Author Archives: lankoski

Player Character Engagement in Computer Games

My article  Player Character Engagement in Computer Games came out. Here is the abstract: This article argues how players can control a player character influence interpretation and facilitate engagement within a game. Engagement with player characters can be goal-related or empathic, where goal-related engagement depends on affects elicited by goal-status evaluations whereas characters facilitate empathicContinue reading “Player Character Engagement in Computer Games”

Physical Pain and Social Rejection

Researchers demonstrate that our brain responds to social rejection in a similar way with physical pain. This research add more evidence for embodiment hypothesis. The authors write: “They [the results] are also consistent with research on “embodiment,” which suggests that somatosensory processing is integral to the experience of emotion.” Krossa, Bermana, Mischelb, Smithb &  WagerdContinue reading “Physical Pain and Social Rejection”

AI Design for Believable Characters via Gameplay Design Patterns

Lankoski, Johansson, Karlsson, Björk & Dell’Acqua, AI Design for Believable Characters via Gameplay Design Patterns just game out. Here is the abstract: We address the problem of creating human-like, believable behavior for game characters. To achieve character believability in games, the game designer needs to develop that character so that it fulfills as many aspectsContinue reading “AI Design for Believable Characters via Gameplay Design Patterns”

IJPR Issue 2:1 is out

New issue: journalofroleplaying.org/?page_id=226 Jonne Arjoranta. Defining Role-Playing Games as Language-Games William J. White. Playing House in a World of Night: Discursive Trajectories of Masculinity in a Tabletop Role-Playing Game Myriel Balzer. Immersion as a Prerequisite of the Didactical Potential of Role-Playing Noirin Curran. Stereotypes and Individual Differences in Role-playing Games J. Tuomas Harviainen. Sadomasochist Role-PlayingContinue reading “IJPR Issue 2:1 is out”

Some Refelections on the Game Project Course

In the Game Project course students design and develop a game from a scratch to (at least) beta level. It is obvious that current version of the game project course has some flaws. Currently the structure suffers issues of the big-design-first model. The course milestones set does not require prototyping and iteration. This has workedContinue reading “Some Refelections on the Game Project Course”

Research on Game Characters, part 2

I continue my literature search on game character. Some things I have missed, popped up: Hefner, D., Klimmt, C. and Vorderer, P., 2007. Identification with the Player Character as Determinant of Video Game Enjoyment. Entertainment Computing. Springer. DOI=10.1007/978-3-540-74873-1_6. Christoph, K., Dorothée, H. and Peter, V., 2009. The Video Game Experience as “True” Identification: A TheoryContinue reading “Research on Game Characters, part 2”