In multiplayer gaming, skill disparity can lead to frustrating and excluding experiences. Balancing approaches exist to level the playing field (e.g., providing aim assistance to low-performing players), but it is unclear how different design choices affect individual player experience. We first introduce a design space for balancing mechanics encompassing six categories: Determination, Timing, Targeting, Effect, Feedback, and Information. We then present a mixed-methods study, focused on the effect of two subcategories: Targeting Direction and Effect Dependency on skill. In this study, eight pairs of participants played a game prototype and experienced seven balancing mechanics. We collected data from questionnaires and group interviews, revealing implications for future designs, including the importance of 1) merited victory that does not ignore individual achievements, 2) sense of agency when determining the balancing before and during gameplay, and 3) balancing as an intrinsic part of the game that does not disrupt the core gameplay.

Playing cooperative games is recognised as a positive social activity. Yet, we have limited means to rigorously define or communicate the structures that govern these experiences, hindering attempts at consolidating knowledge and limiting the potential of design efforts. In this work, we introduce the Living Framework for Cooperative Games (LFCG), a framework derived from a multi-step systematic analysis of 129 cooperative games with contributions of eleven researchers. We describe how LFCG can be used as a tool for analyses and ideation, and as a shared language for describing a game’s design. LFCG is published as a web application to facilitate use and appropriation. It supports the creation, dissemination and aggregation of game reports and specifications; and enables stakeholders to extend and publish custom versions. Lastly, we discuss using a research-driven approach for formalising game structures and the advantages of community contributions for consolidation and reach.

For families, where abilities, motivations, and availability vary widely, opportunities for intergenerational play are limited. Designing games that cater to these differences remains an open challenge. In this paper, we first identify barriers related with time and expertise. Next, we propose asymmetric game design and asynchronous play to reconcile children's and adults' requirements; and interdependent gameplay mechanics to foster real-world interactions. Following this approach, we designed a testbed game and conducted a mixed-methods remote study with six pairs of adult-child family members. Our results showcase how asymmetric, asynchronous experiences can be leveraged to create novel gaming experiences that meet the requirements of family play. We discuss how interdependent progress can be designed to promote real-world interactions, creating pervasive conversational topics that permeate the family routine.

Mainstream games are typically designed around the visual experience, with behaviors and interactions highly dependent on vision. Despite this, blind people are playing mainstream games while dealing with and overcoming inaccessible content, often together with friends and audiences. In this work, we analyze over 70 hours of YouTube videos, where blind content-creators play visual-centric games. We point out the various strategies employed by players to overcome barriers that permeate mainstream games. We reflect on ways to enable and improve blind players’ experience with these games, shedding light on the positive and negative consequences of apparently benign design choices. Our observations underline how game elements are appropriated for accessibility, the incidental consequences of audio design, and the trade-offs between accessibility, agency, and engagement.

Smartphones are shipped with built-in screen readers and other accessibility features that enable blind people to autonomously learn and interact with the device. However, the process is not seamless, and many face difficulties in the adoption and path to becoming more experienced users. In the past, games like Minesweeper served to introduce and train people in the use of the mouse, from its left and right click to precision pointing required to play the game. Smartphone gestures (and particularly screen reader gestures) pose similar challenges to the ones first faced by mouse users. In this work, we explore the use of games to inconspicuously train gestures. We designed and developed a set of accessible games, enabling users to practice smartphone gestures. We evaluated the games with 8 blind users and conducted remote interviews. Our results show how purposeful accessible games could be important in the process of training and discovering smartphone gestures, as they offer a playful method of learning. This, in turn, increases autonomy and inclusion, as this process becomes easier and more engaging.