Global ETD Search

461	Exploring 3D User Interface Technologies for Improving the Gaming Experience Kulshreshth, Arun 01 January 2015 (has links) 3D user interface technologies have the potential to make games more immersive & engaging and thus potentially provide a better user experience to gamers. Although 3D user interface technologies are available for games, it is still unclear how their usage affects game play and if there are any user performance benefits. A systematic study of these technologies in game environments is required to understand how game play is affected and how we can optimize the usage in order to achieve better game play experience. This dissertation seeks to improve the gaming experience by exploring several 3DUI technologies. In this work, we focused on stereoscopic 3D viewing (to improve viewing experience) coupled with motion based control, head tracking (to make games more engaging), and faster gesture based menu selection (to reduce cognitive burden associated with menu interaction while playing). We first studied each of these technologies in isolation to understand their benefits for games. We present the results of our experiments to evaluate benefits of stereoscopic 3D (when coupled with motion based control) and head tracking in games. We discuss the reasons behind these findings and provide recommendations for game designers who want to make use of these technologies to enhance gaming experiences. We also present the results of our experiments with finger-based menu selection techniques with an aim to find out the fastest technique. Based on these findings, we custom designed an air-combat game prototype which simultaneously uses stereoscopic 3D, head tracking, and finger-count shortcuts to prove that these technologies could be useful for games if the game is designed with these technologies in mind. Additionally, to enhance depth discrimination and minimize visual discomfort, the game dynamically optimizes stereoscopic 3D parameters (convergence and separation) based on the user's look direction. We conducted a within subjects experiment where we examined performance data and self-reported data on users perception of the game. Our results indicate that participants performed significantly better when all the 3DUI technologies (stereoscopic 3D, head-tracking and finger-count gestures) were available simultaneously with head tracking as a dominant factor. We explore the individual contribution of each of these technologies to the overall gaming experience and discuss the reasons behind our findings. Our experiments indicate that 3D user interface technologies could make gaming experience better if used effectively. The games must be designed to make use of the 3D user interface technologies available in order to provide a better gaming experience to the user. We explored a few technologies as part of this work and obtained some design guidelines for future game designers. We hope that our work will serve as the framework for the future explorations of making games better using 3D user interface technologies. 3d user interface stereoscopic 3d dynamic stereoscopic 3d parameters head tracking finger count gestures menu selection air combat game user study video games game design game play metrics player behavior user experience hci Computer Sciences Engineering
462	Analyzing Action Masking in the MiniHack Reinforcement Learning Environment Cannon, Ian 20 December 2022 (has links) No description available. Computer Engineering Computer Science reinforcement learning action masking rl environment minihack nethack ppo neural networks policy action augmentation action space meta facebook research exploration game games game design multimodal observations
463	Виртуальная реальность: от онтологии к технологии : магистерская диссертация / Virtual reality: from ontology to technology Зинченко, Е. Е., Zinchenko, E. E. January 2015 (has links) Zinchenko E.E. in her master's thesis looks as widely as possible at the virtual, as the problem appears the uncertainty of the term "virtual". The object of research is the virtual reality and the subject is related aspects of the ontology, psychology, sociology and virtual technologies. The aim is a detailed study of the different approaches to the "virtual" and develop their own unified concept of this problem based on a single modern ontology. The material for the study in addition to literature represents by specific popular computer games, as well as the reviews and opinions of real players. The first chapter is dedicated to the most elaborated concepts in the field of "virtualistics" of S.S. Khoruzhiy and N.A. Nosov, as well as developing own structure of "virtual". The second chapter is devoted to the practical implementation of appropriate technology. The theoretical framework is based on the works of K. Jung, Z. Freud, G. Gibson, I.V. Burlakov and on projects of young game designers developed their ideas to existing games. Particular attention in this chapter is on computer games as the most common means of immersion in the virtual environment. Zinchenko E.E. adheres to a neutral position on the upbeat virtual reality, considering, in particular, the positive aspect of the phenomenon of the virtual. / В своей магистерской диссертации Зинченко Е.