Procedural Video Game Scene Generation by Genetic and Neutrosophic WASPAS Algorithms

The demand for automated game development assistance tools can be fulfilled by computational creativity algorithms. The procedural generation is one of the topics for creative content development. The main procedural generation challenge for game level layout is how to create a diverse set of levels that could match a human-crafted game scene. Our game scene layouts are created randomly and then sculpted using a genetic algorithm. To address the issue of fitness calculation with conflicting criteria, we use weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) in a single-valued neutrosophic set environment (SVNS) that models the indeterminacy with truth, intermediacy, and falsehood memberships. Results are presented as an encoded game object grid where each game object type has a specific function. The algorithm creates a diverse set of game scene layouts by combining game rules validation and aesthetic principles. It successfully creates functional aesthetic patterns without specifically defining the shapes of the combination of games’ objects.

Factors That Enable or Hinder the Implementation of Game Development Activity in Learning Environments

This study aims to investigate the factors that enable or hinder the implementation of game development activity in the instructional process. One instructor and 15 gifted students between the ages of 11 and 15 took part in the study. The students developed computer games related to science topics using MS Kodu game engine within the implementation process. According to the findings, it is seen that instructional practices have great importance, and the instructor plays a key role in the activity. Making and playing games have been the greatest motivation resource for students. In addition, the social environment can be an important tool in sustaining students' motivation levels. The students' negative attitudes toward educational game topics and non-computer activities hinder the successful implementation of the activity. The MS Kodu game engine might be appropriate for novice designers but not be enough for teaching programming concepts. Team-based game development activity is believed to be useful for developing advanced games and increasing the level of interaction between students.

Studying Thracian Civilization Through Serious Games and Storytelling

This chapter presents a novel learning approach for studying ancient Bulgarian history, civilization, and their cultural heritage, namely the Thracian civilization, through storytelling and serious game combinations. The chapter also provides an overview of serious educational games, digital storytelling, and game development tools that can be used to present ancient history and their cultural heritage. The combination of storytelling and serious games successfully helps instructors to motivate student learning, stimulate their curiosity, and make them interested. The authors developed a game editor and a game portal that facilitated the game's development by applying game templates, layout styles, and question pools.

Using Epistemic Game Development to Teach Software Development Skills

This paper presents a pilot study on the evaluation of instruments for data gathering for an epistemic game development competition for high school students. The initial results show that a significant percentage of the students who participated in the competition appear to exhibit a skillset of professional attitude, software-related knowledge, and employability traits, and this skillset may be attributed to the intervention. The data was validated through a two-method triangulation technique that utilized expert evaluation and participant interviews. The data analysis shows early indicators of the desired learning outcomes, although a more thorough methodology is needed to verify this. Furthermore, the competition acts as an awareness campaign that promotes computer science studies through a gamification process. It is proposed that competitions of this type are held and evaluated on an annual basis to maximize the benefits and to further prepare students to acquire early in their studies a skillset that will make them the innovators of the future society.

Appreciative Learning for Immersive Reward System in Education Game Development

Game replayability is very important in serious game to maximize the understanding for the learning content. The replayability is the result from the gameplay experience. Games have the advantage of providing a fun experience, and immersion is a vital element in game design to produce the experience. However, the design of immersion in games is often not well conceptualized so that it does not produce the expected experience. This study uses Appreciative Learning based reward system, which focuses on positive things such as peak achievements, opportunities, exploration of potential and optimism for the future. The reward activity consists of four stages, namely Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny. Reward personalization is done by regulating reward behavior using artificial intelligence which runs in all four stages. Appreciative Learning will be used to design immersive experiences consisting of sensory, imaginary and challenge-based immersion, which are the three main elements of immersive games. Intelligent agent behavior is modeled using the Finite State Machine. This study produces an immersive reward design that is applied to the concept of Appreciative Learning in designing a serious game.