Author: Junkang Lyu

The escalating prevalence of mobile gaming among underage users necessitates a comprehensive examination of its potential implications for their overall well-being. Framed within the research methodology by Sanders’ “Research Onion” (2019) [1], integrating both quantitative and qualitative research methods, this study employs a multifaceted approach. Initial engagement with key stakeholders through surveys and online interviews serves as the foundation, allowing for a nuanced understanding of diverse perspectives. Furthermore, an extensive literature review validates research findings, identifies potential intervention strategies, and establishes a robust theoretical framework.

Negative Effects of Mobile Gaming

I began addressing the imperative need for my intervention framework, which requires a comprehensive understanding of the negative effects associated with mobile gaming. Lérida-Ayala et al. (2022) highlighted the potential contribution of video games to behavioral disorders in children and adolescents [2]. This insight underscores the urgency of developing intervention that mitigate the adverse impacts of mobile gaming on related stakeholders especially underage users. Similarly, the research by the University of Utah Health (2021) delves into the effects of violent video games on children’s behavior[3], emphasizing the importance of tailored solutions to counteract these detrimental influences.

Positive Impacts and Learning Effects of Mobile Gaming

While concerns exist, mobile gaming has also demonstrated positive impacts and learning effects. Gao et al. (2020) explored the integration of mobile games in STEM education, revealing promising enhancements in learning outcomes [4]. This suggests that curated mobile gaming libraries could leverage the positive aspects of gaming to foster educational development. Insights from the Children’s Commissioner (2019) also stated the positive social impacts of online gaming on children [5], reinforcing the potential needs for interventions like Tangy to facilitate positive social experiences within the gaming community.

Mobile Game Genres and Statistics from 2022

A crucial contextual component is an analysis of the top video game genres worldwide by age in 2022. According to Statista, shooting and action-adventure games emerged as the two most popular video game genres globally [6]. Understanding these preferences provides essential insights for tailoring the mobile game Library while aligning with the interests of underage users. Notably, the age-specific preference of battle royale games among users under 18 adds a layer of complexity, indicating the importance of considering specific gaming genres in intervention design.

Parental Supervision and Children’s Mental Health

Understanding the intricate relationship between parental supervision and children’s mental health in the realm of mobile gaming is important as well. Jang and Ryu (2016) explored the role of parenting behavior in adolescents’ problematic mobile game use, shedding light on the nuanced dynamics of this association [7]. This highlights the necessity for parental controls features to address guardians’ concerns and equip them with effective tools to supervise and support their children. Additionally, Musick, Freeman, and McNeese (2021) contribute valuable insights into the evolving landscape of modern parent-child relationships, emphasizing the significance of nuanced solutions in the context of digital game co-play [8]. Such insights were pivotal for designing the intervention concept Tangy, which aim to consider the evolving dynamics and complexities within parent-child interactions related to mobile gaming.

Conclusion

Tangy’s design and concepts represent a holistic approach to addressing both the negative and positive aspects of mobile gaming. To counteract negative impacts, the app capitalizes on the positive impacts and learning effects of mobile gaming through a meticulously curated library of age-appropriate games that foster problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork skills. Simultaneously, the parent edition will feature tools such as game duration reminder alarms and in-game content payment reminders. With the implemented features Tangy not only aim to addresses parental concerns but also aims to optimize the gaming experience for underage users, aligning with the overarching goal of promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Bibliography

[1] Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2016). Research Onion: A Systematic Approach for Designing Research Methodology 

[2] Lérida-Ayala, V., Aguilar-Parra, J.M., Collado-Soler, R., Alférez-Pastor, M., Fernández-Campoy, J.M. and Luque-de la Rosa, A. (2022). Internet and Video Games: Causes of Behavioral Disorders in Children and Teenagers. Children, p.86. 

[3] Gellner, C. (2021). The Video Games Your Child Plays Has an Effect on Their Behavior. ,University of Utah Health. 

[4]Gao, F., Li, L. and Sun, Y. (2020). A systematic review of mobile game-based learning in STEM education. Educational Technology Research and Development, pp.1791–1827

[5] Children’s Commissioner for England. (2019). Gaming the System: A Report on the Experiences of Children and Young People Who Play Games Online.

[6] Statista. (2022). Leading Video Game Genres Worldwide in 2022

 [7]Jang, Y. and Ryu, S. (2016). The Role of Parenting Behavior in Adolescents’ Problematic Mobile Game Use. Social Behavior and Personality, pp.269–282.