Е. максимально широко смотрит на виртуальное, так как проблемой выступает неопределенность самого термина «виртуальное». Объектом исследования выступает виртуальная реальность, а предметом - взаимосвязанные аспекты онтологии, психологии, социологии и технологий виртуального. Целью работы является подробное изучение различных подходов к «виртуальному» и разработка собственной единой концепции данной проблематики на базе единой современной онтологии. В качестве материала для исследования помимо литературных источников используются популярные и специфические компьютерные игры, а также отзывы и мнения реальных игроков. Первая глава посвящена наиболее проработанным концепциям в области «виртуалистики» Хоружего С.С. и Носова Н.А., а также разработке собственной структуры «виртуального». Вторая глава посвящена практической реализации соответствующих технологий. Теоретическая база основана на работах К. Юнга, З. Фрейда, Дж. Гибсона, Бурлакова И.В. и на проектах молодых геймдизайнеров, реально воплощающих свои идеи в существующих играх. Особое внимание в данной главе уделяется компьютерным играм как самому распространенному средству погружения в виртуальную среду. Зинченко Е.Е. придерживается нейтрально-оптимистичной позиции относительно виртуальной реальности, рассматривая, в том числе, положительный аспект феномена виртуального. VIRTUAL VIRTUAL REALITY VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY GAME DESIGN COMPUTER GAMES COGNITIVE RESEARCH INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS MASTER'S THESIS ВИРТУАЛЬНОЕ ГЕЙМДИЗАЙН КОМПЬЮТЕРНЫЕ ИГРЫ
464	Enhancing cybersecurity awareness through educational games : design of an adaptive visual novel game Bouzegza, Firdaous 04 1900 (has links) Dans un monde qui est en numérisation constante, la dépendance aux outils technologiques est devenue inévitable. La pandémie de COVID-19 a encore accéléré la tendance vers le travail et l'éducation à distance, entraînant une augmentation de l'activité en ligne et de l'échange de données. Cependant, malgré cette augmentation de l'activité en ligne, le niveau de sensibilisation à la cybersécurité chez un nombre important d'utilisateurs reste insuffisant. De nombreux utilisateurs manquent d'une éducation appropriée en matière de cybersécurité et de confidentialité en ligne et démontrent une compréhension insuffisante de la sensibilité de leurs données. Nous avons mené une enquête auprès de plus de 300 utilisateurs qui a confirmé que le besoin de contenu de meilleure qualité était évident. Les jeux éducatifs ont démontré leur efficacité en tant qu'outils d'enseignement et d'apprentissage, en particulier pour vulgariser des sujets qui nécessitent généralement une connaissance approfondie pour être maîtrisés. Cependant, des défis sont associés quant à la qualité et à l'évaluation des jeux sérieux, car plusieurs aspects de l’amusement sont subjectifs et intangibles. Motivée par le besoin de jeux éducatifs "de haute qualité" améliorés, cette thèse construit une échelle pour affiner les critères mentionnés par l'évaluation des jeux sérieux de Caserman et l'applique à 45 jeux de cybersécurité. L'évaluation a révélé une insuffisance dans les critères de l’amusement, en particulier le manque d'adaptation dynamique. En conséquence, cette étude propose le cadre de jeu de cybersécurité EVNAG (Educational Visual Novel Adaptive Game), qui s'articule autour de l'adaptation dynamique de la difficulté comme solution à ce problème. Inspiré par cette architecture, le roman visuel de cybersécurité "Grown-Up Blues" a été implémenté. La thèse contribue au corpus croissant de recherches sur les jeux éducatifs en cybersécurité et fournit des idées pour concevoir des jeux éducatifs efficaces qui améliorent l'éducation en matière de cybersécurité. / In a world that continues to be increasingly digitalized, the dependency on technological tools has become unavoidable. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the trend towards remote work and education, leading to an increase in online activity and data exchange. However, despite this surge in online activity, the level of cybersecurity awareness among a significant number of users remains inadequate. Many users lack proper education on cybersecurity and online privacy and demonstrate a lack of understanding of the sensitivity of their data. A survey we conducted on more than 300 users confirmed that the need for more quality content was blatant. Educational games have demonstrated their effectiveness as teaching and learning tools, particularly in vulgarizing topics generally requiring in-depth knowledge to master. However, challenges are associated with the quality and assessment of serious games, as multiple aspects of game enjoyment are subjective and intangible. Motivated