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This paper describes the application of a methodology for game genre and player experience innovation called "play-centric design." This method is shown in context as the primary design methodology for an experimental play project, Cloud, created by students from the USC School of Cinema-Television's Interactive Media Division. The application of t...
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... Purely recreational game jams are common and popular [5; 6], yet even recreational game jams are often attended for learning purposes [7; 8]. Game jams have a history also within formal vocational learning dating back to at least 2006 [9], even if it has taken a decade for the work of the early pioneers to spread [e.g. 10; 11]. ...
This article summarizes three years of studying game jams. Rooted in extensive field work — participating, organising, studying and discussing game jams — and multiple methods, we have explored different digital and non-digital jamming formats to apply in educational settings, especially in the Finnish context of general formal teaching for 16-19 year olds. This paper sums up our main findings arranged thematically. We claim that game jamming is a viable method in general formal education, and that although the learning outcomes vary and can be difficult to verify, the participants themselves report perceived learning and increased motivation. We also discuss the values present in our research project and the inclusivity of game jams. We describe various ways to organise game jams in classrooms, along with teacher competencies and resources needed. Based on these viewpoints we provide recommendations, grounded in both research and practice, on how to use game jamming in schools to teach, for example, STEAM and other 21st century skills.
... Furthermore, games are also emotional experiences that challenge players to achieve their goals. Dramatic actions such as character, premise and story create a fascinating game experience [21]. Identifying the player with a character or an avatar can facilitate engagement and subsequent learning through games [13]. ...
While smart home devices are spreading rapidly, the privacy and security of users are key concerns. Many users struggle in acquiring and applying security recommendations to protect against malicious behavior in smart home systems, which can cause users to lose interest in this topic. Game-based learning is a powerful practice to increase the motivation of users in an entertaining and intuitive way. In this paper, we explore the effect of game premise on user's motivation and performance in an educational game. We designed a game with the aim to enlighten users about smart home security challenges. We developed two versions of the game with opposing game premises, a good and an evil, and compared them in a between-group experiment. The results show high motivation ratings in both versions of the game towards solving smart home security problems. However, there are no significant differences between the opposing game premises.
... Already in 2006, Fullerton et al. [2] commented on how game jam participants' "eager engagement" has been motivated by "the enthusiastic search for new ideas", yet few proved successful in their endeavors. This realization further made them deem game jams as a tool for "small innovative 'flashes' that would need a secondary level of longer term research to foster and iterate on these ideas." ...
This paper presents the findings of a pilot study for game jam organizers' design values. The study builds on top of previous research on game design values and emphasizes the role of game jam organizers as cultural intermediaries within the game ecosystem. For the purpose of the pilot study, the survey was directed towards 27 main organizers of Global Game Jam (GGJ) 2018 in Finland. The responses covered 74% of the whole population (20 out of 27), providing a good coverage of the population of Finnish main organizers of GGJ in 2018. The pilot study presents support for the utility of the research instrument and interesting openings for future research.
... Particular research interests and utilization strategies vary and include themes such as gaining a better understanding of prototyping practices [13] and utilizing game jams to educate developers on specific issues [17]. The size and reach of GGJ has provided unique opportunities in comparing the cultural differences of game development [20], and the connection between game jam While game jams have been said to be a tool for "small innovative 'flashes' that would need a secondary level of longer term research to foster and iterate on these flash ideas" [5], they have found their relevance in connection to the game industry [18]. Game jams have also been emphasized for their role as events for socializing with other game developers [16]. ...
In this paper we present the findings of a case study of Finnish Game Jam. Finnish Game Jam is a game creation event organized as a Global Game Jam event in Finland. The development of the Finnish jamming scene has been strong for the past six years paralleling the success of game industry and the growth of game education in Finland. This study consists of post-event surveys collected between 2010 and 2016 and statistics collected from the participant registration forms. The study builds a picture of the evolution of the Finnish game jamming scene and provide suggestions for national support systems of game industry ecosystems.
... This method was selected because it is: 1) less formal method 2) fast 3) excellent means to access ideas and 4) results are easily interpretable. As part of this approach, the designers are encouraged to build the software's first playable version; after that, the designers present to a group of users and request new ideas or their opinions for changes (Fullerton et al., 2006). ...
The gamification software development gave emphasis to the role played by the users to test and improve the software. This study presents a framework for software gamified in e-banking, taking a users' groups and a qualitative research approach, to check the users' design preferences in five cases of banking software gamified (Futebank, Dreams, Galaxy, Olympics, and Warrants). After software presentation, and usage experience, 53 participants, responses to a survey with six open questions. The data were analyzed through a text semantic software, to detect and classify lexical items in, accordance, with standard of software quality characteristics and user experiences. Two primary categories were identified, as well five dimensions in each element and characteristic categories. The results show five characteristic dimensions (design, appearance, functionality, rules, and objectives) and five element dimension (game, product, security, process, and information). These findings provide a framework for web designers and e-business, highlighting the most important software features when dealing with serious applications with game design. It adds value to the current literature on understanding the customer relationship with the game and the financial product, identifying new dimensions (game and product) on the approach of thinking and design gamification in e-banking. Our finding contributes to a better understanding of key elements and characteristics in e-banking software design and has important practical implications for software development and marketing practices. Thoughts on the users' software design preferences identified, should propel increase adoption and attractiveness of online banking.
... The phrase seems to originate with Salen andZimmerman (2004), andZimmerman (2003), but these texts mention the concept only briefly and largely leave it with only a casual understanding. While the concept is used by researchers within the field (Björk and Holopainen, 2006;Fullerton et al., 2006;Kultima, 2009), it has not received critical attention and is rather treated as common, informal knowledge. ...
