Talks, Panels & Workshops
iGGi Talks: Player Experience
Wed 10 Sep 12:00-12:45
Session chair: Prasad Sandbhor
Sahar Mirhadi
>> Playing Through Difficult Times: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of Games as Dynamic Coping Systems
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Abstract: The study investigates the relationship between video game aspects and players' coping strategies during times of personal difficulty. Using a constructivist grounded theory framework, the research examines three games with distinct gameplay mechanics: Disco Elysium, Darkest Dungeon, and Stardew Valley.
Through interviews with 17 participants, the findings reveal how players interacting with specific game aspects including Narrative, Challenge and Progression, Choice and Consequence, Character Development and NPC Interactions, Structured Gameplay, and Game Environment influence and facilitate a range coping strategies, such as Processing Emotions, Reframing Thoughts, Seeking Temporary Refuge, Developing Self Understanding, and Building Competence.
The findings contribute to a theoretical framework that views games as Dynamic Coping Systems, where the interactions between players and game aspects scaffold opportunities for coping. The research not only enhances existing models of coping by
showcasing the variety of strategies supported by games and their potential implications for both research, game design and practice. The presentation will cover key results, theoretical contributions, and future research directions.
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Steph Carter and Océane Lissillour
>> Lost in Translation: Language, Emotion and the Player Experience
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Abstract: Games continue to evolve into emotionally-rich and
culturally-grounded experiences, using language as a
narrative tool in how players connect with them. While
translation and localisation are well-established practices
in the global games industry, the player is not guaranteed
to have a similar experience when playing in their mother
tongue. This talk explores how language - whether a
player’s native or additional language - can shape how
players respond to emotional content in gameplay and how
factors like fluency and cultural familiarity influence
this process. Looking at examples from various game
contexts, we discuss what may be lost, altered or amplified
through localisation and world-building by considering
language as an active part of game design. We also aim to
highlight the potential and limitations of translation and
localisation in conveying subjective experiences across
linguistic boundaries.
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Laura Helsby
>> ‘Idk it’s a stupid game so no thoughts’: Nine days in the life of a depressed gamer
Abstract: The potential for videogames to boost low mood has been a
growing area of interest due to the relative availability
of games compared to other forms of help, but there is
little research focusing on the player experience on a
day-to-day basis. To address this, a diary study was
conducted to examine the play habits of people with
persistent low mood over a 9 day period. Research questions
focused on how players felt before and after gaming, as
well as their reasons for play. A qualitative content
analysis found that players were most likely to report
feeling negative before play, and positive or neutral after
play. Additionally 9 groups of reasons for play were
identified, with the most common reason being a game was
‘low effort/convenient to play’. This talk will focus on
presenting the patterns of play found, including
interactions between mood, game preferences and reasons for
play.
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iGGi Talks: Game Design
Wed 10 Sep 14:15-15:00
Session chair: Steph Carter
Doruk Balcı
>> Designing for Rule-Making Play: The Responsibility and Freedom of Player Discretion
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Abstract: This talk explores how we can make video games which invite
players to invent their own personal play practices through
making and changing rules. It is based on research which I
have conducted in the last year as part of my PhD project
around designing for player creativity. To achieve the
research aims in this project, I have adopted a research
through game design approach, designing, playtesting,
reflecting and engaging with literature iteratively.
Through this research, I present three practical design
themes which aim to invite player authorship on practices
of gameplay: opening up digital rules and parameters,
bringing internal rules to surface, and translating digital
rules to internal rules. Following these practical design
themes, I bring a larger discussion in which we investigate
the dual role of responsibility and freedom in play when we
design for player discretion, the role of the video game as
a tool to make metagames, and how we can understand
experimenting with rules as a form of player creativity.​
Prasad Sandbhor and Joanne Morris
>> Decoding Urban Labor-a-Tree: Envisioning Urban Treescapes through a Boardgame
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Abstract: This talk will present how we designed ‘Urban Labor-a-tree:
York’, an applied board game that invites players to take
on the challenge of building a biodiverse, equitable and
climate resilient urban treescape for York that also meets
individual stakeholders’ personal or organisational goals.
The game enables experimenting with configurations of the
treescape in a neutral setting which helps stakeholders
explore actionable steps into the future while negotiating
competing agendas. We will reflect on our design journey,
explaining how we achieved this objective by identifying
the core components of social-ecological interactions
within a treescape and integrating them into engaging game
mechanics. These mechanics include socio-ecological
processes, resources, constraints, and both short- and
long-term objectives. Additionally, we will share our
observations regarding the outcomes and potential use cases
for playing the game.
Océane Lissillour
>> Straight to the Point: this is a talk about gamification
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Abstract: This talk will question the use and effectiveness of points
in gamified systems. It will first, briefly, introduce the
concept of gamification and give an overview of the state
of research presently. Then, it will question the impact of
design and context in the use and understanding of gamified
elements focusing on numerical values. We will search to
understand how such a simple element can be used in very
creative ways; delving into different designs of points.
