International Journal of Games and Social Impact, Vol. 2, Nº. 1 (2024)
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Item Playful PHI : using cognitive behavioral game design (CBGD) to create a COVID-19 prevention game, vaccine nation(Lusofona University, 2024-01-01) Starks, Katryna; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human InteractionsDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists and public health organizations such as the CDC and the WHO promoted health guide-lines to the public. However, social media misinformation, social stigma, and a drastic change in lifestyle lead to reduced com-pliance or non-compliance with these measures. As a result, playful public health messaging emerged as an attempt to increase health literacy around Covid-19 preventative practices, one of which was the tower defense game, Vaccine Nation. This article outlines the design principles of Cognitive Behavioral Game Design (CBGD) and how they were used to design the tower-defense game Vaccine Nation, incorporating recommended health interventions including isolating, hand hygiene, social distancing, wearing masks, and eventually getting vaccinated. Keywords: games, public health, Covid-19, disease prevention, health literacy, play, health promotion, Vaccine NationItem "Meeple-Centred Design" to assess collaborative play : the case of team3(Lusofona University, 2024-01-01) Barros, Joana Mourato Sardinha Figueiredo de; Casimiro, Cátia Sofia Fernandes; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions; CICANT (FCT) - Centro de Investigação em Comunicação Aplicada, Cultura e Novas TecnologiasThe social model of disability refers to the fact that disabilities occur when the surrounding environment isn’t prepared to accommodate the needs of People with Disabilities. Since accessibility has been given more importance in several areas of social life, we argue here that board games can also contribute to promoting the social life of People with Disabilities, since they can help combat their social isolation. As such, we will be doing an analysis of a game based on its accessibility.Keywords: Board game accessibility; Team3; Accessibility guidelines; Accessibility evaluation; InclusionItem Enhancing brain health and cognitive development through sensorimotor play in virtual reality : uncovering the neural correlates(Lusofona University, 2024-01-01) Lekova, Anna K.; Tsvetkova, Paulina; Andreeva, Anna; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human InteractionsBrain health is a critical part of well-being because it is a foundation for the ability to communicate, make decisions and solve real-life problems. Virtual reality games involve motor and sensory activities that can help to improve brain connectivity by pro-viding an immersive and interactive experience that engages multiple brain regions simultaneously. Reinforcing sensorimotor activities influences cognitive skills and improves brain health. Sensorimotor play in virtual reality is a relatively new concept that is gaining attention as a tool for promoting brain health and cognitive abilities. It is believed that this type of play can have positive impact on brain health and cognitive function, such as improving memory, enhancing focus, and reducing stress and anxiety. The aims of the current paper are (1) - to present evidence, based on neuro correlates, of the importance of the sensorimotor play to the brain health and (2) - to propose a conceptual model for a personalized VR game design using neurocognitive feedback obtained through Brain-Computer Interface that assesses brain areas during sensorimotor stimulation.Keywords: virtual reality, sensorimotor play, neurocognitive evidences, brain development, serious games.Item Learning engagement in a pre-alpha version of an educational game : evaluation and proposed solutions(Lusofona University, 2024-01-01) MARCELINO, LÍLIA SOFIA FERREIRA LOPES; Fernandes, Pedro Miguel Alves; Cerqueira, Ricardo João Ramos; Faculdade de Ciências Sociais, Educação e Administração; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human InteractionsGame-based learning focuses on engaging and immersing students in playability, and User Experience is a good opportunity to improve the game experience and to engage students in real learning. A theoretical five-factor model of learning engagement is used to analyse the overall sense of engagement in primary and secondary school students in a playtesting setting in the early stages of developing an inclusive educational mathematics video game mainly designed for deaf and hearing students. A meas-uring engagement usability playtest was conducted to answer the following research questions: a) What do students perceive as a sense of engagement? b) What information about the engagement is worthwhile to improve the game design and game experience? Twenty-three hearing students (15 boys and eight girls) participated in the study. The participants are 2nd to 12th graders, with a mean age of 13.7. After students played the pre-alpha version of a video game, most agreed that the prototype was challenging, reporting motivation to undertake the game's mathematical challenge. They perceived the game activity as clear and achievable. The students also reported having control over different types of actions in the game, and nearly one-quar-ter of the students perceived the game activity as not immersive. Also, the older students expressed that the game's purpose seemed irrelevant to their age group, which ultimately affected the game's general rating on the clarity of the game's purpose. The playtesting sessions reveal that players need help separating the game from its educational goal, and the misalignment between the character's movements affects the game's action control. After collecting engagement problems in playtesting sessions, the study proposes solutions, including changing interface elements. The current work demonstrates the importance of evaluating engagement in playtesting sessions in the early stage of development to improve the game experience long before the final version.Keywords:video game, game-based learning, mathematics, engagement, playtestingItem Playful by design : a third space community of practice for game studies & design(Lusofona University, 2024-01-01) Pitar, Judith; Bievenue, Lisa; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human InteractionsThis paper traces the history and development of Playful by Design, a cross-campus initiative at the University of Illinois Urba-na-Champaign from which the interdisciplinary Game Studies & Design program emerged. Interdisciplinary collaborations bridge differences between academic cultures and can spur innovative research and new programs and initiatives. Games, under-stood both as objects of study and as a methodology for conducting research on topics other than games, are moving into the mainstream within multiple academic disciplines; that doesn't mean that interdisciplinary game studies must disappear as an intellectual endeavor. Playful by Design has become a local and global community of practice in which shared and overlapping interests in game-relevant research of all kinds, but also in design, pedagogy, and technology, provide a durable interdiscipli-nary third space. As a network, it can welcome multidisciplinary activities pursued by teachers, scholars, artists, and designers within their own disciplines and in their own ways. Through creative collaborations, the sharing of resources, and the growth of team-based studio work and other experiential learning, this approach facilitates the emergence of transdisciplinary and glocal aspirations. These include shared values of accessibility and inclusion, reflected in how we teach and conduct research, and in the design and creation of games, simulations, and other interactive and immersive experiences that address the critical shared challenges of our times.Keywords: Game Studies, Game Design, Game Development, Community of Practice, Third Space, Glocal, Collaboration, Accessi-bility, Emerging Technologies, Playful by DesignItem Editorial - playful by design : Transformative approaches to game studies(Lusofona University, 2024-01-01) de Sousa, João Alves; Faculdade de Comunicação, Arquitetura, Artes e Tecnologias da Informação; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions