ScienceDaily: Video Game News

Video gamers really do see more: Gamers capture more information faster for visual decision-making

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:19:19 EDT

Hours spent at the video gaming console not only train a player's hands to work the buttons on the controller, they probably also train the brain to make better and faster use of visual input, according to researchers.

Human-like opponents lead to more aggression in video game players

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:39:39 EDT

Video games that pit players against human-looking characters may be more likely to provoke violent thoughts and words than games where monstrous creatures are the enemy, according to a new study.

New study recommends using active videogaming ('exergaming') to improve children's health

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:58:58 EDT

Levels of physical inactivity and obesity are very high in children, with fewer than 50 percent of primary school-aged boys and fewer than 28 percent of girls meeting the minimum levels of physical activity required to maintain health. Exergaming, using active console video games that track player movement to control the game, has become popular, and may provide an alternative form of exercise to counteract sedentary behaviors.

Common myths about digital piracy busted

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

The results of a large-scale, analysis of BitTorrent file-sharing of computer games, focusing on using open methodologies, bust some of the common myths about digital piracy.

Cyberbullying rampant among high school students: Nearly one-third of youths also report playing video/computer games for more than 3 hours a day

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:37:37 EDT

Step into a class of 30 high school students and look around. Five of them have been victims of electronic bullying in the past year. What's more, 10 of those students spend three or more hours on an average school day playing video games or using a computer for something other than school work, according to a new study.

Violent video games have lower effects on highly-exposed teens

Fri, 03 May 2013 10:50:50 EDT

Teenagers who are highly exposed to violent video games —- three or more hours per day -— show blunted physical and psychological responses to playing a violent game, reports a new study.

Bonding with your virtual self may alter your actual perceptions

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:22:22 EDT

When people create and modify their virtual reality avatars, the hardships faced by their alter egos can influence how they perceive virtual environments, according to researchers.

Gamers recognize college football players in video games

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:29:29 EDT

Paying college athletes is a contentious issue and the subject of a lawsuit challenging the use of their likenesses in video games. A new study found that many video gamers recognize athletes in the video games.

Leadership emerges spontaneously during games

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:24:24 EDT

Video game and augmented-reality game players can spontaneously build virtual teams and leadership structures without special tools or guidance, according to researchers.

Weight loss programs via virtual reality

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:56 EDT

There are many barriers that can interfere with weight loss. For those attending face-to-face weight loss programs, barriers can include travel, conflict with work and home, need for childcare, and loss of anonymity. In a new study investigators continue to explore alternative weight management delivery methods to eliminate some of these barriers. The solution they are investigating -- virtual reality for weight loss and weight maintenance.

Lazy eye disorder treated with video game Tetris

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:29:29 EDT

Scientists have used the popular puzzle video game Tetris in an innovative approach to treat adult amblyopia, commonly known as "lazy eye." By distributing information between the two eyes in a complementary fashion, the video game trains both eyes to work together, which is counter to previous treatments for the disorder (e.g., patching).

'Big data’ algorithm used to customize video game difficulty

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

Researchers have developed a computational model that can predict video game players’ in-game performance and provide a corresponding challenge they can beat, leading to quicker mastery of new skills. The advance not only could help improve user experiences with video games but also applications beyond the gaming world.

Video games: Bad or good for your memory?

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:47:47 EDT

After the horrific shooting sprees at Columbine High School in 1999 and Virginia Tech in 2007, players of violent video games, such as First Person Shooter (FPS) games, have often been accused in the media of being impulsive, antisocial, or aggressive.

Computer scientists develop video game that teaches how to program in Java

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Computer scientists have developed an immersive, first-person player video game designed to teach students in elementary to high school how to program in Java, one of the most common programming languages in use today. The researchers tested the game on a group of girls who had never been exposed to programming before.

Virtual games help the blind navigate unknown territory

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:26:26 EDT

Scientists have developed a virtual gaming environment to help blind individuals improve navigation skills and develop a cognitive spatial map of unfamiliar buildings and public locations.

Violent video games are a risk factor for criminal behavior and aggression, new evidence shows

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:16:16 EDT

New evidence demonstrates a link between video games and youth violence and delinquency. The research shows a strong connection even when controlling for a history of violence and psychopathic traits among juvenile offenders.

Playing action videogames improves visual search

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:13:13 EDT

Researchers have shown that playing shooting or driving videogames, even for a relatively short time, improves the ability to search for a target hidden among irrelevant distractions in complex scenes.

Video game 'exercise' for an hour a day may enhance certain cognitive skills

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:21:21 EDT

Playing video games for an hour each day can improve subsequent performance on cognitive tasks that use similar mental processes to those involved in the game, according to new research.

Denied the chance to cheat or steal, people turn to violent video games

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:14:14 EDT

When people are denied the chance to cheat or steal, they get frustrated -- and turn to violent video games for release.

Seniors who play video games report better sense of emotional well-being

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:12:12 EST

New research finds that older adults who play video games report higher levels of emotional well-being.

