2023
Alha, Kati; Leorke, Dale; Koskinen, Elina; Paavilainen, Janne
Augmented Play: An Analysis of Augmented Reality Features in Location-based Games Journal Article
In: Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, vol. 29, iss. 2, 2023, ISSN: 1354-8565.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Augmented reality, Location-based game, Mobile games
@article{Alha2023b,
title = {Augmented Play: An Analysis of Augmented Reality Features in Location-based Games},
author = {Kati Alha and Dale Leorke and Elina Koskinen and Janne Paavilainen},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202303223074
},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565231156495},
issn = {1354-8565},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-02-13},
urldate = {2023-02-13},
journal = {Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies},
volume = {29},
issue = {2},
abstract = {As well as popularising location-based games, Pokémon GO helped connect location-based play with augmented reality (AR), bringing this still-nascent technology into the mainstream. Despite growing use of AR, its long-promised revolutionary potential remains stifled by limited innovation, technical barriers and lack of uptake by users. To explore how AR figures into location-based games, we analysed 11 location-based games with AR features. We identify four overarching ways these games incorporate the physical environment into gameplay: through superimposition, blending, immersivity and materiality. Our findings show that AR is most commonly a gimmick rather than a central element of the game experience and remains substantially hindered by technical glitches and limitations. While more advanced and deeply integrated AR mechanics are emerging, its use in location-based games remain far from the ‘technological imaginaries’ that have accompanied its development as AR continually oscillates between its status as a ‘mundane’ and ‘always-imminent’ technology.},
keywords = {Augmented reality, Location-based game, Mobile games},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
As well as popularising location-based games, Pokémon GO helped connect location-based play with augmented reality (AR), bringing this still-nascent technology into the mainstream. Despite growing use of AR, its long-promised revolutionary potential remains stifled by limited innovation, technical barriers and lack of uptake by users. To explore how AR figures into location-based games, we analysed 11 location-based games with AR features. We identify four overarching ways these games incorporate the physical environment into gameplay: through superimposition, blending, immersivity and materiality. Our findings show that AR is most commonly a gimmick rather than a central element of the game experience and remains substantially hindered by technical glitches and limitations. While more advanced and deeply integrated AR mechanics are emerging, its use in location-based games remain far from the ‘technological imaginaries’ that have accompanied its development as AR continually oscillates between its status as a ‘mundane’ and ‘always-imminent’ technology.
Alha, Kati
Pokémon Go (2016): A Location Based Game Breaks Through Book Section
In: Perron, Bernard; Boudreau, Kelly; Wolf, Mark J. P.; Arsenault, Dominic (Ed.): Fifty Key Video Games, pp. 196-202, Routledge, 2023, ISBN: 978-1-003-19920-5, (Embargoed document. Embargo ends 27/07/24.).
Abstract | Links | Tags: Location-based game, Play, Playful behavior, Pokémon Go, Video games
@incollection{Alha2023,
title = {Pokémon Go (2016): A Location Based Game Breaks Through},
author = {Kati Alha},
editor = {Bernard Perron and Kelly Boudreau and Mark J.P. Wolf and Dominic Arsenault},
url = {https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003199205/fifty-key-video-games-dominic-arsenault-kelly-boudreau-bernard-perron-mark-wolf
https://researchportal.tuni.fi/en/publications/pok%C3%A9mon-go-2016-a-location-based-game-breaks-through},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003199205},
isbn = {978-1-003-19920-5},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-01-31},
urldate = {2023-01-31},
booktitle = {Fifty Key Video Games},
pages = {196-202},
publisher = {Routledge},
abstract = {During the summer of 2016, Pokémon Go was everywhere. It was difficult to go outside without noticing players hunting and catching Pokémon creatures in real-world locations; location-based gaming had become a mainstream activity. Through novel gameplay and unprecedented success, Pokémon Go became one of the biggest and most impactful games of the time. While the game collected praise of its positive impacts on exercising and outdoor activity, the success also caused disruptive behavior, such as players taking over locations from their previous use, trespassing on private properties, or causing danger in traffic. Many of the game’s biggest impacts are of a social nature: it enabled random encounters between strangers, created opportunities to both build new relationships and strengthen existing ones, and increased the feeling of community and belonging. Not all audiences have been included in the same manner, though: the game is not equally accessible or safe to play in all locations or by all groups of people. Despite its shortcomings, Pokémon Go managed to bring gaming to new audiences and increased the acceptability of play and playful behavior in our society – for all ages.},
note = {Embargoed document. Embargo ends 27/07/24.},
keywords = {Location-based game, Play, Playful behavior, Pokémon Go, Video games},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
During the summer of 2016, Pokémon Go was everywhere. It was difficult to go outside without noticing players hunting and catching Pokémon creatures in real-world locations; location-based gaming had become a mainstream activity. Through novel gameplay and unprecedented success, Pokémon Go became one of the biggest and most impactful games of the time. While the game collected praise of its positive impacts on exercising and outdoor activity, the success also caused disruptive behavior, such as players taking over locations from their previous use, trespassing on private properties, or causing danger in traffic. Many of the game’s biggest impacts are of a social nature: it enabled random encounters between strangers, created opportunities to both build new relationships and strengthen existing ones, and increased the feeling of community and belonging. Not all audiences have been included in the same manner, though: the game is not equally accessible or safe to play in all locations or by all groups of people. Despite its shortcomings, Pokémon Go managed to bring gaming to new audiences and increased the acceptability of play and playful behavior in our society – for all ages.
2021
Koskinen, Elina; Meriläinen, Mikko
Social Playfulness—Memorable Family Co-play Experiences with Pokémon GO Book Section
In: Spanellis, Agnessa; Harviainen, J. Tuomas (Ed.): Transforming Society and Organizations through Gamification, pp. 247-270, Springer International, 2021, ISBN: 9783030682064.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Family, Location-based game, Player experience, Playfulness, Pokémon Go
@incollection{Koskinen2021,
title = {Social Playfulness—Memorable Family Co-play Experiences with Pokémon GO},
author = {Elina Koskinen and Mikko Meriläinen},
editor = {Agnessa Spanellis and J. Tuomas Harviainen
},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-68207-1_13},
isbn = {9783030682064},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-05-08},
booktitle = {Transforming Society and Organizations through Gamification},
pages = {247-270},
publisher = {Springer International},
abstract = {Pokémon GO, a very popular location-based augmented reality game, has appealed to a wide range of age groups and encouraged entire families to play. This chapter examines family social interactions in the context of digital gaming through an exploratory qualitative survey study (n = 263) of Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences. We studied siblings and partners in addition to children and parents to chart the many forms of family interaction around Pokémon GO. Our results suggest that playing digital games in a family context can facilitate diverse positive experiences and interactions and support family bonding, but this is contingent on a variety of gameplay features. In the case of Pokémon GO, a key element was the playful mindset elicited by the game, in turn encouraged by its location-based gameplay. Pokémon GO can augment everyday interactions by adding a playful layer to them, since it is easily embedded in and combined with other activities.
},
keywords = {Family, Location-based game, Player experience, Playfulness, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
Pokémon GO, a very popular location-based augmented reality game, has appealed to a wide range of age groups and encouraged entire families to play. This chapter examines family social interactions in the context of digital gaming through an exploratory qualitative survey study (n = 263) of Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences. We studied siblings and partners in addition to children and parents to chart the many forms of family interaction around Pokémon GO. Our results suggest that playing digital games in a family context can facilitate diverse positive experiences and interactions and support family bonding, but this is contingent on a variety of gameplay features. In the case of Pokémon GO, a key element was the playful mindset elicited by the game, in turn encouraged by its location-based gameplay. Pokémon GO can augment everyday interactions by adding a playful layer to them, since it is easily embedded in and combined with other activities.
2020
Lu, Chien; Koskinen, Elina; Leorke, Dale; Nummenmaa, Timo; Peltonen, Jaakko
The World Is Your Playground: A Bibliometric and Text Mining Analysis of Location-Based Game Research Proceedings Article
In: Brooks, Anthony; Brooks, Eva Irene; Jonathan, Duckworth (Ed.): Interactivity and Game Creation: 9th EAI International Conference, ArtsIT 2020, Aalborg, Denmark, December 10–11, 2020, Proceedings, pp. 160-179, Springer, 2020, ISBN: 9783030734251.
Links | Tags: Bibliometric analysis, Location-based game, Text mining, Topic modeling
@inproceedings{Lu2020d,
title = {The World Is Your Playground: A Bibliometric and Text Mining Analysis of Location-Based Game Research},
author = {Chien Lu and Elina Koskinen and Dale Leorke and Timo Nummenmaa and Jaakko Peltonen},
editor = {Anthony Brooks and Eva Irene Brooks and Duckworth Jonathan
},
url = {https://homepages.tuni.fi/jaakko.peltonen/online-papers/lu2020artsit.pdf},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-73426-8_9},
isbn = {9783030734251},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-12-10},
booktitle = {Interactivity and Game Creation: 9th EAI International Conference, ArtsIT 2020, Aalborg, Denmark, December 10–11, 2020, Proceedings},
pages = {160-179},
publisher = {Springer},
keywords = {Bibliometric analysis, Location-based game, Text mining, Topic modeling},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Arjoranta, Jonne; Kari, Tuomas; Salo, Markus
Exploring Features of the Pervasive Game Pokémon GO That Enable Behavior Change: Qualitative Study Journal Article
In: JMIR Serious Games, vol. 8, iss. 2, pp. e15967, 2020, ISSN: 2291-9279.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Augmented reality games, Behaviour change, Behaviour change support system, Digital games, Exergames, Location-based game, Pervasive games, Pokémon Go
@article{Arjoranta2020,
title = {Exploring Features of the Pervasive Game Pokémon GO That Enable Behavior Change: Qualitative Study},
author = {Jonne Arjoranta and Tuomas Kari and Markus Salo},
url = {https://games.jmir.org/2020/2/e15967/},
doi = {10.2196/15967},
issn = {2291-9279},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-04-01},
journal = {JMIR Serious Games},
volume = {8},
issue = {2},
pages = {e15967},
abstract = {Background:
Digital gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. While prior literature concluded that digital games can enable changes in players’ behaviors, there is limited knowledge about different types of behavior changes and the game features driving them. Understanding behavior changes and the game features behind them is important because digital games can motivate players to change their behavior for the better (or worse).
Objective:
This study investigates the types of behavior changes and their underlying game features within the context of the popular pervasive game Pokémon GO.
Methods:
We collected data from 262 respondents with a critical incident technique (CIT) questionnaire. We analyzed the responses with applied thematic analysis with ATLAS.ti (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH) software.
Results:
We discovered 8 types of behavior changes and 13 game features relevant to those behavior changes. The behavior changes included added activity in life, enhancing routines, exploration, increased physical activity, strengthening social bonds, lowering social barriers, increased positive emotional expression and self-treatment. The game features included reaching a higher level, catching new Pokémon, evolving new Pokémon, visiting PokéStops, exploring PokéStops, hatching eggs, fighting in gyms, collaborative fighting, exploiting special events, finding specific Pokémon, using items, Pokémon theme, and game location tied to physical location. The behavior changes were connected to specific game features, with game location tied to physical location and catching new Pokémon being the most common and connected to all behavior changes.
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate that the surveyed players changed their behaviors while or after playing Pokémon GO. The respondents reported being more social, expressed more positive emotions, found more meaningfulness in their routines, and had increased motivation to explore their surroundings.},
keywords = {Augmented reality games, Behaviour change, Behaviour change support system, Digital games, Exergames, Location-based game, Pervasive games, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background:
Digital gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. While prior literature concluded that digital games can enable changes in players’ behaviors, there is limited knowledge about different types of behavior changes and the game features driving them. Understanding behavior changes and the game features behind them is important because digital games can motivate players to change their behavior for the better (or worse).
Objective:
This study investigates the types of behavior changes and their underlying game features within the context of the popular pervasive game Pokémon GO.
Methods:
We collected data from 262 respondents with a critical incident technique (CIT) questionnaire. We analyzed the responses with applied thematic analysis with ATLAS.ti (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH) software.
Results:
We discovered 8 types of behavior changes and 13 game features relevant to those behavior changes. The behavior changes included added activity in life, enhancing routines, exploration, increased physical activity, strengthening social bonds, lowering social barriers, increased positive emotional expression and self-treatment. The game features included reaching a higher level, catching new Pokémon, evolving new Pokémon, visiting PokéStops, exploring PokéStops, hatching eggs, fighting in gyms, collaborative fighting, exploiting special events, finding specific Pokémon, using items, Pokémon theme, and game location tied to physical location. The behavior changes were connected to specific game features, with game location tied to physical location and catching new Pokémon being the most common and connected to all behavior changes.
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate that the surveyed players changed their behaviors while or after playing Pokémon GO. The respondents reported being more social, expressed more positive emotions, found more meaningfulness in their routines, and had increased motivation to explore their surroundings.
Digital gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. While prior literature concluded that digital games can enable changes in players’ behaviors, there is limited knowledge about different types of behavior changes and the game features driving them. Understanding behavior changes and the game features behind them is important because digital games can motivate players to change their behavior for the better (or worse).
Objective:
This study investigates the types of behavior changes and their underlying game features within the context of the popular pervasive game Pokémon GO.
Methods:
We collected data from 262 respondents with a critical incident technique (CIT) questionnaire. We analyzed the responses with applied thematic analysis with ATLAS.ti (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH) software.
Results:
We discovered 8 types of behavior changes and 13 game features relevant to those behavior changes. The behavior changes included added activity in life, enhancing routines, exploration, increased physical activity, strengthening social bonds, lowering social barriers, increased positive emotional expression and self-treatment. The game features included reaching a higher level, catching new Pokémon, evolving new Pokémon, visiting PokéStops, exploring PokéStops, hatching eggs, fighting in gyms, collaborative fighting, exploiting special events, finding specific Pokémon, using items, Pokémon theme, and game location tied to physical location. The behavior changes were connected to specific game features, with game location tied to physical location and catching new Pokémon being the most common and connected to all behavior changes.
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate that the surveyed players changed their behaviors while or after playing Pokémon GO. The respondents reported being more social, expressed more positive emotions, found more meaningfulness in their routines, and had increased motivation to explore their surroundings.
Innocent, Troy; Leorke, Dale
(De)coding the City: Analyzing Urban Play through Wayfinder Live Journal Article
In: American Journal of Play, vol. 12, iss. 3, pp. 270-304, 2020, ISSN: 1938-0399.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Affect, Assemblage, Coding, Decoding, Encoding, Interface, Location-based game, Urban play, Wayfinder Live
@article{Innocent2020,
title = {(De)coding the City: Analyzing Urban Play through Wayfinder Live},
author = {Troy Innocent and Dale Leorke},
url = {https://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/12-3-Article-2-Decoding-the-city.pdf},
issn = {1938-0399},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-03-22},
journal = {American Journal of Play},
volume = {12},
issue = {3},
pages = {270-304},
abstract = {The authors use the location-based, augmented-reality game Way finder Live, which one of them designed, as a case study to analyze urban play. Acknowledging the difficulty of defining urban play, they expand existing approaches to the topic by drawing on current theories about interfaces, assemblages, and coding in such fields as media and cultural studies, game and play studies, and urban studies. They consider Way finder Live as an interface--a site of both connection and translation--for urban play, one that encourages its players to test a given city's physical and social boundaries. They argue that the game offers a fruitful, if always contingent and contextual, framework for analyzing digitally mediated urban play. Key words: affect; assemblage; coding; decoding; encoding; interface; location-based gaming; urban play; Way finder Live.},
keywords = {Affect, Assemblage, Coding, Decoding, Encoding, Interface, Location-based game, Urban play, Wayfinder Live},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The authors use the location-based, augmented-reality game Way finder Live, which one of them designed, as a case study to analyze urban play. Acknowledging the difficulty of defining urban play, they expand existing approaches to the topic by drawing on current theories about interfaces, assemblages, and coding in such fields as media and cultural studies, game and play studies, and urban studies. They consider Way finder Live as an interface--a site of both connection and translation--for urban play, one that encourages its players to test a given city's physical and social boundaries. They argue that the game offers a fruitful, if always contingent and contextual, framework for analyzing digitally mediated urban play. Key words: affect; assemblage; coding; decoding; encoding; interface; location-based gaming; urban play; Way finder Live.
