It is important to consider that both single player and multiplayer games should be inno-vative, playful and challenging in order to attract players and keep them using the game for a long time exposure [21]. Both kind of games are played because the players want to relax, entertain themselves, escape from the regular activities they do in their normal lives or simply, for getting some challenge in their spare time [15]. However, multiplayer games offer some characteristics that can attract players and retain them for a longer time in contrast with what could happen with single player games. Yee [66], for instance, stud-ies the motivation for gamers to play online. There could be different reasons for playing online, nevertheless, those related with the social aspect provided by online games are concerned with socializing by playing and talking with other players that are sharing the virtual world. Socializing inside the game can take the players to form long time rela-tionships with said people. And by socializing, the players obtain the opportunity to work as a team inside the game in order to accomplish a goal that otherwise would have been more difficult or impossible to obtain [66]. Players in cooperative games get satisfaction by maximizing not only the benefits for themselves but as well for the other players [61].
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On the other hand, what other players look for in multiplayer games is competition which is not related to only playing against the computer [66]. Competitive games attract those players that are sure that their skills are developed enough to be able to beat other players and in the process this provides them a challenge that keeps them motivated in order to surpass others [61]. This competition aspect present in many multiplayer games can cre-ate an extra stimulation factor that could be used to keep players interested in playing the game in a long term because it provides them with an extra challenge that is always evolv-ing [21]. In a competition environment, players usually seek to improve and achieve a high self-esteem state and it is especially motivating for persons with skills that are highly efficient [61].
Nevertheless, competition in a game can be enjoyable by weak and strong players because it can provide a more pleasant experience compared to the competitive environments to which the players are exposed in real life [19]. For instance, many players enjoy multi-player games even if they lose due to the fact of being able to play with other multi-players that could include friends, family or strangers. In online games, for example, some players enjoy that a network disadvantage can cause that weaker players can become the winners because it adds an element of challenge to high skilled players [15]. The competitive aspect in games transforms the playing experience and instead of becoming boring after the players have beaten the game, they could still be enjoyable because they would be competing in order to be best [21].
6.4 Relation to the Thesis
Having information about the nature of the social aspect of games is important because this thesis addresses the effects of multiplayer capabilities in motion based eduational games.
The literature regarding the types of multiplayer games is useful because it helps me in the design of the multiplayer modes in the game. Concretely, it provides guidelines to what a versus mode and a cooperation mode should address.
Moreover, the different ideas regarding the attractiveness of multiplayer games is impor-tant to this project because they provide me with a basis for comparing my findings, re-garding the different game modes, during the game evaluation with real players.
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Chapter 7
Games for Different Domains
This chapter aims to detect previous game concepts that address the area concerning their reusability for teaching in different domain areas. The information obtained during the literature studied is complemented with my experiences on designing a game that could be usable in different areas. The results of this literature study helps towards answering RQ3.1.
Usually games are built up with a certain genre behind them, they are either shooters, sports, RPGs, or others. A similar situation happens when talking about serious games.
Games for education for instance are aimed to develop the skills of a student in a certain area of interest. Spelling games are aimed to teach kids to spell, math games are aimed for developing mathematical skills, and other very specific skills. However, there are some educational games that could be adapted to other domains. These games usually fall under the quiz genre and are aimed for the players to answer a question which could be made into a competition against other players.
7.1 Quiz Games
An example of a quiz game is Lecture Quiz by Wang et al. [62]. The Lecture Quiz game is developed as a multiplayer game where an unlimited amount of students can participate simultaneously. The game contains a series of questions and answers stored in a database that can be used as part of the game where the students are asked to answer a given ques-tion before a time limit runs out. The game gives feedback of the correct answer once all the players have submitted theirs or the time runs out. Even though this game was tested as in a Software Architecture class, the same game concept could be applied to other learn-ing domains, since it provides with facilities to create other questions through a web-based MySQL interface.
A similar case is found in The School Quiz, a Buzz! based game developed in Britain and aimed for the education of kids that assist to primary school. The game takes input from the British curricula and covers all different domains that are being taught in British schools. The game allows teachers or other interested stakeholders to modify the questions and the quizzes in order to adapt them to their necessities [7].
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