Power-Ups in Digital Games: The Rewarding Effect of Phantom Game Elementson Player Experience

Power-ups are a type of game reward that allow the player tocustomise their experience by altering gameplay for a shortperiod of time. Despite the wide use of power-ups in videogames, little is known about their effect on gaming experiences.To explore this, we conducted an experimental study that compares the experiences of players depending on their exposureto power-ups in a recreational video game. The results show that players who collected power-ups felt significantly more immersed in the game, experienced more autonomy, but didnot feel more competent or challenged than those who played the game without these collectables. Interestingly, a similareffect was observed for those players who picked up ‘placebo ’power-ups, despite the items having no effect on the gameplay. We provide a discussion of these results and their implications both for games user researchers and game designers

Alterations in neuromuscular function in girls with generalized joint hypermobility

BACKGROUND: Generalized Joint Hypermobility (GJH) is associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal joint pain. We investigated neuromuscular performance and muscle activation strategy. METHODS: Girls with GJH and non-GJH (NGJH) performed isometric knee flexions (90°,110°,130°), and extensions (90°) at 20 % Maximum Voluntary Contraction, and explosive isometric knee flexions while sitting. EMG was recorded from knee flexor and extensor muscles. RESULTS: Early rate of torque development was 53 % faster for GJH. Reduced hamstring muscle activation in girls with GJH was found while knee extensor and calf muscle activation did not differ between groups. Flexion-extension and medial-lateral co-activation ratio during flexions were higher for girls with GJH than NGJH girls. CONCLUSIONS: Girls with GJH had higher capacity to rapidly generate force than NGJH girls which may reflect motor adaptation to compensate for hypermobility. Higher medial muscle activation indicated higher levels of medial knee joint compression in girls with GJH. Increased flexion-extension co-activation ratios in GJH were explained by decreased agonist drive to the hamstrings

Why Is CryptoKitties (Not) Gambling?

CryptoKitties (Axiom Zen 2017) is a pioneering blockchain-based game that disrupts the ‘classic game model’ (Juul 2003; 2013) in a way that turns it into a gambling web application. As previous research has shown, its mechanics are almost exclusively based on chance (Scholten et al 2019), and the rest is mostly speculation with game assets (Lee, Yoo and Jang 2019). This raises the question whether this game requires any skill, such as strategic planning. In my case study, I revisit the game system and perform a practice of playing it to differentiate between unpredictable (or “aleatory”, as in Johnson 2018) and decision-making points in the game. I argue that mapping the journey of a player should complement analysis of the game system to assess the balance between skill and chance in a better-informed manner.© Alesja Serada. ACM 2020. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive Version of Record was published in FDG '20 : International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games, https://doi.org/10.1145/3402942.3402985.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Živjeti s kompetentnom djecom

Odgojiti kompetentnu djecu znači shvaćati ih ozbiljno i istovremeno brinuti o cijeloj obitelj, kaže Jesper Juul

"The Collecting Itself Feels Good": Towards Collection Interfaces for Digital Game Objects

© Lennart Nacke, 2016. This is the author’s version of the work. It is posted here for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in CHI PLAY Companion '16 Proceedings of the 2016 Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play Companion Extended Abstracts, https://doi.org/10.1145/2967934.2968088Digital games offer a variety of collectible objects. We investigate players' collecting behaviors in digital games to determine what digital game objects players enjoyed collecting and why they valued these objects. Using this information, we seek to inform the design of future digital game object collection interfaces. We discuss the types of objects that players prefer, the reasons that players value digital game objects, and how collection behaviors may guide play. Through our findings, we identify design implications for digital game object collection interfaces: enable object curation, preserve rules and mechanics, preserve context of play, and allow players to share their collections with others. Digital game object collection interfaces are applicable to the design of digital games, gamified applications, and educational software.Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of CanadaPeer-reviewe

Use of a new knee prosthesis as an articulating spacer in two-stage revision of infected total knee arthroplasty

PURPOSE: To report our experience with two-stage revision using a new femoral component (NFC) spacer (Depuy Synthes) as an articulating spacer.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we reviewed 22 two-stage revisions that were performed using an NFC spacer in 22 patients suspected of having an infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from December 2010 to March 2013. The result was considered successful when eradication of infection was achieved using only one NFC spacer.RESULTS: The average time from primary TKA to the first stage procedure was 29.1 months and the average time from the first stage procedure until the final second stage procedure was 12.7 weeks. The average range of motion increased from 82° preoperatively to 104° postoperatively. The American Knee Society Knee score increased from 29.3 points to 66 points. The Function score increased from 29.5 points to 64 points. Four cases were reinfected after two-stage revision. The mean follow-up was 37.6 months.CONCLUSIONS: The new articulating spacer showed promising short-term results both with regard to eradication of infection and functional improvement.</p

Squeezer - A Tool for Designing Juicy Effects

This paper introduces Squeezer, a tool for designing juicy effects inthe Unity game engine. Drawing upon inspiration from sound effect synthesizers and description languages, Squeezer can "synthesize" common types of juice effects, by combining simple effects into effect sequences. These effect sequences can be edited and executed even while playing the game in the editor, lowering iteration times and easing the exploration of effects. We make a preliminary usability test to verify the functionality and scope of the tool. Squeezer is available at: https://github.com/pyjamads/Squeeze