2016
Korhonen, Hannu
Evaluating playability of mobile games with the expert review method Väitöskirja
Vuorovaikutteinen teknologia, Tampereen yliopisto., 2016, ISBN: 978-952-03-0196-5.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Avainsanat: englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, expert review, heuristic, mobile games, playability, videogames
@phdthesis{Korhonen2016,
title = {Evaluating playability of mobile games with the expert review method},
author = {Hannu Korhonen},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-0196-5},
isbn = {978-952-03-0196-5},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
school = {Vuorovaikutteinen teknologia, Tampereen yliopisto.},
abstract = {The success of a video game is measured based on the experiences it elicits for players. Positive player experience is created by interesting game concept and playability of a game. Playability can be understood as means how the players interact with the gameworld and possibly with other players. Making a good game is a long process and game designers should evaluate both player experience and playability aspects regularly. Playtesting is a common method to evaluate playability, but it requires that there is a working prototype available, which can be handed to players. The thesis introduces the expert review method for mobile game evaluations. In this method an evaluation is conducted by experts instead of players. The inspectors identify issues in the game design which might cause problems for players and decrease attractiveness of the game. The advantage of the method is that it can be used to evaluate very early prototypes of the game and fix problems in the design before the game is implemented. The result of the research work is 47 domain-specific heuristics to be used with the expert review method. The heuristics consider the most important aspects of the playability including game usability, gameplay, mobility, multi-player, and context-aware. These aspects define the playability of the game. The heuristics can be used to evaluate mobile games and videogames in general, and they can also be applied in evaluation of other mobile services.},
keywords = {englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, expert review, heuristic, mobile games, playability, videogames},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
The success of a video game is measured based on the experiences it elicits for players. Positive player experience is created by interesting game concept and playability of a game. Playability can be understood as means how the players interact with the gameworld and possibly with other players. Making a good game is a long process and game designers should evaluate both player experience and playability aspects regularly. Playtesting is a common method to evaluate playability, but it requires that there is a working prototype available, which can be handed to players. The thesis introduces the expert review method for mobile game evaluations. In this method an evaluation is conducted by experts instead of players. The inspectors identify issues in the game design which might cause problems for players and decrease attractiveness of the game. The advantage of the method is that it can be used to evaluate very early prototypes of the game and fix problems in the design before the game is implemented. The result of the research work is 47 domain-specific heuristics to be used with the expert review method. The heuristics consider the most important aspects of the playability including game usability, gameplay, mobility, multi-player, and context-aware. These aspects define the playability of the game. The heuristics can be used to evaluate mobile games and videogames in general, and they can also be applied in evaluation of other mobile services.
2015
Arjoranta, Jonne
Real-time hermeneutics: Meaning-making in ludonarrative digital games Väitöskirja
Digitaalinen kulttuuri, Jyväskylän yliopisto, 2015, ISBN: 978-951-39-6164-0.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Avainsanat: computer games, definition, digital games, englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, Gadamer, game studies, Hans-Georg, hermeneutics, language-games, ludonarrative, Ludwig, meaning, narratology, role-playing games, sociology of language and religion, videogames, Wittgenstein
@phdthesis{Arjoranta2015,
title = {Real-time hermeneutics: Meaning-making in ludonarrative digital games},
author = {Jonne Arjoranta},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-6164-0},
isbn = {978-951-39-6164-0},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-01-01},
school = {Digitaalinen kulttuuri, Jyväskylän yliopisto},
abstract = {Digital games are a relatively new medium. While they have been around for over half a century, they only became a major part of the culture relatively late. Like every other medium before, games also have struggled to find an expressive language of their own. Some of the expressive styles of other media are still relevant for games, but new ones have to be created specifically for videogames.
This dissertation is a study of how ludonarrative videogames, videogames that combine game elements with narrative elements, express and convey meaning. This is done as part of game studies, a multidisciplinary approach to studying games. The purpose is twofold: to build a foundation for better understanding of meaning-making in games, and to provide game designers with tools for analyzing issues related to meaning.
