Computer game environment for assessment of self-initiated behavior and measurement of its neural correlates using fMRI

Background Computer game–based interventions are emerging in pediatric neurorehabilitation, as they can provide two key elements for motor learning—motivating environments that enable long-term compliance, which is particularly relevant for children, and augmented feedback for improving movement performance. Objective The overall aim of this study is to develop an interactive computer play for children with upper motor neuron lesions to train selective voluntary motor control and give particular attention to motivation and feedback. We also aim to determine features that make games engaging, investigate which sensory feedback modality is noticed the fastest during play, develop an interactive game, and evaluate its feasibility. Methods We identified engaging game features by interviewing 19 children and adolescents undergoing rehabilitation. By using a test version of the game, we determined the response times of 10 patients who had to react to visual, auditory, or combined feedback signals. On the basis of the results of these two subprojects, we developed and designed a game environment. Feasibility was studied in terms of the practicability and acceptability of the intervention among 5 children with upper motor neuron lesions. Results The game features deemed the most important by pediatric patients were strategic gameplay (13/29, 45% of answers) and choice (6/29, 21%). While playing the game, an acoustic alarm signal (reaction time: median 2.8 seconds) was detected significantly faster (P=.01) than conditions with other feedback modalities (avatar velocity reduction: median 7.8 seconds; color desaturation: median 5.7 seconds). Most children enjoyed playing the game, despite some technical issues. Conclusions The careful identification of game features that increase motivation and feedback modalities that inform children quickly led to the development of an interactive computer play for training selective voluntary motor control in children and adolescents with upper motor neuron lesions.

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Factual Hybridity: Games, Documentary and Simulated Spaces

Media International Australia ◽

10.1177/1329878x0210400107 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 104 (1) ◽

pp. 42-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bernadette Flynn

Keyword(s):

New Technologies ◽

Computer Game ◽

Reality Tv ◽

The Real ◽

Big Brother ◽

Game Environment

Documentary theorist John Corner's suggestion that we might be moving into a post-documentary period echoes concerns raised earlier by Brian Winston that the documentary is facing some type of crisis. This paper argues that this is only the case if one ignores a broader notion of media hybridity that takes into account directions offered by new technologies and aesthetic regimes. This paper proposes that, rather than signalling an unravelling of documentary's purpose, emerging forms of factuality point towards more localised forms of communication that have been effaced in ‘discourse of sobriety’ with their distrust of the popular. Using examples from reality TV (Big Brother) and a simulation computer game (The Sims), I suggest that these multi-platform ‘gamedocs' relate to older and often ignored histories of representing the real. These histories connect to the lineage of George Méliès' actuality projects and the scientific and morality loops found in the mutoscope and entertainment diorama. Aspects of play and actuality remerge in the contemporary forms of Big Brother and The Sims which trade on documentary's cultural cache as the site of the real whilst simultaneously adopting a self-conscious, sometimes critical relationship to the authentic seeming. In so doing, they construct a type of docobricolage in which narrative and representation become subservient to navigable geography, mastery of the game environment and the pleasures of gameplay itself.

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An Interactive Computer Game for Improving Selective Voluntary Motor Control in Children With Upper Motor Neuron Lesions: Development and Preliminary Feasibility Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.26028 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Annina Fahr ◽

Andrina Kläy ◽

Jeffrey W Keller ◽

Hubertus J A van Hedel

Keyword(s):

Motor Control ◽

Motor Neuron ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Response Times ◽

Computer Game ◽

Voluntary Motor ◽

Game Features ◽

Test Version ◽

Feedback Modalities ◽

Game Environment

BACKGROUND Computer game–based interventions are emerging in pediatric neurorehabilitation, as they can provide two key elements for motor learning—motivating environments that enable long-term compliance, which is particularly relevant for children, and augmented feedback for improving movement performance. OBJECTIVE The overall aim of this study is to develop an interactive computer play for children with upper motor neuron lesions to train selective voluntary motor control and give particular attention to motivation and feedback. We also aim to determine features that make games engaging, investigate which sensory feedback modality is noticed the fastest during play, develop an interactive game, and evaluate its feasibility. METHODS We identified engaging game features by interviewing 19 children and adolescents undergoing rehabilitation. By using a test version of the game, we determined the response times of 10 patients who had to react to visual, auditory, or combined feedback signals. On the basis of the results of these two subprojects, we developed and designed a game environment. Feasibility was studied in terms of the practicability and acceptability of the intervention among 5 children with upper motor neuron lesions. RESULTS The game features deemed the most important by pediatric patients were strategic gameplay (13/29, 45% of answers) and choice (6/29, 21%). While playing the game, an acoustic alarm signal (reaction time: median 2.8 seconds) was detected significantly faster (<i>P</i>=.01) than conditions with other feedback modalities (avatar velocity reduction: median 7.8 seconds; color desaturation: median 5.7 seconds). Most children enjoyed playing the game, despite some technical issues. CONCLUSIONS The careful identification of game features that increase motivation and feedback modalities that inform children quickly led to the development of an interactive computer play for training selective voluntary motor control in children and adolescents with upper motor neuron lesions. CLINICALTRIAL

