This thesis brings attention to communication systems in games and how their development has stagnated. The focus is directed towards visual communication and the question of “Can the Smart Ping system in League of Legends suggest visual communication as a viable solution for in-game communication in multiplayer games, according to the semiotic model of Roland Barthes? ” is presented. Roland Barthes’ two order of signification model is then used to perform an analysis of the visual communication system called Smart Ping in the game League of Legends. The findings suggests that visual systems can be a viable solution as they provide visual techniques in design, tactic use for players while being effective to execute, helps removing language barrier problems and can use cultural aspects to an advantage in design when creating the system, making it easier for players to understand the message created. In-game multiplayer communication, is a vital part of how a game succeeds or falters when providing tools for players to communicate; as it is one of the main areas that creates frustration for the players. An aspect of this importance is that as frustration builds up, the flaws of design are found and questioned, and if not answered, damages the community due to the consequences of not solving the issues within the game. Therefore it is important that designers do not neglect the issues related to the current systems, and instead work to find new solutions, because if they do not, it damages the relationship between consumers and developers. This topic is discussed as frustration for players also bring toxicity into the community of games. To finalize the thesis suggests an approach in connection to visual communication systems and emphasizes experimentation in game design as an important part of development; while as a developer staying open towards feedback helps, as it strengthens the community and can provide new solutions from unexpected sources.

Video games are experience-based products and user satisfaction is key for their popularity. To design for as strong an experience as possible, game developers incorporate evaluation methods that help to discover their users’ expectations and needs. Despite such efforts, problems still occur with the game design that lower the user experience. To counter these problems, the evaluation methods should be investigated and improved. To address this need, I have explored various design tools and user experience theories. Applying these in a game evaluation context, I have analyzed user-created game reviews and conducted longitudinal user interview- and game diary studies in connection to playing a newly released game, in other words different methods to take advantage of users' expectations, opinions, attitudes and experiences. One result of the analysis of the obtained data is a set of “slogans” that illustrate how and why users lose interest in a game. A second result is a method for extracting user attitudes from pre-produced user reviews and how this can be used in game development. Thirdly, I introduce an alternative model, aimed at game user experience development, the Playsona. The Playsona is a lightweight tool that introduces a variant of the Persona-method, specifically for video game design. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

This thesis presents a comparative study between Overwatch (2016) and Doom (2016) to determine how these fast-paced games facilitate flow in their gameplay. The second chapter looks at formal definitions of flow and level design to establish a vocabulary for following chapters. Through formal analysis the level designs of both games are then examined to establish what elements in them guide players and keep the flow in gameplay. The thesis also examines how the initial gameplay design principles, which are rooted in the older shooter genre, have impacted the level design. The author uses screenshots from both games, interviews with the design teams and published literature on game design for the study.It was found that the architectural design of a level in hero-based gameplay (Overwatch (2016)) could control the pacing by changing the elements that enable certain types of movement such as climbing or creating setups that favor one team over the other. On an individual player level, flow is kept with intentional placement of light and bright colors to guide the player. While Doom (2016) uses different abilities and movement sets for its hero, the tools of guiding the player proved to be very similar but with heavier focus on environmental markings and lights. In both cases the look of these guiding tools was adapted to fit into the game world without breaking the player’s immersion. / I uppsatsen görs en jämförelse mellan Overwatch (2016) och Doom (2016) för att komma fram till hur dessa snabba spel underlättar flödet i spelandet. I kapitel två av uppsatsen ges formella definitioner av flöde och level design för att skapa förutsättningar för förståelsen av följande kapitel. Genom en formell analys undersöks level design i bägge spel för att fastställa vilka element som styr spelarna och håller flödet uppe. Uppsatsen undersöker också hur de ursprungliga designprinciperna, som har sitt ursprung i den äldre shooter genren, har påverkat spelens level design. Författaren använder skärmdumpar från båda spelen, intervjuer med designteam och litteratur om speldesign för studien.Det visade sig att den arkitektoniska utformningen av en level i ett hjältebaserat spel (Overwatch (2016)) skulle kunna styra takten genom att ändra element som möjliggör vissa typer av rörelser, t.ex. klättring eller skapandet av uppsättningar som gynnar ett lag framför det andra. På en individuell spelarnivå hålls flödet uppe med avsiktliga placeringar av ljus och ljusa färger för att styra spelaren. Medan Doom använder olika förmågor och rörelser för sin hjälte, visade sig verktygen för att styra spelaren vara mycket lika men med tyngre fokus på miljömärkningar och ljus. I båda fallen var dessa verktygs utseende utformat för att passa in i spelvärlden utan att bryta spelarens inlevelse.

