The present diploma thesis with the title 'The whole camp game as a means of gaining children knowledge and skills' focuses on the elaboration of games as a completion in summer camps for children. It deals mainly with educational components and the acquisition of social behaviour conveyed by these games. The thesis is split into a theoretical and an empirical part. The theoretical part is focused on the theory of whole camp games. It also deals with motivation, which is important for the ability to remember a fact. The games are presented as an inseparable part of the summer camps, last but not least affecting the pattern of learning. The empirical part is divided into several chapters. The first chapter contains a description of whole camp game under the motto of 'time machine', which were realized in a summer camp in 2010, organized by the STROM P.B.m. association. The next chapter deals with the didactical testing and elaboration. This test has been given to the children on three occasions - during the summer camp, one month later, and six months later. The last chapter focuses on social skills and presents examples of games, which lead to an improvement of social skills. The main goal of this thesis was to find out, whether it is possible to remember certain facts acquired during whole camp...

The reflective game design theory outlined by Rilla Khaled (2018) argues for designing disruptive experiences to promote reflection within the player. We decided to design and produce a game based on her theory to then engage with Khaled’s theory critically. We define the act of making a game as a three-step process consisting of ideation (influenced by Khaled’s theory), articulation of the design based on a framework (SGDA Framework by Mitgutsch & Alvarado, 2012), and finally the implementation of it (based on principles outlined by Swink, 2009 and Boyer, 2010). We make a theoretical argument for our design decisions, test the game in a user study, and then discuss the successes and shortcomings of our design. To conclude we tie our discoveries to the steps taken in the application of theory into practice. We discover that the best design intentions often cannot reach the player because their interaction with the game is hindered by un-polished implementation. We identify further gaps between theory and practice and are stating what designers should watch out for when making reflective games. / I Rilla Khaled´s (2018) teori Reflective game design theory, argumenterar hon för fördelen med att skapa omvälvande upplevelser i syfte att uppmana spelaren till reflektion. Vi beslöt oss för att designa och utveckla ett spel baserat på hennes teori, för att sedan undersöka och utvärdera teorin. Vi definierar spelutvecklande som en process i tre steg, bestående av ”ideation” (grundat ur Khaleds teori), artikulering av designen baserat på ett ramverk s.k. ”SGDA Framework” ( Mitgutsch & Alvarado, 2012), och slutligen realisering (grundat på principer framtagna av Boyer, 2010 och Swink, 2009). Vi argumenterar för besluten som ligger bakom vår design, utför praktiska test av spelet i en användarstudie och diskuterar sedan framgångar samt eventuell tillkortakommanden med vår design. Slutsatsen består av en redogörelse för hur våra upptäckter står i förhållande till applikationen av teori till praktik. Vi upptäckte att genomtänkta och välmotiverade beslut inom spelutveckling inte alltid når spelaren, då interaktionen mellan spelare och spel hindras av tillkortakommanden i hur dessa beslut tillämpats. Vi identifierade ytterligare klyftor mellan teori och realisering, och konstaterar vad spelutvecklare bör vara uppmärksamma på under utveckling av s.k. ”reflective games”.

Syftet med arbetet var att utforska möjligheten att hämta data automatiskt från ett ett escape room. Vilken data som är väsentlig att samla in för att stödja utvecklingen av ett escape room? Även hur ska datan samlas in från det fysiska rummet samt vilka komponenter från digitala spel kan användas i insamlings- och analysprocessen? En intervjubaserad metod användes för att granska dom tre olika behoven en projektledare, fullskaligt system och prototyputveckling kräver av ett utvärderingssystem. Resultatet blev att information som tiden för att lösa ett pussel, hur många ledtrådar och vad spelarna interagerar är information som behövs. Användningen av digitala komponenter som Unity Analytics och Xbox Adaptiv Controller har bevisats användas för mer än bara datorspel. Systemet är inte komplett utan enbart en prototyp. Prototypen visar dock på ett gott resultat och implementationen mot ett fullskaligt system är mer än möjligt vid ett framtida arbete. / <p>Det finns övrigt digitalt material (t.ex. film-, bild- eller ljudfiler) eller modeller/artefakter tillhörande examensarbetet som ska skickas till arkivet.</p>

