Introduction There can be no doubt that computer games are artifacts with an increasing importance for our culture. Game industry has passed the annual trade of film production and game design is one of the prime movers for the development of information technology leading the way for other sectors. The potentials and properties of this media is something that the growing generation takes for g...

This paper approaches computer games from three perspectives: First, by defining the properties common to all games. Second, by fitting computer games into Model–View–Controller architectural pattern and discerning common software components. Third, by listing features that players expect from an enjoyable computer game.

The Department of Computer Science at the University of Southern California recently created two new degree programs, namely a Bachelor’s Program in Computer Science (Games) and a Master’s Program in Computer Science (Game Development). In this paper, we discuss two projects that use games as motivator. First, the Computer Games in the Classroom Project develops stand-alone projects on standard...

A computer game is a very convenient way of recreation. In order to simulate most classical games, many algorithms have been implemented. The complexity of algorithms used in implementing the games leads to a continuous increasing of the computer performance. The application presented in this paper is able to play backgammon. The software allows a game between two players and also a game betwee...

BACKGROUND Addiction to computer (video) games in adolescents and its relationship with educational progress has recently attracted the attention of rearing and education experts as well as organizations and institutes involved in physical and mental health. The current research attempted to propose a structural model of the relationships between parenting styles, mothers' occupation status, an...

Video games have exceeded U.S. box-office in the annual sales (Tran, 2002) and emerged as the most frequently used interactive media among children (Kirriemuir & McFarlane, 2003). Game-based learning advocates (Gee, 2003; Prensky, 2001a) argue that this powerful medium can and should be utilized for laudable educational outcomes. However, although teachers and administrators acknowledge the pos...

Computer game developers have endeavoured to provide players with meaningful experiences in their stories. Unfortunately, very few have succeeded. One reason for this is the lack of understanding of how best to present a story in an interactive environment. This is in part due to the lack of theoretical underpinnings. This paper will present an extended definition of believability as one such t...

What is the relationship between computer games and cinema? Spin-off games based on major fi lm franchises are common, especially in genres such as science fi ction, action-adventure and horror. Some games have also made the transition to the big screen, none more prominently than the Tomb Raider series in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001). The potential benefi ts of such tieins are apparent at th...

This study investigated how electronic media impact youth’s leisure-time reading at different academic levels. One hundred two school librarians participated in an online survey. These respondents reported that playing computer games, watching TV, and surfing the Internet compete with reading. Primary school librarians mainly agreed with the impact of TV and computer games, but not with that of...