Public transport organizations, such as Din Tur, require affordable modern solutions to improve their public image and passenger satisfaction. An easy way to create positive associations in people is to provide either useful services or, preferably, entertainment. This report covers the design, development and evaluation of an entertainment system – consisting of a smartphone game, a cloud-hosted backend, and a supporting on-bus hardware system – with the objective of making Din Tur's bus service seem more modern and appealing. The smartphone game, “Håll Platsen”, is developed in Unity game engine, focuses on providing brief entertainment during bus commutes, and incorporates gamification design elements. The Python-based back-end resides in Google's App Engine and Datastore platforms, and provides a unified virtual game environment enabling player cooperation and competition. The prototype on-bus hardware system uses the Raspberry Pi as a Light-Emitting Diode control system to supply real-world feedback of the game's virtual environment. The systems incorporate real-world busstop positioning, player location, online mapping services, team location-control mechanics, reflex-based minigames, player progression mechanics, and mobile-focused design. The resulting system can be useful in estimating public response to non-standard “smart” promotion methods, the use of games to improve everyday routines (i.e. commuting), and serve as a basis for further research in human & smart-technology interaction.

Dice is one of Sweden's largest game manufacturers. They have produced a game series called “Battlefield”, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary, releasing it gradually over the years. In order to create a game some form of work structure is required. In this essay we discover what the Dice work process looks like today and how it has changed over the years. Game development is progressing and market changes require game developers to constantly adapt to the current situation. To investigate this issue, we conducted intensive interviews with two wellestablished game developers from the Dice enterprise, as well as done further investigation and a small interview to confirm the results. We have individually drawn conclusions and created theories based on previous research and self-reflection. Hopefully our results will be applied by future studies, as well as by those interested in games and the related work process.

