Online gaming is rapidly growing as an entertainment choice, as it provides players with a high variety in genres, affordability, ubiquity and also real-time online interactions. However, slow networks or congestion can cause perceivable network latency and make players suffer from a degraded gameplay experience. Latency compensation techniques have been developed to combat the negative effects of network latency, but more understanding of latencies affects and latency compensations benefits are still needed. Our project studied the degradation of different game actions with latency and how player prediction - a classic latency compensation technique - affects gameplay in a 2D platformer. We designed and implemented an original 2D platformer with player prediction implemented for player movement actions, then invited players to play our game under different network and latency compensation conditions. Based on the subjective and objective data collected, we found that 2D platformers are sensitive to even modest amounts of network latency. Player prediction helped players have fewer deaths below 200ms of latency, but at 400ms and above its benefits were outweighed by its disadvantages to visual consistency.

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Policymakers and electronic health records (EHR) experts agree that healthcare professionals lack proficiency in meaningful use of EHRs. This competency gap can result in increased medical errors. It is essential for health professions graduates to acquire skill sets that are adaptable to any electronic health information technologies including the EHRs to facilitate work process and information access. Simulation as an instructional method to create transformative learning experiences has shown promise in the medical profession. In simulations, learners are able to engage in real-life scenarios and practice their cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills in a safe environment. The goal was to design and develop a simulation-based instructional module on meaningful use of EHR and interprofessional collaborative practice core competencies and evaluate students’ performance and satisfaction under an inter professional teambased setting. Using a design and development research approach, a simulation-based instructional module on meaningful use of EHR and interprofessional core competencies was designed. An internal validation of the module was conducted with an expert panel of medical professionals and instructional designers. Following validation, the instructional module was developed and pilot tested with a group of 21 second- and third year health professions students in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing in an interprofessional team-based learning environment. Students’ performance on meaningful use and interprofessionalism core competencies and their satisfaction during the simulation-based training were evaluated. The results confirmed that the students properly implemented the core competencies based on their performances during the immersive virtual patient encounter in the 3D virtual world. The analysis also showed how the students’ satisfaction was met as a reaction to the guided experiential learning’s (GEL) simulation-based instructional intervention, and in some instances were not sufficiently met. The analysis of the students’ testimonials further confirmed their overall satisfaction with the immersive simulation experience.The findings, based on the feedback from the students and faculty in this pilot implementation, highlighted simulation-based interactive gaming instruction and the hands-on experience in a 3D virtual world guided by GEL as an effective and engaging way to train healthcare professionals in the preparation to deliver care in a safe and effective manner under interprofessional team-based settings for better patient safety and outcome.

Excessive video play has been well documented over the course of the last decade. So much so that newest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; APA, 2013) has included excessive video gaming as disorder categorized as internet gaming disorder. To date, several researchers have designed assessments to evaluate excessive video game play based on the previous editions and current editions of the DSM. However, these assessments primarily measure the criterion established in these manuals, instead of measuring the maintaining function of the video game play. The field of applied behavior analysis has been utilizing functional assessments for the last 30 years and has showed evidence of effective results across different populations and environments. Therefore, the purpose of this proposed study is to validate an indirect functional assessment entitled the Video Game Functional Assessment-Revised (VGFA-R) by means of conducting content, construct and criterion related validity.

