University of Tampere / SIS / TRIM

Game Research Lab- games and player

research groupFrans Mäyrä, frans.mayra@uta.fi

PhD, Professor of Hypermedia, esp. Digital Culture and Game Studies

Background• Game research is currently an expanding,

interdisciplinary field• Particularly the tradition of cultural studies into the

uses, value and significance of digital games is strong in the Nordic countries (Game Studies)

• In contrast to e.g. educational research, these lines of inquiry are interested in understanding the operation of games as an interactive art form

• The creative potentials of games lie both in their design (game mechanics, game world) and in the play practices of game players, and player communities

Evolution of digital games, 1971-2012

The role of digital games in a society• Traditionally puzzles, riddles, poetry, ritual and play

have mixed in the lives of adults and children alike• Modern society created sharper divisions between

work and leisure, demoted play more into a children’s activity

• Creation of computer and video games has meant powerful growth of new play forms, birth of extensive virtual worlds

• Today, it is easier to find people who play digital games rather than those who do not

• More active among those under 40 years of age, but even 70-75 year olds have reported increasing gameplay

Example: frequency of game play (Finland, 2011)

Source: Player Barometer 2011 (Karvinen & Mäyrä)

Distribution of digital play in age groups (Finland, averages of 2009-2011, n=3335)

Source: Player Barometer 2011 (Karvinen & Mäyrä)

Research questions• How much the Finnish people play, and what kind of

games they play, and how?• What do different games mean to different people,

and how they use games in their everyday life?• What kind of changes are taking place in digital

gaming?• What kind of practices and tools for idea generation

and idea management game developers have?• How social media and games mix together?• How games and playfulness can be used in other

areas, such as learning or communication?• What is characteristic of Finnish game cultures, and

the cultures of Finnish game development?• And many more basic and applied research

questions…

GameLab history and background• Culturally and socially oriented research of new

media, its use, design and significance• History in research work done during 1980s and

1990s in the Department of Arts & Literature, then in the Hypermedia Laboratory, INFIM - now: SIS/TRIM

• Since early 2000s, games research has been a strong focus area within interactive media/hypermedia, along with rapid international development of the research field

• During 2002-2011, the number of externally funded research & development projects in games and digital culture: 33

• Over 100 publications, several original game prototypes as well as international and domestic conferences and seminars

• The international Digital Games Research Association - DiGRA was established on UTA/GameLab initiative (www.digra.org)

GameLab research areas• Work is based on a multidisciplinary

team, combining approaches from several mutually complementary academic disciplines

• Special focus on socio-cultural research in 1) Player research (2) Game research & analysis, 3) Game design

• Interests overlap in key areas: player experience research and in game culture studies

• Research has also been applied into education (of games literacy, learning games) and within future-oriented research into the design of services, applications and technologies

• Currently: 1 professor, 2 post-docs, 7 PhD researchers, 11 project researchers/research assistants, 1 visiting researcher

Research infrastructure• Games (board, card, dice games,

video and computer games, handheld & mobile games)

• Gaming devices (PS2, GameCube, Xbox, Xbox360, Nintendo DS, Wii, PS3, gaming phones etc.)

• Research equipment and special software (e.g. Noldus Video Observer Pro mobile lab setup, Noldus Theme, Biopac MP100 based solution for psycho-physiological data gathering and analysis, focused on ECG & GSR)

• Research library, with the key books, reports and conference proceedings volumes published in game studies

• An dedicated publication and research service online (under gamelab.uta.fi domain)

Some key findings• Components of game

experiences found to be complex and multi-layered

• Motivations of gameplay vary from immersion-driven to social motivations and everyday needs of relaxation

• Multiple new methods created for data gathering as well as experimental game design & ideation purposes

• Transformations of digital play currently related to digital distribution, social network services (e.g. Facebook) and ubiquitous/pervasive technologies

Ermi & Mäyrä: SCI-model (sensory-challenge-imaginative immersion in player experience)

Kultima, Paavilainen et al: GameSpace game idea toolset

Ongoing & recent research projects

• IPerG: Integrated Project on Pervasive Gaming, 2004-2008; European Commission and the consortium, 454 545 euros

• Pelit palveluiksi – Games as Services, 2008-2010; Tekes & companies, 353 728 euros

• Verkkorahapelaamisen muodonmuutos, 2008-2009; STM, 67 000 euros• Transformation of Digital Play, 2008-2011; Tekes & consortium of

companies, 575 978 euros (GaIn + SoPlay)• GIIP, Games Industry Innovation Processes, 2009-2011, Tekes &

consortium of companies, 97 000 euros• Creation of Game Cultures: The Case of Finland, 2009-2012; Academy of

Finland, 291 000 euros (includes e.g. the national “Pelaajabarometri” survey, published annually)

• YouSat, 2009-2011; Nordic Innovation Centre NICe, 38 423 euros• Triangle: The Challenges of Social Media to the Design of Game Services,

2011-2012; Tekes & consortium of companies, 175 000 euros• Play Society: Next Media SHOK; Tekes & consortium of companies, 35

800 euros• RYM - Built Environment Innovations; Tekes & consortium of companies,

75 433 euros• Active Learning Spaces; Tekes & consortium of companies, 108 915

euros• The User Experience in the Future Playful Hybrid Services (Hybridex);

Tekes strategic research opening, 210 000 euros

• (Current competetive research funding, total of 4 893 462 euros)

More information

• Contact details:

• TRIM, Research Center, www.trim.fi • Game Research Lab web site: gamelab.uta.fi &

http://www.facebook.com/UTAgamelab

• Professor Frans Mäyrä, frans.mayra@uta.fi, gsm 050 336 7650, www.uta.fi/~frans.mayra/ www.fransmayra.fi (blog)