University XP

One of the hardest and most difficult questions that can be asked about games is what they are and how they are defined. The answers, responses, and philosophies regarding these big questions are as diverse and varied as those who have sought to define them. Therefore, this article will attempt another take on defining games and discussing their meaning and interaction for the people that play, define, apply, and share them.

This article will explore the player journey. It’ll start by defining this term and outline reasons for its importance. The player experience is an important aspect of the player journey. Therefore, it’ll be examined in depth as it relates to individual motivations and how they affect both goals and achievements during the player journey.

This article will examine progression systems in games closely. It’ll start by defining these systems and why they are so important. Different types of progression systems will be covered as well as how common features of progression systems are present in games. The core loop, as well as goals and objectives of games are tightly connected to progression systems. Therefore, these disparate areas will be connected and related to how different examples of progression systems use them in concert with one another.

This article will define what we mean by “game state” from multiple different perspectives. It will discuss different characteristics and types of game states and the roles that they play for commercial and applied games. Game states often are tightly related to the game rules and mechanics. These two aspects will be discussed in depth in addition to other “tangible” elements of games play such as game objects, movement, and environmental states.

This article will define player engagement and relate it to its roots in understanding player motivation. Player engagement has most to do with the amount of time that players engage with the game and how their investment best relates to the player experience. That player’s experience is informed by multiple sources. They include interaction and how players augment the game; how players receive and interpret feedback, and how challenges and difficulty are scaffolded and presented to players through games and games-based learning.

We don’t often think about when we first started playing games. Or really the “first” game that we ever played. Most players are preoccupied with the game that they are playing “now” or the game that they will play next. Yet, we don’t stop to think about what we already know about games and how we’ve applied that to learning and experiencing new games.

This article will first define choice architecture as well as discuss its relationship between how choices are structured and its impact on consumers (users, learners, and players). The underlying philosophies of choice architecture will be explained as well as how they inform choice structure.

This article discusses games as liminal spaces. But prior to diving into that, it will first define “liminality” as well as provide some of the most critical characteristics of liminal spaces. Liminality will be reviewed from multiple disciplines as well as situate the term in relation to transformation and transition. Liminality can be experienced in multiple different modalities and in different places and stages. Therefore, this article will examine liminal experiences in physical spaces as well as non-physical ones.

This article will define tactics and strategy and then compare the two in both structure and application.  Both tactics and strategy have a specific and special relationship with one another. This relationship often defines the philosophic considerations of what exactly goes into tactical and strategic decision making. This relationship will be explored through several different examples of tactics across different domains.

This article will explore and define the term “casual players.” In understanding casual players, we must first review and examine casual games. So, casual games will be defined along with relevant characteristics of casual games such as complexity, mechanics, and theme.

What makes the “ideal” board games player? Some say that it takes someone who fully understands the rules. Others would say that it’s more about those who pay attention to the game rather than be subjected to distractions. Some feel that it’s tactical play and strategic thinking that makes the ideal tabletop player.

This article will also cover how game goals work in concert with player agency and how designers can take advantage of player skill development while simultaneously mitigating luck and randomness. The player experience represents the defining factor for players engaging with games for learning; so, player feedback loops as well as how failure is addressed will also be considered.

This article will review these characteristics of analysis paralysis as well as how individuals make choices and the framework in which they come to those decisions. The results and solutions to those decisions will be discussed as well as how the overall speed of the process is fluid in the face of players’ motivations, frameworks, and goals.

This article will define the use and purpose of the term “strategy game” and how the term “strategy” affects and influences both game structure and the decision making framework for players. Strategy in games is addressed differently dependent on game type. Therefore, this article will address strategy in abstract games, war games, video games, simulations, idiogames, euro table top games, and team games.

This article will first define what Yomi is as well as how it influences and affects the prediction of actions of opponents and other players. The minds, motivations, and strategies of other players will be discussed as well as how it influences Yomi. Yomi in relation to strategy and how it affects expert players will be covered as well as how all players can examine and study their own actions for their own player development.

This article will address the steps necessary for adapting games for learning. It’ll cover why educators should first adapt games for games-based learning. Challenges that educators often face with adaptation will be addressed as well as how a strategy can be outlined for game adaptation.

This article outlines and describes the flow state in the player experience. It’ll also explain the most important and influential reasons for designing for flow. Flow state is comprised of a balance of goals and feedback and how both are reflected and influenced by perceptual control. So, this article will examine how these disparate elements work together to help players engage in that state.

This article covers the concept of player relevance in depth. Specifically, it defines the term “player relevance” for the context of this article. Player agency and its relationship to player relevance will be covered and discussed. The decision space and individual motivations are equally important for determining player relevance. Therefore, this article will discuss both in relationship to the player journey.