Main topic of this thesis are gamificaton system and their implementation in organizations. The first chapter describes theoretic part of gamification. Second addresses options of using game elements in workspace and approaches to designing a gamification system. In the third part there is comparison of gamification platforms. The last chapter describes the design of the orignal gamification system for web application.

En produkt är användbar när användaren kan göra precis som den vill utan att tveka, stöta på problem eller att användaren ska behöva ifrågasätta produkten. Användaren ska uppnå sitt mål om en produkt är användbar (Rubin &amp; Chisnell, 2008). Användarvänlighet ska se till att möta våra behov och krav som vi kan ställa på produkter. Vår tillfredställelse med upplevelsen av produkten kan då påverka användbarheten (Reiss, 2012). Forskningsgruppen Educational Technology Group hade utvecklat ett digitalt läromedel där en kunskapslucka inom interaktionsdesign behövde fyllas. Denna studie gjordes i syfte av att utvärdera användbarhetsupplevelsen i ett digitalt läromedel kallat Historiens Väktare för barn i årskurs 4 med hjälp av tänka högt-protokoll, intervjuer och enkäter. Studien resulterade i en problemidentifiering i interaktionen, att vissa moment i spelet upplevdes som komplicerade och behövde ses över. I analysen gavs det förslag på förbättringar som kan appliceras på läromedlet för att ge en positivare användarupplevelse. / Educational Technology Group

This thesis project focuses on the practices of eating and play as I explore using food as a material for interaction design through the context of an analog game. Using the action of eating as the main mechanic, participants of my research project are subject to sensations that can only be explored by eating such as taste, hunger, and satiation. The goal is to create a game where food and its consumption can not be substituted with any other action, sense, or material. Through design based research and a playcentric design process I playtest three experiments of which include two mods. Following that I create an original puzzle game and its iteration with two groups in efforts to demonstrate the affordances of different food materials in games. Finally, I assess my process and games through game studies principles such as the MDA framework, the criteria of design based research, and finally propose a program in design research called Interactive Eating Design.

Gamification and sustainability are two topics that have gained a lot of attention in the past few years, both from the corporate sector and the academic community. Yet, the connection between the two concepts has seldom been made. This study addresses this research gap, by presenting the novel concept of gamification and connecting it to established theories in the field of organisational change. It then creates a discussion around the question of the potential of gamification as a tool to foster sustainability practices within organisations.To answer this question, this thesis followed a qualitative research design. By performing semi-structured interviews with experts in the field of gamification, the study explored different aspects of gamification, namely its definition, the opportunities and challenges it faces in regards to sustainability, the organisation’s responses towards the concept and the hypotheses for the further development of gamification.The results of this study suggest that gamification has great potential to foster sustainable practices within organisations. With its element of fun, gamification has the power to engage employees in sustainability issues, create a deeper understanding of the topic and relate it directly to the employees’ personal values and decision-making process. By offering different perspectives and helping employees see the bigger picture, gamification can inspire a sense of meaningfulness and contribution to something bigger than oneself. However, this can only happen when the tools are designed and used in the right way. Building an understanding of the user and implementing the fitting game design elements to create an impactful experience for the player is, however, a complex and time-consuming process, and therefore put forth as one of the biggest challenges. Furthermore, gamification should strive to expand beyond the commonly used game design elements of points, badges and leaderboards to tap into the user’s intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation.