This study uses philosophical tools to analyze meaning in games. The philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer is used to compare the meaning-making in games to the interpretation of works of art. The theory of the interpretive process is based on the idea of the hermeneutic circle. Wittgenstein’s concept of language-games is used in examining how games should be defined and how their relations to each other should be understood. These philosophical methods are combined with the study of procedurality, narrativity and players.
This study shows that ludonarrative games are procedural systems that are interpreted both during gameplay and as a part of the surrounding cultural context. The result of this interpretation is neither predetermined by the game designer nor fixed during gameplay, but potentially open for endless reinterpretation as players interact with the game in new ways and as the cultural context changes. In order to convey meaning, ludonarrative games can borrow expressive tools from other media, for example by using perspective in the way it is used in cinema.
Additionally, this study provides guidelines for designing meaning. It is shown how meaning can be used as a game mechanic, and how games contain unique ways of expressing things that would be hard to convey in other media.},
keywords = {computer games, definition, digital games, englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, Gadamer, game studies, Hans-Georg, hermeneutics, language-games, ludonarrative, Ludwig, meaning, narratology, role-playing games, sociology of language and religion, videogames, Wittgenstein},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
Digital games are a relatively new medium. While they have been around for over half a century, they only became a major part of the culture relatively late. Like every other medium before, games also have struggled to find an expressive language of their own. Some of the expressive styles of other media are still relevant for games, but new ones have to be created specifically for videogames.
This dissertation is a study of how ludonarrative videogames, videogames that combine game elements with narrative elements, express and convey meaning. This is done as part of game studies, a multidisciplinary approach to studying games. The purpose is twofold: to build a foundation for better understanding of meaning-making in games, and to provide game designers with tools for analyzing issues related to meaning.
This study uses philosophical tools to analyze meaning in games. The philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer is used to compare the meaning-making in games to the interpretation of works of art. The theory of the interpretive process is based on the idea of the hermeneutic circle. Wittgenstein’s concept of language-games is used in examining how games should be defined and how their relations to each other should be understood. These philosophical methods are combined with the study of procedurality, narrativity and players.
This study shows that ludonarrative games are procedural systems that are interpreted both during gameplay and as a part of the surrounding cultural context. The result of this interpretation is neither predetermined by the game designer nor fixed during gameplay, but potentially open for endless reinterpretation as players interact with the game in new ways and as the cultural context changes. In order to convey meaning, ludonarrative games can borrow expressive tools from other media, for example by using perspective in the way it is used in cinema.
Additionally, this study provides guidelines for designing meaning. It is shown how meaning can be used as a game mechanic, and how games contain unique ways of expressing things that would be hard to convey in other media.
This dissertation is a study of how ludonarrative videogames, videogames that combine game elements with narrative elements, express and convey meaning. This is done as part of game studies, a multidisciplinary approach to studying games. The purpose is twofold: to build a foundation for better understanding of meaning-making in games, and to provide game designers with tools for analyzing issues related to meaning.
This study uses philosophical tools to analyze meaning in games. The philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer is used to compare the meaning-making in games to the interpretation of works of art. The theory of the interpretive process is based on the idea of the hermeneutic circle. Wittgenstein’s concept of language-games is used in examining how games should be defined and how their relations to each other should be understood. These philosophical methods are combined with the study of procedurality, narrativity and players.
This study shows that ludonarrative games are procedural systems that are interpreted both during gameplay and as a part of the surrounding cultural context. The result of this interpretation is neither predetermined by the game designer nor fixed during gameplay, but potentially open for endless reinterpretation as players interact with the game in new ways and as the cultural context changes. In order to convey meaning, ludonarrative games can borrow expressive tools from other media, for example by using perspective in the way it is used in cinema.
Additionally, this study provides guidelines for designing meaning. It is shown how meaning can be used as a game mechanic, and how games contain unique ways of expressing things that would be hard to convey in other media.