by the need for improved “high quality” educational games, this thesis builds a scale to refine the criteria mentioned by Caserman’s assessment of serious games and applies that to 45 cybersecurity games. The assessment indicated a deficiency in the enjoyment criteria, specifically the lack of dynamic adaptation. As a result, this study proposes the EVNAG (Educational Visual Novel Adaptive Game) cybersecurity game framework, which centers on Dynamic Difficulty Adaptation as a solution to this issue. Inspired by this architecture, the cybersecurity visual novel “Grown-Up Blues” was implemented. The thesis contributes to the growing body of research on educational games in cybersecurity and provides insights for designing effective educational games that enhance cybersecurity education. Educational Games Serious Games Cybersecurity Awareness Caserman's quality criteria Nudges Game Design Visual Novel Theoretical Framework Jeux éducatifs Jeux Sérieux Sensibilisation à la Cybersecurité Cybersécurité Cadre Théorique Design de Jeux
465	A designer-driven approach to procedural generation tools for level design Truedsson, Max January 2023 (has links) Game development is a multifaceted field that involves both traditional software practices and creative work. It is characterized by its iterative and time-consuming process where prototypes are created and then evaluated. This is especially true for creating 3D environments, where it is difficult to evaluate the quality before it is completed. This means that time-consuming and repetitive tasks often have to be redone during the design process of a game. This is an experimental study to analyze the process of creating procedural generation tools for level artists by identifying key problems in their workflow and defining guidelines for how to work with or around them. This was done by interviewing designers to identify common problems in their workflow. This information was then used to create a prototype which was designed to solve some of the problems identified. A user study was then performed involving developers, mainly level artists. The user study assessed the usability of the tool, and whether or not it had the potential to solve any of the stated problems. The user study and the construction process were used to further analyze the key problems when creating PCG tools for designers and artists. In the end, four main problems were identified. The first is the importance of iteration and how any artist-oriented tool has to work with the iteration workflow. The second is that artists do not necessarily have the technical knowledge to intuitively understand a highly algorithmic tool. The third is that all PCG doesn’t have to create finished products, instead creating something almost right that can be manually adjusted can be enough to improve the workflow. The final key problem is that artist value control over their tools highly so it doesn’t impact their artistic vision negatively, so it is important to give them many options in how they can customize and control the tool. / Spelutveckling är ett mångfacetterat område som involverar både traditionell mjukvarupraxis och kreativt arbete. Det kännetecknas av sin iterativa och tidskrävande process där prototyper skapas och sedan utvärderas. Detta gäller särskilt för att skapa 3D-miljöer, där det är svårt att utvärdera kvalitén innan den är fullskapad. Detta innebär att tidskrävande och repetitiva uppgifter ofta måste göras om under designprocessen av ett spel. Detta är en experimentell studie med syftet att analysera processen att skapa procedurgenereringsverktyg för nivåkonstnärer genom att identifiera nyckelproblem i deras arbetsflöde och definiera riktlinjer för hur man arbetar med eller runt dem. Detta gjordes genom att intervjua designers för att identifiera vanliga problem i deras arbetsflöde. Denna information användes sedan för att skapa en prototyp som utformades för att lösa några av de identifierade problemen. En användarstudie genomfördes sedan med utvecklare, främst nivåkonstnärer. Användarstudien bedömde verktygets användbarhet och om det hade potential att lösa något av de angivna problemen eller inte. Användarstudien och byggprocessen användes för att ytterligare analysera nyckelproblemen när man skapade PCG-verktyg för designers och konstnärer. Till slut identifierades fyra huvudproblem. Den första är vikten av iteration och hur alla konstnärsorienterade verktyg måste fungera med iterationsarbetsflödet. Det andra är att konstnärer inte nödvändigtvis har den tekniska kunskapen för att intuitivt förstå ett mycket algoritmiskt verktyg. Det tredje är att alla PCG inte behöver skapa färdiga produkter, i stället kan det räcka att skapa något som är nästan rätt som kan justeras manuellt för att förbättra arbetsflödet. Det sista nyckelproblemet är att konstnärer värderar kontroll över sina verktyg högt så det inte påverkar deras konstnärliga vision negativt, så det är viktigt att ge dem många alternativ för hur de kan anpassa och kontrollera verktyget. Master Thesis Game development Game Design Procedural generation PCG Level creation Art Tool 3d Environment design Master Examensarbete Spelutveckling Speldesign Procedurell generering PCG Spelbana Konstruktion Konst verktyg 3d miljö design Computer and Information Sciences Data- och informationsvetenskap