This thesis aimed to analyse slapstick comedy found in Untitled Goose Game by comparing it to early twentieth century slapstick comedy to answer the question of how Untitled Goose Game designed its slapstick comedy gags. Moments resembling classic slapstick were evaluated and tested by a formula synthesized from Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times, a cornerstone of classicslapstick comedy, and slapstick theory. The formula contained four crucial points: (a) the reliance on surprise; (b) easily understood scenarios that offered instant audience responses; (c) a build up of tension; and (d) a climactic moment to the gag. The moments were found to behave very much in accordance with the classic slapstick formula created, with small discrepancies in surprise. Through analysis and discussion, it was found that these discrepancies could be explained by the scripted nature of the humor found within the game. The answer to the research question was that Untitled Goose Game designed its humor very similar to the classic slapstick gags found in the early twentieth century using this formula, and that there was potential for more within the videogame medium. Therefore, this thesis concludes that by following this formula, video games can easily integrate slapstick humor. This insight can allow video game designers to implement the formula and therefore humor more effectively by either fulfilling or subverting the audience's expectations. / Syftet med den här studien är att analysera slapstickkomedin i Untitled Goose Game för att jämföra den med klassisk slapstickkomedi från början av 1900-talet i syfte att svara på hur spelet använde och designade sina slapstick rutiner. Spelmoment med inslag av klassiskt slapstick värdesattes och testades med hjälp av en formel syntetiserad från Charlie Chaplins Modern Times, en grundpelare i både klassisk slapstickkomedi samt slapstickteori. Formeln innehöll fyra viktiga punkter: (a) beroendet av överraskning; (b) lättförstådda scenarion vilka gav direkt respons från publiken; (c) en uppbyggnad av spänning; och (d) skämtets klimax. De analyserade momenten sågs uppföras mycket snarlikt den klassiska uppbyggnaden för en slapstick-rutin, med somliga avvikelser i (a) överraskning. Analys och diskussion visade att dessa avvikelser kan förklaras av den iscensatta naturen av humorn funnen i spelet. Svaret på studiens frågeställning var att Untitled Goose Game designade sin humor på ett sätt liknande det som återfinns i slapstick-komedi från tidigt 1900-tal genom att använda den tidigare nämnda formeln, samt att det finns vidare möjligheter att utveckla slapstick i spel-mediet. Således resulterar studien att spel kan följa denna formel för att integrera slapstick-komedi på ett enkelt sätt. Denna insikt kan tillåta speldesigners att implementera formeln, och således även humorn, på ett effektivare sätt genom att antingen fullfölja eller undergräva publikens förväntningar.

Achieving a state of balance is essential when developing a video game (Schell, 2019, “Game Mechanics Must Be in Balance,” para. 1). Despite this, game balancing is frequently overlooked in game development curricula (Schreiber, 2016, 00:30). This research describes the development and pilot study of a framework that junior game designers can utilize to gain valuable skills in the area of game balance. The framework produced by this research provides users with the ability to tune weapon parameters and see the effects these changes have on a first-person shooter deathmatch game in real time. Participants in the study utilized the framework to achieve three pacing and balance goals. Data regarding the weapon parameters selected by participants and information about the participants’ usage of the framework is described in detail. This study serves as the groundwork for future research focused on finding a method for teaching junior game designers about game balance.

Syftet med detta arbetet är undersöka hur speldesign kan användas som resurs för design av musikundervisning. I bakgrunden presenteras vad lärare, eleven och undervisningssituationen kan göra för att påverka elevers studieresultat. Därefter presenteras spel och speldesign med dess olika designgrenar och termer. Det vetenskapliga perspektivet som används är designteorin av Selander och Kress. Metoden var att först presentera speldesign och dess grenar följt av exempel på paralleller mellan speldesign och skolvärlden inför fyra stycken musiklärarstudenter. Efter presentationen fördes en gruppdiskussion kring ämnet speldesign som resurs för musikundervisning. Resultatet visar att deltagarna har användning av speldesign som resurs samtidigt som vissa av dem skulle vilja använda ett annat språk än det från speldesign. Deltagarna uttryckte med varierande entusiasm att detta sättet att se på skolan kan vara gynnsamt för både elever och lärare. I slutet av uppsatsen diskuteras innebörden av resultatet och dess potentiella inflytande på skolvärlden. Där presenteras för och nackdelar med att använda termer från speldesign i praktiken samt exempel på hur skolan kan utvecklas för att implementera koncept från speldesign i praktiken. / The purpose of this essay is to examine how game design can be used as a resource for designing music education. The background consists of previous research of what determines the pupils study results and thereafter game design and its branches and terms. The scientific perspective used is the design theory by Selander and Kress (2017). The method used was to first present game design and its branches followed by examples of parallels between game design and school in front of four music teacher students. After the presentation a discussion was held by the participants about game design as a resource for music education. The result shows that the participants have use for game design as a resource as, at the same time, they would like to use a different language than that from game design. The participant expressed with varying enthusiasm that this way of viewing school can be beneficial for both pupils and teachers. The end of the essay presents a discussion about the implications of the result and its potential influence on school. Pros and cons about using terms from game design in practice are discussed and examples on how school could evolve to implement concepts from game design in practice.