Lammes, Sybille; Leorke, Dale (Ed.)
Games, Play and Urban Environments Collection
2020, ISSN: 1938-0399.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Location-based game, Minecraft, Pervasive games, Pokémon Go, Reviews, Urban play, Urban studies, Video games, Wayfinder Live
@collection{Lammes2020,
title = {Games, Play and Urban Environments},
editor = {Sybille Lammes and Dale Leorke},
url = {https://www.museumofplay.org/journalofplay/issues/volume-12-number-3/},
issn = {1938-0399},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-06},
urldate = {2020-01-06},
booktitle = {American Journal of Play},
volume = {12},
issue = {3},
abstract = {Welcome to The American Journal of Play’s special issue on games, play, and urban environments, another in our series of theme issues. This special issue appears as play itself, both outdoors and indoors, has been abruptly curtailed to fit the shifting regulations and safety concerns surrounding the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. To spotlight new scholarship and offer fresh perspectives on the relationship between play and space, guest editors Sybille Lammes and Dale Leorke have gathered a series of articles exploring this spatial relationship in video game play and design. Following their guest editors’ foreword, they begin with a roundtable discussion among the authors of Pervasive Games: Theory and Design—Markus Montola, Jaakko Stenros, and Annika Waern—about the evolution of pervasive games and the research it has inspired. Next, Troy Innocent and Dale Leorke take a new look at the concept of urban play, drawing on a case study of a location-based, augmented-reality game codesigned by Innocent. Hugh Davies offers an alternative cultural genealogy of Pokémon GO focused on the connections between Japan’s seasonal play and the popular augmented reality mobile game. Mia Consalvo and Andrew Phelps review the potential for game design to reveal the complex relationships between urban space, social class, and mental health through purposeful player navigation and narrative architecture. Hamza Bashandy closes the issue with an examination Minecraft’s contemporary use in community mapping and architectural design.
},
keywords = {Location-based game, Minecraft, Pervasive games, Pokémon Go, Reviews, Urban play, Urban studies, Video games, Wayfinder Live},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {collection}
}
Welcome to The American Journal of Play’s special issue on games, play, and urban environments, another in our series of theme issues. This special issue appears as play itself, both outdoors and indoors, has been abruptly curtailed to fit the shifting regulations and safety concerns surrounding the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. To spotlight new scholarship and offer fresh perspectives on the relationship between play and space, guest editors Sybille Lammes and Dale Leorke have gathered a series of articles exploring this spatial relationship in video game play and design. Following their guest editors’ foreword, they begin with a roundtable discussion among the authors of Pervasive Games: Theory and Design—Markus Montola, Jaakko Stenros, and Annika Waern—about the evolution of pervasive games and the research it has inspired. Next, Troy Innocent and Dale Leorke take a new look at the concept of urban play, drawing on a case study of a location-based, augmented-reality game codesigned by Innocent. Hugh Davies offers an alternative cultural genealogy of Pokémon GO focused on the connections between Japan’s seasonal play and the popular augmented reality mobile game. Mia Consalvo and Andrew Phelps review the potential for game design to reveal the complex relationships between urban space, social class, and mental health through purposeful player navigation and narrative architecture. Hamza Bashandy closes the issue with an examination Minecraft’s contemporary use in community mapping and architectural design.
2019
Arjoranta, Jonne; Friman, Usva; Koskimaa, Raine; Mäyrä, Frans; Sotamaa, Olli; Suominen, Jaakko
Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja 2019 Book
Pelitutkimuksen seura ry, 2019, ISSN: 1798-355X.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Death, Gamification, Geocaching, Geokätköily, Kuolema, Larp, Live-action role playing, Location-based game, Mourning, Muistelutyö, Paikkasidonnainen pelaaminen, Pelillistyminen, Reminiscence work, Suru, Video games, Videopelit
@book{Arjoranta2019b,
title = {Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja 2019},
author = {Jonne Arjoranta and Usva Friman and Raine Koskimaa and Frans Mäyrä and Olli Sotamaa and Suominen, Jaakko},
url = {https://www.pelitutkimus.fi/vuosikirja-2019},
issn = {1798-355X},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-12-18},
publisher = {Pelitutkimuksen seura ry},
abstract = {Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja on vertaisarvioitu, avoin tiedejulkaisu. Pelitutkimus on sekä monitieteinen tutkimusala että nuori akateeminen oppiaine, jonka parissa toimivien tutkijoiden huomion keskiössä on digitaalisten pelien erityisluonne. Suomessa tehdään korkeatasoista pelitutkimusta, jonka tulokset julkaistaan pääasiassa kansainvälisillä foorumeilla. Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja tuo uusimpia tutkimustuloksia yleisön saataville myös suomeksi.
Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirjan 2019 aloittaa Joelssonin ja Reunasen tutkimusartikkeli, joka yhdistää pelitutkimusta kuolemantutkimukseen. Joelsson ja Reunanen korostavat, miten kuolema ja kuoleminen ovat keskeinen, jopa itsestäänselvä osa useimpia pelejä, mutta tutkimus on toistaiseksi kommentoinut aihetta vain vähän. He analysoivat, miten kuoleminen, hautaaminen ja sureminen näkyvät erilaisissa peleissä 1980-luvulta 2010-luvulle.
Vuosikirjan katsausartikkelit käsittelevät liveroolipelaamisen käyttämistä muistelutyön menetelmänä ja geokätköilyn taiteellistamista. Vuosikirja sisältää myös kaksi kirja-arviota, kirjoista Role-playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations (2018) ja Gaming the Iron Curtain: How Teenagers and Amateurs in Communist Czechoslovakia Claimed the Medium of Computer Games (2018), sekä pelitutkimukseen liittyvän lektion.},
keywords = {Death, Gamification, Geocaching, Geokätköily, Kuolema, Larp, Live-action role playing, Location-based game, Mourning, Muistelutyö, Paikkasidonnainen pelaaminen, Pelillistyminen, Reminiscence work, Suru, Video games, Videopelit},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {book}
}
Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja on vertaisarvioitu, avoin tiedejulkaisu. Pelitutkimus on sekä monitieteinen tutkimusala että nuori akateeminen oppiaine, jonka parissa toimivien tutkijoiden huomion keskiössä on digitaalisten pelien erityisluonne. Suomessa tehdään korkeatasoista pelitutkimusta, jonka tulokset julkaistaan pääasiassa kansainvälisillä foorumeilla. Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja tuo uusimpia tutkimustuloksia yleisön saataville myös suomeksi.
Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirjan 2019 aloittaa Joelssonin ja Reunasen tutkimusartikkeli, joka yhdistää pelitutkimusta kuolemantutkimukseen. Joelsson ja Reunanen korostavat, miten kuolema ja kuoleminen ovat keskeinen, jopa itsestäänselvä osa useimpia pelejä, mutta tutkimus on toistaiseksi kommentoinut aihetta vain vähän. He analysoivat, miten kuoleminen, hautaaminen ja sureminen näkyvät erilaisissa peleissä 1980-luvulta 2010-luvulle.
Vuosikirjan katsausartikkelit käsittelevät liveroolipelaamisen käyttämistä muistelutyön menetelmänä ja geokätköilyn taiteellistamista. Vuosikirja sisältää myös kaksi kirja-arviota, kirjoista Role-playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations (2018) ja Gaming the Iron Curtain: How Teenagers and Amateurs in Communist Czechoslovakia Claimed the Medium of Computer Games (2018), sekä pelitutkimukseen liittyvän lektion.
Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirjan 2019 aloittaa Joelssonin ja Reunasen tutkimusartikkeli, joka yhdistää pelitutkimusta kuolemantutkimukseen. Joelsson ja Reunanen korostavat, miten kuolema ja kuoleminen ovat keskeinen, jopa itsestäänselvä osa useimpia pelejä, mutta tutkimus on toistaiseksi kommentoinut aihetta vain vähän. He analysoivat, miten kuoleminen, hautaaminen ja sureminen näkyvät erilaisissa peleissä 1980-luvulta 2010-luvulle.
Vuosikirjan katsausartikkelit käsittelevät liveroolipelaamisen käyttämistä muistelutyön menetelmänä ja geokätköilyn taiteellistamista. Vuosikirja sisältää myös kaksi kirja-arviota, kirjoista Role-playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations (2018) ja Gaming the Iron Curtain: How Teenagers and Amateurs in Communist Czechoslovakia Claimed the Medium of Computer Games (2018), sekä pelitutkimukseen liittyvän lektion.
Koskinen, Elina; Alha, Kati; Leorke, Dale; Paavilainen, Janne
Middle-aged Players’ Memorable Experiences with Pokémon GO Proceedings Article
In: DiGRA '19 - Proceedings of the 2019 DiGRA International Conference: Game, Play and the Emerging Ludo-Mix, DiGRA, 2019, ISSN: 2342-9666.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Augmented reality, Location-based game, Middle-aged players, Older gamers, Player experience, Pokémon Go
@inproceedings{Koskinen2019b,
title = {Middle-aged Players’ Memorable Experiences with Pokémon GO},
author = {Elina Koskinen and Kati Alha and Dale Leorke and Janne Paavilainen},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202009016828},
issn = {2342-9666},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-08-06},
booktitle = {DiGRA '19 - Proceedings of the 2019 DiGRA International Conference: Game, Play and the Emerging Ludo-Mix},
publisher = {DiGRA},
abstract = {As the first location-based augmented reality game to gain mainstream popularity, Pokémon GO also reached an older demographic of players that have traditionally played less and whose play experiences are under-researched. In this article, we present the findings of a qualitative survey study (n=349) focusing on the middle-aged (40–65-year-old) Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and its player base likely most diverse. We analyzed the open-ended survey responses with thematic analysis, resulting in 7 categories and 88 thematic codes. The categories constructed were Game Play & Game Content, People & Sociability, Location, Circumstances & Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand the play experiences of middle-aged players through Pokémon GO. These findings also capture the memorable moments of a massive, unique social phenomenon at its peak from the perspective of a traditionally overlooked demographic.},
keywords = {Augmented reality, Location-based game, Middle-aged players, Older gamers, Player experience, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
As the first location-based augmented reality game to gain mainstream popularity, Pokémon GO also reached an older demographic of players that have traditionally played less and whose play experiences are under-researched. In this article, we present the findings of a qualitative survey study (n=349) focusing on the middle-aged (40–65-year-old) Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and its player base likely most diverse. We analyzed the open-ended survey responses with thematic analysis, resulting in 7 categories and 88 thematic codes. The categories constructed were Game Play & Game Content, People & Sociability, Location, Circumstances & Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand the play experiences of middle-aged players through Pokémon GO. These findings also capture the memorable moments of a massive, unique social phenomenon at its peak from the perspective of a traditionally overlooked demographic.
Koskinen, Elina; Leorke, Dale; Alha, Kati; Paavilainen, Janne
Player Experiences in Location-based Games: Memorable Moments with Pokemon GO Book Section
In: Geroimenko, Vladimir (Ed.): Augmented Reality Games I: Understanding the Pokémon GO Phenomenon, pp. 95-116, Springer Nature, 2019, ISBN: 978-3-030-15615-2.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Location-based game, Player experience, Pokémon Go
@incollection{Koskinen2019,
title = {Player Experiences in Location-based Games: Memorable Moments with Pokemon GO},
author = {Elina Koskinen and Dale Leorke and Kati Alha and Janne Paavilainen},
editor = {Vladimir Geroimenko},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202101151332},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-15616-9_7},
isbn = {978-3-030-15615-2},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-05-22},
urldate = {2019-05-22},
booktitle = {Augmented Reality Games I: Understanding the Pokémon GO Phenomenon},
pages = {95-116},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
abstract = {Pokémon GO was the first location-based augmented reality game to reach mainstream popularity. We present a qualitative survey study (n = 2611) focusing on the Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and the experiences were fresh in players’ minds. We analyzed the open-ended written responses with thematic analysis, resulting in seven categories with a total of 82 thematic codes. The categories we constructed were Game Play and Game Content, People and Sociability, Location, Circumstances and Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand Pokémon GO as a unique social phenomenon as well as a location-based augmented reality game more broadly. In addition to shedding more light on the Pokémon GO experiences and considering the potential for location-based games to engage players within the physical and social context around them, the findings capture what players found memorable about the massive phenomenon at its peak.},
keywords = {Location-based game, Player experience, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
Pokémon GO was the first location-based augmented reality game to reach mainstream popularity. We present a qualitative survey study (n = 2611) focusing on the Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and the experiences were fresh in players’ minds. We analyzed the open-ended written responses with thematic analysis, resulting in seven categories with a total of 82 thematic codes. The categories we constructed were Game Play and Game Content, People and Sociability, Location, Circumstances and Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand Pokémon GO as a unique social phenomenon as well as a location-based augmented reality game more broadly. In addition to shedding more light on the Pokémon GO experiences and considering the potential for location-based games to engage players within the physical and social context around them, the findings capture what players found memorable about the massive phenomenon at its peak.
Alha, Kati; Koskinen, Elina; Paavilainen, Janne; Hamari, Juho
Why Do People Play Location-Based Augmented Reality Games: A Study on Pokémon GO Journal Article
In: Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 93, pp. 114-122, 2019, ISBN: 0747-5632.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Augmented reality games, Free-to-play, Location-based game, Mobile gaming, Pokémon Go
@article{Alha2019,
title = {Why Do People Play Location-Based Augmented Reality Games: A Study on Pokémon GO},
author = {Kati Alha and Elina Koskinen and Janne Paavilainen and Juho Hamari},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-201903221408},
doi = {10.1016/j.chb.2018.12.008},
isbn = {0747-5632},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-04-01},
journal = {Computers in Human Behavior},
volume = {93},
pages = {114-122},
abstract = {Pokémon GO brought the location-based augmented reality games into the mainstream. To understand why people play these games, we created an online survey (n = 2612) with open questions about the reasons to start, continue, and quit playing Pokémon GO, and composed categories of the answers through a thematic analysis. Earlier experiences especially with the same franchise, social influence, and popularity were the most common reasons to adopt the game, while progressing in the game was the most frequently reported reason to continue playing. The player's personal situation outside the game and playability problems were the most significant reasons to quit the game. In addition to shedding more light on the Pokémon GO phenomenon, the findings are useful for both further studying and designing location-based augmented reality game experiences.},
keywords = {Augmented reality games, Free-to-play, Location-based game, Mobile gaming, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Pokémon GO brought the location-based augmented reality games into the mainstream. To understand why people play these games, we created an online survey (n = 2612) with open questions about the reasons to start, continue, and quit playing Pokémon GO, and composed categories of the answers through a thematic analysis. Earlier experiences especially with the same franchise, social influence, and popularity were the most common reasons to adopt the game, while progressing in the game was the most frequently reported reason to continue playing. The player's personal situation outside the game and playability problems were the most significant reasons to quit the game. In addition to shedding more light on the Pokémon GO phenomenon, the findings are useful for both further studying and designing location-based augmented reality game experiences.