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Developing Enjoyable Second Language Learning Software Tools

User-Centered Computer Aided Language Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-750-8.ch001 ◽

2006 ◽

pp. 1-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Chee S. Ang ◽

Panayiotis Zaphiris

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Computer Games ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

Educational Software ◽

Computer Game ◽

Theoretical Explanation ◽

Game Model ◽

Learning Games ◽

Game Environment ◽

Learning Software

This chapter attempts to examine computer game theories — ludology and narratology— that explain computer games as play activities and storytelling media. Founded onthis theoretical explanation, a game model that incorporates gameplay and narrativesis presented. From the model, two aspects of learning in the game environment areidentified: gameplay-oriented and narrative-oriented. It is believed that playingcomputer games involves at least one of these types of learning; thus, this game’s naturecan be used in designing engaging educational software. In addition, based onMalone’s theoretical framework on motivational heuristics, there are two methods ofapplying computer games in language learning: extrinsic and intrinsic, depending onthe integration of game designs and learning materials. Then, two cases of language-learning games are scrutinized, using the game model, in order to demonstrate the useof computer games in language learning.

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EVENT NORMALIZATION METHODOLOGY FOR COMPUTER GAME ENVIRONMENT SIMULATION

International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering ◽

10.1142/s0218194009004453 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (07) ◽

pp. 913-932 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

JUNG-YONG PARK ◽

JONG-HEE PARK

Keyword(s):

Computer Games ◽

Game Design ◽

Computer Game ◽

Simulation Method ◽

Entertainment Industry ◽

Software Systems ◽

Environment Design ◽

Computer Gaming ◽

Wide Range ◽

Game Environment

Computer gaming is a key component of the rapidly growing entertainment industry. Computer games are a multi-billion pound worldwide part of the entertainment industry. However, they are a relatively new type of software product and as such the manner in which they are designed and developed is still evolving. Computer games can be highly complex software systems that involve the expertise of a wide range of professionals ranging from programmers to animators, artists and musicians. When designing computer games, new game concepts can be difficult to communicate. In addition, the creative process could be benefited if game design ideas were capable of being shared widely and discussed. In this paper, we are to some extent shifting the focus from real world situation to what we shall term game world situation. That is, a logically simulated environment is created by defining situations and events based on the hierarchy structure of the situation. Our study defines event type, causality events and event normalization, and aims to develop a logical simulation method. These methods allow us to understand the communication of new game environment design. Specially, the introduction of the definition of events allows us to approach game design in a structural manner rather than by their classification. The proposed method was implemented in the context of changing among natural phenomena in a game environment.

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Developing Enjoyable Second Language Learning Software Tools

Software Applications ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-060-8.ch079 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 1375-1393

Author(s):

Chee Siang Ang ◽

Panayiotis Zaphiris

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Computer Games ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

Educational Software ◽

Computer Game ◽

Theoretical Explanation ◽

Game Model ◽

Learning Games ◽

Game Environment ◽

Learning Software

This chapter attempts to examine computer game theories—ludology and narratology—that explain computer games as play activities and storytelling media. Founded on this theoretical explanation, a game model that incorporates gameplay and narratives is presented. From the model, two aspects of learning in the game environment are identified: gameplay-oriented and narrative-oriented. It is believed that playing computer games involves at least one of these types of learning; thus, this game’s nature can be used in designing engaging educational software. In addition, based on Malone’s theoretical framework on motivational heuristics, there are two methods of applying computer games in language learning: extrinsic and intrinsic, depending on the integration of game designs and learning materials. Then, two cases of language-learning games are scrutinized, using the game model, in order to demonstrate the use of computer games in language learning.

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Adapting Pathfinding with Potential Energy

Algorithmic and Architectural Gaming Design ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-1634-9.ch002 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 23-39

Author(s):

Thomas Hartley

Keyword(s):

Path Planning ◽

Potential Energy ◽

Shortest Path ◽

Computer Games ◽

Computer Game ◽

Location Analysis ◽

Essential Requirement ◽

Current State ◽

Local Movement ◽

Game Environment

Movement through a computer game environment is an essential requirement of non-player characters (NPCs) in today’s computer games. Local movement is typically reactive and based on the current state of the game and the NPC. Long-range movement is concerned with determining a short and appropriate route from one location in the game environment to another. A desired destination is typically not known in advance. Therefore, techniques are needed to determine a route while a game is being played. This problem is known as pathfinding or path planning. Traditionally, pathfinding systems have focused on determining the shortest path between locations; however, many computer games are beginning to incorporate terrain and strategic reasoning (also known as tactical location analysis) into the pathfinding process. This chapter describes an approach to strategic and tactical pathfinding that learns in-game from an NPC’s experience of executing previously generated paths. The experience is used to adapt future pathfinding and therefore allows NPCs to avoid (or be attracted to) areas of the game world. Hence NPCs can improve their chance of success and encourage the human player to adapt their behavior.

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