Exploring video game design and development
Our members have produced commercial titles as part of their research-informed practice
A key feature of the Advanced Games Research Group is research-informed practice, and the majority of our projects have a significant developmental aspect – with research directly feeding into the design, development, and release of a range of games, both commercial and free.
You can find links to the projects and publications below.
Research projects
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Cognition and Disruption in Gameplay
This project is exploring the potential of disrupting and subverting a player's expectations and pre-existing knowledge of games and gameplay, in order to provide a deeper, more cognitively engaging play experience. The project has been developed from a foundation of cognitive psychology coupled with existing models of gameplay, leading to the creation of a new framework of 'Ludic Knowledge' and a new model of 'Ludic Action'.
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Interpretation as Play
This project is exploring the role of comprehension and interpretation in digital games, particularly in ‘walking simulators’, where comprehension and interpretation are the key interaction – a form of ‘introspective play’. Through the application of games theory this project endeavours to gain further understanding of walking simulators and how ‘introspective play’ can be facilitated through game design.
Publication highlights
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Interpretive play and the player psychology of optimal arousal regulation
Higgins, M., Howell, P. (2020) "Interpretive play and the player psychology of optimal arousal regulation", Interactive Storytelling
