I denna undersökning analyseras Quakes troper/aspekter i jämförelse med ett urval av Boomer Shooters för att se hur spelutvecklare implementerat och tolkat dessa troper. Quake har haft stor inverkan på First Person Shooter (FPS) genren sedan spelet lanserades under 90-talet, med allt fler FPS spel som tagit efter Quakes troper och designval. Under en längre period har FPS genren utvecklats och haft ett större fokus på narrativ och linjära spelupplevelser. Men på senare år har allt fler 90-tals inspirerade FPS publicerats och med den framtagna metoden som är en hybrid mellan koncept och Pughs matris, jämförs hur urvalet av Boomer Shooter förhåller sig till Quakes troper. Resultatet visar på en kombination av troper som kvarstått, ändrats eller inte implementerats alls. Analysen innehåller en subjektiv tolkning av spelen och det finns andra troper som multiplayer som skulle kunna analyseras mer i detalj i framtida studier.

The suspension of disbelief is integral to the performing arts. We ask our actors to see couches made of three chairs, designers to create cities in empty spaces, and most of all; we ask audiences to believe the stories and relationships that are figurative and often abstract. This level of critical and creative engagement is assumed to develop in spaces of higher education. However, with an ever-changing world and increasing conversions and integrations of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in spaces of higher education, it has become even more apparent that students need to develop their creative and critical thinking skills earlier on in their development. By recontextualizing learning through imaginative immersive game systems, such as Dungeons & Dragons and similar tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), I have found that students experience categories of significant learning synergistically through experiential gameplay. This immersive storytelling relies entirely on the player-performers to spend their disbelief and immerse themselves in their imagination, termed theatre of the mind. The gamification of role-play acts as a means of challenging students to activate their development of collaborative improv, storytelling/playwriting, and dramaturgy skills. Through research and play testing, I have developed a gamified drama-focused role-play educational tool utilizing many of the core gameplay mechanics in the world's most popular TTRPGs. In this thesis, I present the game structure and reflect upon my experiences implementing this work. Additionally, I explore the cross sections between game design and immersive theatre practice and consider how this intersection is utilized in gamified performance and pedagogy. Finally, I consider how a theatre-of-the-mind-based pedagogy can be utilized in subjects outside of the theatre classroom.

How do participants in communities of play centered around digital games engage with history? The historiographic influences of ludic form have been closely scrutinized in recent years, but little attention has been paid to the digital cultures—to the communities of play— which center the discussion and play of these historical games. My study aimed to closely examine one such community centered around the grand strategy game Crusader Kings III, released by Paradox Interactive in 2020. I use discourse analysis together with grounded theory to examine the game Crusader Kings III alongside two primary sites found on reddit and Paradox Interactive official forum. Chapter 1 provides the literature review alongside the project's methodology, and chapter 2 analyzes the artifact at the center of the study—Crusader Kings III itself. Chapter 3 moves to examine the first major site, the r/CrusaderKings subreddit, and presents the heuristics developed to identify historical discourse alongside the primary discursive genres involved. Chapter 4 focuses on the second major site, the Paradox Interactive official forum, and places the game and community in a temporal context in order to explore how the cyclical and iterative nature of the Games-as-a-Service model acts as a new mode of game production that shapes historical discourse and historiographic consciousness in the community. Chapter 5 then revisits the research questions at the heart of this study, discussing the dominant discourses of historioludic critique and imaginative (a)historical roleplay narration which weave history into play and play discourse. Finally, I present the synthesis of each chapter's methodological work, a form of discourse analysis—historioludic discourse analysis—that operationalizes historical game studies' grammars of form into those of mode within the assemblage of play.

This research seeks to understand the effects of introducing in-game landmarks into games that are played through several fixed camera viewpoints. It studies in what ways the application of landmarks from the perspective of several fixed cameras can aid player navigation.  This study was conducted based on theories such as ontology and comic book sequentiality. These were combined to improve the artifact and generate knowledge on how to better design levels with clarity. As such, a video game artifact was constructed using Research through Design as a methodology to gather design knowledge, supported by a mixed-method data collection practice.  Through these methods, approaching the matter with an ontological lens, several findings were made on player behaviour within the constructed play space. These findings also include ways of better understanding what players focus on and utilize when navigating a play space.

This thesis examines the video game Death Stranding through the framework of Umberto Eco’s semiotics theories, exploring the game's use of signs. We investigate how signs within the game function and communicate complex notions to players, using a close reading method to analyze specific elements of the game's design and narrative. The research begins with an overview of the game and its reception, noting its complex gameplay mechanics, intricate plot, and thematic depth. The motivation for this study stems from the desire to bridge semiotics and game design, providing a new perspective on how games can communicate complex ideas effectively. In the discussion section, we delve into specific case studies from the game, including the map system as a communicational model, the semantic implications of characters and in-game terminology like 'Bridge' and 'Fragile', and the metaphorical usage of these terms. We also examine how these correlations between content and expression switch in certain cases. Finally, the conclusion synthesizes the findings, suggesting that the application of Eco's semiotics provides valuable insights into the design of video games. The thesis argues that semiotic analysis can enhance the development of games with profound narratives and themes, similar to Death Stranding.

This research investigates how players can be encouraged to alternate between offensive and defensive play within the game Martyr of Carnage (MoC), through the use of nudges. Nudges are subtle design elements that influence behavior without restricting choices, and they are commonly used in marketing, business, and government sectors. This study aims to extend the application of nudge theory to game design and find out if the theory is effective in altering playtester behavior in our game. The research was conducted using iterative game design methods, where various nudges were integrated and tested within the game environment. The main findings indicate that incorporating nudges in games serves as a useful analytical tool, effectively guiding player behavior and enhancing the overall gaming experience of Martyr of Carnage.

This paper features a study about cooperation and how it can be encouraged via level layout.The research team developed a game with a research intent focused on cooperation driven bythe question: How can player cooperation be encouraged through the placement of incentivesand challenges in the level layout of a local cooperative game? To be able to answer thequestion, the research team looked into papers about cooperation, level design, nudge theory,Cooperative Performance Metrics, and design patterns. The research was conducted by usingiterative design, where three iterations were tested with two groups of four players and thedesign was iterated upon after each test. After all playtests were conducted and all data hadbeen analyzed, evidence was found that the placement of the challenges and incentives in alevel can have an effect on cooperation. This paper makes a contribution to the subject of thecorrelation between cooperation and level design.

Players must often make choices in equipment when playing videogames. These choices can be informed by some level of interest shown by the players. This thesis explores the impact of visual design on the interest in game Mechanics, in the form of in-game equipment. This subject was explored by an iterative process, spanning over three iterations, in which groups of testers rated how interested they were in a selection of four visual representations of equipment in a local cooperative videogame. The iterative process was informed by using nudging as a lens to increase interest in the worst-rated visual representations. Results indicate that players' initial interest can be more affected by nudging, in contrast to the players' final thoughts after interacting with the game’s mechanics. More often than not, their final thoughts were unaffected by nudging after which the knowledge of a preferred mechanic took precedence. However, nudging through added Juiciness did increase the visual appeal and interest in previously unfavored mechanics.

This study delved into the influence of the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), World of Warcraft, on players' real-life social interactions and skill development. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combined surveys and structured interviews, our findings suggested that World of Warcraft is a vibrant hub for socialisation and group activities, particularly among young adults. Our findings also revealed the formation of lasting friendships within the game, with a significant number of players extending these connections beyond the virtual realm to other online platforms and even real-life meetings. Guild membership emerged as a pivotal factor, which may have fostered a strong sense of community and belonging among players, as elucidated by the Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979). Additionally, our analysis revealed notable improvements in communication and teamwork skills among players, echoing the transformative potential of gameplay discussed in the Theory of Transformative Game Design (Bowman & Baird, 2022). Apart from game designers and researchers, this study is also relevant to everyone seeking to develop their social skills and confidence. These findings emphasised the potential impact of World of Warcraft in fostering social integration, skill development, and the cultivation of meaningful relationships that transcend the boundaries of the game environment. As MMORPGs continue to evolve as influential cultural phenomena, our study contributes valuable insights into the nuanced dynamics of online gaming communities and their broader implications for social interaction and personal growth.

\prefacesection{Abstract} In this thesis we apply Design Thinking (DT) to a real-world problem: the detction of Parkinson's Disease (PD). PD is a neurological disorder and ranks as the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. Timely detection can positively influence the type and dosage of medication prescribed, ultimately enhancing patients' quality of life. Typically, patients visit the clinic during their downtime, guided by their perception of symptom severity. Often, patients misinterpret the clinical evaluation process. Since early 2020, the number of clinical visits has decreased, particularly among older adults, who face a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. Consequently, implementing remote monitoring and symptom tracking for PD could improve daily living for patients while conserving valuable healthcare resources. Numerous research studies exist focusing on PD prediction and severity assessment through data-driven methods alongside many mobile applications designed for tracking PD symptoms remotely. However, most research tends to focus on a singular symptom, even though PD is complex and multifaceted. Additionally, the participant pools for these studies are often limited, and many mobile apps face challenges with user engagement and commitment. To tackle the challenges associated with data collection, we propose utilizing mobile games as a viable solution. To create those games, we adjusted the DT methodology by replacing the ideation phase with the Game Matrix (an alternative to Morphological charts) for a human-centered design. In addition to evaluating the resulting games, we evaluated the experiences of first-year students with Design Thinking, and specifically with the Game Matrix. We used a focus group of older adults to evaluate the games. Using a Grounded Theory to analyze the interview transcripts, we found a high level of engagement. Initially, they were attracted by the mission of the project and the possibility of helping themselves and other people. They continued using the games due to the games' supportive design. / Thesis / Master of Computer Science (MCS) / We propose using mobile games with a human-centered design to engage older adults and support long-term data collection for Parkinson's Disease.