The concept of game development has traditionally not implemented the skills of professional writers to develop the scripts for a computer game. However, due to the growth in complexity and size of the computer game development process, as well as the growing teams of people involved in the development of computer games, the need to employ skilled writers has emerged in modern computer game development. It has, however, become clear that the role of the writer within the collaborative game development process is still ill-defined. And therefore, the writer who wishes to start writing for the games industry, is faced with a great deal of obstacles. It was therefore deemed necessary to develop a script development model for the creation of computer games that can assist the writer of a computer game by means of thorough guidance. The aim of this research project is therefore to develop such a model. The first step towards the establishment of a script development model, would be to determine the position of the writer in the collaborative game production communication process. In order to establish this, a communication model was developed for the communication process of the computer game development process, based on Roman Jakobson's communication model. After the position of the writer in the communication process was established, a game development model was developed to determine the position of the writer within the entire game development process. This was done so that the functions and responsibilities of the writer - within a greater collaborative development process - could be determined. This model was developed based on existing software development models, as well as two different models from the games industry that focus on different aspects within the game development process. With the position, functions and responsibilities of the writer determined, it was possible to postulate a script development model for the creation of computer games. This model was developed with an emphasis on the game context, creative strategies and analytical frameworks available to the writer. Furthermore guidelines were provided on the actual scripting of the computer game script, based on elements from drama theory. To test the script development model, a non-functional prototype (thin-slice) computer game script was developed based on the Fritz Deelman-series (Leon Rousseau). The script development model was used as guideline to establish whether the script development model could in future be used to develop a full-scale, implementable computer game script. / Thesis (M.A. (Afrikaans and Dutch))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The concept of game development has traditionally not implemented the skills of professional writers to develop the scripts for a computer game. However, due to the growth in complexity and size of the computer game development process, as well as the growing teams of people involved in the development of computer games, the need to employ skilled writers has emerged in modern computer game development. It has, however, become clear that the role of the writer within the collaborative game development process is still ill-defined. And therefore, the writer who wishes to start writing for the games industry, is faced with a great deal of obstacles. It was therefore deemed necessary to develop a script development model for the creation of computer games that can assist the writer of a computer game by means of thorough guidance. The aim of this research project is therefore to develop such a model. The first step towards the establishment of a script development model, would be to determine the position of the writer in the collaborative game production communication process. In order to establish this, a communication model was developed for the communication process of the computer game development process, based on Roman Jakobson's communication model. After the position of the writer in the communication process was established, a game development model was developed to determine the position of the writer within the entire game development process. This was done so that the functions and responsibilities of the writer - within a greater collaborative development process - could be determined. This model was developed based on existing software development models, as well as two different models from the games industry that focus on different aspects within the game development process. With the position, functions and responsibilities of the writer determined, it was possible to postulate a script development model for the creation of computer games. This model was developed with an emphasis on the game context, creative strategies and analytical frameworks available to the writer. Furthermore guidelines were provided on the actual scripting of the computer game script, based on elements from drama theory. To test the script development model, a non-functional prototype (thin-slice) computer game script was developed based on the Fritz Deelman-series (Leon Rousseau). The script development model was used as guideline to establish whether the script development model could in future be used to develop a full-scale, implementable computer game script. / Thesis (M.A. (Afrikaans and Dutch))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Bakgrund: En växande arbetsmarknad för kreativa och tekniska yrken, i syfte att möta efterfrågan av dataspel, har fått större utbredning i och med den informationsteknologiska utvecklingen. Det finns däremot en påtaglig problematik gällande ett högt antal lediga tjänster, låg utbildningsbaserad företagarkunskap och vidare utmaningar med en bransch som generellt präglas av tillväxt. Detta sammantaget ger en aningen dissonant bild av spelutvecklingsföretagen där dissonansen återfinns mellan den till synes låga företagarkunskapen kontra den insikt och kunskap som krävs förutsatt branschens fortsatta framgångar. Syfte: Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka påverkansförhållandet mellan rekryterings- och HR-processer samt tillväxt. Detta uppfylls genom att undersöka och förklara hur rekryteringsprocessen, HR-arbete och tillväxt ter sig i små spelutvecklingsföretag. Detta görs i syfte att både branschaktiva och andra läsare ska få en utökad förståelse för spelutvecklingsföretag i förhållande till modeller och teorier. Metod: Denna uppsats tar avstamp i en kvalitativ forskningsmetod vilket är ett utgångsläge för att undersöka mening och innebörd av någonting. Detta för att besvara frågeställningen som lägger ett fokus på utökad förståelse. Individer med ledande befattning inom spelutvecklingsbranschen har intervjuats kring deras tankar angående tillväxt, HR (human resources), och rekrytering i små spelutvecklingsföretag. Sammantaget har tre intervjuer genomförts med studio managers (företagens egna uttryck för ledare) på tre små svenska spelutvecklingsföretag. Resultat/slutsats: Spelutvecklingsföretagens processer kring rekrytering uppfattar författarna att företagen ha stor betoning på informalitet i förhållande till teoretiska rekryteringsmodeller. Det härstammar från ett typiskt beteende i mindre bolag där personer i ledande befattningar har ansvar för rekryteringar med en avsaknad av formella anställningsprocesser vilket innebär ett reaktivt HR-arbete. Spelutvecklingsföretagen kan diskuteras likt tillväxtföretag och möter således utmaningar med växtvärk, där företagens infrastruktur ses som undermålig i förhållande till dess tillväxt. Det finns inga indikationer på att uppsatsens empiriska resultat dementerar fynden gjorda av tidigare upprättade teoretiska modeller gällande tillväxt. / Background: A growing labor market for creative and technical professions, in order to meet the demand for computer games, has become more widespread in the field of information technology development. There is, however, a significant problem regarding a high number of vacancies, low education-based entrepreneurship and further challenges with an industry that is generally characterized by growth. All in all, this gives a somewhat dissimilar picture of game development companies where dissonance is found between the seemingly low business knowledge versus the insight and knowledge required, provided the industry's continued successes. Purpose: The purpose of this essay is to investigate the relationship between recruitment, HR processes and growth. This is purpose is met by exploring and explaining how the recruitment process, HR and growth occur in small game development companies. This is done in order for both industry activists and other readers to gain an increased understanding of game development companies in relation to models and theories. Method: This report will be based on a qualitative research method which is a starting point for investigating the meaning of something. This is to answer the question that focuses on increased understanding of the problem. Individuals with leading positions in the game development industry have been interviewed regarding their thoughts on growth, HR, and recruitment in small game development companies. Overall, three interviews were conducted with studio managers at three Swedish small game development companies. Results/Conclusion: Game development companies’ processes regarding recruitment are perceived as having great emphasis on informality in relation to theoretical recruitment models. These informal processes derive from a behavioral pattern that places HR responsibilities on one single person, which result in a reactive approach to HR. Game development companies can be discussed similarly to growth companies and thus meet challenges with growth pains, where the companies infrastructure is considered to be substandard in relation to its growth. There are no indications that the essay’s empirical results demented the findings made by previously established theoretical models regarding growth.