Apperley, Thomas H.; Moore, Kyle
Haptic Ambience: Ambient Play, the Haptic Effect and Co-Presence in Pokémon GO Journal Article
In: Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, vol. 25, iss. 1, pp. 6-17, 2019, ISSN: 1354-8565.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Affective resonance, Ambient play, Digital photography, Gesture, Haptic interface, Ingress, Location-based game, Mobile gaming, Pokémon, Pokémon Go
@article{Apperley2019,
title = {Haptic Ambience: Ambient Play, the Haptic Effect and Co-Presence in Pokémon GO},
author = {Thomas H. Apperley and Kyle Moore},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1354856518811017},
doi = {10.1177/1354856518811017},
issn = {1354-8565},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-02-01},
urldate = {2019-02-01},
journal = {Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies},
volume = {25},
issue = {1},
pages = {6-17},
abstract = {Haptic media studies emphasize the centrality of touch in the experience of digital media. This article considers how the haptic effect created by relationship between touch, gesture and spatial practice in Pokémon GO cements new possibilities for ambient play and co-presence. The app effectively draws on the genealogies of Nintendo’s handheld Pokémon games, but through the shift to smartphone devices the app creates new forms of ambient play, co-presence and communication that are realized through the publicness of the touch, gesture and comportment which make up the haptic effect of the app. By making the smartphones camera an integral part the game, Pokémon GO suggests the wider relevance of the communicability of feeling and gesture by extending ambient play and co-presence into social media, allowing players to (re)-experience the feeling and touch of Pokémon GO through affective resonance. This suggests that the tactility and touch of the haptic affect are embedded in a matrix of embodied experiences that are revealed through how photography and social media become sites for extending and ambient play.},
keywords = {Affective resonance, Ambient play, Digital photography, Gesture, Haptic interface, Ingress, Location-based game, Mobile gaming, Pokémon, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Haptic media studies emphasize the centrality of touch in the experience of digital media. This article considers how the haptic effect created by relationship between touch, gesture and spatial practice in Pokémon GO cements new possibilities for ambient play and co-presence. The app effectively draws on the genealogies of Nintendo’s handheld Pokémon games, but through the shift to smartphone devices the app creates new forms of ambient play, co-presence and communication that are realized through the publicness of the touch, gesture and comportment which make up the haptic effect of the app. By making the smartphones camera an integral part the game, Pokémon GO suggests the wider relevance of the communicability of feeling and gesture by extending ambient play and co-presence into social media, allowing players to (re)-experience the feeling and touch of Pokémon GO through affective resonance. This suggests that the tactility and touch of the haptic affect are embedded in a matrix of embodied experiences that are revealed through how photography and social media become sites for extending and ambient play.
Innocent, Troy; Leorke, Dale
Heightened Intensity: Reflecting on Player Experiences in Wayfinder Live Journal Article
In: Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, vol. 25, iss. 1, pp. 18-39, 2019, ISSN: 1354-8565.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Digital games, Game design, Location-based game, Materiality, Mobile media, Play and public space, Playable cities, Psychogeography, Urban codemaking, Urban play
@article{Innocent2019,
title = {Heightened Intensity: Reflecting on Player Experiences in Wayfinder Live},
author = {Troy Innocent and Dale Leorke},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202101131253},
doi = {10.1177/1354856518822427},
issn = {1354-8565},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-02-01},
journal = {Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies},
volume = {25},
issue = {1},
pages = {18-39},
abstract = {Location-based games use smartphones and other location-aware devices to incorporate their players’ actions in everyday, physical spaces – the streets and public spaces of the city – into the virtual world of the game. Scholars and designers of these games often claim that they reconfigure their players’ relationship with the people and environment around them. They argue these games either engage and immerse players more deeply in the spaces of the game or distance and detach them from the physical environment through the screen interface. To date, however, relatively few detailed empirical studies of these games have been undertaken to test out and critique these claims. This article presents a study of the 2017 iteration of the location-based augmented reality game Wayfinder Live, in which players use their phones to search for and scan urban codes hidden across Melbourne’s laneways, alleys, and public spaces. Players of the game were interviewed and invited to reflect on their experience. This article relates these experiences to the design and development of the game, particularly to five play design principles that characterize its approach to haptic play in urban space. We begin by outlining these principles and the motivations behind them. Then, drawing on an analysis of the player interviews, we evaluate the impact of the game on their perception of the city.},
keywords = {Digital games, Game design, Location-based game, Materiality, Mobile media, Play and public space, Playable cities, Psychogeography, Urban codemaking, Urban play},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Location-based games use smartphones and other location-aware devices to incorporate their players’ actions in everyday, physical spaces – the streets and public spaces of the city – into the virtual world of the game. Scholars and designers of these games often claim that they reconfigure their players’ relationship with the people and environment around them. They argue these games either engage and immerse players more deeply in the spaces of the game or distance and detach them from the physical environment through the screen interface. To date, however, relatively few detailed empirical studies of these games have been undertaken to test out and critique these claims. This article presents a study of the 2017 iteration of the location-based augmented reality game Wayfinder Live, in which players use their phones to search for and scan urban codes hidden across Melbourne’s laneways, alleys, and public spaces. Players of the game were interviewed and invited to reflect on their experience. This article relates these experiences to the design and development of the game, particularly to five play design principles that characterize its approach to haptic play in urban space. We begin by outlining these principles and the motivations behind them. Then, drawing on an analysis of the player interviews, we evaluate the impact of the game on their perception of the city.
2018
Leorke, Dale
Location-Based Gaming : Play in Public Space Book
Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, ISBN: 978-981-13-0682-2.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Gaming interaction, Location-based game, Play and public space, Pokémon Go, Urban planning
@book{Leorke2018,
title = {Location-Based Gaming : Play in Public Space},
author = {Dale Leorke},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0683-9},
isbn = {978-981-13-0682-2},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-06-29},
urldate = {2018-06-29},
publisher = {Palgrave Macmillan},
abstract = {Location-based games emerged in the early 2000s following the commercialisation of GPS and artistic experimentation with ‘locative media’ technologies. Location-based games are played in everyday public spaces using GPS and networked, mobile technologies to track their players’ location. This book traces the evolution of location-based gaming, from its emergence as a marginal practice to its recent popularisation through smartphone apps like Pokémon Go and its incorporation into ‘smart city’ strategies.
