The article focuses on the issue of reception of ancient myths in popular culture. As popular culture is known for vast use of different ancient myths in many productions, the question may be raised, if they can be still named as ‘ancient’. With the example of the drowned peninsula of Orr in Guild Wars video games, which is compared with the Atlantis isle of Plato, the article proves that despite structural similarity of the story, these two are different myths. The myth of Atlantis is shaped by the Greek culture, which is oriented on the past, with strong conviction that the human race is heading towards destruction. The story of Orr reflects immersion in present time and the need to bury the past once and forever. Therefore, popular culture creates its own mythology, which is named as the mythology of popular culture.
This article attempts to demonstrate that specialized video games concerning animals or animal care, especially for girls, may lead to virtual activities and /or real care of animals, which may later cause some girls to consider a profession in animal care. In order to test our hypothesis, in 2009 we conducted – through the reading of toy-catalogues in supermarkets and toy stores (randomly selected) – a statistical study with the regards to the number of male and female characters shown on the packages of video games (for computers, Nintendo, and television) which were related to animals, horse-riding and/or the profession of veterinarian (vet”), in order to find out if these games were more particularly intended for girls. We completed this study by examining the packaging (i.e. boxes) – their color and the title of the video game. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis was conducted on the characteristics and roles played by boys and girls in the video games examined, in order to determine what roles are assigned to each sex in these games concerning animals.
Peak cognitive performance is of paramount importance for the sports and competitive activities that depend on a high level of cognitive performance, such as eSports. The popularity of eSports has increased rapidly in recent years and will probably continue to rise in the forthcoming years. Above all, eSports practitioners require higher levels of cognitive abilities and motor skills for optimal performance and may benefit from adequate body composition and proper nutrition, as happens with more traditional athletes. However, there is a noticeable shortage of scientific knowledge in this area, including in nutritional-related aspects. Therefore, the objective of this non-systematic review is to summarize the nutritional strategies that may enhance health, cognitive performance, decrease reaction time and minimize fatigue. This information may be relevant for eSports competitors and set a base for further investigations, which could ultimately lead to the establishment of nutritional recommendations specific for this competitive population.
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Regular moderate-intensity exercise (e.g. brisk walking) provides health benefits. In the present study, we compared the physiological and metabolic responses of playing the Nintendo Wii Sports tennis, baseball and boxing with self-paced brisk treadmill walking. Ten young-adults (21±1 years; 73.9±12.0 kg; 1.76±0.06 m) played each sport for 10 min with a 5 min rest interval or, in a separate session, walked briskly (6.1±0.6 km·h-1) with an equivalent time order wearing the Cosmed K4b2 metabolic system. In a bout of 10 min, the average values during Nintendo Wii boxing for physiological (i.e. minute ventilation, oxygen uptake and heart rate) and metabolic (i.e. energy expenditure, fat oxidation, carbohydrate oxidation and respiratory exchange ratio) responses were equal to brisk treadmill walking but lower for Nintendo Wii tennis and baseball (P<0.05). It was concluded that the physiological and metabolic responses of Nintendo Wii boxing would allow this game activity to be a viable part of a programme of structured exercise in young-adults to gain health benefits.
Video games present different meanings of death than those conditioned by social and cultural contexts. Most games treat the motif of death instrumentally. Therefore, death is usually a norm and a rule in typical video games. However, art games present a different sense of death, one that defies its conventional meanings. The article analyses the different presentations of death in three art games: "Passage" (Rohrer, 2007), "The Graveyard" (Tale of Tales, 2008) and "Queers in Love at the End of the World" (Anthropy, 2013). These productions prove that video games are an excellent medium to offer players a deep emotional experience, which can also encourage taking a fundamental and more profound reflection on the meaning of life and death.
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This article presents a brief introduction of animal studies and proposes how questions relevant to the discipline may be applicable to the study of video games. It considers video games as texts of popular culture and works of fiction which offer themselves to analysis and interpretation and may reveal socially relevant insights. The article proposes two complementing sets of categories to systematize the presence of animals in video games, based on function (enemy, background, hero, companion, tool) and ontology (actual representation, legendary, extrapolation, hybrid). Finally, the article outlines paths for researches in the field of HAS to follow in the study of video games.
