256,942 research outputs found
An experimental study of communication and coordination in noncooperative games
No full textThis paper reports the results of an experiment designed to test the usefulness of alternative solution concepts to explain players' behavior in noncooperative games with preplay communication. In the experiment subjects communicate byplain conversationprior to playing a simple game. In this setting, we find that the presumption ofindividualisticandindependentbehavior underlying the concept of Nash equilibrium is inappropriate. Instead, we observe behavior to becoordinatedandcorrelated. Statistical tests reject Nash equilibrium as an explanation of observed play. The coalition proof correlated equilibrium of the game, however, explains the data when the possibility of errors by players is introducedPublicad
Dark Patterns in the Design of Games
No full textGame designers are typically regarded as advocates for players. However, a game creator’s interests may not align with the players’. We examine some of the ways in which those opposed interests can manifest in a game’s design. In particular, we examine those elements of a game’s design whose purpose can be argued as questionable and perhaps even unethical. Building upon earlier work in design patterns, we call these abstracted elements Dark Game Design Patterns. In this paper, we develop the concept of dark design patterns in games, present examples of such patterns, explore some of the subtleties involved in identifying them, and provide questions that can be asked to help guide in the specification and identification of future Dark Patterns. Our goal is not to criticize creators but rather to contribute to an ongoing discussion regarding the values in games and the role that designers and creators have in this process
Coalition-proof equilibrium
No full textWe characterize the agreements that the players of a noncooperative game may
reach when they can communicate prior to play, but they cannot reach binding
agreements: A coalition-proo[ equilibrium is a correlated strategy from which no
coalition has an improving and self-enforcing deviation. We show that any correlated strategy whose support is contained in the set of actions that survive the iterated elimination of strictly dominated strategies and weakly Pareto dominates every other correlated strategy whose support is contained in that set, is a
coalition-proof equilibrium. Consequently, the unique equilibrium of a dominance
solvable game is coalition-proof.Publicad
On Some Myths about Sequenced Common-valued Auctions
No full textEquilibria are constructed for classes of game models of sequenced second-price auctions having identical common-valued objects. In some of these the equilibrium price falls on average, and in others the seller loses on average by committing to announce publicly something that he knows. Both of these possibilities are surprisesPublicad
VST-GAME: Galaxy Assembly as a function of Mass and Environment with VST
No full textVST-GAME is a VST survey in four bands (u', g', r', i') to perform a unique wide field coverage (20x20 Mpc^2 at z=0.4) of 12 massive galaxy clusters, at 0.2<z<0.6 (z median ~0.4), and reaching the limiting magnitude of M*+6, (i.e. 10^9M⊙ at z=0.4). The main goal is to determine the relative importance of different cluster assembly processes in driving the evolution of galaxies as a function of mass and environment. These data will allow the investigation of galaxy populations examining the entire cluster infall regions, with the depth needed to reach stellar mass regimes where model predictions are in tension with the data. Moreover, the proposed area/filters/depth will also allow legacy science, e.g. searching for high-redshift galaxies and candidate AGN and QSOs. This survey is part of a concerted effort which includes NIR observations of VISTA Public Survey programme (G-CAV, P.I.: M. Nonino) and a massive spectroscopic campaign already in hand (e.g., CLASH-VLT, P.I.: P. Rosati) and ongoing. So VST-GAME data, together with the ancillary data already available, will result in a transformative self-consistent dataset, to test and drive the development of galaxy evolution models
Undercurrents – A Computer-Based Gameplay Tool to Support Tabletop Roleplaying
No full textThis paper introduces Undercurrents, a computer-based gameplay tool for providing additional communication and media streams during tabletop roleplaying sessions. Based upon a client-server architecture, the system is intended to unobtrusively support secret communication, timing of audio and visual presentations to game events, and real-time documentation of the game session. Potential end users have been involved in the development and the paper provides details on the full design process
Alert Hockey: An Endogenous Learning Game
No full textWe describe a video game designed with a subtle and implicit learning mechanism that tracks aggressive and negligent play then uses this data to reduce players abilities and their
chance of winning against the computer. By converging the goals of game play with learning we argue the experience produced is both endogenous and outcome oriented. Sixty two participants
between 12 and 14 years old played the game at least 15 times each. Both aggressive play and negligence measures were reduced during the study (F(2, 40) = 10.589, p = 0.0002). Implicit
learning mechanisms like this have potential to provide specific learning outcomes at little expense to the enjoyment of interactive gameplay
Understanding Computer Role-Playing Games: A Genre Analysis Based on Gameplay Features in Combat Systems
No full textA game genre as diverse as that of computer role-playing games is difficult to overview. This poses challenges or both developers and researchers to position their work clearly within the genre. We present an overview of the genre based on clustering games with similar gameplay features. This allows a tracing of relations between subgenres through their gameplay, and connecting this to concrete game examples. The analysis was done through using gameplay design patterns to identify gameplay features and focused upon the combat systems in the games. The resulting cluster structure makes use of 321 patterns to create 37 different subgenre classifications based solely on gameplay features. In addition to the clusters, we identify four categories of patterns that help designers and researchers understand the combat systems in computer role-playing games
On The Foundations of Digital Games
No full textComputers have lead to a revolution in the games we play, and, following this, an interest for computer-based games has been sparked in research communities. However, this easily leads to the perception of a one-way direction of influence between that the field of game research and computer science. This historical investigation points towards a deep and intertwined relationship between research on games and the development of computers, giving a richer picture of both fields. While doing so, an overview of early game research is presented and an argument made that the
distinction between digital games and non-digital games may be counter-productive to game research as a whole
On Making Good Games - Using Player Virtue Ethics and Gameplay Design Patterns to Identify Generally Desirable Gameplay Features
No full textThis paper uses a framework of player virtues to perform a
theoretical exploration of what is required to make a game
good. The choice of player virtues is based upon the view
that games can be seen as implements, and that these are
good if they support an intended use, and the intended use
of games is to support people to be good players. A collection of gameplay design patterns, identified through
their relation to the virtues, is presented to provide specific starting points for considering design options for this type of good games. 24 patterns are identified supporting the virtues, including RISK/REWARD, DYNAMIC ALLIANCES, GAME MASTERS, and PLAYER DECIDED RESULTS, as are 7 countering three or more virtues, including ANALYSIS
PARALYSIS, EARLY ELIMINATION, and GRINDING. The paper concludes by identifying limitations of the approach as well as by showing how it can be applied using other views of what are preferable features in games
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