Drawing on this history and an analysis of the scholarly and mainstream literature on location-based games, Leorke unpacks the key claims made about them. These claims position location-based games as alternately enriching or diminishing their players’ engagement with the people and places they encounter through the game. Through rich case studies and interviews with location-based game designers and players, Leorke tests out and challenges these celebratory and pessimistic discourses. He argues for a more grounded approach to researching location-based games and their impact on public space that reflects the ideologies, lived experiences, and institutional imperatives that circulate around their design and performance.
By situating location-based games within broader debates about the role of play and digitisation in public life, Location-Based Gaming offers an original and timely account of location-based gaming and its growing prominence.},
keywords = {Gaming interaction, Location-based game, Play and public space, Pokémon Go, Urban planning},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {book}
}
Location-based games emerged in the early 2000s following the commercialisation of GPS and artistic experimentation with ‘locative media’ technologies. Location-based games are played in everyday public spaces using GPS and networked, mobile technologies to track their players’ location. This book traces the evolution of location-based gaming, from its emergence as a marginal practice to its recent popularisation through smartphone apps like Pokémon Go and its incorporation into ‘smart city’ strategies.
Drawing on this history and an analysis of the scholarly and mainstream literature on location-based games, Leorke unpacks the key claims made about them. These claims position location-based games as alternately enriching or diminishing their players’ engagement with the people and places they encounter through the game. Through rich case studies and interviews with location-based game designers and players, Leorke tests out and challenges these celebratory and pessimistic discourses. He argues for a more grounded approach to researching location-based games and their impact on public space that reflects the ideologies, lived experiences, and institutional imperatives that circulate around their design and performance.
By situating location-based games within broader debates about the role of play and digitisation in public life, Location-Based Gaming offers an original and timely account of location-based gaming and its growing prominence.
Drawing on this history and an analysis of the scholarly and mainstream literature on location-based games, Leorke unpacks the key claims made about them. These claims position location-based games as alternately enriching or diminishing their players’ engagement with the people and places they encounter through the game. Through rich case studies and interviews with location-based game designers and players, Leorke tests out and challenges these celebratory and pessimistic discourses. He argues for a more grounded approach to researching location-based games and their impact on public space that reflects the ideologies, lived experiences, and institutional imperatives that circulate around their design and performance.
By situating location-based games within broader debates about the role of play and digitisation in public life, Location-Based Gaming offers an original and timely account of location-based gaming and its growing prominence.
Heljakka, Katriina; Ihamäki, Pirita
Designing a Pervasive Adventure Gamescape : Avoiding the Pitfalls in Creating Augmented LBGs for Playful Learning Journal Article
In: Journal of Digital Media and Interaction, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 75-94, 2018, ISSN: ISSN 2184-3120.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Educational game, Geocaching, Location-based game, Pervasive gamescape
@article{KatriinaHeljakka2018,
title = {Designing a Pervasive Adventure Gamescape : Avoiding the Pitfalls in Creating Augmented LBGs for Playful Learning},
author = {Katriina Heljakka and Pirita Ihamäki},
url = {https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/37232944},
doi = {10.34624/jdmi.v1i2.955},
issn = {ISSN 2184-3120},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
urldate = {2018-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Digital Media and Interaction},
volume = {1},
number = {2},
pages = {75-94},
publisher = {DigiMedia - Digital Media and Interaction Research Center},
abstract = {This article reports on the design and evaluation of player experiences in relation to a location-based game (LBG). LBGs seek to move gamified play into the "real world" of cities, parks, and other locations. These games are played in everyday places, where game information is tied to specific locations (Magerkurth et al, 2005). This connection to real-world physicality makes the game experience multidimensional and fun for players of different ages. Yet, to be able to envision and create an urban gamescape means that a set of criteria must be met. The unique challenge of creating and orchestrating LBG experiences requires a certain sensitivity from its designers to the multiple factors that must be considered. These may include-but are not limited to-factors such as the city's infrastructure, the flows of urban traffic, the maintenance of recreational areas, and human-related factors such as cooperation with the city administration. The game introduced in this article-Sigrid-Secrets-represents an urban game adventure built upon the platform of geocaching. We approach the game with a focus on its potential learning affordances. We ask how the pitfalls in creating opportunities for learning through LBGs could be avoided, especially when designing pedagogic aims into an urban gaming experience fit for school-aged children.},
keywords = {Educational game, Geocaching, Location-based game, Pervasive gamescape},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This article reports on the design and evaluation of player experiences in relation to a location-based game (LBG). LBGs seek to move gamified play into the "real world" of cities, parks, and other locations. These games are played in everyday places, where game information is tied to specific locations (Magerkurth et al, 2005). This connection to real-world physicality makes the game experience multidimensional and fun for players of different ages. Yet, to be able to envision and create an urban gamescape means that a set of criteria must be met. The unique challenge of creating and orchestrating LBG experiences requires a certain sensitivity from its designers to the multiple factors that must be considered. These may include-but are not limited to-factors such as the city's infrastructure, the flows of urban traffic, the maintenance of recreational areas, and human-related factors such as cooperation with the city administration. The game introduced in this article-Sigrid-Secrets-represents an urban game adventure built upon the platform of geocaching. We approach the game with a focus on its potential learning affordances. We ask how the pitfalls in creating opportunities for learning through LBGs could be avoided, especially when designing pedagogic aims into an urban gaming experience fit for school-aged children.