By examining the results of an iterative design process, specifically a tabletop roleplaying game, Oceania 2084, this thesis aims to formulate a generalizable design process applicable when translating a work of fiction into a ruleset. The object that was translated into a ruleset was the book Nineteen Eighty-Four written by George Orwell in 1949. The iterative game development process spanned over 2.5 years and the author provides documents from 2phases of playtesting and discusses how the playtest results influenced design choices. In addition to the analysis of the effects of playtest results, the author also explores various game design decisions by means of auto-ethnographic analysis, and semiotic analysis. / Genom att undersöka resultatet av en iterativ designprocess för ett bordsrollspel, Oceania2084, så syftar denna uppsats till att formulera en generaliserbar designprocess för översättningen av ett skönlitterärt verk till ett regelsystem. Objektet som översatts till ett regelsystem är boken 1984 skriven av George Orwell år 1949. Den iterativa utvecklingsprocessen sträckte sig över en 3 års period, och författaren inkluderar dokumentation från 2 speltestningsfaser och analyserar hur dessa resultat påverkade de tagna designbesluten. Utöver att analysera speltesternas resultat så utforskas en mängd designbeslut genom autoetnografisk analys, och semiotisk analys.

This is a study on information conveyance, specifically a study on how specific level design techniques can be used to convey information to the players regarding a competitive multiplayer game's “state of play”. Through an analysis of different games, three different level design elements were identified as effective tools for conveying information and these elements are; architectural placement, visual cues and environmental changes. A third-person multiplayer shooter game was then created with the three elements applied in different forms and then tested for their effectiveness. Afterwards, the game was tested by a number of participants who filled out a survey of questions and were interviewed. It was discovered that the methods tested were found to be mostly effective at conveying information, the architectural placement of the capture point in conjunction with the visual cues aspect of it worked well to inform the players of the state of play. The environmental changes were an example where a method had an impact on the game but since the correlations were unclear, the information was not conveyed effectively, but with a few alterations has the potential to work well.

With the expanded awareness on the climate emergency and the fear mongering by the media, the number of people suffering from eco-anxiety is radically increasing. People struggle to cope. The aim of this project is to explore game development in the field of climate emotions to introduce healthy coping mechanisms to activists. For this I established collaborations with eco-emotions researcher Panu Pihkala, climate activists and activist groups. The project resulted in a card game called Hope to Cope. In the process of developing the card game I did exploration such as workshops, interviews, participation in activist initiatives, personal exploration and more.

The purpose of this thesis is to create a conceptual framework for designing culturally responsive game based learning (GBL) with diverse students by including their cultural capital. This addition of cultural capital can contribute to the students' learning capabilities. This framework provides a structure of workshops and best practices for game designers and pedagogical professionals to jointly incorporate cultural capital into GBL, specifically in an Aotearoa/New Zealand context. Although many studies have been conducted on the benefits of culturally responsive teaching, limited research exists on GBL in this context. New Zealand educators are already implementing GBL in classrooms, but they can have difficulties with creating culturally responsive perspectives. The proposed framework facilitates collaboration with game designers, educators, students, cultural leaders and community members to co-create GBL that reflects a multicultural society's cultural capital. The key contribution is the conceptual framework that identifies how to incorporate cultural capital into GBL. Future research is needed to evaluate the framework's effectiveness for culturally diverse student groups in NZ and other culturally diverse student groups with similar colonial histories.

This research investigates the communication of design teams using Research through Design. Specifically, it investigates the communication between the game designers and programmers in a game development environment. It designed a corporate training game based on the cultural approach to organization theory by Geertz and Pacanowsky (Griffin, 2009). The research revealed that designing a game based for corporations, needs to be simplified and can never truly model the real circumstances. Players can relate the game to their previous experiences but might not learn about or improve their communication. The game was designed, playtested and iterated upon to improve the accuracy of representing a relatable experience to the players.

