Video Games

Several cross-section and training studies have shown that video game play can improve cognitive functions such as visual attention, cognitive control, visual short-term memory, and general processing speed. Unfortunately the replication of these effects is not always successful, even when using similar cognitive tests to measure performance. We investigated an important aspect of this field that has not yet been empirically addressed: the role of video game genre. Our comparison of two video game player groups of specific genres (first-person shooter and real-time strategy) indicates that cognitive abilities (measured by task switching and multiple object tracking) may be differentially enhanced depending on the genre of video game being played. This result is significant as research to this point has focused on “action video games”, a loosely defined category that encompasses several video game genres, without controlling for effects potentially stemming from differences in mechanics between these video games. It also provides some evidence for the specificity of video game play benefits as a function of actions performed within the game, which is not in line with a generalized “learning to learn” accounting of these enhancements.

As novas interfaces e tecnologias dos games trazem hiperestímulos que fazem com que as características imersivas dentro de um ambiente virtual sejam potencializadas. A exploração espacial nos videogames inaugura novas possibilidades narrativas propiciando ao sujeito-jogador uma experiência pautada em uma interação lúdica significativa. Desta forma, pode-se entender o game designer como um arquiteto de histórias possíveis e o jogador como um demiurgo capaz de jogar a própria diegese do jogo.

G|A|M|E – n. 3/2014
Issue 3, 2014 – Video game subcultures: Playing at the periphery of mainstream culture
Edited by M. B. Carbone & P. Ruffino

M. B. Carbone & P. Ruffino – Introduction: games and subcultural theory

G. Zhang – The stroller in the virtual city: spatial practice of Hong Kong players in Sleeping Dogs

R. Gallagher – From camp to kitsch? A queer eye on console fandom

T. Plothe – “I’m a rogue night elf”. Avatars, gaming and The Big Bang Theory

I. Márquez – Playing new music with old games: The chiptune subculture

G. Menotti – Videorec as gameplay: Recording of playthroughs and video game engagement

A. Harvey – Twine’s revolution: Democratization, depoliticization, and the queering of game design

H. Tyni & O. Sotamaa – Assembling a game development scene?  Uncovering Finland’s largest demo party

Cover Art: KINSHASA vs AKIHABARA (Giovanni Fredi – http://kinshasavsakihabara.com)

Vol. 2 – Critical notes (non-peer reviewed)

M. Fuchs – Nordic game subcultures: between LARPers and avant-garde

T. Oliveira, E. Ferreira, L. Carvalho & A. Boechat – Tribute and Resistance: Participation and affective engagement in Brazilian  fangame makers and modders’ subcultures

R. Sampugnaro, S. Mica, S. Fallica, A. Bonaiuto & M. Mingrino – Participation at the Global Game Jam event: a bridge between consumer and producer worlds in digital entertainment

Cover Art: Contradictions (Filippo Minelli – http://www.filippominelli.com/contradictions/)

Commercial "war" games in a post-1989 setting are popular among a large audience. They offer players an enjoyable gameplay experience, while also referring to contemporary Bwar^ scenarios. As such, they have been studied in several ways, e.g., concerning the "realistic" nature of how they depict warfare. However, little is still known about the way in which the notion of "war" is conceptualized in these games. To fill this gap, this article offers a systematic analysis of the narrative content of 15 popular "war" games set after 1989, as well as their promotional descriptions, as these provide insight into how publishers respond to the interests of players. This is done based on the conceptual framework of conflict/war offered by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP).

A B S T R A C T Consumer demand for eSport and the growth of organized video game competitions has generated considerable attention from the sport, event, and entertainment industries. eSport therefore represents a novel and popular area for sport management academics to conduct research, educate students, and service industry. However, despite growth and acceptance by consumers and practitioners, academics debate eSport's position within the domain of sport management, their debates largely concentrated around the question of whether eSport can be classified as sport. In this article, the authors argue for the inclusion of organized eSport events and competitions within sport management vis-à-vis eSport's meeting certain defining criteria of sport in general. eSport's connection to traditional sport and defining characteristics are addressed to support eSport's role as a sport entertainment product recognized by industry as representing a substantial growth opportunity for sport and related organizations. As eSport continues to evolve, practitioners face managerial challenges that are similar to those in traditional sport, particularly in areas of governance and diversity. Sport management academics should embrace the potential of eSport in order to examine this evolution and provide guidance to industry through education and research.