Action video games boost reading skills, study of children with dyslexia suggests

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:41:41 EST

Much to the chagrin of parents who think their kids should spend less time playing video games and more time studying, time spent playing action video games can actually make dyslexic children read better, new research suggests. In fact, 12 hours of video game play did more for reading skills than is normally achieved with a year of spontaneous reading development or demanding traditional reading treatments.

Authors: Develop digital games to improve brain function and well-being

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:43:43 EST

Neuroscientists should help to develop compelling digital games that boost brain function and improve well-being, say two professors specializing in the field.

How men and women organize their (online) social networks differently

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:47:47 EST

A new quantitative study of data assembled from the online multiplayer game Pardus examines ways men and women manage their social networks drastically different, even online.

Digital games contribute to HIV education in Uganda

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:38:38 EST

Computer games, virtual classroom with a discussion forum and video drama can be integrated in a common learning environment for teaching teenage children. This pedagogical approach has demonstrated the significance of using a variety of learning objects to achieve a common educational goal.

Virtual superheroes more helpful in real world, too

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:41:41 EST

Having virtual super-powers in a game may incite people to better behavior in the real world, according to new research.

Video game controllers affect hostility during game play

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:39:39 EST

When selecting a video game to play, opting to turn on your Wii may provide a different experience than playing your Xbox, according to a new study.

E-games boost physical activity in children; Might be a weapon in the battle against obesity

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:57:57 EST

Video games have been blamed for contributing to the epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States. But a new study by researchers suggests that certain blood-pumping video games can boost energy expenditures among children who are at high risk for unhealthy weight gain.

The reason we lose at games: Some games simply too complex for the human mind to understand

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:12:12 EST

If you have ever wondered why you never seem to win at skill-based games such as poker or chess, there might be a very good reason. Scientists have discovered that some games are simply impossible to fully learn, or too complex for the human mind to understand.

Video analysis: Detecting text every which way

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 07:30:30 EST

Software that detects and extracts text from within video frames, making it searchable, is set to make a vast resource even more valuable.

Video-game users: Who are sports gamers?

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:27:27 EST

From Gran Turismo to WWE Smackdown, sports-based video games represent a wide variety of pursuits. When it comes to the people who actually play those games, however, little is known. How do sports video game players fit their games into a larger sports-related context? How does their video game play inform their media usage and general sports fandom?

Head-mounted cameras could help robots understand social interactions

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:18:18 EST

What is everyone looking at? It's a common question in social settings because the answer identifies something of interest, or helps delineate social groupings. Those insights someday will be essential for robots designed to interact with humans, so researchers have developed a method for detecting where people's gazes intersect. The researchers tested the method using groups of people with head-mounted video cameras.

Violent video games: More playing time equals more aggression

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:13:13 EST

A new study provides the first experimental evidence that the negative effects of playing violent video games can accumulate over time.

Creativity and linguistic skills important for immersion in World of Warcraft

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 10:26:26 EST

The sense of immersion in role-play and computer games is sometimes viewed as dangerous, as players’ strong perceptions of fictional worlds are assumed to make them lose contact with reality. On the other hand, players’ immersion also implies a potential for improved learning, since it enables them to ‘experience’ new places and historical eras. Yet a new study from Sweden shows that immersion in online role-play games requires a lot of hard work.

From rats to people: Gaming platform used to compare memory impairments of rodents and humans with epilepsy

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:16:16 EST

A behavioral test widely used on rodents to study spatial learning and memory, the Morris water maze (MWM), was recreated using software developed to create custom video game environments. By creating a virtual reality analogue for humans, it was possible to obtain a direct comparison between the results of studies on a rodent model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), whose spatial memory performance was found to be severely impaired, and patients with TLE.

Mathematics helps mobiles and tablets match eyes' ability to switch from sunshine to shadow

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:33:33 EST

Researchers have pushed the boundaries of High Dynamic Range (HDR) video to match our own eyes’ ability to cope with the real world's ever rapidly changing light intensity - such as sun simply going behind clouds. Now researchers have found a way to compress and stream HDR video directly to monitors and mobile devices, such as an iPad, bringing enormous benefits to industries including gaming and security.

Level up: Study reveals keys to gamer loyalty

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:09:09 EST

Online role-playing game developers can get ahead of the competition by giving gamers more opportunities to get social, collaborate and take control of their online personas, according to a new study.

Using skills gleaned from video games, high school and college students outmatch medical residents in surgical simulations

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:16:16 EST

What can high school and college-age video game enthusiasts teach young surgeons-in-training? According to a new study the superior hand-eye coordination and hand skills gained from hours of repetitive joystick maneuvers mimic the abilities needed to perform today's most technologically advanced robotic surgeries.

How online video stream quality affects viewer behavior

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:48:48 EST

It may seem like common sense that the quality of online video streaming affects how willing viewers are to watch videos at a website. But until computer science researchers developed a way to rigorously study the question, no one had been able to scientifically test the assumption.