This study explores the role of agency and music agency in shaping players' experiences in video games. Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzed the experiences of four participants who played a music-based video game. The results suggest that agency and music agency play a crucial role in shaping players' engagement, immersion, and emotional investment in the game. Participants reported that having control over the music in the game provided them with a sense of control and agency, contributing to a more immersive and enjoyable experience. However, the study also highlights the importance of balancing agency with the level of challenge presented in the game. While providing players with agency can enhance engagement and satisfaction, it may not necessarily increase the level of challenge in the game. The study offers insights into the complex interplay between agency, music agency, and challenges in shaping player experiences in video games. Overall, the study provides valuable contributions to the field of game design research, highlighting the importance of considering player agency and music agency in crafting engaging and satisfying gaming experiences.

The aim of this thesis is to understand how the level design elements in Lost in Random, staging, scale, and shape language convey danger within combat areas. The purpose of the analysis was to find patterns in the visual level design elements presented in the first moment of combat. Through this analysis, the authors offer level designers an overview of how visual level design elements could be used to communicate and create meaningful experiences in combat areas with Lost in Random as an example. A formal analysis was conducted in which screenshots of the game were analyzed to discover whether the visual level design elements are present in the first playable frame of the combat areas and if they share scale and shape characteristics throughout the combats. The main findings can show patterns in the use of staging and how enclosed areas are presented by using the focal point to guide the players towards the goals or challenges. Based on previous theories referenced in this thesis, there is an expectation that triangular shapes and exaggerated sizes will appear as part of these patterns.

This research paper presents a study of the Teamfight Tactics (Riot Games, 2019) metagame and its evolution over time. For this research purpose, we have defined metagames as the ways in which games exist within broader social and cultural contexts. By using a mixed-methods approach, we explore players' relationship with the TFT metagame, their strategies used to succeed, and the factors that influence the metagame's evolution, as well as how TFT metamedia impacts players' relationship with the metagame. Our research's theoretical framework is based on the idea of metagame analysis presented in 2017 by Boluk and LeMieux. The main results of our study show that most players consume some kind of TFT-related metamedia, which suggests that metamedia has a big influence on how players approach TFT and formulate their gameplay strategies. Players with varying skill-levels may consume different kinds of metamedia, which raises the possibility that they may be persuaded to adopt distinct approaches to playing the game and thereby contribute to the emergence of the metagame. This implies that the impact of metamedia on the metagame is not ubiquitous for all players and that additional study is required to properly comprehend the connection between the consumption of metamedia, skill level, and the metagame evolution. Due to the focus on TFT and the small sample size of our data collection, our research is restricted. However, our findings may be intriguing to TFT players, game developers, and researchers who are interested in game design, player behavior, and competitive gaming. With a particular focus on highlighting insights of the TFT metagame and its relation with metamedia, this study contributes to the larger discussion on game metagames and their development over time.

This study examines the level design of the game Dying Light through the lens of player movement. It aims to answer the question: How does the player movement capabilities inform the level design in the game Dying Light? The study analyses the correlation between the player’s movement capabilities and level layout. The research is relevant to game designers wanting to make games centered around movement as a core mechanic, and researchers wanting to use design patterns to study level design through the lens of a core mechanic. The research was conducted through a formal analysis of the actions, components, and goals found in the level, which together form a multitude of level design patterns that support the player’s movement capabilities. These patterns were split into categories based on their goals, followed by these categories being noted down on a designated area of the map. The study indicates that the patterns made with these primitives are a useful tool to tie a specific mechanic like player movement to level- and game design decisions, which is shown in how the level design of Dying Light was built around its movement system to allow for almost unlimited freedom of movement.

Deeper understanding of character gameplay identity is crucial for designers in an industry where crossover content is more commonplace than ever. Despite its relevance, however, research in the field of game design has yet to be widely conducted on character gameplay identity. Consequently, this study explores how a character’s gameplay identity is preserved across genres through the use of gameplay mechanics. This was achieved by using Pokémon Trainer as a case study, examining how they were adapted from the Pokémon games into the Super Smash Bros. games. By analysing gameplay and select online sources, we conducted a close reading of the Pokémon Trainer, granting insight into the various mechanics that the game designers use to retain the character’s gameplay identity. We have broken these mechanics down into systems, which we then analysed and categorised according to systems theory, giving further insight into the nature of gameplay systems. The results from our analyses show that understanding a character’s gameplay identity can be adapted through multiple different types of gameplay mechanics, and that systems theory is a useful tool to categorise different types of gameplay mechanics.