466	Collaborative Storytelling in The Parable Task: The Dramaturg as Game Designer in Pervasive Performance Hornak, Percival 14 November 2023 (has links) (PDF) Proceeding from a framing of theater as collaborative storytelling, I argue for defining role-playing games as a kind of performance and for their value in structuring experiential and participatory theater. Building on the impulse at the heart of experiential and immersive theater to place the audience within the world of the performance and center their experience, I explore what it means for theater artists to cede control over how audiences make meaning of their work in favor of letting narrative emerge from the participation of the audience during the performance event. I propose a framework called pervasive performance that merges theatrical frames and methods with pervasive gaming, which expands the magic circle of play and blurs the distinction between the game and everyday life. This union of ideas puts audience members in contact with one another and allows them to be playful and co-author the overall performance experience. Further, the blurring of the performance and everyday life transforms audience members’ relationship to the real world and gives them space to imagine and experiment with other worlds and ways of being in them. I devised an alternate reality game (ARG) at UMass Amherst in May 2023, and in my thesis I analyze this project and the process of creating it as a case study in pervasive performance. Experiential Theater Immersive Theater Devised Theater Pervasive Games Utopia Alternate Reality Games Digital Humanities Game Design Interactive Arts Interdisciplinary Arts and Media Performance Studies Theatre and Performance Studies
467	The Diversity Rule: Points of Interest (POIs) in Breath ofthe Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Skyrim Stepan, Timon, Olsson, Isabell, Drakenberg, Viktor January 2024 (has links) Open-world videogames inherently allow players a significant amount of freedomwhen traversing the in-game world. Due to this fact, level designers for such games are taskedwith the challenge of maintaining engagement and motivating exploration without drasticallyinfringing on their player agency. With this study, the authors analyzed three popular open-world games via a comparative formal analysis to determine the presence and validity of thePOI Diversity Rule, a conceptual rule for effective open-world level design proposed bySkobelev (2023), which recommends having at least three points of interests on the player’sline of horizon, offering different gameplay experiences. The authors performed this study byplotting out a route known as a “critical path”, taking panoramic screenshots within 30 secondintervals and analyzing them. The results showed that the rule is largely prevalent in all threegames. However, the conditions of fulfillment differ in terms of what categories are mostcommon, and whether static or dynamic POI are most prevalent. / Open world-datorspel ger spelare en hög grad av frihet att resa runt i spelvärlden. Pågrund av detta står leveldesigners för sådana spel inför utmaningen att upprätthållaengagemang och motivera utforskning inom spelvärlden utan att allvarligt begränsa spelarnashandlingsfrihet. I denna studie analyserades tre populära open world-spel via en jämförandeformell analys för att avgöra närvaron och giltigheten av POI Diversity Rule, en konceptuellregel för effektiv open world-leveldesign föreslagen av Skobelev (2023). Regelnrekommenderar att det bör finnas minst tre intressepunkter inom spelarens synligahorisontlinje, som erbjuder olika spelupplevelser. Författarna genomförde denna studiegenom att plotta in en rutt kallad "critical path", ta panoramabilder med 30 sekundersintervaller och analysera dem. Resultaten visade att regeln är till stor del närvarande i alla trespel. Men de specifika villkoren gällande dess uppfyllelse skiljer sig åt när det kommer tillvilka kategorier som är vanligast, och huruvida statiska eller dynamiska intressepunkter ärmest framträdande. / <p></p><p></p> POIs Points of Interest Level Design Game Design Open World Diversity Rule Red Dead Redemption 2 Skyrim Breath of the Wild POIs Intressepunkter Level Design Spel Design Open World Mångfaldsregeln Red Dead Redemption 2 Skyrim Breath of the Wild Design Design