This article will review scaffolding in both an educational and games-based context. Uses of scaffolding will be discussed as well as how it affects and influences individuals’ learning and metacognition. Like many things games-based learning related; scaffolding relates highly to the learner and player experience. So time will be spent relating scaffolding to the experiences of the individuals learning and playing.

This article will define game balance for the purposes of this discussion. Game balance will be addressed as a factor in game design. Game balance strategies will also be covered from a development standpoint. Game balance also plays a critical role in defining and shaping the player experience. Therefore, game balance will be addressed as a factor that is both experienced and interpreted by players. Finally, game balance principles will be covered as it relates to the design process and its relationship to player agency and competency

This article will review why players reflect. It includes an in-depth analysis of players’ reflection in games-based learning as well as how introspection plays a role in game play. Reflection is compared to metacognition and the overall effect this has in its affect on the player experience.

This article will provide an overview on debriefing as well as the fundamental reasons why debriefing should be included in games-based learning. Games-based learning is part of the experiential learning cycle. So, a connection on this method of teaching and learning will be made as well as how instructors can outline goals for debriefing.

This article will define expectancy theory as well and describe its origins for understating human motivation and behavior. Motivation will also be covered as a facet of the educational process as well as expectancy theory’s origins in management as a way to better connect employee performance and rewards.

This article will explore some larger concepts such as “What is meaning?” More specifically, the article will attempt to define what meaning making is as well as how it is connected to meaningful play. Developing an understanding about how making occurs is important to addressing how meaning making and learning are connected. Only then can meaning making through games and game play be further explored. This article will discuss the meaning making process for players in games; game structure; and game mechanics.

This article will review the use of games-based learning as well as reiterate the main reasons why you should consider using it in your teaching and instruction practice. Games-based learning as a student centered approach will be discussed as well as how gameful applications can be explored in education.

This article will review and define serious games. A brief history of serious games will be shared along with some of the best reasons for using serious games in teaching and learning. The impact and ramifications of using serious games in the classroom will be discussed as well as the role that educators play in integrating serious games in their practice.

This article will address how to design games with players in mind. There are multiple things to take into consideration when designing games. They include player diversity; learning styles; and player motivations.

This article provides an overview of how you can teach someone to play a game. It describes game literacy as a starting place for helping someone learn how to play a new game. Often, the game that you select should work well for player types, tastes, and experiences.

This article will define and outline what a kingmaking scenario is. A history of kingmaking will be discussed as well as reasons that it may arise in different situations. Kingmaking as a spoiling tactic in game mechanics will also be covered. Kingmaking in tournament situations and table top games will be included. Finally, kingmaking can have an adverse impact on both player agency and the player experience. Both areas will be discussed in addition to how kingmaking takes effect in scenarios outside of games.

This article will examine game play; player experience; and game design focused around the player count for games. Games will be divided up and examined by player count in this article which includes single player games; two player games; four player games; small group games of 5-8 players; big group games of 8+ players; mega games; and massive multiplayer online games. Game size and the player experience will be examined in addition to how to integrate player count in game design. Games sometimes include “dummy” player mechanics. These dummy players mimic or replicate other players in the game. These mechanics and how they are reflected in the player experience will be examined.

Game-based learning stands to revolutionise education by seamlessly merging the engaging world of games with innovative teaching, not just gamifying learning but edu-flying games, fostering cognitive skills and emotional well-being through challenges, collaboration, and adaptive technology, making it a holistic approach for the 21st-century educational landscape.

Investigations center on gaming platforms like Roblox. According to the Australian Federal Police, Australian children are being targeted by extremists who are infiltrating online gaming platforms.

Little has been written about Tears of the Kingdom's narrative developments and how the new traversability of Zelda has necessitated a new approach to storytelling. Previous Zelda games guided players to complete dungeons in order and gain new abilities before conquering the final boss.

For the uninitiated, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game in which players roll dice to improvise a fantastical adventure. According to Nation, this "Distance" can be extremely useful in a therapy setting, since players can explore real-life problems without the potential discomforts of a one-on-one counseling session.

From simple pixelated graphics to immersive virtual reality experiences, the evolution of video games has been truly remarkable. In this article, we will explore the fascinating journey of video games, from the early days of pixels to the current era of virtual reality.

From ancient times to the modern day, board games have been a source of entertainment, education and intellectual stimulus for centuries. We take a look at the fascinating history of board games.

The complimentary class was offered to human resource professionals and focused on finance in preparation for budget season. No doubt, these professionals see the value of speaking the all-important language of business: finance.

