Psychological master form of computer games

Abstract

The article presented the rationale and description of a universal classification model of computer games. The basis of its development was the principle of systematic and psychosemiotic approach that afforded considering both semantic and syntactic (formal) features of a game as factors mediating its effect on gamers. A computer game came under consideration as a system entity whose classification profile took shape following unique combination of thirty-four components that were interconnected in the manner of mutual cooperation. They combined into seven levels, two of which were: the game-play and setting — attributed to the fundamentals inherent to any game, while five were variable: the narrative, semantic, personal, communicative and ethic. Criteria to determine intensity of manifestation of the described components in a game that served as the basis for its expert evaluation, were presented. The results of investigation of «The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt» computer game were quoted. The study involved ten experts (8 men and 2 women) with a higher education and a great interactive gaming experience. The participants were made familiar with the classification algorithm of video games assessment and, in the process of complete ‘play-through’ of a game under consideration, categorized it into thirty-four components. Statistical processing of the data demonstrated high degree of consistency of the estimates: the value of α-Kronbach index amounted to 0.971. That afforded grounds to infer that the Master Form presented may serve as a reliable basis to analyze games and propose hypotheses about the nature of their effect on gamers.

The Possibilities of Using Video Games for the Development of Cognitive Functions in Providing Psychological Assistance to a Person with Various Problems

“…Зависимость может вызвать любой способ воздействия, в том числе и видеоигры, на центр удовольствия в головном мозге. Но в разумных дозах игры имеют мощный положительный эффект на различные аспекты человеческого поведения [7].…”