[8] Musick, G., Freeman, G. and McNeese, N.J. (2021). Gaming as Family Time: Digital Game Co-play in Modern Parent-Child Relationships

In a recent interview, I had the privilege of engaging in a conversation with Sennet Deng, a seasoned Technical Artist at Criterion Games, a division of EA. Sennet’s expertise lies in designing and refining the visual aspects of in-game models through 3D rendering, contributing to major console games such as Avatar, Need for Speed, and Far Cry. Our discussion delved into the nuances of game development, the gaming industry’s focus on playability, and the potential impacts of mobile gaming on children and adolescents.

Before delving into the insights provided by Sennet, it is crucial to note that this interview was conducted with the explicit consent. A formal consent form was sent and signed by Sennet (邓森蕾 Senlei Deng), affirming his agreement to participate in the interview and acknowledging the transcription of our conversation for academic purposes.

Below is the full Chinese and English transcript of the conversation:

问：你好Sennet，十分感谢您抽出时间与我交谈！在我们开始讨论我的干预计划之前，您能简单介绍一下自己目前的职业吗？

Q: Hi Sennet, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me! Before we start talking about my intervention concept, can you briefly talk about yourself and describe your current occupation?

答：你好Jun，谢谢你邀请我！我叫Sennet Deng, 目前在EA旗下的Criterion Games任职Technical Artist。我负责通过3D渲染来设计并调整游戏内模型的外观，简单来说就是游戏建模设计。迄今为止我参与制作过Avatar, Need for Speed 和Far Cry等的大型主机游戏。

A: Hi Jun, thanks for having me! My name is Sennet Deng, and I’m currently working as a Technical Artist at Criterion Games, a division of EA, where I’m responsible for designing and tweaking the look of in-game models through 3D rendering, or in short, game modeling. So far I’ve worked on major console games such as Avatar, Need for Speed and Far Cry.

问：很帅！我想请问，作为一个玩家和游戏开发者，你认为开发一款游戏最重要的方面是什么？

Q: Very cool! I’d like to ask, as a gamer and game developer, what do you think is the most important aspect of developing a game?

答：嗯。。在工作中我更注重图形和艺术方面的处理，但游戏的可玩性，平衡性和剧情也同样重要。我认为它们不一定分前后顺序，并且每一个元素也都紧密挂钩。但是如果一定要说的话，我认为最重要的还是一款游戏的可玩性，游戏业内最注重的也是这一点，任天堂就是一个很好的例子，他们的图形和剧情不一定是最好的，但是他们的游戏总是很有趣并且可以反复玩。

A: Hmmm. I focus more on the graphical and artistic aspects of my work, but the playability, balance and plot of the game are just as important. I don’t think they’re necessarily in any particular order, and each element is closely linked. But if I had to say, I think the most important thing is the playability of a game, and that’s what the gaming industry focuses on the most. Nintendo is a good example of that, they don’t necessarily have the best graphics and plots, but their games are always fun to play over and over again.

问：我同意，作为一个主机玩家，我也认为一个游戏好玩才能吸引到人。当然，你说的其他点对任何一款游戏来说也至关重要。 你刚才提到了任天堂，which是一个更偏向于掌机和手游的游戏公司，所以我很好奇你对移动游戏的态度和看法，你认为相比于传统的PC端游戏和主机游戏，手游有什么优缺点？

Q: I agree, as a console gamer, I also think a game needs to be fun in order to appeal to people. Of course, the other points you made are important as well. You mentioned Nintendo too, Which is a gaming company that focus on handheld console games or mobile games, so I’m curious about your attitude and opinions on mobile gaming, what do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of mobile games compared to traditional PC-based and console games?

答：我其实平时手游玩的并不多，但我也会关注一些自己喜欢类型的手游，一般都是多人竞技类，经营类，或者冒险类。我认为手游的优点在于它的便利性，大部分手游都相对的快节奏并且操作比较简单，也可以随时随地游玩；相应的，移动游戏的开发周期相对于主机游戏来说非常短，而且手游的盈利模式大部分来自于广告和in-app购买，相对于主机游戏的买断制，这种方式盈利明显更快也更有效，种种原因导致市场上移动游戏的质量参差不齐，这也是我不怎么玩手游的原因。

A: I actually don’t usually play mobile games that often, but I do pay attention to some mobile games under the genres of multiplayer competitive, management, or adventure games. I think the advantage of mobile games is its convenience, most of the mobile games are relatively fast-paced and easy to control, and can be played anytime and anywhere. On the other hand, the development cycle of mobile games is very short compared to the console or PC games, and most mobile game’s profit comes from ads and in-app purchases, as opposed to the console game’s buyout system, making them significantly more profitable. All these reasons lead to the uneven quality of mobile games on the market, which is why I don’t play many mobile games.

问：确实，我在设计我的干预方案时发现，手游行业现在似乎有一种乱象，无论是延长游玩时间的游戏匹配机制，游戏内的氪金道具，似乎都对这些游戏的主力用户，也就是儿童和青少年有着不小的负面影响，可以浅谈一下你对这个的看法吗？

Q: Indeed, when I was designing my intervention concept, I found that many popular mobile game are kind of problematic, like most multiplayer game’s’ unbalanced game matching mechanism that prolongs playing time, or highly priced in-game purchases. It seems to have a considerable negative impact on the main users of these games, that is, the children and adolescents, can you briefly share your opinions on this?

答：我觉得无论是手游还是端游其实都有类似的现象，不过现在小孩接触手机时间更久，手游的节奏一般也更快，操作更简单，所以可能会导致他们玩太久产生不良影响。

还有就是，有些游戏厂商为了增加用户粘性而刻意操纵游戏胜率，这也是很多厂商在开发游戏时的潜规则，目的就是为了让玩家玩的更久或者购买强力道具快速获胜。这对于那些自控能力较差的孩子们来说无疑是toxic的。总的来说，我认为减轻游戏对青少年带来的身心负面影响，最有效的方法就是仔细甄别游戏的品质，还有就是保持一个良好的游戏习惯和消费观。

A: I think both mobile and console games actually have a similar problems, but nowadays children are exposed to smartphones for a longer period of time, and like I said, mobile games are generally faster-paced and simpler to operate, so it may lead to adverse effects if they play for too long.

There is also the fact that some game studios will try to increase user stickiness and deliberately manipulate the game winning rate, the logic is to allow players to play for a longer time or buy powerful virtual items to win quickly. This is undoubtedly toxic for kids who have less self-control. Overall, I think the most effective way to mitigate the negative physical and mental impacts of gaming on young people is to carefully scrutinize the quality of the games, as well as to maintain a good gaming and purchasing habits .

问：游戏的品质和一个好的游戏习惯确实至关重要,我为了更好的设计我的干预方案，也对在上海一所初中的9-13岁儿童以及他们的父母展开过的问卷调查中以便更好的了解青少年玩家的游戏习惯和偏好。调研结果显示，多于半数的未成年玩家在移动游戏每周游玩超过8小时，或是曾经因为游戏与监护人发生争执，而导致不良作息和生活习惯。而市面上也没有任何相关的辅助工具来帮助未成年玩家树立健康游戏习惯。

所以我设计了一款手机app概念企划，本质上就是是一个移动端游戏应用平台，提供精心挑选的适龄游戏库和不同的游戏分类，app内同时还提供例如监控具体游戏时长，社交圈 ，GPS定位和实时周边活动提醒等功能。App上的游戏库将会提供具有娱乐性，能提高玩家解决问题的能力、创造力和团队合作的游戏。 APP同时会提供家长版和儿童版，家长版会支持一些专属的新功能，比如游戏时长提醒闹铃，游戏内内容支付提醒等，但不会强制关闭游戏。

通过这个app，我希望改进未成年用户的游戏体验和强化他们的社交体验，同时让他们的监护人也能更安心的让年轻用户们锻炼他们的社交能力和团队合作能力，最终帮助儿童和青少年以更健康合理的方式玩游戏。虽然目前还没有实际研发计划，只是处在一个应用程序的开发概念，但你能分享一下你对这个想法的看法或者建议吗？

Q: The quality of the game and a good gaming habit are indeed crucial, and I have conducted a questionnaire survey with 9-13 year old children and their parents in a junior high school in Shanghai, to better understand the gaming habits and preferences of adolescent gamers. The results of the survey showed that more than half of the underage gamers played mobile games for more than 8 hours a week, or had arguments with their guardians because of gaming, which led to poor work and life habits. There are no tools on the market to help underage gamers establish healthy gaming habits.

So I designed a mobile app concept, which is essentially a mobile gaming platform that provides a library of carefully selected age-appropriate games and different game categories, as well as features such as monitoring of game duration, social circles, GPS location and real-time activity alerts, etc. The app’s library of games will be entertaining, and will enhance players’ problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork skills, The game library on the App will provide entertaining games that enhance problem solving, creativity and teamwork. The app will be available in both a parent and child version, and the parent version will support some exclusive new features, such as alarms for game duration reminders and payment reminders for in-game content, but will not force the game to be closed.

Through this app, I hope to improve the gaming experience of underage users and strengthen their social experience, while giving their guardians more peace of mind by allowing younger users to work on their social and teamwork skills, and ultimately helping children and teens play games in a healthier and more reasonable way. While there are no actual development plans yet, and it’s just in an app development concept, can you share your thoughts or suggestions on the idea?

答：我听下来觉得这是一个很棒的想法！其实我们工作室也非常关注年轻用户的体验，在过去的开发过程中，根据不同评级，我们需要考虑适合全年龄段的设计元素。不过可惜的是，我并不了解或听说过市面上有任何工具或游戏库能同时提升他们的游戏体验和生活方式，更不用说让家长和小孩和谐的讨论怎么玩游戏了。

所以我觉得你的APP里附带的功能也挺实用的，尤其是提供一个适合青少年的游戏库，让小孩和家长都可以放心玩好游戏。我还很欣赏你提的家长监管非强制，而是以闹铃这种相对‘软’的方式去提醒儿童，这对亲子关系以及未成年人的心理健康也很有益处。

A: It sounds like a great idea to me! We actually pay a lot of attention to the experience of younger users in our studio, and in the past, during development, we’ve needed to consider design elements that are appropriate for all ages, depending on the rating. Unfortunately though, I don’t know or have heard of any tools or game libraries on the market that would enhance both their gaming experience and lifestyle, let alone allow parents and kids to discuss how to play games in harmony. That’s why I think the features that come with your app are quite useful, especially in providing a library of games for teens so that both kids and parents can feel comfortable playing good games. I also appreciate your mention of parental supervision being non-compulsory, but rather a relatively ‘soft’ way of reminding children in the form of alarms, which is also beneficial to the parent-child relationship as well as the mental health of minors.

问：非常感谢你的赞誉和建议！像我刚才说的，这现在只是一个企划，但或许在未来会真的开始开发。作为游戏业内人员，你认为我的概念和设计还有什么需要改进的点吗？

Q: Thank you very much for your kind words and advice! Like I said earlier, this is just a concept right now, but maybe in the future development will actually begin. As someone in the gaming industry, do you think there are any points of improvement in my concept and design?

答：App的概念方面现在作为初案已经相对完整，你的出发点，功能的设计逻辑，和想要达成的目标都很清晰。我的建议是你可以细化用户体验的设计，考虑到你的用户将会是儿童和他们的监护人，app首先要确保的就是简化的洁面和清晰的操作指南。你刚才也提到了建立一个适合青少年有玩的游戏库，那么你就要考虑库内的游戏有怎么分类，比如是按年龄分类，还是游戏类别分类？比如家长可一起游玩的家庭游戏，适合孩子自己游玩的单人单机游戏，与在线玩家一起游玩的社交游戏等等。

A: The conceptual aspect of the app is now relatively complete. Your design logic of the features, and the goals you want to achieve are all pretty clear as well. My suggestion is that you could refine the design of the user experience. Considering that your users will be children and their guardians, the first thing the app should ensure is a simple to use interface and clear user instructions. You also mentioned building a library of games for teens to play, so you’ll want to think about how you categorize the games in the library, such as by age, or by game category? For example, family games that parents can play together, single-player games for kids to play on their own, social games to play with online players, and so on.

问：这些确实是我该好好考虑的点！我暂时没有其他问题了，不过我后期会继续完善这个干预计划并跟你分享，再次感谢你Sennet, 谢谢你今天抽出时间接受我的采访！

Q: These are really good points I should think about! I don’t have any more questions for now, but I’ll continue to refine this intervention program and share it with you later. Thank you again Sennet, for taking the time to do this interview with me today!

答：不客气，Jun！祝你的项目取得成功！如果还有什么需要帮忙的，可以随时微信找我说！

A: You’re welcome, Jun! I wish you success with your project! If there’s anything else you need help with, feel free to WeChat me about it too!

In my previous posts, I purposed an intervention concept based on my research question: ‘How can a curated mobile gaming library concept contribute to promoting a healthier lifestyle among underage users?’ I since then have refined the concept for the mobile application and with it I aim to assist underage gamers in developing a more balanced and healthy lifestyle. The app offers a thoughtfully curated library of age-appropriate games.

The game library features highly entertaining gaming experiences designed to develop problem solving, creativity, and teamwork skills. To better meet the needs of users, the app is available in Parent and Kids versions. The Parent Edition comes with a series of exclusive new features, including game duration reminder alarms, in-game content payment reminders, etc. However, this does not force the game to be closed.

The app is designed to optimize the gaming experience for underage users, enhance their social experience, and at the same time provide peace of mind for guardians, enabling young users to develop social and teamwork skills while playing. Although it is still in the conceptual stage, with no actual development plans, I chose to name the app “Tangy”, which is derived from the Chinese word “Tang Ying” (躺赢). The word translates to ‘Winning while laying down flat’, which means winning a game effortlessly. By shortening the pinyin Tang Ying to Tangy, I also try convey a sense of energy and freshness to make the name sounds catchy but also have appeals to both children & teenagers and their parents.

I’ve also design a new logo based on the concepts and thoughts behind the name Tangy.

The design process behind this icon was carefully thought through. Commencing with the selection of a color that harmonizes with both my intervention’s name and tonality, I initiated an exploration into the psychological implications of the color green. As delineated in the London Image Institute Article Article link here, Green evokes a feeling of hopefulness, responsibility, wealth, forgiveness, comfort and energy; all of which can be characteristics of someone who is optimistic. I then decided to use green as my intervention’s main color to make my stakeholders perceive the application with a sense of hopefulness and energy upon seeing the icon.

I then started the creation of a miniature ‘lime planet’, which was detailed with animated-styled houses and various plants. Aligning with the associative imagery evoked by the term “tangy.” The resulting icon, currently in its initial phase, will be transformed into a digital poster as the subsequent stage of this intervention. The poster will be used to test stakeholders’ responses towards both the name Tangy and the conceptual image.

Introduction:

In the past 15 years, the proliferation of mobile devices, particularly smartphones, has led to an unprecedented surge in the popularity of mobile gaming. From the early days featuring simple games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, the landscape has evolved to encompass a diverse array of game genres available on the App Store today. This accessibility has enabled individuals to engage in gaming experiences anytime and anywhere. However, the convenience of mobile gaming presents a dual challenge, particularly for minors, whose self-regulation and decision-making capacities are still developing. The immersive nature of mobile games, characterized by their fast pace, vivid graphics, and enticing in-app purchases, often makes it difficult for young players to disengage. 

As a result, they may invest excessive amounts of time, energy, and sometimes money into these games. Recognizing these issues, it is imperative to draw public attention to the potential negative impacts and develop strategies to foster responsible gaming habits among minors. This realization forms the basis of the research inquiry: How can we promote a healthy lifestyle for minor mobile game players?

Mythologies:

In conducting this research, a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was employed. The assessment involved engaging key stakeholders through surveys and online interviews. Additionally, an extensive review of existing literature was conducted to identify potential intervention strategies and substantiate the research findings.

To validate the concerns raised, a survey questionnaire was formulated, consisting of 12 questions aimed at understanding the gaming habits of children aged 9 to 13, their leisure time preferences, the duration of gaming sessions, the types of games they engaged with, and the dynamics of their relationship with their parents. In ensuring ethical standards, consent forms were dispatched, emphasizing the necessity of joint participation from both children and parents. A total of 52 middle schoolers and their parents from Shanghai participated in the survey. Noteworthy findings included the fact that over 88% of the children surveyed play mobile games, indicating a pervasive engagement with mobile gaming among the surveyed children, which highlights the profound influence of these games in shaping their leisure activities and preferences, underscoring the need for interventions that encourage a balanced approach to gaming and other recreational pursuits.

Furthermore, more than 45% of the surveyed children reported favoring indoor gaming activities over outdoor ones, indicating the necessity for interventions that promote a healthy balance between screen time and physical activities to ensure holistic development and well-being. Of significance, 62% reported experiencing conflicts with their parents due to their gaming habits, signaling the importance of interventions that facilitate effective communication and understanding between parents and their children, emphasizing the need for strategies that promote responsible gaming behaviors while fostering positive parent-child relationships.

The exploration of relevant literature provided crucial insights into effective approaches for promoting a healthy lifestyle among underage mobile game players. 

The systematic review titled “Interventions to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Digital Media Use in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review” emphasizes the importance of integrating physical activities and healthy digital media usage for children and adolescents. Furthermore, the study “Fitrust: Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Through Gamified Mobile Health Application”2 underscores the potential of gamified mobile applications in fostering healthy living. These studies collectively emphasize the need to incorporate interactive and engaging techniques to encourage positive behavioral changes among young mobile game players, thereby fostering a balanced and wholesome lifestyle.

Following the survey and literature review, I began designing a prototype for my intervention, which took the form of a mobile application. This application aimed not only to raise awareness about the potential negative impacts of freemium mobile gaming on children and teenagers but also to provide alternative activities and strategies for fostering healthier social interactions and gaming habits. Utilizing the insights and findings gathered, I crafted a comprehensive presentation deck to seek validation and feedback from an industry expert. This led to a productive meeting with Sennet Deng, a Technical Artist at Criterion Games, an Electronic Arts Studio. 

During our discussion, Sennet highlighted the diversity in the types of games available for children today. He emphasized that while some games can be considered works of art, others might lead to draining one’s energy and finances. This realization underscored the varying marketing strategies and dissemination channels employed in the gaming industry, with many games leveraging popular culture collaborations and e-sport live events. However, the absence of a clear grading system and comprehensive youth protection mechanisms increases the risk of minors developing unhealthy gaming habits.

Intervention:

Taking into account the valuable feedback received, I have refined my intervention concept to encompass a mobile app platform that offers a thoughtfully curated library of age-appropriate games. This platform also serves as a comprehensive resource, providing tools and materials to foster a balanced lifestyle, personal development, and prosperity through gaming. Tentatively named GGWP (subject to change), which traditionally signifies “good game, well played” as an expression of sportsmanship at the conclusion of a game, in this context, it represents the core values of “Game, Grow, Win, and Prosper,” encapsulating the mission of transforming the mobile gaming experience into a more positive and enriching journey for young players. GGWP is not just another gaming platform; it is a meticulously crafted environment that encourages healthy gaming habits. The platform will feature games that not only entertain but also promote essential skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork.

GGWP is designed to be engaging and user-friendly, appealing to a youthful audience while also offering family-friendly games that facilitate bonding between children and parents, fostering mutual understanding and shared experiences. Beyond its gaming offerings, GGWP provides a range of resources and tools to assist users in balancing their gaming time with other aspects of their lives. Key features include time management tools, reminders for breaks, and educational content focusing on fostering healthy gaming habits, all integrated within the GGWP experience. To address potential financial implications related to mobile gaming, GGWP will enforce stringent guidelines on in-app purchases and advertising content. Additionally, a Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) feature will be implemented to ensure that financial transactions for underage users are authorized by their parents or guardians.

In essence, GGWP represents a movement toward fostering healthier, more balanced gaming habits. It refrains from simply discouraging children from playing games but instead focuses on empowering them to play more responsibly and lead healthier lives. With GGWP, every gaming experience becomes a celebration of “Good Game, Well Played.”

Next Steps:

As this project moves forward, tailored interventions will be crafted based on a comprehensive understanding of my target audience and user psychology. Building upon the insights gained, the development process for the GGWP platform will incorporate a nuanced understanding of the specific needs and preferences of young gamers.

To ensure a more personalized and engaging experience, the project name will be carefully selected to resonate with my audience and effectively convey the essence of my mission. Furthermore, I will integrate additional features, such as the implementation of custom game rating metrics, to provide users with a transparent and informative evaluation of the games available on the platform, allowing parents to make informed decisions about the content their children engage with. 

Throughout the development phase, I will prioritize continuous user testing and feedback collection to ensure that the platform is not only user-friendly but also aligns with the evolving needs and expectations of my target demographic. Additionally, I plan to develop prototype demo or deportation videos for stakeholders to experience firsthand, facilitating a deeper understanding of the platform’s functionalities and potential impact.

Bibliography:

1. Oh, C., Carducci, B., Vaivada, T., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2022). Interventions to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Digital Media Use in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Pediatrics
2. Kostić, M., & Jovanović, J. (2020). Fitrust: Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Through Gamified Mobile Health Application. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
3. Garg, R., & Dixit, S. (2019). A complete guide to designing mobile app and website mockups. Packt Publishing Ltd
4. Munzner, T. (2014). Decision making with visualizations: a cognitive framework across disciplines. CRC Press
5. Jackson, M., & Hettrick, S. (2019). Choosing project and product names. Software Sustainability Institute.
6. Ryzhov, V. (2022). Mobile gaming audience in 2022: How to reach them and boost your sales? The Manifest.
7. Grguric, M. (2023). Mobile Game Marketing: The Ultimate Guide for 2023. Amazon Digital Services LLC.

Intro:

In order to further refine my intervention design, I decided to validate my idea by utilizing the following main research strategies. I have already utilized a questionnaire survey with children (age 8-15) and their parents (25-60) in order to obtain the social preferences and gaming habits of underage mobile gamers, as well as the parents’ attitudes towards their children’s gaming. After obtaining the research data, I will incorporate systematic literature analysis to refine my conclusions from the data. Lastly I will conduct one-on-one interviews with experts in the industry to refine my proposal and establish its feasibility.

To better understand my main stakeholders (children age 8-15)’s gaming preferences and habits, I decided to construct an online interview. The interview consists 8 questions about young user’s gaming habits, and 3 additional ones for their guardians. The survey have to be done cooperatively with kids and their guardians after they sign the consent form. (or in this case, after they done the survey, the form has been sent to the group chat and still collecting signature and consent from participants)

The questionaries were sent out in forms of to WeChat parental school groups with 300+ active members.  By Oct 1st, participant number were 53 in total, including kids from 3th grade to 10th grade (age 8-15), and their parents or guardians. (Age 25-60)

I then analyzed the responses and visualized them into piecharts, please see the below charts and notes for my findings and insights from both the original information I got and from literature reviews.

Bibliography and sources:

-Barnardo’s. (2023)  ‘Why young people like online gaming’, Barnardo’s.  Available at: https://www.barnardos.org.uk/online-safety/why-young-people-like-online-gaming

-Columb, D., Hussain, R., O’Gara, C., & Foody, M. (2019).  ‘Problematic smartphone use: An exploration of attitudes amongst Irish clinical psychologists.’ Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 36(3), 191–198. 

-Frontiers (2021). ‘Mobile Gaming: Positive Effects on Mental Health?’https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.634947/full

-CBR. (2020) ‘Why Video Games Are Better Than Social Media for Connecting’ Available at: https://www.cbr.com/video-games-better-social-media-connecting/

-Robinson, L., Smith, M., Segal, J., & Shubin, J. (2023) ‘The Benefits of Play for Adults’, HelpGuide.org. 

Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm

Continuing from the previous post, with my researches (please see bibliography at the end), I am aiming to create an intervention that not only raises awareness about the potential negative impacts of freemium mobile gaming on children and teenagers, but also provides them with alternatives and strategies for healthier social interactions and gaming habits. Here’s a software implementation that could help achieve these goals:

Title: GameWise – Balancing Play and Life

Overview: GameWise is a comprehensive mobile application that combines educational content, virtual reality experiences, and social engagement to help children and teenagers develop a healthier approach to freemium gaming, fostering better social skills and spending habits.

Features:

1. Educational Modules:
   • Interactive educational modules that explain the psychology behind freemium gaming tactics and their potential negative effects.
   • Information about balanced gaming, time management, and recognizing manipulative game design.
   • Strategies for maintaining a healthy balance between gaming and real-life activities.
2. Virtual Reality Simulations:
   • Immersive VR experiences that simulate in-game scenarios with manipulative tactics.
   • Players experience firsthand how these tactics influence their decisions and emotions.
   • Visualize the impact of excessive spending and time commitment on their virtual avatars.
3. Social Interaction Hub:
   • A platform for players to engage with peers who are also using GameWise.
   • Group discussions, forums, and chat rooms for sharing experiences and strategies.
   • Periodic challenges or quests that encourage teamwork and cooperation among users.
4. Real-Life Activity Integration:
   • Integration with local events, clubs, and activities to encourage offline social interactions.
   • Provides suggestions for sports, arts, volunteering, and other activities to diversify interests.
5. Personalized Progress Tracking:
   • Users can set personal goals for gaming time and social interactions.
   • The app tracks progress and provides visual representations of achievements.
   • Rewards for achieving milestones, reinforcing positive behavior changes.
6. Parental Involvement:
   • Dedicated sections for parents to understand their child’s gaming habits and progress.
   • Parent-child challenges or cooperative tasks within the app to encourage joint engagement.
7. Gaming Insights and Reviews:
   • Provides unbiased reviews of popular freemium games, highlighting their monetization tactics.
   • Empowers users to make informed decisions about the games they play.

Implementation Considerations:

• Development Platform: GameWise could be developed for both iOS and Android platforms to reach a wide range of users.
• User Experience (UX): The app’s interface should be user-friendly, intuitive, and visually appealing, especially for the target age group.
• Privacy and Safety: The app should adhere to strict privacy guidelines, especially when dealing with underage users. It should include parental controls and ensure that interactions are safe and moderated.
• Gamification: Implement gamified elements within the app, such as rewards, badges, and challenges, to keep users engaged and motivated.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with schools, community centers, and educational institutions to promote the app and integrate it into educational programs.
• Feedback Mechanism: Regularly gather feedback from users to improve the app’s effectiveness and address any concerns.

By combining educational content, VR experiences, social engagement, and parental involvement, GameWise could effectively address the issues you’ve identified and promote healthier gaming habits and social interactions among children and teenagers.

*note: I have translated the above app concept into Chinese and is currently collecting consented feedbacks from my younger sister and her friends (age 14-16), as well as their parents on how I can implement it in real life.

Logo and Mobile App Mock-ups:

Bibliography:

