Category Archives: research

Pigs follow light (that humans move via tablet device) on a touch-sensitive screen. If the pigs and humans move the ball through a goal triangle, it triggers fireworks.

Designing games for pigs (and humans!): Interview with team behind the “Playing with Pigs” project

By Yvette Wohn Recently, researchers reported that they developed a game that humans can play with pigs (see their website for more details on the game “Pig Chase” and the larger project “Playing with Pigs”). To play this interspecies game, humans

Pigs follow light (that humans move via tablet device) on a touch-sensitive screen. If the pigs and humans move the ball through a goal triangle, it triggers fireworks.

Designing games for pigs (and humans!): Interview with team behind the “Playing with Pigs” project

By Yvette Wohn Recently, researchers reported that they developed a game that humans can play with pigs (see their website for more details on the game “Pig Chase” and the larger project “Playing with Pigs”). To play this interspecies game, humans

An underlying explanation for why Zynga risks talent drain

By Yvette Wohn (cross-posted on yvettewohn.com) This NYT article talks about how the aggressive culture at Zynga may pressure employees to leave. In short, the article suggests that employees of Zynga are unhappy because of: Long work hours Quantitatively-driven progress

An underlying explanation for why Zynga risks talent drain

By Yvette Wohn (cross-posted on yvettewohn.com) This NYT article talks about how the aggressive culture at Zynga may pressure employees to leave. In short, the article suggests that employees of Zynga are unhappy because of: Long work hours Quantitatively-driven progress

No noobs plz! Barriers to entry in World of Warcraft

“WoW is an inherently social game, yet I wanted to be anti-social because of fear of the consequences of making a mistake. But because of the way the game is structured, I had to be social in order to advance beyond a certain point, so I gave up.”

No noobs plz! Barriers to entry in World of Warcraft

“WoW is an inherently social game, yet I wanted to be anti-social because of fear of the consequences of making a mistake. But because of the way the game is structured, I had to be social in order to advance beyond a certain point, so I gave up.”

"Blood Elf" by Karaliina

Men who play female avatars play more like “women” than actual women

It’s pretty well known that the female avatars prancing around in MMOs such as World of Warcraft are not necessarily played by women. But what happens when men start putting on the “skin” of a female avatar? An interesting study

"Blood Elf" by Karaliina

Men who play female avatars play more like “women” than actual women

It’s pretty well known that the female avatars prancing around in MMOs such as World of Warcraft are not necessarily played by women. But what happens when men start putting on the “skin” of a female avatar? An interesting study

5563674708_be9f9ecb37

Finally: A Black Female Protagonist in a Game

It is very rare to find a non-white female character as the main character in video games. Many studies of triple A titles (big budget games) have shown that women are rarely the mainly character (20% or less) and that

5563674708_be9f9ecb37

Finally: A Black Female Protagonist in a Game

It is very rare to find a non-white female character as the main character in video games. Many studies of triple A titles (big budget games) have shown that women are rarely the mainly character (20% or less) and that

Asians customized their avatar more than Caucasians

Cultural Differences in Social Game Play: Asians vs Whites

By Yvette Wohn Survey results of 176 Facebook game players showed significant differences between Asians and Caucasians in play motivation, perceptions of gifting and the extent to which the players engage in visual customization. Four non-hedonistic play motivations were identified: building common ground,

Asians customized their avatar more than Caucasians

Cultural Differences in Social Game Play: Asians vs Whites

By Yvette Wohn Survey results of 176 Facebook game players showed significant differences between Asians and Caucasians in play motivation, perceptions of gifting and the extent to which the players engage in visual customization. Four non-hedonistic play motivations were identified: building common ground,

saponas

Playing games with no handheld controls: Just use your muscles!

By D. Yvette Wohn When the Nintendo Wii came out, people were fascinated with how the game controller- the Wii-mote- could detect their motion. Although motion-detection devices had been available, the Wii made motion-detection control an accessible  mainstream phenomena. But

saponas

Playing games with no handheld controls: Just use your muscles!

By D. Yvette Wohn When the Nintendo Wii came out, people were fascinated with how the game controller- the Wii-mote- could detect their motion. Although motion-detection devices had been available, the Wii made motion-detection control an accessible  mainstream phenomena. But

Why do people play games on Facebook?

Why do people play games? A lot of scholars and market researchers have looked at game motivations and have pretty much come up with similar results. People play for several reasons, some of which include to be social, to engage

Why do people play games on Facebook?

Why do people play games? A lot of scholars and market researchers have looked at game motivations and have pretty much come up with similar results. People play for several reasons, some of which include to be social, to engage

It’s all about the “rear”

It strikes me as being very interesting when researchers puzzle over things that seem so obviously clear. One of those “things” is about why people create avatars in games the ways that they do: in particular, why men create female

It’s all about the “rear”

It strikes me as being very interesting when researchers puzzle over things that seem so obviously clear. One of those “things” is about why people create avatars in games the ways that they do: in particular, why men create female

The serious cr** of serious games

I am all about games being used as an educational tool. I am all about games being used to increase awareness or instigate action. I am NOT about games that are designed for the sake of proving that games can

The serious cr** of serious games

I am all about games being used as an educational tool. I am all about games being used to increase awareness or instigate action. I am NOT about games that are designed for the sake of proving that games can