PL
Artykuł pokrótce przedstawia animal studies jako dyscyplinę badawczą oraz sugeruje, w jaki sposób rozpatrywane w jej obrębie zagadnienia mogą odnaleźć zastosowanie w studiach nad grami wideo, w tym tekście są pojmowanymi jako fikcja oraz tekst kultury masowej. Ich analiza i interpretacja mają potencjał, by wykazać szereg istotnych społecznie kwestii. W pracy zaproponowano dwie kategorie pozwalające usystematyzować występujące w grach wideo zwierzęta na podstawie ich funkcji (przeciwnik, tło, bohater, towarzysz, narzędzie) oraz ontologii (reprezentacja, zwierzę legendarne, ekstrapolacja, hybryda). Ostatnia część sugeruje, jakie elementy tematyki poruszanej w grach mogą stanowić obszary zainteresowania badaczy zajmujących się studiami nad zwierzętami.
The article describes the types of mimic relations that appear in video games (universalistic and fragmentary) and the ways in which these types affect the mechanism of constructing the reality of the game world. It discusses three levels of mimic relations which are used in the analysis of examples. It depicts the behavior of the inhabitants of virtual cities in Fallout, The Elder Scrolls and Grand Theft Auto game series. It also analyses the look of the particular locations in GTA: San Adreas, Max Payne 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution and TES: Skyrim games. In the conclusion, the author points to the potential usefulness of the possible worlds’ theory which, to some extent, bonds the highlighted levels of virtual reality, the creation of the depicted world and the categories of interactivity and mimicry.
Considerations contained in this paper apply to changes that are currently taking place in the video game industry. According to very conservative estimates, the revenue the video game market is expected to grow to 82 billion dollars by 2017. This makes that video game industry, hitherto little explored by economists, can be an interesting subject of study. The main emphasis of this paper has been placed on the analysis of the impact of changes in the perception of property rights, both absolute as well as relative. They affect the performance of many of those involved in the video game industry: producers (who create the relevant product), publishers (dealing with marketing, production and financing physical creation of the game), distributors (involved in the distribution of physical as well as digital), players and other businesses and people from the environment. The paper initially identified general problems that arise from changes in the perception of property rights. Firstly, monetary externalities in a situation of incomplete markets are not fully internalized by the market mechanism. Secondly, the real external effects mean that the markets side effects occur among third parties. Thirdly, feedback can occur between the first two problems, intensifying their activities. Fourthly, in a situation of relative property rights there can be observed the problem of precontractual opportunism, which may cause a breach of property rights during the preparation and negotiation of a contract. Fifthly, there can be observed postcontractual opportunism, which is the engine of breaches of contract after its agreement and conclusion. Next, the paper indicates manifestations of these problems that are taking place in the video game industry: the use of technology restricting the exchange in response to the intensification of piracy, the emergence of adverse selection on many levels (because the video game industry is a network of contracts) or the occurrence of the phenomenon of moral hazard. Next, in the paper there are determined the consequences of these problems which can be expected, and how in such a situation the entities engaged in business may react. One can expect, for example: searching for better protection against imitation and unauthorized copying, increased costs of producers and publishers, increased pressure on subcontractors, negative incentives for innovation, the development of technology security breaches, adverse selection and moral hazard on many levels. In the conclusion the series of phenomena are identified, both negative and positive, that occur or may occur in the video game industry. There might be a reduction in the incentives to invest and develop the industry, followed by an escalation of piracy, rising prices or reduced quality of the products. These effects definitely lead to a reduction in welfare. On the other hand, there are innovations leading to the development of the industry in the directions previously unexplore
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Objectives. The study introduces Czech adaptation of the Game Addiction Scale. Psychometric properties of the method were evaluated - factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity. Subjects and Settings. The research sample consisted of 423 adolescents (48% females). The questionnaire was administered in paper&pencil form in school settings in three major Czech cities - Prague, Brno, Ostrava. Data collection was performed in autumn 2015 and spring 2016. Data analysis. Internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach’s α. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural model capturing construct validity were performed using Lavaan package in the R statistical environment. Results. Psychometric properties of the Czech adaptation of the method are comparable with original findings and can be described as satisfactory. Based on the presented results the Czech version of the Game Addiction Scale for research and diagnostic use in adolescents can be recommended. Limitations. Relatively smaller proportion of respondents addicted to video game playing could have a negative impact on the level of construct validity in terms of impaired parameter estimates of relationships between video game addiction and other variables.