With AI taking personalisation to new levels, AI-powered gamification has made learning even more learner-centric, individualised and more engaging than ever. AI-powered gamification increases student engagement and motivation in several ways.

In today's technology-driven world, educators are constantly seeking innovative ways to keep students engaged and motivated in the learning process. Gamify Learning offers a wide range of benefits for both students and educators.

"Video games are the pre-eminent art form of this century," Brock Henderson, video game developer and designer, said.

In addition to immediate performance benefits, incorporating gamification into learning and development programs results in increased engagement among learners, ensuring their commitment to completing the training program.

That's not good, according to Victoria Loerzel '07PhD, a professor in UCF's College of Nursing who has been researching older adults with cancer for over a decade. This is why Loerzel and a team of researchers developed an innovative educational game for older adults with cancer.

In an innovative approach to enhance medical knowledge and skills, MedPage Today launched its first-ever educational game center called the Break Room. The platform features several games, including Wordosis, Wordectomy, and the daily game, Spell Check-Up. MedPage Today, a leading medical news website, is the brain behind this innovative initiative.

Some leaders in the gaming industry want to push back against that narrative by creating games that encourage users to form communities as part of the gameplay. The idea is that by fostering more human interactions, games can promote positivity and openness, bringing people together instead of pushing them apart.

For some stroke patients, home-based video game therapy may be just as effective as other popular forms of in-person physical therapy, according to new research.

The popularity of games and play-based learning has waxed and waned in the traditional American classroom, according to Alicia Miller, a science educator from Evans, Georgia, who's always used "Hands-on" activities in her classroom.

What was once considered mere entertainment has evolved into a powerful educational approach known as "Playful learning." This innovative method leverages games and gamified experiences to enhance educational outcomes, engaging students in immersive, interactive, and effective learning experiences.

The key to this is knowing what drives them to use your app in the first place, and to that end, I like to turn to the 8 Core Drives outlined by Yu-Kai Chou in his highly practical book "Actionable Gamification." Before we dive into these 8 drives, first a couple words of skepticism.

We still too often talk about video games as escapes - little playthings that are big business but often considered not as serious as their media peers. Our critics and reporters select their favorite TV shows, movies, albums, songs, books, theater, art shows and video games of the year.

As an accounting expert, I've seen firsthand the transformative power of gamification in finance. Learning accounting is often seen as challenging, but a case study involving 50 undergraduate accounting students from Taylor's University sought to change this perception by integrating gamification into the curriculum.

Traumatic brain injury can cause severe cognitive impairments, making rehabilitation challenging. Researchers started a retrospective study to design a customized serious game-based cognitive rehabilitation system for brain injury patients.

The importance of a motivated and cohesive cannot be overemphasized in today's competitive corporate world. As Steve Jobs famously stated in an interview "Great things in business are never done by one person, they're done by a team of people".

The Genzero campaign is accessible through the ValuesCo web app, serving as a platform for participants to embark on impactful actions aligned with campaign goals. Nonprofit organizations contribute actions, creators present these actions to their audiences, and brands incentivize actions through sweepstakes, products, experiences, and donations.

A new study by our top-rated Computer Science department proposes an innovative model aimed at facilitating collaboration between educators and video game designers in order to create more effective game-based learning tools.

British schoolchildren are set to learn about the Israel-Palestine conflict thanks to a computer game devised in Denmark. Global Conflicts: Checkpoints lets players take on the role of journalists reporting from the conflict.

Welcome to an open house of the MIT Game Lab, where play and experimentation are joined by serious inquiry about the gaming industry and its role in society. The Game Lab's work is designed to help students think critically about the games they've often been playing for years without considering the values they might project, and to prepare them to engage in thoughtful design practices themselves.

Exploring the world of gamified learning is akin to embarking on a thrilling adventure, where the conventional boundaries of education blur, giving way to interactive and engaging experiences. Beneath the surface of gamified learning lies a complex web of mechanics designed to captivate and motivate students.

One of the benefits of gamification in LMS is its ability to boost learner engagement. Gamification in LMS also plays a massive role in improving learner motivation. Another advantage of using gamification in LMS is its ability to reinforce learning.

Gamification can encourage students to take ownership of their learning Game-based learning promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive digital environment See related article: Digital tools are sticking around-here's the right way to leverage technology For more news on gamification, visit eSN's Digital Learning page Students don't have to be video game fanatics to appreciate a gamified classroom lesson.

The energy supplied by homes and municipalities in Spain comes from various sources, including hydroelectric, nuclear, photovoltaic, wind, coal, gas, etc. The person in charge of supervising and managing the energy consumed in our country is Red Eléctrica through the Electrical Control Center.