1. Research on Freemium Games and Monetization Tactics:
   • De Grove, F., Cauberghe, V., & Van Looy, J. (2016). The effect of freemium in mobile gaming on social casino gamers. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 490-498.
   • Ferguson, C. J., & Garza, A. (2011). Call of (civic) duty: Action games and civic behavior in a large sample of youth. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(2), 770-775.
2. Impact of Mobile Games on Children and Adolescents:
   • Gentile, D. A., & Anderson, C. A. (2003). Violent video games: The effects on youth, and public policy implications. In Handbook of children and the media (pp. 223-254). Sage Publications.
   • Griffiths, M. D., Kuss, D. J., & Ortiz de Gortari, A. B. (2013). Videogames as therapy: An updated selective review of the medical and psychological literature. International Journal of Privacy and Health Information Management (IJPHIM), 1(2), 71-96.
3. VR/AR for Behavior Change and Education:
   • Slater, M., & Sanchez-Vives, M. V. (2016). Enhancing our lives with immersive virtual reality. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 3, 74.
   • Lee, J. J., & Hammer, J. (2011). Gamification in education: What, how, why bother?. Academic exchange quarterly, 15(2), 146.
4. Promoting Healthy Gaming and Social Interaction:
   • Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2017). A large-scale test of the goldilocks hypothesis: Quantifying the relations between digital-screen use and the mental well-being of adolescents. Psychological Science, 28(2), 204-215.
   • Coyne, S. M., Stockdale, L., Warburton, W., Gentile, D. A., & Yang, C. (2017). “Just one more level”: Identifying and characterizing video game playing patterns in children. Academic Pediatrics, 17(4), 403-409.
5. Parental Involvement in Children’s Gaming:
   • Ferguson, C. J., Rueda, S. M., Cruz, A. M., Ferguson, D. E., Fritz, S., & Smith, S. M. (2011). Violent video games and aggression: Causal relationship or byproduct of family violence and intrinsic violence motivation?. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 38(12), 1275-1298.

Introduction:

My research topic will be focusing on freemium mobile gaming and its impacts on children and teenagers (specifically on how the game developers/ studios design these games to ‘lure’ players to pay a premium in a freemium game, e.g. buy virtual goods & additional functionalities; as well as most mobile multi-player game matching mechanism tend to covertly manipulate player win rates to extend player play time). My focus now is to design an intervention that could reduce negative impacts on the above mentioned minor users or prevent this phenomena from happening.

During my researches in the past month, I have also found that many multiplayer games would promote in-game social features (e.g. multi-player, in game voice chat, rewards for teaming up, etc.) to take advantage of the immaturity of the underage mind with social comparison, and exacerbates the negative drawbacks mentioned above. Which brings deep concern to me as why most gaming companies design games in such ways and how to prevent children from age 8-16 to fall into the unhealthy gaming habit.

Intervention Aspects:

After consideration, I realized that I will need to create valid intervention methods that actualize the following points in order to achieve my goals:

* Emphasize balanced and healthy gaming: through education and promotion, emphasize balanced gaming time and social activities. Remind players to use gaming as a form of entertainment and not as an over-reliance and replacement for real-life social interactions. Encourage them to maintain a balance between gaming time and social time to ensure a healthy lifestyle.

* Encourage real-life social interactions: Encourage players to actively participate in social interactions in real life through education and guidance. Provide them with opportunities to participate in sports, art activities, volunteer work or other social gatherings to enrich their social circles and develop healthy social skills.

* Emphasize teamwork and mutual support: game developers can design game mechanics that emphasize teamwork and mutual support rather than relying solely on individual competition and rewards. Encourage players to achieve game objectives through teamwork and mutual assistance, and provide fair and meaningful team reward mechanisms to encourage social interaction and teamwork.

* Promote parent-child interaction and family time: Encourage parents to participate in games and social interactions with their children to promote parent-child relationships and family unity. This can include family playtime, joint participation in multi-player games, family activities and parent-child conversations. Through active participation and supervision, parents can guide their children in the proper use of play and social functions.

Intervention Concepts:

As for the form of my intervention, I plan to utilize virtual reality and augmented technology in order to show the potential risks of freemium games. With VR/AR technology, I will be able to demonstrate the potential risks and negative impacts of freemium gaming, while at the same time creating a sense of novelty and a sense of crisis in the participants, in order to change their bad gaming habits. Below are two of my intervention concepts.

-Immersive Simulation Experiences: Use virtual reality technology to create an immersive simulated environment that allows participants to personally experience the potential risks and manipulative tactics used in freemium gaming. For example, design a virtual gaming scenario that showcases typical manipulative tactics like reward encouragement, time pressure, and frequent purchase prompts. Through this immersive experience, participants can have a more intuitive understanding of the potential risks and manipulative tactics used in freemium gaming. Through this immersive experience, participants can have a more intuitive understanding of the impact of these manipulative tactics on them.

-Social Interaction and Shared Experiences: Incorporate social interaction and shared experiences into your demonstrations or events to enhance Social Interaction and Shared Experiences: Incorporate social interaction and shared experiences into your demonstrations or events to enhance participant engagement and resonance. For example, set up an experiential area where participants can try out freemium games and engage in conversations and knowledge sharing with other participants. For example, set up an experiential area where participants can try out freemium games and engage in conversations and knowledge sharing with other participants. For example, set up an experiential area where participants can try out freemium games and engage in conversations and knowledge sharing with other participants.