Virtual reality could help people lose weight, fight prejudice

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:21:21 EST

When an individual strongly identifies with the virtual reality representation of themselves, known as an avatar, the electronic doppelganger can influence that person's health and appearance, according to a new study. Harnessing the power of the virtual world could lead to new forms of obesity treatment and help break down racial and sexual prejudices.

Virtual reality puts human in rat world: 'Beaming' technology transforms human-animal interaction

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:42:42 EDT

Using cutting-edge virtual reality technology, researchers have "beamed" a person into a rat facility allowing the rat and human to interact with each other on the same scale.

Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their anger

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:47:47 EDT

Children with serious anger problems can be helped by a video game that hones their ability to regulate their emotions, finds a new study. Noticing that children with anger control problems are often uninterested in psychotherapy, but eager to play video games, researchers developed "RAGE Control" to motivate children to practice emotional control skills.

Brain waves reveal video game aptitude

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:34:34 EDT

Scientists report that they can predict who will improve most on an unfamiliar video game by looking at their brain waves.

Math professor calls Detroit Tigers a favorite to win World Series

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:12:12 EDT

Since the Major League Baseball Division Series and League Championship Series have determined which teams will compete in the World Series, mathematics professor Bruce Bukiet has again analyzed the probability of each team taking the title.

Dance Dance Revolution makes a difference in kids' physical activity levels

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:50:50 EDT

A new study offers positive news for Wii-loving teenagers and their parents: games such as Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution can bring them closer to recommended physical activity levels.

Artificially intelligent game bots pass the Turing test on Turing's centenary

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:32:32 EDT

An artificially intelligent virtual gamer has won the BotPrize by convincing a panel of judges that it was more human-like than half the humans it competed against. The victory comes 100 years after the birth of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing, whose "Turing test" stands as one of the foundational definitions of what constitutes true machine intelligence.

Active video gaming linked with higher energy expenditure in children

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:52:52 EDT

Compared with rest and sedentary video game play, active video gaming with dancing and boxing were associated with increased heart rate, oxygen uptake and energy expenditure in a study of 18 school children in England.

Blind people develop accurate mental map by playing 'video' game

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:06:06 EDT

Researchers have developed a new "video" game for blind people that can help them learn about a new space using only audio cues.

Serious games could be integrated into surgical training subject to validation

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:12:12 EDT

Serious gaming can be used to enhance surgical skills, but games developed or used to train medical professionals need to be validated before they are integrated into teaching methods, according to a new paper.

Can videogaming benefit young people with autism spectrum disorder?

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 11:09:09 EDT

Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder are typically fascinated by screen-based technology such as video games, and these can be used for educational and treatment purposes, as described in a new article.

Violent video games not so bad when players cooperate

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:07:07 EDT

New research suggests that violent video games may not make players more aggressive -- if they play cooperatively with other people.

New standard high efficiency video coding encodes films more efficiently

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:29:29 EDT

Television resolution is constantly improving – and this must go hand-in-hand with transmitting the data more efficiently. Reputable manufacturers of televisions, computers and mobile telephones are developing a new standard for data transmission.

Computer scientists reveal how aquatic Olympic gold is captured -- above and below the surface

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:25:25 EDT

Computer scientists have isolated the movements of Olympic swimmers and divers through a cutting-edge technique that reveals their motions above and below the water’s surface.

'Exergames' not perfect, but can lead to more exercise

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:18:18 EDT

Active video games, also known as "exergames," are not the perfect solution to the nation's sedentary ways, but they can play a role in getting some people to be more active.

Controlling your computer with your eyes

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:46:46 EDT

Millions of people suffering from multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries or amputees could soon interact with their computers and surroundings using just their eyes, thanks to a new device that costs less than £40. Composed from off-the-shelf materials, the new device can work out exactly where a person is looking by tracking their eye movements, allowing them to control a cursor on a screen just like a normal computer mouse.

Inexperienced video gamers show Macbeth effect

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:24:24 EDT

Current research found that when study participants were asked to select gift products after they had played a violent video game, inexperienced players selected more hygienic products, such as shower gel, toothpaste and deodorant, compared to those who played violent video games more often. Inexperienced players also felt higher moral distress from playing violent games.

Videogamers no better at talking while driving

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:24:24 EDT

No matter how much time you've spent training your brain to multitask by playing "Call of Duty," you're probably no better at talking on the phone while driving than anybody else, according to a new study.

Video games may be helpful in treating 'Lazy eye' in adults

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:22:22 EDT

Suppose someone told you that researchers had discovered that a major cause of vision loss is treatable, and that the most promising new treatment is—playing video games? It may sound far-fetched, but those are the conclusions of a new article.

Educational games to train middle schoolers' attention, empathy

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:17:17 EDT

Two years ago, at a meeting on science and education, experts challenged video game manufacturers to develop games that emphasize kindness and compassion instead of violence and aggression.

Cyber partners help you go the distance

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:31:31 EDT

A competent, virtual exercise partner can boost motivation and improve team performance. A new study, testing the benefits of a virtual exercise partner, shows that the presence of a moderately more capable cycling partner boosts motivation to stick to an exercise program.