Psychology

Gaming, HCI, Psychology, Serious Games, Simulations, Usability

Study Reveals Real Reason Behind Gaming Aggression


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A new study has revealed that gamers are more likely to experience feelings of aggression from playing a game when it is too difficult or when the controls are too complicated to master. In comparison, the research found there was “little difference” in levels of aggression when the games themselves depicted violence. Overwhelmingly, the deciding

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Gaming, HCI, Psychology, Serious Games

This Video Game Knows When You’re Scared–And Gets Scarier


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The director behind the innovative video game Nevermind tells us why biofeedback is the new frontier in gaming. In the future, horror games will know when you’re scared. And then they’ll get scarier. Proof: the currently-in-development horror-adventure game Nevermind, which just launched a Kickstarter campaign last week. The game pairs classic first-person exploration with biofeedback

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Gaming, HCI, Psychology, Simulations, Usability

From Myst to GTA V: Rockstar Nails the Branching Narrative


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What stands out about the latest release in the Grand Theft Auto series is the overwhelming size of the game’s map and storyline. However, after playing the game for a while, it becomes apparent that Rockstar Games has done an excellent job at balancing the game by utilizing multiple characters to provide just enough open-endedness

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Gaming, HCI, Psychology, Serious Games, Simulations, Usability

Crossing the UI Rift with Oculus


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Virtual reality opens the doors to a new era for user interface design. Oculus VR speaks to Develop about its opportunities Virtual reality doesn’t present user interface design with its first opportunity for transformation. The dawn of 3D long ago afforded games makers the prospect of moving beyond flat heads-up-displays and conventional menus. And when

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Gaming, HCI, Psychology, Simulations, Usability

Oculus Rift at SXSW: Is Virtual Reality the Holy Grail of Gaming?


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Cliff Bleszinski, Chris Roberts, Paul Bettner, and Palmer Luckey share their vision for the future of gaming The SXSW Gaming Expo is preposterously loud. At one side of the room, aStarcraft tournament is reaching its climax, but on the other side, one group of guys is yelling louder. They sound like a basement full of adolescents

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Gaming, Psychology, Serious Games, Simulations

Fear of Fun


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Some day not all that far in the future, a new kind of entertainment is going to be perfected that will either be the coolest video game ever, or the media equivalent of a lethal man-made super-virus. You can predict what that entertainment might be like just by extrapolating from technology that already exists.

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Gaming, HCI, Psychology, Simulations, Usability

Simplification: A Review of Civilization V


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The latest release in the Civilization series has many improvements, from beautiful new graphics to redesigned gameplay. Many features in Civilization IV have been streamlined or eliminated, in favor of a simplified playing experience that will attract new players to the game. Having studied Civilization IV extensively (most of our publications are based upon research

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