This study aims to understand how games teach the player how to enact agency within them. Agency refers to the ability of the player to actively interact with the world around them, and understand the circumstances and results of those actions. Three games of the shooter sub-genre were selected: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Cuphead, and Red Dead Redemption 2. These were chosen as they are modern representations of three of the most popular genres within the shooter mantle: First-Person Shooter, Run and Gun, and Third-Person Shooter, respectively. Each game’s first level was analyzed to see how they introduce the selected definition of agency. Each element that was found to convey agency was categorized according to it being diegetic (existing within the story) or non-diegetic (existing outside the story), explicit or implicit, and by the level of agency play it represented, these being Agency Relationship (the relationship between the user agency and system agency), Agency Scope (the impact the player’s actions will have on the narrative), Agency Dynamics (changes in agency through time, or more accurately, in different circumstances) and User Input Direction (what controls can be pressed to perform certain direct actions). These elements and their respective categories have been represented in a cell document, followed by which categories they belong to. Furthermore, for each game, the categories and which elements represent them are displayed as well, for a more identifiable examination of each category’s representation in each game, and to allow for comparison between them. Each level was described in accordance with the elements that conveyed agency, in their order of appearance. The elements or instances were described, and what categories they belong to were noted as well. In addition, explanations for why they belong to those specific categories were expressed if necessary. Conclusively, the games were shown to contain certain similarities among them, such as agency relationship being conveyed through the positioning of certain elements in connection to their environment and the player. However, the differences between the games were more prominent than their similarities. With each game having a particularly noticeable way in which they presented a great deal of the elements. In Modern Warfare, the game tried to use as few non-diegetic and as many diegetic elements as possible. In Cuphead, the game presented agency exclusively through enemy and object placement in relation to the level to teach the player about how certain mechanics functioned. And in Red Dead Redemption 2, the game tries to teach the player about game mechanics by juxtaposing the narrative, non-diegetic explanations, and diegetic instances, to accustom players to a fusion of elements trying to communicate the same message.

Researchers have found that digital gaming is beneficial for the cognitive,psychological, and physical health of the elderly people [1][6]. The percentage of theelderly people playing digital games is growing increasingly (and so do thedemographics) and thus the elderly generation form a potential base for a yetinexperienced game market. Nevertheless, the game industry seems to have ignoredthis important layer of the population as a special category of users [3]. Neither thehardware nor the software are designed with the elderlies’ age-related cognitive andphysical impairments.While there is a lot of research on the positive effects of digital games on the elderlies’well-being, the characteristics of the elderly gamers have rarely been explored [1]. Thepurpose of this study is to find out the elderly people’s perceptions and experiences ofplaying games and map the difficulties they experience. Based on the collected dataand facts, a number of important factors to be considered by the designers of gamesfor the elderly people are recommended.Almost 50 individuals between 65 and 90 years of age, living in their homes andenjoying a for their age normal health, have been interviewed by the author. The resultsreveal that a considerably high majority of the respondents show interest in playinggames. Meanwhile, they complain about the complexity of both hardware andsoftware in relation to their age-related cognitive and physical limitations. Most of theelderly individuals say that they need help with both playing games and using thedevices. An important conclusion from the findings of this research is that gamestargeting the elderly users should be designed beyond the general usability issues,considering the possibility of customizing the technologies to individual needs andrequirements, as the health and physical conditions of the elderly people vary greatly.The study concludes that for the elderly population to be motivated and benefit fromdigital games, developers producing the software and hardware, and designersengaged in the design of user interface, need to consider this population as a separatecategory of gamers and offer games meeting age-related needs and requirements.

No description available.

No description available.

The aim of this literature review is to investigate and highlight the findings of previous research on the topics of; digital games and English second language learning; digital games and motivation; and implementation of digital games in the classroom. All during the period of 2015 to the first quarter of 2022. The search yielded 943 publications. After reviewing the publications, a total of 20 of the publications were deemed as relevant to the study. A qualitative analysis was then applied to the 20 selected publications. The result of the qualitative analysis indicates that there is a need for more studies carried out in Europe about digital games in a school setting. Most of the publications were done on ‘serious games’ – games that are designed to be used in educational settings. This result indicates a need for more studies carried out on other types of games. The results show that digital games may promote second language skills and increase language learning motivation. The results also indicate that successful implementation of digital games in a classroom setting comes with many challenges.

In recent years, the age of additional language learning has been lowered in school education. What separates current students from the previous generation, however, is the fact that they use modern technology, such as digital games, and this can be used as a teaching strategy. Several studies show that modern technology can benefit students in their language learning, especially when it comes to vocabulary whose acquisition helps students to develop and master the four language basic skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing). The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the literature concerning the use of digital games and their characteristics in middle school in Sweden(ages 9-12), looking at the positive and negative effects game-use has on English vocabulary learning. Results from different studies indicate that the advantages of using digital games with the aim of vocabulary acquisition outweigh the disadvantages that this computer technology can cause. Using digital games together with pedagogical materials can, for example, reduce speaking stress, increase students’ interest, motivate them to language learning, and develop language learning strategies. It is nonetheless important to take the risks of modern technology into consideration, such as behaviour change or addiction, especially with young users. Overall, integrating entertainment games into educational contexts can result in effective student learning gains.

Idag finns en stor mängd digitala lärspel med inriktning mot matematikundervisning. Tillgången till digitala verktyg i skolan är idag stor och därför finns det goda möjligheter för lärare att inkludera digitala lärspel i matematikundervisningen. Syftet med studien är att skapa ny kunskap om vilket lärande digitala lärspel möjliggör för eleven i matematikämnet. För att undersöka syftet gjordes en innehållsanalys mot några vanligt förekommande digitala lärspel i matematikundervisningen inom svenska skolor för elever tillhörande årskurs 4–6. För innehållsanalysen framställdes några analysfrågor. Analysfrågorna baserades på tidigare forskning och teorier inom läroaspekter hos digitala spel samt ett teoretiskt ramverk som beskriver matematiska kompetenser. Denna studie visar att de lärspel som undersökts har individuella styrkor och svagheter som varierar från lärspel till lärspel, men att alla lärspel ger möjlighet till elevens utveckling och lärande. Gemensamt för lärspelen var att procedurhanteringskompetens ofta aktiverades i uppgifterna medan resonemangskompetens sällan aktiverades. Utifrån studiens resultat identifierades ett behov av att granska de digitala lärspel som finns tillgängliga för undervisning eftersom lärspelens potential varierar, både när det gäller vilka kompetenser lärspelen ger eleven möjlighet att utveckla och på vilket sätt lärspelen skapar möjlighet för lärande. / Today there is a large quantity of digital games made for mathematical teaching. Access to digital tools in today’s school are plenty and therefore there are many opportunities to include digital games in regular teaching. The purpose of the study is to create new knowledge regarding the possibility of what games can teach students in mathematics. To be able to explore this possibility, a content analysis was made on a few common games that are used in Swedish schools for grade 4-6. Some analysis questions were produced and were based on research and theories within teaching aspects in digital games. Other questions were produced based on a theoretical framework that describes mathematical competencies. This study shows that the games that were analyzed, had some individual strengths and weaknesses that varies between the games. But all games had some quality for mathematical development. A common feature for the games in the study were that procedural competency often were activated in the tasks and reasoning competency seldom activated. Based on the result in the study, a need to review the games that are available for teaching were identified. The reason for this is that the games teaching potential varies, both for the mathematical competencies and how the games enable teaching.

This study explores possible contributing factors to why some people don’t engage in playing digital games. The purpose of this paper is to gain a deeper understanding of why they don’t participate in this activity. The objective was to examine the social aspect, the time facet and the technical requirement of mastery as hindering barriers. A strategic selection of eight participants was made in Stockholm between October 2015 and November 2015. Focus group discussion was chosen for its potential to get a rich data set and to get answers to questions that the respondents had no way to prepare answers to. Three follow-up individual interviews were carried out a few weeks later to get access to a more personal and insightful material. The focus group discussion lasted two hours and the individual interviews for approximately 30–60 minutes; and painstaking transcriptions began the day after the focus group conversation had taken place, and after each and every interview had been conducted. The empirical thematic analysis resulted in four themes that show that many different factors may interact and result in peoples disinterest in playing digital games. Communications limitations in various forms have an impact, as well as the social sphere, and that many games provide an insufficient feeling that reflects the physical reality. Gaming is also perceived as unhealthy, and a waste of time if it does not occur within a limited frame. The meaning of performance in this context, as well as negative feelings about failures and the time that must be devoted to be able to master gaming is also hampering the motivational efforts to play. And when the respondents state that they do not have time to play digital games, this can be considered synonymous with the view that a different activity, they could devote themselves to instead, is more meaningful in their life-world. / Denna studie utforskar vilka tänkbara faktorer som bidrar till att en del människor inte spelar digitala spel. Syftet med uppsatsen är att få en djupare förståelse för varför icke-spelare väljer bort denna aktivitet. Målet var att undersöka den sociala aspekten, tidsaspekten och tekniken som hindrande barriärer. Ett strategiskt urval av åtta deltagare gjordes i Stockholm mellan oktober 2015 och november 2015. Intervjuer baserades på semistrukturerade frågor. Fokusgruppssamtal valdes som metod för fem av respondenterna i samband med pilotstudien som ligger till grund för denna studie. Fokusgruppssamtalet valdes för att få ett rikt datamaterial och få svar på frågor som respondenterna inte på förhand getts möjlighet att tänka ut svaren på. Tre uppföljande enskilda intervjuer genomfördes några veckor senare för att få tillgång till ett mer personligt och djupgående material. Fokusgruppssamtalet varade i två timmar och de enskilda intervjuerna i cirka 30–60 minuter; och omsorgsfulla transkriberingar påbörjades dagen efter fokusgruppssamtalet samt varje intervju hade genomförts. Den empiriska tematiska analysen resulterade i fyra teman som visar att många olika faktorer kan samspela och resultera i att vissa individer inte intresserar sig för att spela digitala spel. Kommunikationsbegränsningar i olika former påverkar, liksom den sociala umgängeskretsen och att många spel ger en otillräcklig känsla av att avspegla den fysiska verkligheten. Spelandet uppfattas också som osunt och som slöseri med tid om det inte sker inom begränsade ramar. Prestationens betydelse i sammanhanget, liksom negativa känslor inför misslyckanden och den tid som måste ägnas åt att lära sig behärska spelandet fungerade också hämmande för motivationen att spela. Och när respondenterna uppger att de inte har tid att spela digitala spel så kan detta anses vara synonymt med att de anser att en annan aktivitet, som de skulle kunna ägna sig åt istället, är mer meningsfull i deras livsvärld. / <p>Den här studien placeras inom ramen för spelstudier.</p>

In this essay I analyze the ways in which gender and space are shaped and made sense of through digital gameplay. Specifically in the turn based strategy game XCOM: Enemy Within for the MacBook Air with a computer mouse as the primary input device. Using a mixed methods approach consisting of gameplay sessions of XCOM and qualitative interviews with two players regarding their gameplay I argue that earlier research on space within game studies has overlooked the ways in which the shaping of space in gameplay is also gendered. Developing a theoretical framework influenced by gender studies, critical theory, affect theory, assemblage theories of space, and game theory, I argue for how the shaping of space and gender in game-play is interdependent. This in that the shaping of space and gender in digital gameplay is in constant relation and tension with societal norms and the affective capacities of bodies and digital games. In conclusion, I reflect on the possibilities to develop more empirical research based on the the theoretical framework explored in the essay.

This thesis sheds light on the social relationships, work practices and identities that shape the small scale sector of independent game production. Harnessing elements of the Production of Culture and Cultural Industries/Work perspectives, it aims to clarify the specifics of independent game production and its relationship with the large-scale sector of the industry. Drawing on a multi-sided ethnography, the thesis captures gamework practices, motivations, ideas and conventions deployed in a diverse range of online and physical spaces where independent developers interact. Given the complex relationships and messiness found in the industry, the results of the thesis initially clarify general aspects, characterising both the corporate structure of the games industry and its independent sector. It then examines the cultures that inform independent work as well as emergent 'indie' praxis. After a historical review of the digital games industry, the thesis addresses how the corporate structure of the industry has created a viable game producing field, with a highly rationalised but not unproblematic process of game production. The independent sector is then analysed in relation to this material culture. The thesis discusses the technologic affordances, structural relationships, market approach and organisational forms supporting the production of independent games. It also examines the motivations, ethics and general culture informing independent developers work, as well as the emergence of independent networked scenes as social spaces where creative, organisational, technical and cultural aspects of independent game production are shaped. The analysis of empirical evidence reveals how the uneven struggle to control or access the means for game production, distribution and reproduction, in both retail and digital distribution business models, shapes the material conditions of the small scale sector game production. The thesis highlights the relationship between production, independent developers' preferences, and their identity as 'indies' as central in understanding how this novel sector of the games industry is being structured. By understanding both the structure and informal practices of independent production, this research offers novel insights in this under-researched area, insights that reveal the intricacies of processes of social change and cultural diversification within the digital games industry as a whole.