxna har mer kontroll och mera kunskaper för att balansera både det dagliga livet och sin hälsa. / The study aims to demonstrate how computer games affect young men adults behaviour and the pros and cons of health. There are usually negative reactions to computer games from others and its effects on health. Research shows that violent games adversely affect behaviour and it is believed that it can lead to aggressive behaviour. There are rarely any positive aspects addressed in studies of computer games and less research on young adult men's experiences of computer games. Targeted selection was chosen in the study as six young adult men from Västerås were considered relevant as a target group to find out the pros and cons of computer games and how they experience their health being affected. The study is based on a qualitative method in which the data collection took place through semi-structured interviews as a design. The interviews were analysed through a manifest content analysis. The result shows that the investigators experienced that computer games have both negative and positive consequences depending on the reason they play. Computer games according to the investigators in the study are shown to be relaxing and calming but however, can affect the body in the short term. The conclusions is that computer games affect young men more positively than negatively when it comes to psychosocial factors but less positive for physical consequences and outcomes. This is because adults have more control and more knowledge to balance both daily life and their health.

Den här studien fokuserade på begreppet flow och hur detta tillstånd påverkas av två olika sorters ljudläggnigar. Flow är i studiens sammanhang en kondition som spelaren befinner sig i när den är bekant med spelets mekaniker och är medveten om dess mål och hinder. Genom att ta in information med hjälp av olika medel som exempelvis ljudeffekter och animationer kan spelaren göra snabba och reaktiva beslut. Tidigare forskning visade hur många audivitva källor av immersion påverkar flow negativt, som exempelvis ambienser. Samtidigt visade forskning hur en spelare som befinner sig i ett tillstånd av immersion lättare kommer in i ett ’flow’-tillstånd. För att förstå denna relation mellan flow och immersion, samt hur ljud kan påverka dessa tillstånd skapades ett enkelt ’first-person shooter’ spel med två olika ljudläggningar. Genom insamlad data kunde man se hur ljudläggningarna påverkade spelarens flow mycket annorlunda.

Esta pesquisa parte do problema acerca do sentido de jogar videogame. Estudos sobre videogame nunca foram muitos na área acadêmica, todavia vemos um crescimento na preocupação séria com o tema nos últimos anos com os game studies que englobam estudos interdisciplinares vários. O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender como é jogar videogame com base em um relato referente à experiência em Phantasy Star . Propõe-se a utilização do método fenomenológico como forma de análise dos dados e um diálogo com autores que corroboram com esta perspectiva de pesquisa e autores da área dos videogames. Com esta pesquisa, busca-se contribuir com a psicologia do Brasil além dos game studies de modo geral. E, não obstante, ser uma fonte para a reflexão acerca de estereótipos promovidos pela mída e muitas vezes corroborados por cientistas sobre jogadores de videogame. / The present research starts with the problem concerning the meaning of playing videogames. There are few academic videogame studies, but it is possible to see a growing development in research as we can see with the game studies that unite interdisciplinary studies. The goal of this work is to comprehend how it is to play videogames based on one discourse concerning an experience in Phantasy Star. We propose the phenomenological method as a way to analyze the data and a dialog with authors who adopt the same perspective and others in the specific field of videogame studies. It is intended with this research to improve the Brazilian psychology and game studies as a whole. And nonetheless to be a critical source concerning the stereotypes prevalent about videogame players as shown in the media, and often adopted by scientists.

Recently, many researchers have been interested in how videogames can influence the attitude and behavior of children. It has also been questioned if videogames can be a useful teaching tool in the classroom. There are many games that have been created to teach traditional school subjects such as Math and English. But what about creating games to teach about current environmental issues? The goal of my thesis project is to create an educational advocacy game for smartphone devices that will educate children about the effects of overfishing on marine life and how it can negatively affect coastal communities in the Caribbean. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014.. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection