New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:

Dynamic changes in the amplitude of component P300 of the evoked potentials in different cortical areas were studied as an index of activity of cortical structures responsible for actualization of a computer game with aggressive content with regard for the level of initial aggression and conflict in behavior of adolescent subjects. Dynamic changes in anxiety and aggression evoked by playing an "aggressive" computer game were shown to be dependent on the initial level of aggression and conflict. An increase in P300 in the frontal and orbitofrontal areas of both hemispheres was observed in adolescents with initially high level of aggression and conflict. In adolescents with initially low aggression and conflict, P300 decreased bilaterally in the frontal areas and did not change significantly in the orbitofrontal areas. These findings testify to the bilateral frontal top-down control over negative emotions.

New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:

A sample of 94 children who attended third, fifth, and sixth grade classrooms was used in order to explore children's emotional reactions when their (same-sex) partner in a cooperative computer game appeared to be unable or unwilling to do his or her share in the joint endeavor. During the ensuing discussions dominance in the shape of disgust or contempt made up 18 % of all facial expressions. Different types of smiles, however, were far more frequent - they made up almost half of all facial expressions. Hierarchical regression analyses which were guided by a theoretical model suggest that children showed more often expressions of anger and denigration on their faces when they considered themselves to be rejected by their peers, when their relation ship with their play partner was overshadowed by competition (girls only), and when they experienced intense anger and contempt at the same time. Implications of dominance and denigration for the partner and the cooperation as well as the need of furthering the development of emotional competence are discussed.

New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:

Games shape player behaviour by presenting goals which players attempt to fulfil. This is the most common “folk” theory of the relationship between game design and player behaviour. It is also one central to most game design literature and to much work within the game studies field.

In this dissertation, the simple idea that players try to win is explicated through a “Rational Player Model”, a tool for understanding the relationship between game goals and the behaviour of players who try to reach these goals. The model is discussed and applied in two capacities:

A) As a model for formal analysis which can used to understand and categorize certain aspects of games related to goals. Here, video games are studied through the lens of (economic) game theory in order to determine, for instance, the types of conflict dynamics the games will elicit given Rational Player assumptions.

B) As an ideal type of actual player behaviour. Here, the model is used to derive concrete predictions about video game player behaviour which are then compared to actual play in an empirical study of multiplayer console gaming. The dissertation finds that the Rational Player Model is one of four models of player behaviour common in the game studies/design literature and that it is the predominant model within game design. Also, the model is found to often operate at so deep a level as to be unstated. Applying the model analytically, video games are categorized as competitive, semicooperative or cooperative and it is shown how the number of players influence a game’s conflict dynamics. This leads to an analysis of “strategicness” of different game types; a combined measure of the degree to which other players matter to the choices of the “rational” player and the range of these choices.

Finally, deriving behavioural predictions from the model and comparing these to data from a study on multiplayer console play, players are found to behave “rationally” within the gamespace itself while working to fulfil various social functions in their verbal interaction.

New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:

Challenge and conflict are elements that all game designers strive to engineer into their games. Research shows that challenge is what drives a high proportion of games players yet there are few published tools that can be used to assist the game designer in constructing useful challenges and conflict leading many new game designers to resort to the ‘tried and trusted’ techniques used in previous games and hence limiting the originality of new games. In this paper we apply the Soft Systems Methodology to game design and assess its suitability as a tool for structured idea formulation in games.