468	Gamification for Community Involvement Adewunmi, Oluwafemi, Gouda, Sahashransu, Song, Zhechao January 2024 (has links) This study investigates the feasibility of enhancing community engagement through gamification, using a prototype third-person 3D adventure game called Harmoni. The research targets international students in Gotland, Sweden, aiming to reduce cultural barriers and promote community involvement. By integrating game elements such as altruistic missions, language learning, and historical exploration, the prototype seeks to motivate real-life participation in community activities. Data collected from pre- and post-surveys and follow-up interviews with a small sample size (n=10) suggest that gamification can positively impact community involvement. Despite the limitations of sample size, the findings indicate that thoughtfully designed gamified experiences can foster a sense of belonging and encourage active participation in community life. The study underscores the potential of gamification in educational and social contexts, offering insights for future applications and improvements in game-based community engagement strategies. Game Design Game Studies Gamification Community Involvement Community Psychology Altruism Design Design Human Aspects of ICT Mänsklig interaktion med IKT Information Systems, Social aspects Social Psychology Socialpsykologi Media Studies Medievetenskap
469	Secondary World: The Limits of Ludonarrative Dannelly, David 01 January 2014 (has links) Secondary World: The Limits of Ludonarrative is a series of short narrative animations that are a theoretical treatise on the limitations of western storytelling in video games. The series covers specific topics relating to film theory, game design and art theory: specifically those associated with Gilles Deleuze, Jean Baudrillard, Jay Bolter, Richard Grusin and Andy Clark. The use of imagery, editing and presentation is intended to physically represent an extension of myself and my thinking process and which are united through the common thread of my personal feelings, thoughts and experiences in the digital age. Ludonarrative ludonarrative dissonance secondary world virtuality actual virtual hyperreality the real game design gilles deleuze simulation storytelling video game narrative ludology mind extension hypothesis virtual reality immediacy transparent immediacy jay bolter tolkien film theory art theory game studies andy clark appropriation associative thought animation thesis video art 2-d animation video games thinking process video installation video game art sign signifier signified the matrix nasa the last of us lucas pope papers please the stanley parable yahtzee croshaw zero punctuation persistence of vision immersion Film and Media Studies Game Design
470	A Hypnotic Digital Artefact Cederlund, Micaela January 2023 (has links) This essay investigates what may constitute a hypnotic digital artefact from a design standpoint. This essay is meant to help designers who want to create hypnotic digital artefacts in the shape of a game, or researchers who wants to further this field. With a case study analysing the game Cultist Simulator, this essay observes applications from this essay’s frameworks: NLP, Procedural Rhetorics, Flow, Trance, and Ericksonian Hypnosis. The case study serves to demonstrate how a larger scale reflection of intrinsic cross over points between hypnosis and the video game medium may take place within state-of-the-art discourse. This essay fulfils its design-aid purpose by charting factors that can be put in place to facilitate a trance and a hypnosis in a game, in a design table summarising design methods discussed. The means that may put a player’s mind in abeyance are posited here regarding how this may influence the game experience, including induction techniques, where suggestions are provided in how these might translate to a game format. Through its frameworks and case study, hypnotic content generation is put in focus, where this essay finds that games utilising metaphors and depicting inner spaces carry significance in this pursuit. It also finds that mirroring communication of the unconscious, such as adhering to rules of a dream state, and acknowledging the unconscious’ uses and capacities, has potential in this pursuit. Importantly, the essay includes a discussion on Cultist Simulator’s decadent aesthetics and its role in leading a player towards an alternate state of consciousness. Gurdjieff NLP Neuro Linguistic Programming Neuro-Linguistic Programming Flow Trance Ericksonian Hypnosis Hypnosis Hypnotic Trance-Hypnotic Trance-Hypnotic Experiences Trance-Hypnotic Experience consciousness alternate state of consciousness Flow Theory hypnotic artefact hypnotic artefacts Milton Erickson Ericksonian Bandler and Grinder Grinder Bandler Grinder and Bandler decadence autotelic experiences autotelic experience autotelic phenomenology Cultist Simulator Cultist Simulator Csikszentmihalyi Weather Factory Alexis Kennedy Lottie Bevan Ian Bogost Procedural Rhetorics Game Design Games Design Games Computer Games Computer Game Game Digital Design Games Design Rhethorics Game Design Rhetorics Absorption Inwards Attention Interiorly Inwards Spaces Hypnotic Digital Artefact Hypnotic Digital Artefacts Digital Artefacts Digital Artefact Neurolinguistic Neuro Linguistic Neuro-Linguistic Design Design

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