More importantly, this talk will analyse the process of
users’ reappropriation and corruption of the design to
achieve their own goals. After leaving this talk, you will
hopefully have gained a new perspective on points and a
deeper understanding of the plurality of mechanisms that
affect the use and popularity of gamified processes.
iGGi Talks: Player Behaviour
Wed 10 Sep 16:15-17:00
Session chair: Laura Helsby
Lauren Winter
>> You and Me, We Got This! Investigating the relationship between cooperative and competitive presence.
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Abstract: The social aspect is a key appeal of multiplayer games and
understanding this is key to furthering the knowledge of
the player experience. Two aspects of social presence,
cooperative presence and competitive presence, are found
together in team-based digital games, such as League of
Legends and DOTA 2. Whilst competitive presence has been
more widely investigated, there is little research
analysing the two. The initial aim of this work was to
identify whether cooperative and competitive presence can
occur independently to provide context on whether the two
can be studied separately. A secondary aim was to
investigate the relationship between these two concepts if
the results did indicate the concepts were related. In
line with previous CCPIG results, a Pearson Correlation
indicated there was a moderate relationship between the
cooperative and competitive presence scores, indicating the
two are linked. Further analysis showed that knowledge of
teammates, playing with friends and the time played all
affected the relationship between copresence and
compresence. Mastery, challenge, autonomy and immersion
were found to mediate the relationship, whilst control was
not. The results have implications for the understanding
of player experience; however, consideration should be
taken in that these are all correlations and therefore do
not indicate causation.​
Tamsin Isaac
>> What Counts as a Limited-Time Event? Understanding Engagement Design in Live-Service Games
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Abstract: Limited-time events (LTEs) have become central to
live-service games, used to drive engagement, increase
monetisation, and re-engage lapsed players. Yet despite
their ubiquity across mobile, PC, and console ecosystems,
the term "limited-time event" remains inconsistently
defined and under-theorised in academic literature. My
research addresses this gap by developing a cross-platform
taxonomy of LTEs through a content analysis of over 1,000
top-charting games, and by conducting an ongoing
diary-plus-interview study exploring how players experience
time-limited content in everyday contexts.
​In this talk, I will present insights from both studies to
examine how LTEs are structured, how they target different
modes of engagement, and how players perceive their effects
on motivation, habit, and re-engagement. I will also
reflect on ethical design questions—when does time pressure
motivate, and when does it manipulate?
​This talk will interest researchers and practitioners
working in game UX, player psychology, HCI, and
monetisation design. It aims to prompt a broader
conversation about how we define, evaluate, and refine
live-service systems that increasingly shape player
experience over time.
Ross Fifield, Paul Cairns, Joe Cutting and Linda Kaye
>> Negotiation of play: What factors drive initiation of multiplayer gaming?
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Abstract: This talk explores how multiplayer digital game play
begins; not as a result of pure individual motivation, but
through subtle social negotiations and contextual
alignments. Derived from a qualitative study involving
diary methods and semi-structured interviews with active
multiplayer gamers, this research proposes that the
initiation of play is a socially situated and emotionally
negotiated process. We present key themes from participant
experiences; such as the importance of emotional readiness,
circumstantial alignment, and interpersonal bonds which re
frame play initiation as more than a functional decision.
This talk will appeal to researchers and designers
interested in player motivation, social play, and HCI by
offering a framework for rethinking game systems to support
the realities of how play commences.
This work is unpublished.
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iGGi Workshops
Thu 11 Sep 10:00-11:30
Philip Smith
>> Citizen Science Game Design Framework Workshop
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Abstract: Citizen science projects tend to lack meaningful long term
engagement from their participants. While gamification has
helped, it still faces similar pitfalls to non-gamified
counterparts. A generalized design framework that can guide
game designers towards practicing engaging citizen science
game design could be a solution. I am conducting a design
workshop that aims to identify the benefits and drawbacks
of a proposed game design framework. Participants will work
together in teams to create their own conceptual design of
a citizen science game based on a given prompt and
utilizing the design framework. This workshop will help
move forward citizen science gamification research, as well
as provide participants with an opportunity to hone their
game design skills in a rarely invoked context.
iGGi Talks: Fandom & Random
Thu 11 Sep 13:45-14:30
Session chair: George Long
Cameron Johnston
>> Special Relativity in Games
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Abstract: Special relativity is a scientific theory that revolutionised modern physics. Stemming from Albert Einstein's 1905 paper, special relativity describes the behaviour of objects as their speeds approach that of the speed of light. The theory describes effects and phenomena that are unlike anything we experience in our day-to-day life, at mundane human speeds, but through computer simulation, it is possible to visualise these effects.
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This talk covers the simulation of special relativity. It will explore the work done in this field so far, discuss ways in which simulations have improved scientific understanding of special relativity, and explain (at a high level) how these subjects can be simulated.
The talk then moves on to discuss the applications of these simulations to video games, covering the existing work in this field, before concluding with a discussion of the applications of such simulations as a game design tool.