CS
Záměr. Prezentovaná studie představuje českou adaptaci Škály závislosti na hraní. Byly zjištěny psychometrické vlastnosti adaptované verze ve smyslu ověření faktorové struktury, vnitřní konzistence a konstruktové validity. Soubor a procedura. Výzkumný vzorek obsahoval 423 adolescentů (48 % žen). Dotazníková baterie ve formě tužka - papír byla administrována ve školním prostředí ve třech velkých městech České republiky - Praha, Brno, Ostrava. Sběr dat probíhal na podzim 2015 a na jaře 2016. Analýza dat. Vnitřní konzistence metody byla zjišťována pomocí Cronbachova koeficientu α. Konfirmační faktorová analýza byla provedena v balíku Lavaan ve statistickém prostředí R, stejně jako strukturální model pro ověření konstruktové validity. Výsledky. Psychometrické charakteristiky analyzované metody jsou srovnatelné s originálními zjištěními a lze je označit za uspokojivé. Adaptovanou verzi Škály závislosti na hraní videoher lze doporučit pro výzkumné i diagnostické užití u adolescentů. Limity. Relativně menší zastoupení osob závislých na hraní videoher mohlo mít negativní dopad na úroveň konstruktové validity ve smyslu zhoršených odhadů parametrů v rámci sítě vztahů videoherní závislosti s ostatními proměnnými.
The paper highlights the experience of using computer games in the educational process of high school students in the USA. During the last decade, the international educational space is characterized by an increasing interest in the using of computer games in various types and forms of learning, based on the experience acquired by the players. The most widely used video games are characterized by the game action which is performed through the control of visual images on a computer monitor. The approaches to the introduction of games into educational practices, based on scientific evidence of the positive influence of gaming activities, in particular video games, on students are the most topical. The works of Adam Eichenbaum, Daphne Bavelier, Shawn Green, Peter Gray, and others have shown long-lasting positive effects of video games on basic psychic processes: perception, attention, imagination, memory, decision making. Most studies have shown that engaging in video games requires students to think fast, keep track of many elements at once, store large amounts of information, and take decisions on game actions for a limited time. According to the psychologists, these skills are the main building blocks of intelligence and they play a decisive role in cognitive activity. Although the expediency of using games in learning is scientifically proven, at the same time there are complex moments associated with the introduction of computer games into the learning environment both in the study of individual disciplines and in the course of the implementation of alternative training focused on the dominant use of gaming activity, an important component of which is a computer game. The methods of scientific search included the use of content analysis of monographic, periodical pedagogical, psychological literature to find out the basic notions, concepts of the research; netnography for the analysis of sites, blogs, on which scientists, teachers, parents exchange experience of using computer games in education of high school students. The paper describes the positive influence of video games on the development of students’ cognitive, logical, linguistic, literary and social skills. Video games stimulate learning process and have all the components that provide effective learning (motivation, clear goals and rules, interpreted results and constant feedback). The use of games in training allows abandoning standard testing, as learning and evaluation are functionally combined in the game. The principles describing the positive influence of games on the development of students are formulated: improvement of basic visual processes; improvement of visual contrast sensitivity; successful treatment of amblyopia; improvement of attention and vigilance; improvement of the ability to track moving objects in sight; decrease of impulsivity; overcoming of dyslexia; improvement of executive functioning; increase of mental flexibility; improvement of skills related to the completing of cognitive tasks. The paper presents one possible solution to the introduction of games into the curriculum of general education institutions, which is to provide 100 percent of the learning time to gaming activity. In 2009, in New York, within the framework of cooperation between the Institute of Play and The New York City Education Center, with the support of the MacArthur Foundation, Quest to Learn-Q2L school for students of 6–12 grades was created, in which each subject is studied through a playing activity that involves computer games. The topical task for the domestic pedagogical theory and practice is the study of foreign experience in determining the conditions for the use of computer games in education of high school students as an important instrument of developing the skills of the ХХI century, in particular, cognitive, creative, communicative, and collaborative ones.
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Geografia jako dyscyplina naukowa, która zajmuje się przestrzenią ziemską i funkcjonowaniem w niej człowieka, z pozoru nie jest związana z grami wideo. Jednak od początku XXI wieku badania nad grami prowadzone w ramach nauk geograficznych zyskują na znaczeniu i dotyczą bardzo zróżnicowanych aspektów wirtualnej rozrywki (choć tematyka ta wciąż jest niemal zupełnie pomijana przez polskich geografów). Jednym z nich są „wirtualne geografie” (virtual geographies): pole badań, które znacznie oddala się od tradycyjnej geografii, co skłania do refleksji nad przyszłością nauk geograficznych.
EN
Geography, as an academic discipline dedicated to the study of space on Earth and of human activity in this space, does not at first seem to have much in common with video games. However, since the beginning of the 21st century, the research into video games in geographical sciences is gaining importance and tackles a vast range of topics (although the subject is still virtually nonexistent in Polish geography). Among these topics are “virtual geographies,” an area of study that diverges significantly from traditional geography, giving rise to questions about the future of geographical research.
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Creating a video game that is engaging for a large number of players is not an easy task. This problem is often associated with adjusting the gameplay’s difficulty to the skills of a specific player. As a result, the game is neither too easy nor too difficult, so the player does not feel bored or frustrated. In recent years, a number of systems which implement the balancing procedures for dynamic gameplay have been created for different genres of games. However, in the literature, no universal understanding of the concept of difficulty has been proposed. This article is an attempt to systematize the concept (used in systems with dynamic difficulty adjustment) and the methods of its evaluation. For this purpose, this paper will present a classification of video games based on the aspects of the game that are most closely connected with the difficulty of each game genre.
PL
Stworzenie gry wideo, która byłaby angażująca dla dużej liczby graczy, nie jest prostym zadaniem. Problem ten często wiąże się z dostosowaniem trudności rozgrywki do umiejętności konkretnego gracza. Dzięki temu gra nie okazuje się ani za łatwa, ani za trudna, przez co gracz nie czuje się znudzony czy sfrustrowany. W ciągu ostatnich lat powstało wiele implementacji systemów dynamicznego wyważania rozgrywki w różnych gatunkach gier. W literaturze próżno jednak szukać uniwersalnego rozumienia zagadnienia trudności gry. Niniejszy artykuł stanowi próbę usystematyzowania tej właściwości gier (wykorzystywanej przez systemy dynamicznego wyważania rozgrywki) oraz metod jej ewaluacji. W tym celu zostanie przedstawiona klasyfikacja gier wideo oparta na aspektach rozgrywki, któ- re mają największy związek z trudnością poszczególnych gatunków gier.
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Artykuł ten porusza problem implementacji rzeczywistości wirtualnej w procesie glottodydaktycznym. W części pierwszej staramy się przybliżyć czytelnikom zjawisko gier komputerowych oraz światów wirtualnych typu Second Life. Koncentrujemy się przy tym zarówno na łączących je podobieństwach, jak i na dzielących je różnicach – sprawiających, że status użytkownika jednych i drugich jest odmienny. Następnie przechodzimy do analizy transkrypcji lekcji języka angielskiego i francuskiego przeprowadzonych w Second Life oraz z wykorzystaniem strategii ludycznych. Skupiamy się na problemie dyskursu klasowego i tego, w jaki sposób użycie nowoczesnych technologii pociąga za sobą głęboką przemianę tradycyjnie postrzeganych ról nauczyciela i ucznia.
EN
The paper focuses on the problem of using virtual reality in language learning and teaching. The first part is devoted to the discussion of two distinct phenomena: video games and virtual worlds. We try to pinpoint the characteristics they share as well as the differences between the two as far as the user status is concerned. Next, we analyse three different lessons conducted in virtual worlds and digital games environments. Focusing on the classroom discourse, we try to determine the extent to which students’ and teachers’ roles evolve in these new communicative contexts.
Wyzwania związane ze zmianami społecznymi, gospodarczymi i technologicznymi wymuszają na przedsiębiorstwach poszukiwanie nowych sposobów docierania do klienta. Wykorzystanie zintegrowanych działań z zakresu komunikacji marketingowej może być skutecznym sposobem na poradzenie sobie z tymi wyzwaniami. Głównym założeniem stojącym za zintegrowanymi działaniami jest dotarcie do konsumentów w tych miejscach, w których poszukiwane są informacje na temat produktów i usług. Szczególnym przypadkiem prowadzenia działań z zakresu komunikacji jest branża gier wideo, która cechuje się systematycznym wzrostem wartości i jest bardzo podatna na zmiany zachodzące na rynku. Artykuł ma charakter koncepcyjny, a jego celem było opracowanie modelu zintegrowanej komunikacji marketingowej stosowanego w firmie Blizzard Entertainment. Model może stanowić punkt odniesienia podczas projektowania zintegrowanych działań marketingowych przez inne przedsiębiorstwa produkujące gry wideo.
EN
Challenges that result from social, economic, and technological changes force the companies to seek new ways to reach their customer. The usage of integrated marketing communication tools could be an effective way to deal with these challenges. The main assumption when talking about integrated actions is reaching the customers in the places where they seek the information on products and services. The video games industry is a specific case when it comes to communication as it systematically increases its value and is highly prone to be affected by various changes in the market. This article is of the conceptual character, with its purpose being elaborating on the model of integrated marketing communications that is employed by Blizzard Entertainment. This model can serve as a point of reference for other video games companies in the process of creating their own integrated marketing communications.
RU
Вызовы, связанные с социальными, экономическими и технологическими изменениями, заставляют предприятия искать новые способы поиска клиентов. Использование интегрированных действий в области маркетинговой коммуникации может быть эффективным способом совладения с этими вызовами. Основной предпосылкой, скрывающейся за интегрированными действиями, является отыскание потребителей в тех местах, в которых они ищут информацию о продуктах и услугах. Особый случай осуществления действий в области коммуникации – отрасль видеоигр, которой свойствен систематический рост ценности и которая весьма восприимчива к изменениям, происходя- щим на рынке. Статья имеет концептуальный характер, а ее цель заключалась в разработке модели интегрированной маркетинговой коммуникации, применяемой в фирме Blizzard Entertainment. Модель может быть ориентиром при проектировании интегрированных маркетинговых действий другими предприятиями, выпускающими видеоигры.
Dominika Staszenko, Marcin M. Chojnacki Is it Still Art or Already Game? The Penetration of Aesthetics and Mechanics of Video Games to Interactive Art In our article, we look at the work inspired by the medium, and the culture of video games. We analyze the specifics of contact with the electronic entertainment in a completely new context as considered by the producers of games. We make a brief characterization of the selected projects in the area of interactive art, aesthetics, mechanics or iconography drawn from the popular digital games. We also analyze interesting analog representations and solutions connected with certain ludic or thematic video games in the context of practices affecting the perception of the medium, as well as assessing its ‘maturity’ and the impact on today’s pop culture. We concentrate on the issue of tangible and intangible disposits which we consider significant in the context of art inspired by new media.
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Przełom XX i XXI wieku był ważnym okresem dla gier komputerowych w Polsce, w szczególności dla gier fabularnych i strategicznych. Do tytułów, które się wówczas ukazały, należą. Fallout, Starcraft, Baldur’s Gate, Heroes of Might & Magic III czy Planescape: Torment. Artykuł stanowi próbę wyjaśnienia, dlaczego te i inne zbliżone produkcje w istotny sposób wpłynęły na tożsamość wielu polskich graczy. Analizowane jest kilka czynników społecznych bądź kulturowych: socjodemograficzna charakterystyka grających, historyczny rozwój gier cRPG i RTS, rola polskich wydawców czy też znaczenie technologii. Metodologia badania czerpie z podejścia Wendy Griswold (w tym heurystyki rombu kulturowego), które podkreśla korzyści płynące z rozpatrywania przedmiotów kulturowych – tutaj: gier – w powiązaniu z ich twórcami, graczami oraz kontekstem społecznym. Pod względem teoretycznym artykuł jest ugruntowany w socjologii kulturowej.
EN
The turn of the 21st century was a significant period for computer games in Poland, especially in the role-playing and strategy genres. The titles published at that time include Fallout, Starcraft, Baldur’s Gate, Heroes of Might & Magic III, or Planescape: Torment. The paper seeks to explain why these and other similar games had an important impact on the identities of many Polish players. Several social or cultural factors are analyzed, such as the players’ sociodemographic characteristics, the historical development of cRPG and RTS games, the role of Polish publishers and the significance of technologies. The methodology of the study draws on the approach of Wendy Griswold – including the cultural diamond heuristic – which emphasizes the benefits of investigating cultural objects (in this case, games) in relation to their producers, players, and the social context. In theoretical terms, the paper is grounded in cultural sociology.
Gry wideo stanowią obecnie istotny obszar produkcji i aktywności kulturowej ludzi w różnym wieku. Korzystają z nich zarówno dzieci, jak i dorośli, a także seniorzy. Same gry w toku swojej ewolucji stają się medium wieloaspektowym i złożonym – podobnie jak kultura, której są częścią. Ten wieloraki progres opisywanego medium – zarówno w aspekcie jego cech konstytutywnych, jak i jego konsumpcji – powinien zwrócić uwagę osób zaangażowanych w edukację medialną, której zasadniczym celem jest edukowanie o mediach, ich produkcji i odbiorze. W tekście podjęto próbę odpowiedzi na pytanie o powiązanie pozaformalnych i formalnych ścieżek edukacyjnych z fenomenem gier cyfrowych. Podstawą prowadzonych rozważań są własne badania jakościowe autora, zrealizowane techniką wywiadu eksperckiego z grupą 21 specjalistów z zakresu: socjologii, pedagogiki, psychologii, medioznawstwa, ludologii, a także edukatorami medialnymi i nauczycielami. Zgromadzony materiał badawczy pozwolił na sformułowanie wniosków na temat obecności gier wideo w przedsięwzięciach edukacyjnych, także szkolnych. Autor zwraca uwagę na problem braków kompetencyjnych zarówno edukatorów, jak i pedagogów – wynikających z ich własnych procesów socjalizacyjnych, które w rzeczywistości szybkich przekształceń sfery mediów mogą łatwo ulec dezaktualizacji. Istotnym kontekstem analitycznym jest też problem peryferyjności i trudności, jakie wiążą się z realizacją zadań edukacyjnych opartych na grach wideo w małych miejscowościach.
EN
Video games represent a significant area of cultural production and activities of people of all ages. They are used by both children and adults, also seniors. What is more, in the process of its evolution the video game is becoming more multi-faceted and complex medium – like the culture of gaming that it creates. This multiple development of the described medium – both in terms of its constitutive features and in its consumption – should be noticed by the people involved in the project of polish media education that aims to educate about the media, their production and reception. This article a empts to answer the question about the connection between non-formal and formal education paths with the phenomenon of digital games. The basis for presented analysis are my own qualitative research, conducted by the expert interview technique with a group of 21 specialists in: sociology, pedagogy, psychology, media studies, ludology, as well as media educators and teachers. Gathered research material became the basis for the conclusions formulated in the text about the presence of video games in educational ventures, as well as the school ones. The author draws the attention to the problem of shortages in competencies for both educators and teachers, resulting from their own processes of socialization which may easily become out of date in the reality of rapid transformation of the media sphere. An important analytical context is also the problem of peripherality and the difficulties associated with the implementation of educational projects based on video games in the areas of small towns and villages.
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