Digital games and gamified systems have transcended their origins in entertainment to become critical instruments of human computer interaction. Advances in interactive technologies including virtu...

The theory of Objective Self-Awareness (OSA) and related studies suggest that embodiment of personalised avatars may induce self-awareness and influence self-esteem.Additionally, the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm suggests that humans may mindlessly respond to computers in ways that are similar to human interactions.Based on those assertions, it is plausible that virtual embodiment of a personalised avatar and interactions with a virtual agent can shift selfesteem.However, those effects on self-esteem have not been thoroughly examined in past studies.To address these research gaps, a 2 (avatar personalisation: personalised vs. non-personalised avatar) × 2 (virtual agent interaction valence: positive vs. negative) between-subjects experiment was conducted using a Virtual Reality (VR) simulation (N =171).Findings from the study showed that there was no effects of avatar personalisation and virtual agent interaction valence on state self-esteem change.However, the pairwise comparisons present some preliminary indications that avatar personalisation and positive interactions with a virtual agent may facilitate improvements in state self-esteem altogether.Implications of the study findings are discussed.

Because virtual reality (VR) shares common features with video games, consumer content is usually classified according to traditional game genres and standards. However, VR offers different experiences based on the medium's unique affordances. To account for this disparity, the article presents a comparative analysis of titles from the Steam digital store across three platform types: VR only, VR supported, and non-VR. We analyzed data from a subset of the most popular applications within each category (N= 141, 93, and 1217, respectively). The three classification types we analyzed were academic game genres, developer defined categories, and user-denoted tags. Results identify the most common content classifications (e.g., Action and Shooter within VR only applications), the relative availability of each between platforms (e.g., Casual is more common in VR only than VR supported or non-VR), general platform popularity (e.g., VR only received less positive ratings than VR supported and non-VR), and which content types are associated with higher user ratings across platforms (e.g., Action and Music/Rhythm are most positively rated in VR only). Our findings ultimately provide a foundational framework for future theoretical constructions of classification systems based on content, market, interactivity, sociality, and service dependencies, which underlay how consumer VR is currently categorized.

This study examines gender and country differences with respect to a range of gaming motivations (e.g., social, performance, habit) and game genre choices (e.g., action, sports, casual). Surveys were conducted with 634 university students from Singapore, Germany, and the United States. Overall, the findings suggest that many game motivations and genre choices differed by player gender, country, and the interaction between gender and country in some cases. Further, game motivations and genre choices were related to each other, though sometimes in a negative direction. Finally, differences in gaming motivations, genre choices, and gender, but not the country of residence, were all found to relate to differences in future intention to play. Although these topics have been studied in isolation in previous research, the present study contributes unique insights about the intersections of gender, cultural background, gaming motivations, and genre choices.

Research has shown that serious games can influence players’ attitudes, often based on either flow experience or identification with game characters. Studies showed that identification with game characters resulted in players aligning their view with the game characters. However, very little is done about the influence of identification with non-player characters (NPCs) on attitudes. Flow state, which is influenced by the balance of challenge and skill, is another contributing factor to players’ attitudes. However, the relationships among challenge, skill, and attitudes are inconclusive. To address the two research gaps, this study examines the relationships among challenge, skill, flow, identification with multiple game characters, and the impact on players’ attitudes toward immigrants. Fifty-six adult participants were invited to play the game Papers, Please and responded to a pre-game and a post-game questionnaire. Results showed that identification with both player character and NPCs significantly predicted post-game attitude toward immigrants, but in different ways. Perceived flow did not predict post-attitude. Perceived flow and challenge positively predicted identification with only the player character. Research and game design implications are discussed.

The time displacement hypothesis has been widely used to explain the effects of media use on academic performance. This approach has been criticised for its monocausality and weak explanatory power. Utilising a combination of different theoretical perspectives is better suited than utilising only one. Considering displacement, excitement, attraction and third variable hypothesis, this paper argues that the relation between video game use and school performance is not the same for all types of gamers by considering the influence of socioeconomic, psychological and contextual factors. It investigates how gaming patterns (frequency, time of day) and psychological characteristics (sensation seeking, aggression) are related to academic performance for primary and secondary school students. Five hundred and seven students from five primary and four secondary schools in Singapore participated in a paper-pencil survey. Results showed support for a combination of displacement and third variable hypothesis, as overall time spent on video games was negatively associated with primary school children’s and active gamers’ school performances. There was no significant relationship for secondary school children. For primary school children who play games in the morning and afternoon, video game use was negatively associated with school performance. There was no support for the attraction and excitement hypotheses.

Using an online survey approach, this study examines the ethical dimensions and factors operating behind the game cheating behavior. Although the data indicated that young gamers were overall critical of cheating behavior in online games, cheating was found to be a common practice in online gaming community. It is found that gamers tended to dismiss the cheating action as morally insignificant due to peer influence and the play nature of online gaming. With regard to the ethical antecedents of cheating decisions, our results revealed that the personal moral philosophy of idealism had both direct and indirect influence on game cheating intention and behavior (partial mediation), meanwhile, the personal moral philosophy of relativism had only significant indirect influence on game cheating intention (full mediation) and cheating behavior (distal mediation).

This study aims to add to the discussion about the applicability of the classical deindividuation theory and social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE) in explaining online behaviours. It explores the effect of anonymity in facilitating social influence of group identity in online game cheating. A nationally representative survey was conducted face to face. Results from the survey administered in Singapore confirm predictions derived from the SIDE and challenge the classical deindividuation theory. Specifically, it was concluded that the frequency of gaming with online strangers (anonymous gaming) significantly predicted the frequency of cheating in online games. The effect of anonymity on game cheating was found to be significantly mediated by the group identification with online gaming communities/groups. Gender differences were found. Male gamers cheated more frequently than female gamers. Female gamers are more likely to cheat as a consequence of group identification than male gamers. Implications and future research are discussed.

Ubiquitous Games (UbiqGames) are browser-based multi-player games played primarily on mobile devices. UbiqGames are designed to be played outside of formal class time and over several days, alongside more traditional instruction in the topics covered in the games. Teachers can use class time to facilitate thoughtful reflection on game strategies and data generated through gameplay. In the UbiqGame Weatherlings, players collect virtual creature cards and "battle" other players in arenas based on real cities, which feature the cities' meteorological data from the recent past. Success in the game requires players to consider climate conditions and do short-term forecasting from this real weather data. In this pilot study, 20 Singaporean 10 and 11 year-olds played Weatherlings using mobile devices over four days, playing primarily outside formal class time. Survey and interview data, combined with server logs, demonstrate positive outcomes for students including strong appeal and high engagement, increased interest in weather, and self-reported improvement in weather prediction skills. Outcomes suggest opportunities for additional research around UbiqGames to probe this new model for game-centered learning.

In this paper, a mobile approach for ambient learning is presented. As an example of the concept, modeling is done to deliver educational content on weather phenomenon to schoolchildren. Information visualization techniques are utilized to present an alternative approach of knowledge delivery that could be considered to be beyond conventional classroom based teachings. The concept is demonstrated with the `Interactive Weather Information System' (IWIS) platform. During the user tests, the effectiveness of the proposed method on knowledge conveyance was evaluated. Usability tests showed that IWIS serves as a good stimulus to captivate the learning interests of the target user group (children from 10 to 12 years old). In addition, the new issues that surfaced could be used as design considerations or factors in subsequent research work in this area.

With the growing popularity of mobile phone gaming, design issues with mobile phone games have become more important. Given the complexity of designing games for mobile phones, game developers must understand how mobile phone users' gaming experiences are like when using different types of phones. This paper examines users' gaming experiences in playing three types of games on three different types of phones. It is found that users have different preferences when playing different games on certain phones. Some games are more suitable to be played on mobile phone than others. Easy control and fewer levels of difficulties are the two main issues for consideration in designing mobile phone games. It is recommended that game designers design specific types of games for different mobile phone interfaces. Mobile phone manufacturers need to consider gamers' requirements for the type of games they intend to include in the mobile phone.

Usability testing of mobile devices is an emerging area of research in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. Guidelines had been established as to how usability tests should be conducted. However, there are limitations to the effectiveness of conventional usability tests, especially for mobile devices. Mobile devices typically are used in different situations, but current evaluation method cannot uncover problems in all type of situations. Hence, this study evaluates the effectiveness of conventional laboratory usability tests. It investigated the differences between usability tests on mobile phones conducted in laboratory and real life situation. Significant differences were found, including the frequency and severity of usability problems encountered, the users' behavior, and subjective responses to the device and the interaction.