This thesis sets out to explore why people engage in, and how to design for, play in a public setting. It does this by separating design for play from design of games, describing play as a socially and mentally understood activity, and a playful approach to engaging in that activity. It emphasises that while play is voluntary, design can help shape the players’ mode of engagement.
The thesis uses a qualitative and inductive approach to research, with an understanding of knowledge as being constructed in the individual. The research is grounded in human computer interaction and interaction design, and closely related to game studies and design science.
The research question concerns how design can influence the player activity in order to create a desired player experience in public, by harnessing playful engagement. It’s foundation is a theory of play which describes play as a framed, or hedged-off, activity with a fragile border; where knowledge and feelings can leak both in and out of the activity, and affect the play as well as what is around it. The theory of enjoyment of play is discussed, and the problem of treating this as ‘fun’ is addressed, concluding in a presentation of how playful engagement can be harnessed through design.
The theory is applied in five design cases: I’m Your Body, a locative storytelling app; Codename Heroes, a pervasive game of personal empowerment; Passing On, a slow-paced game about communication; Busking Studies, which involves observing street performers and their shows; and DigiFys, an architectural design exploration of playgrounds and play paths.
Finally, three concepts, or design tools, are presented, which address: 1) a structure for understanding a design through three layers, constructs designed by the designer, inspiring play activity with the player, leading to experience; 2) an approach to designing invitations to play; and finally 3), a four faceted structure for understanding play engagement when players engage in non intended ways.
... Passionate organizers and participants all over the world have been able to take part in and witness all sorts of jam experiences. Game jams have been run in odd locations such as castles, planes 6 , busses 7 and trams, or even on the 52-hour train journey of Train Jam 8 . They have been set in different timeframes, from the extreme challenge of 0h Game Jam 9 to the laid-back VR Slow Jam 10 . ...
... In 2006, Fullerton et al. [6] commented on how game jam participants' "eager engagement" has been motivated by "the enthusiastic search for new ideas", yet few proved successful in their endeavors. This realization further made them deem game jams as a tool for "small innovative 'flashes' that would need a secondary level of longer term research to foster and iterate on these flash ideas." ...
... Further articles were reached by utilizing the articles' reference lists. Altogether 20 academic papers [2,3,4,5,6,9,10,12,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26] discussing game jams in one way or another were examined for this study 24 (see Table 1. ...
In this paper, an analysis of game jam descriptions and definitions in academic papers is presented. A total of 20 papers from various publication venues from 2006 to 2014 are analyzed in terms of their conceptualizations of a " game jam ". The background of the papers and their contribution to game jam research are also critically examined. A further explication, " an advanced definition " , is proposed as a basis for future academic discussions and collaborations. The advanced definition sums up game jams as: accelerated, constrained and opportunistic game creation events with public exposure.
... This method was selected because it is: 1) less formal method 2) fast 3) excellent means to access ideas and 4) results are easily interpretable. As part of this approach, the designers are encouraged to build the software's first playable version; after that, the designers present to a group of users and request new ideas or their opinions for changes (Fullerton et al., 2006). ...
The development of the new software game gave emphasis and importance to the role played by the user discussion group during the development phase; they were sometimes called upon to participate in testing and they contributed to changes that improved the overall software's. Some more concrete methods include discussion groups to stimulate the emergence of new ideas and evaluate the gamification concepts. According to this approach, the web designers of two gamification software projects in e-banking using Mutual Funds and Warrants were encouraged to build the first playable version of the gamified business software. After a live introduction to a group of users, it was requested their opinion in an open questionnaire with six questions, permitting them to identify without restrictions the needs, modifications and opinions. The method has identified a wide range of games characteristics and web design changes, as was expected by both business and customers. In conclusion, the use of the discussion group and open questionnaires were effective methods for the project team, to check preview the perceptions and customer acceptance in adopting the software gamified. In this study, we identified the users' perceptions, resumed in a diagram "the most relevant factors in an e-business game". Our practical contribution is for the web designers and project managers who with this methodology, may check if their software will have good adoption.
... [11] argue in favor of the method of iterative development of the project, which is based on participation and invitation to formulate opinions of players since the beginning of the project. As part of this approach, the designers are encouraged to construct the first playable version of the game and immediately afterwards a short introduction to a group of users, request their opinion for new ideas or changes [4]. [11] suggests that iterative development approach of the game is a great concern, because it is not possible to predict in advance all the features and functionality of the game. ...
The development of the new software game gave emphasis and importance to the role played by the user discussion group during the development phase; they were sometimes called upon to participate in testing and they contributed to changes that improved the overall software's. Some more concrete methods include discussion groups to stimulate the emergence of new ideas and evaluate the gamification concepts. According to this approach, the web designers of two gamification software projects in e-banking using Mutual Funds and Warrants were encouraged to build the first playable version of the gamified business software. After a live introduction to a group of users, it was requested their opinion in an open questionnaire with six questions, permitting them to identify without restrictions the needs, modifications and opinions. The method has identified a wide range of games characteristics and web design changes, as was expected by both business and customers. In conclusion, the use of the discussion group and open questionnaires were effective methods for the project team, to check preview the perceptions and customer acceptance in adopting the software gamified. In this study, we identified the users' perceptions, resumed in a diagram "the most relevant factors in an e-business game". Our practical contribution is for the web designers and project managers who with this methodology, may check if their software will have good adoption.
... [11] argue in favour of the method of iterative development of the project, which is based on participation and invitation to formulate opinions of players since the beginning of the project. As part of this approach, the designers are encouraged to construct the first playable version of the game and immediately afterwards a short introduction to a group of users, request their opinion for new ideas or changes [4]. [11] suggests that iterative development approach of the game is a great concern, because it is not possible to predict in advance all the features and functionality of the game. ...
