Procedural content generation (PCG) is typically considered a feature of digital games. Commonly cited “first” uses of PCG are usually digital games from the early 1980s: Rogue or Elite. However, when broadly construed, PCG simply means that content is generated following a formal procedure—the agent that enacts this procedure is merely assumed to be a computer. The precursors to what we now ca...

The purposes of this study were (a) to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire using both the structural characteristics of digital games and students perceptions of the concept of freedom of choice in digital games, (b) to validate items to be used in questionnaire to measure perceived freedom of choice, (c) to identify the factors that underlie freedom of choice in digital games and (d) to...

Digital games have traditionally been confined to predefined play spaces such as arcades and living rooms. Recent advancements in technology have allowed players to play digital games beyond these spaces. However little theoretical knowledge exists that can guide the development of digital play beyond the conventional. I aim to conduct research that comprises of several experimental digital gam...

Digital games are becoming popular among older adults. People who are 50+ years of age represent 29% of the gamer market in the United States (US); which is a 20% increase in comparison to their 1999 report. Digital games have become a popular activity in the lives of many older adults in Western societies and scientific studies on older adults and games go hand in hand with the increasing popu...

Meaningful use of digital games can create a more potent schooling environment where students are engaged, focussed and motivated to learn. However, the potential impact of games in the classroom will not be realised until teachers learn to embrace the strengths of digital games. This paper presents the Game Uses Model for Classrooms (GUMC), a Model to help teachers explore the use of digital g...

We analyze the decision to participate and performance at the Modern Olympic Summer Games at the country level. We use an unbalanced panel of 118 countries over all 24 editions of the Summer Games since 1896. The main focus of the paper is on economic, geographic and demographic determinants of Olympic participation and success. We estimate the impact of income per capita, population size, home...

The idea of digital game-based learning (DGBL) is that students (or players) learn something by playing a computer or video game and that an educator can employ digital games to assist and boost both formal and informal learning. There is game software that is not specifically produced for educational use but which is nonetheless regularly implemented in educational settings by educators. These...

The work Les Jeux et les Hommes (1958) by Roger Caillois [1] may help us to get a firmer grip on the actual nature of digital games. Caillois identified four dimensions of games and playing: agôn (competition), alea (chance), mimicry (simulation), and ilinx (vertigo). In light of the new culture of digital games, this paper argues the need for adding another dimension to Caillois four dimension...

Digital games appear to motivate players intrinsically. Of various game features, fantasy in particularly plays a crucial role in enhancing motivation and is a key factor in immersion in gameplay. As with its inherent value, fantasy also plays a vital role in distinguishing digital games itself from other media. Despite its significance, fantasy has received little attention, and this concept i...