Every choice implies responsibility. Responsibility implies ethical values imprinted in those choices. Computer games have been considered “a series of interesting choices”. Is it possible to think of games as moral objects? Or, more precisely: is the design of computer games morally accountable? Computer game design is the craft of gameplay, the challenge of creating a balanced and enjoyable g...

It is proposed that games, which are designed to generate positive affect, are most successful when they facilitate flow (Csikszentmihalyi 1992). Flow is a state of concentration, deep enjoyment, and total absorption in an activity. The study of games, and a resulting understanding of flow in games can inform the design of non-leisure software for positive affect. The paper considers the ways i...

Present day video games offer interesting perspective for computer science research and eduction. As the first generation in history that grew up playing computer games is gradually moving from being students to being teachers, we are now witnessing a growing number of scientific publications and university courses dealing with games. In this contribution, we will report on both these aspects. ...

In this paper, we argue that computers are moving towards more ubiquitous integration with more traditional human activities, such as games. As a result, we argue that there will be an emergence of “location-aware” computer games, which merge the virtual reality of computer games with the physical location of the players. We ask the question of whether such games can be considered more pleasura...

Talking about games refers in today’s world often to the play of audio-visual computer games. Since their first introduction in the 1960s, computer games have evolved in many ways and are today one of the fastest growing industries. Besides the classic visual games, another niche has emerged over the last decade: audio-only computer games. The main difference to conventional games is that these...

This paper addresses the lack of solid historical information concerning early computer game sales and preferences. Two consistent data series from the magazines Softalk and Computer Gaming World (CGW) are analyzed to give an overview of the best selling and best rated games by players for the period of 1980-1984. A “genre palette” is inferred from the sources, giving a snapshot of how contempo...

Abstract-The traditional target of computer game security is mainly copy protection. The emergence of online games fundamentally changes the security requirements for computer games. Although computer game development often utilizes the cutting edge technology in computer graphics, artificial intelligence, human computer interaction and programming, game providers (developers or operators) do n...

This paper examines what an understanding of some of the key characteristics of computer games can contribute to design. Drawing on insights from Freud, hermeneutical theorists, and games themselves, we focus on repetition, its variation, and the matter of the ethical in computer games. The essay is concerned less with resolving the ethical questions posed than showing that the ethical also suc...

Computer games have a long history as entertainment media, but their use for educational or political communication is relatively recent. This paper explores the use of computer games as news media. Newsgames are computer games used to participate in the public sphere with the intention of explaining or commenting on current news. The paper provides a set of concepts for analyzing newsgames, ba...

The purpose of this study is to explore gender differences among adolescents who play computer games: key areas of study include hours played, motivation, enjoyment experienced, and the impacts on the students lives. The data were obtained from 535 Taiwan high school students. Results indicated that males spent more time playing computer games than did females and also enjoyed it more. Results ...