Den här studien undersöker om en spelare skulle känna av en dissonans mellan en avatar med fredligt formspråk och en spelmiljö med aggressivt formspråk. En spelbar artefakt i form av ett 2D äventyrspel skapades med en runt utformad avatar ochspetsigt utformade fiender och miljöer där övriga faktorer försökte hållas neutrala. Fem testpersoner spelade igenom spelet och intervjuades för att ta reda på hur dekände och upplevde spelets olika delar. Resultatet antyder att spelarna inte kände av någon dissonans. Detta spekuleras bero på ett fokus på spelande och förutfattade meningar kring grafikens motiv. Framtida arbeten kan fokusera på fler element än bara formspråk för att överdriva uttrycken och undersöka om en starkare dissonans kan upptäckas av spelare.

Online multiplayer is the focus of gameplay for a majority of games released in this day and age, and at the core of multiplayer lies the network code. This means that bad networking code can be ruinous for an entire game. A Sweet Studio is a small game studio that both works as a consultant in the industry as well as develop their own games. But with limited time and money to spend on their own projects, it can be difficult to develop new games. The purpose of this paper is to cover how a multiplayer base can be developed in Unity, iterated on, and how to build it for reusability in a way best, that implementing it in new projects is as simple as possible. The end result is a library with broad functionality and a simple layout. / I majoriteten av datorspel som släpps nuförtiden, är flerspelar gameplay ett av de största fokusen, och i kärnan av den funktionen finns nätverkskoden. Detta betyder att dålig nätverkskod kan förstöra upplevelsen helt och hållet. A Sweet Studio är en mindre spelstudio som både gör konsultarbete inom industrin, och utvecklar sina egna spel. Men med begränsad tid och begränsade pengar att spendera på sina egna projekt, kan det bli tufft att skapa nya spel. Mening med den här rapporten är att gå över hur en flerspelarbas kan utvecklas i Unity, itereras över och hur den bäst byggs för återanvändning, så att det lätt går att implementeras i nya projekt. Slutresultatet är ett bibliotek med bred funktionalitet och en simpel layout.

This study aimed to explore which philosophies and opinions professionals within the Chinese indie game industry hold in relation to the indie concept. Indie is a short form of the word "independence”, and is used to describe certain products and creative practices within media such as video games. The term’s exact definition is however subject to discussion. This study aims to include Chinese game professionals in this discussion. The study was carried out in China through Game Hub Scandinavia (Game Hub Scandinavia, 2018) and in cooperation with Indienova. The participants that were interviewed in this study were all professionals within the Chinese game industry. The research tools developed for these interviews were two playable demos and a survey. The answers provided constituted as basis for the study’s concluding analysis. The data indicated that the Chinese indie developers define indie as a creative endeavour which products and underlying ambitions contrasts the commercially motivated game industry in China. / <p>2018-08-23 14:25, G203, svenska</p><p>Högskolevägen 1, 541 28, Skövde</p>