This article explores the design and instructional effectiveness of Medulla, an educational game meant to teach basic brain structure and function to undergraduate psychology students. Developed in the retro-style platformer genre, Medulla uses two-dimensional gameplay with pixel-based graphics to engage students in learning content related to the brain, information which is often pre-requisite to more rigorous psychological study. A pretest-posttest design was used in an experiment assessing Medulla’s ability to teach psychology content. Results indicated that content knowledge was significantly higher on the posttest than the pretest, and a large effect size was present. Medulla appears to be an effective learning tool. These results have important implications in the design of educational psychology games and for educational game designers and artists exploring the possibility of using a two-dimensional retro-style structure.

Call for Papers:  Representation of race, ethnicity and culture in digital games

Asia Pacific Media Educator (Volume 26:1, June 2016) will explore the issues of race, cultural diversity, cross-cultural representations and inter-cultural dynamics in digital games.  This thematic issue will address three topic areas:
1) Representation in digital games:
Games like the Global Conflict series have been used to simulate the media’s role in fostering understanding and awareness of racial and ethnic conflicts.  One such example is Global Palestine in which Israeli students play as Palestinians, and Palestinian students play as Israelis.  What is the future of such games that deliberate on issues of political conflicts driven by race and ethnicity? Can games be used to foster cross-cultural understanding and enhance tolerance/acceptance of diversity in race and religion?  How do digital games incite racial hatred?  Besides entertainment, what other functions do games play in contemporary multicultural societies?

2) Discourse on race and culture in teaching journalism:
How can media academics recognise and respond to the discourse about race, religion, ethnicity and politics in digital games? What are the educational trends in teaching about multiculturalism in games? How are the issues of cultural diversity in digital games discussed in media studies and journalism courses?  What are the innovative practices in teaching cultural diversity with digital games?

3) Development of multicultural digital games
While the majority of high-profile titles are developed and distributed from the US and Japan,  the drive to reduce production costs has meant that development is frequently outsourced to countries  such as Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Poland, the Czech Republic and Russia. However, while game development is increasingly becoming a global enterprise, questions remain over the extent to which this diversity of production is reflected in the game content.

Commentaries and Q&As
This thematic issue also welcomes commentaries and book reviews, which take the form of Q&As with the book authors.  Book reviewers should inform the guest editors the books to be reviewed and whether the book authors are contactable for a Q&A. 

Deadlines are as follows:
Abstract for consideration:  30 September 2015
Paper for double blind peer review: 30 November 2015
Peer review period: November – December 2015
Submission of final paper:  15 January 2016

The word lengths for full papers are:
• Commentaries (3000 – 3500 words)
• Research papers (6000 words max including references)
• Book reviews (Q&A with book author) (1500 words max)

This issue will be guest edited by Dr Mark Finn (Swinburne University of Technology) and Dr Wajeehah Aayeshah (Charles Sturt University). 
Please email abstracts and paper to wajeehah@gmail.com, and copy to the Editor-in-Chief, Dr Eric Loo (University of Wollongong) at:  eloo@uow.edu.au

This book covers relevant issues such as gamification, curriculum development, using games to support ASD (autism spectrum disorder) students, choosing games for the classroom and library, homeschooling and gameschooling, working with parents and policymakers, and choosing tools for educational game development.
Each chapter provides an overview of the relevant frameworks and research findings, as well as practical case studies and useful resources.
Learning, Education & Games: Bringing Games into Educational Contexts is the second in a series written and edited by members of the Learning, Education, and Games (LEG) special interest group of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association).