This thesis investigates the use of scaffolding techniques in video game design to increase player engagement and satisfy psychological needs as defined by self-determination theory (SDT). It focuses on how games use scaffolding mechanisms to improve player autonomy, competence, and relatedness—the three fundamental needs proposed by SDT as ways to promote intrinsic motivation. The study also examines self-scaffolding strategies employed by players, exploring how they independently leverage game features to meet their psychological needs. Through case studies on games including Hearthstone, Magic: the Gathering Arena, and Path of Exile, the research analyzes the application of scaffolding and self-scaffolding using formal analysis of game tutorials and systems, as well as discourse analysis of player and specialist discussions about these aspects. The findings indicate that Hearthstone's tutorial, which effectively uses scaffolding, is well received by players, while the scaffolding in Magic: the Gathering Arena is not as effective. Path of Exile's complex skill tree promotes self-scaffolding, highlighting the importance of self-directed learning in intricate game environments. The study concludes that effective scaffolding design is essential for onboarding players, but tutorials should be skippable to accommodate experienced players. At the same time, games should provide sufficient structure to guide player learning while allowing freedom for exploration, innovation, and self-directed learning.

課堂遊戲活動是語言教室裡重要的一環，透過遊戲不僅可降低學習者壓力、提升學習動機、增加學生互動，更能刺激高層次的思考，對華語教師而言也是不可或缺的語言練習。然而，目前華語教學關於遊戲活動的相關研究尚在發展階段，在教學現場，華語老師也受限於難以自行設計遊戲或製作道具等因素，因而降低使用課堂遊戲活動的意願和頻率。 本研究將桌上遊戲元素加入華語文課堂中，透過適度更動桌上遊戲「驢橋」的部分規則和道具，盼學生在帶有競爭性質的規則中歡樂且積極地練習所學生詞，證明桌上遊戲作為華語教學複習活動的可行性。 此次實驗過程中讓受試學生實地操作「驢橋」，實驗過程中同時錄音，實驗結束後請所有受試學生填寫問卷，並徵求自願者進行一對一訪談，最後綜合實驗觀察紀錄、問卷與訪談以觀察探究學生對「驢橋」的反應。根據研究結果，「驢橋」作為華語課堂的遊戲活動時，可引起學生注意力，積極將所學應用於遊戲中，提升生詞學習的自信心，華語教師在遊戲中可鼓勵增強學生的滿足感，扮演給予學生回饋的重要角色，「驢橋」為學生接受程度高的華語課堂教學複習遊戲活動。此次研究證明桌上遊戲「驢橋」改編為華語教學課堂複習活動可提升學生學習動機，學生反應熱烈，未來可推廣更多樣化的桌上遊戲進入華語教學課堂，讓華語教學的活動更豐富多彩。 / Class games play an important role in language class. The advantages of games include: lower the learning pressure, strengthen the learning motivation, enhance the interaction between students, and stimulate higher-order thinking ability. Games are also a necessary practice for language learning. However, related research in the field of teaching Chinese as a second language is still developing. Also, due to the difficulty of designing the games and preparing the props, Chinese teachers would hesitate to use the games or reduce the frequency of language games in the classroom. The topic of this research is teaching Chinese as a second language class integrated with tabletop games factors. By amending some rules and props of the board game Eselsbrücke, students would be expected to practice the learned vocabularies actively and delightfully in this game. Also, this research could prove the feasibility of tabletop games as the reviewing activity of teaching Chinese as second language. In the research, subjects would operate Eselsbrücke directly, and all their response would be observed through recording. After the research, students filled in the questionnaire, and volunteers would accept the interview. According to the research result, as a game in Chinese class, Eselsbrücke can arouse student’s attention, review what they have learned, makes students more confident in learning vocabularies. Chinese teachers play an important role that not only encourages students to achieve higher sense of satisfaction, but also feedbacks to students immediately. Combining the fun of game and the effective language practice, Eselsbrücke is a reviewing activity which is easy for students to accept in teaching Chinese as a second language class. This research proves that tabletop game Eselsbrücke shows positive effect to students as a Chinese class reviewing activity. In the future, we may promote tabletop games in teaching Chinese as a second language class, to create more and more interesting and attractive Chinese teaching activities.