Considerable amount of time is spent playing video games in today’s society. There are various elements in video games that make them entertaining and satisfying, which can be leveraged to provide engaging and satisfying experiences in educational and workplace contexts. One of the key elements in many video games is competition. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Theory of Flow, this dissertation explores the process through which competition makes a video game satisfying. A structural model is proposed that examines the impacts of Situational Competitiveness (manipulated via different modes of competition) and Dispositional Competitiveness (as a personality trait) on gameplay experience. The proposed model is validated through an experimental design study with 104 university students. The results show that the perception of video game competitiveness has a strong direct and indirect (mediated through Challenge and Arousal) effect on Flow experience and Satisfaction. While an individual’s personality impacts the perception of a game’s competitiveness, this perception can also be influenced by the mode of competition (playing against a computer, stranger or friend). Additionally, Social Presence is found to play a role by mediating the relationship between the mode of competition and Situational Competitiveness. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This thesis investigated why games are a helpful tool in the teaching classroom and what methods could be used when teaching with the help of games. The research method was a small-scale research synthesis where former studies were summarized and compared. In addition to this, interviews (with two teachers who had focused on developing their teaching with the help of games) were conducted in order for the research to become as sufficient as possible. An overview of the ways in which games could be beneficial in the classroom has been provided and also the reasons to why they should be used.The results indicated that games should be used in a more conscious way and that learners can benefit from learning with the help of games.

<p>We conducted a study in the virtual environment to explore the influence of three types of lighting (dynamic rim lighting vs. static rim lighting vs. no rim lighting) on users’ visual attention, and the lighting’s potential effects on the users’ preference/choice-making. We recruited 40 participants to complete a virtual grocery shopping task in the experiments, and after the experiment, the participants were given a survey to self-report their experience. We found that (1) the users do not prefer to collect virtual objects with dynamic rim lighting than virtual objects with static rim lighting; (2) the users do not prefer to collect virtual objects with rim lighting than virtual objects without lighting; (3) if the virtual object has a warm-colored texture, it’s more likely to be chosen when it has dynamic rim lighting compared with static rim lighting or no rim lighting; and (4) properties of the dominant color on the texture of a virtual object, such as the B value is a good predictor in predicting if the user tends to choose the object with rim lighting or without rim lighting, while R, B and Lightness values are plausible in predicting if the user tends to choose the virtual objects with dynamic rim lighting or static rim lighting. </p>

Femotes is a project about brining awareness to sexism in gaming by creating emotes, a common way of expression on the streaming website Twitch.tv. The goal is to bring up a discussion in the gaming community to make minority groups of gamers more welcome in the community. The ten emotes made are a way to show support to streamers who must deal with toxic behavior and to show that we stand for equality.

Spelbranschen är idag en av de största inom underhållning och utvecklas ständigt medhjälp av digitalisering. Inom både film- och musikbranschen har streaming blivitvedertaget och nu har det även börjat komma till spelvärlden i form av cloud gaming.På bara några år har de fyra cloud gaming-tjänsterna Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForceNow, Playstation Now och Google Stadia lanserats. Under denna tid har även GoogleStadia hunnit lägga ner sin tjänst på grund av brist på konsumenter. Detta innebär att detär ytterst relevant att försöka skapa en förståelse för vad som krävs av cloud gaming föratt få användarna att överge det traditionella spelandet. Vi vill då undersöka huranvändarupplevelsen inom cloud gaming påverkar konsumenterna. För att göra dettahar vi i denna studie valt att fokusera på Xbox Game Pass. I denna uppsats har vi använt oss av en enkät, ett test samt en kompletterande intervjuför att komma fram till vårt resultat. Enkäten handlade om frekvens för spelande bådetraditionellt och via cloud gaming, vilka plattformar de använt eller känner till, samtfördelar och nackdelar med cloud gaming, för att få en översikt om vad åsikterna ärkring ämnet. Vi bad åtta deltagare spela fyra olika spel med hjälp av cloudgaming-tjänsten Xbox Game Pass under en satt tidsram, dessa deltagare intervjuade visedan efteråt för att ta del av deras upplevelse med cloud gaming. Vi fick 47 svar på vår enkät, där svaren visade att största problemen med cloud gaminghandlade om uppkoppling eller prestanda, men att det var lättillgängligt och att det varen fördel att inte behöva installera spel samt använda skivor. Det visade sig även attmajoriteten av respondenter antingen aldrig spelat via cloud gaming eller har enbarttestat någon gång. Intervjuerna hade varierande resultat, där kopplingen mellan nätverkoch dålig användarupplevelse inte var självklar, men att detta kan bero påförväntningarna på cloud gaming, eftersom flera respondenter från våra intervjuersupplevelser påverkades av deras förväntningar på cloud gaming.Vårt resultat tyder då på att konsumenterna inte är redo att överge det traditionellaspelandet, med tanke på hur instabilt och oklart cloud gaming är just nu.Användarupplevelsen för cloud gaming är ett hav av problem med immersionsbrytning,nätverksproblem, opålitlig stabilitet och höga förväntningar. Detta innebär attkonsumenter möjligtvis undviker cloud gaming eftersom de förväntar sig en negativanvändarupplevelse, vilket i sin tur tyder på ett negativt rykte. / The gaming industry is one of the largest in entertainment today and is constantlyevolving with the help of digitalization. In both the film and music industry, streaminghas become extremely popular and now the gaming world is following in their footstepsin the form of cloud gaming. In just a few years, the four cloud gaming services XboxGame Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, Playstation Now and Google Stadia have beenlaunched. During this time, Google Stadia has also shut down its service due to a lack ofconsumers. This means that it is extremely relevant to try to create an understanding ofwhat is required of cloud gaming to get users to abandon traditional gaming. We want toinvestigate how the user experience in cloud gaming affects consumers. To do this, wehave in this study chosen to focus on Xbox Game Pass. In this paper, we have used a questionnaire, a test and a complementary interview toarrive at our results. The questionnaire dealt with the frequency of gaming bothtraditionally and via cloud gaming, which platforms they have used or know about, andthe advantages and disadvantages of cloud gaming, in order to get an overview of theopinions on the subject. We asked eight participants to play four different games usingthe Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service during a set time frame, and we interviewedthese participants afterwards to learn about their experience with cloud gaming. As we can see from the results, we received 47 responses to our questionnaire, wherethe answers showed that the biggest problems with cloud gaming were about connectionor performance, but that it was easily accessible and that it was an advantage not to haveto install games and use disks. It also turned out that the majority of respondents haveeither never played via cloud gaming or have only tried it once. The interviews hadvarying results, where the link between networks and poor user experience was notobvious. However, this can depend on the expectations of cloud gaming since multipleof our respondents had their gaming experiences affected by their expectations. Ourfindings suggest that consumers are not ready to abandon traditional gaming, given thecurrent instability and uncertainty of cloud gaming. The cloud gaming user experienceis a sea of problems with immersion breaks, network issues, unreliable stability, andhigh expectations. This suggests that consumers may be avoiding cloud gaming becausethey are expecting a negative user experience, which implies a negative reputation.

Among young adults, stress triggers social media use, especially as a coping strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic (Wolfers & Utz, 2022). Similarly, video games offer a way for players to engage in escapism to cope with stressors (Prinsen & Schofield, 2021). Increased use of virtual media continues despite social distancing orders being largely lifted; while the risks and potential negative impact of social media on mental health remain uncertain (Orben & Przybylski, 2019). The current study examined the use of virtual media and virtual gaming as coping mechanisms among traditional-age undergraduate students. Undergraduate participants (N=310) attending a large metropolitan university in the southeast completed a comprehensive online questionnaire that included perceptions of their mental health and the use of coping strategies during the pandemic. Overall, participants reported higher instances of stress throughout the duration of the pandemic and lower perceptions of their mental health. Participants reported much higher usage of social media in their everyday lives since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Further, participants overwhelmingly identified social media usage as a coping strategy. In fact, social media usage was the most prevalent coping strategy amongst undergraduate participants, and tendencies toward escapism and persona creation in response to stress were unveiled through participant responses. Far less reported use of virtual gaming as a copying strategy even when controlling for gender. Despite the negative effects of social media usage reported throughout psychological literature, current undergraduate students see it as an aid for their stressors rather than a source of stress.