Com a disseminação das tecnologias interativas, a crescente produção e o consumo de jogos digitais mudou a forma como as pessoas se divertem, se relacionam e adquirem conhecimentos. Reconhecidos como um dos principais produtos da indústria criativa, os jogos têm a capacidade, não só de entreter, mas de educar e ensinar de uma forma envolvente e prazerosa. O principal desafio, no entanto, encontra-se na construção desses jogos. Os títulos produzidos pela indústria do entretenimento não tem a preocupação de proporcionar qualquer tipo de aprendizado, enquanto que aqueles voltados ao ensino carecem de um formato mais atraente e sedutor. Neste contexto, a presente pesquisa busca analisar esse paradigma, identificando as potencialidades e deficiências de ambos os perfis de games, e apontar diretrizes de projeto para o design e produção de jogos, que possam aliar o foco instrucional ao formato sedutor. / With interactive technologies dissemination, the growing of videogames production and consuming changed the way of interpersonal relationships and they acquisition of knowledge. Recognized as one of main products from creative industry, videogames have the power of educate and teach in an immersive and pleasurable way. The main challenge, however, resides in the construction of these games. The top titles produced by entertainment industry don’t care about any kind of learning. In other hand, learning videogames, lack an attractive a seductive shape. In this context, the current research seeks to analyze this paradigm, identifying the potentialities and deficiencies of both kinds of games, determining project guidelines for videogames design and production, allying the educational focus to the seductive format.

Model Driven Engineering (MDE) is a software development approach which focuses on the creation of models to represent a domain with the aim of automatically generating software artefact using a set of software tools. This approach enables practitioners to produce a variation of software in by reusing the concepts in the domain model without worrying about the technical intricacies of software development. Therefore, this approach can help to increases productivity and it makes software design easier for the practitioners. The application of this approach into games development domain presents an interesting proposition and could help to simplify production of computer games. Computer games are interactive entertainment software designed and developed to engage users to participate in goal-directed play. Many find computer gaming to be persuasive and engaging, and they believe that through the application of game design and game technology in non-entertainment domains can create a positive impact. Computer games designed primarily for non-entertainment purpose are generally known as serious games. The development of games software, in no relation to the intended purpose of it, is technically complex and it requires specialist skills and knowledge. This is the major barrier that hinders domain experts who intend to apply computer gaming into their respective domains. Much research is already underway to address this challenge, whereby many of which have chosen to use readily available commercial-off-the-shelf games while others have attempted to develop serious games in-house or collaboratively with industry expertise. However, these approaches present issues including appropriateness of the serious game content and its activities, reliability of serious games developed and the financial cost involved. The MDE approach promises new hopes to the domain experts, especially to those with little or no technical knowledge who intend produce their own computer games. Using this approach, the technical aspects of games development can be hidden from the domain experts through the automated generation of software artefact. This simplifies the production of computer games and could provide the necessary support to help non-technical domain experts to realise their vision on serious gaming. This thesis investigates the development of a model-driven approach and technologies to aid non-technical domain experts in computer games production. It presents a novel model-driven games development framework designed to aid non-technical domain experts in producing computer games. A prototype based on the model-driven games development framework has been implemented to demonstrate the applicability of this solution. The framework has been validated through the prototypical implementations and these have been evaluated. A case study has been conducted to present a use-case scenario and to examine if this approach can help non-technical domain experts in producing computer games and also to find out if it would lower the barrier towards adoption of game-based learning as an alternative teaching and learning approach. The work in this thesis contributes to the area of software engineering in games. The contributions made in this research includes (1) a blueprint for model-driven engineering for games development, (2) a reusable formalised approach to document computer game design and (3) a model of game software that is independent of implementation platform.