Lauren Winter
>> Beyond the Bechdel Test: Towards a measurement of gender representation quality in RPGs
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Abstract: Research into gender representation is conflicted on the impact of inaccurate and negative representation in games; however, this shouldn't prevent attempts to improve it. Considering open world games, due to their typically rich worlds and narrative spanning multiple questlines and stories, this talk considers the research into gender representation and outlines tools that can be used by researchers and developers to aid development and measurement of gender representation in open world RPGs.
Alex Flint
>> Objection, Your Honour! Why Court Trials in GTA Roleplay Can’t Pass the Bar
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Abstract: Court trials in GTA V roleplay (GTARP) servers offer a blend of legal procedure and interactive storytelling, but they diverge from real-world legal systems. This talk presents a case study of The Bear Trial, in which a sheriff posted a bounty on a bear, prompting players to kidnap and murder a person in a bear costume to claim the reward. Tried for murder in an in-game court, the case reveals tensions between gameplay mechanics, narrative needs, and legal principles.
The talk examines key differences between GTARP and real-world trials, including burden of proof, rules of evidence, and procedural safeguards, demonstrating how GTARP courts prioritise entertainment and narrative over legal accuracy. Ultimately, GTARP trials aren’t failed simulations of real courts, but instead tools for immersive roleplay. These differences offer insight into game design, legal education, and the growing phenomenon of court media spectacle in both virtual and real-world contexts.
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**This talk discusses a fictional murder trial within a video game. It includes references to virtual violence, death, and criminal activity, and is presented in a way that closely mirrors real-world legal proceedings. **
iGGi Talks: AI
Thu 11 Sep 15:15-16:00
Session chair: Lauren Winter
Marko Tot
>> Training multi-game agents
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Abstract: Training generalist agents performing well across diverse environments is a significant goal of reinforcement learning. Current state-of-the-art methods for multi-game reinforcement learning rely on highly curated datasets, and often discard the policy used to gather trajectories despite its potential to provide a rich learning signal. This work revisits policy distillation for multi-game reinforcement learning.
By directly regulating the multi-game learning dynamics in policy space, we can balance training without explicit gradient adjustments or reward normalization, whilst being highly parameter efficient. The method is empirically validated for both online and offline multi-game learning on the Atari-40 benchmark outperforms all prior Atari-40 multi-game agents, showing the potential of policy distillation.
Alan Pedrassoli Chitayat
>> AI vs. the Algorithm: Measuring Success on Twitch
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Abstract: Games livestreaming has become an invaluable tool for game studios, supporting game discoverability, community building, and community management. Understanding the different forms of success on livestreaming platforms such as Twitch, along with the relevant metrics and target benchmarks, is crucial for maximising engagement. Similarly, gaining insight into how short-term success influences long-term performance can empower studios to strategically plan, design, and implement future content or game releases.
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However, the diverse ways in which games perform on Twitch present challenges for detailed analysis. To address this, this talk discusses how unsupervised machine learning techniques were used to identify seven archetypes of success, enabling studios to gain deeper insights into their game's performance in a context agnostic format.
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iGGi Panel
Thu 11 Sep 16:00-16:45
Session chair: Nicole Levermore, Tamsin Isaac and Susanne Binder
iGGi PANEL organised & chaired by WiGGi Members
>> Overcoming Obstacles Working in Games
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Abstract: This panel explores the hidden and structural challenges faced by individuals working in and around games—particularly those navigating the industry or academia with additional barriers such as disability, chronic illness, mental health issues, gender bias, belonging to a minority group or caregiving responsibilities. Too often, these experiences are discussed in private or informal settings but remain under-represented in formal discourse around game development and games research.
The panel brings together speakers from a range of personal and professional backgrounds to discuss not only the barriers they’ve encountered but also the systems of support they’ve found (or lacked), the changes they’d like to see, and the ways in which lived experience shapes their work with games.
By foregrounding personal stories alongside a broader evaluation of industry and research culture, this panel aims to foster a more honest, empathetic conversation about what it takes to “belong” in games—and what systemic changes could help others do the same.
This panel will run for 45 minutes, including structured questions and audience Q&A. It is targeted at anyone interested in well-being, inclusion and equity in games, and will especially benefit anyone navigating access barriers in academic or professional game spaces.
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Panellists:
SightlessKombat - Accessible Gaming Officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind People
Sky Tunley-Stainton - Partnerships & Training Manager at Safe In Our World
Toby Best - iGGi PG Researcher
Tania Dales - iGGi PG Researcher
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This panel is organised and chaired by members of iGGi's WiGGi group.
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Organisers:
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General Chairs: Debbie Maxwell, James Walker
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Programme Chairs: Alex Flint, Lauren Winter
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Website/Marketing Chair: Tamsin Isaac
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Poster Chair: Nicole Levermore
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Local Chair: Tania Dales
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Workshop Chair: Océane Lissillour
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Outreach Chair: Ross Fifield
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General Management: David Hull, Helen Tilbrook
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Industry Liaison: Susanne Binder