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- AppendixPublication . Alves, Valter; Cunningham, S; Droumeva, M; Grimshaw, M; Hug, D; Liljedahl, M; O'Keeffe, L; Wilhelmsson, UWhat will the player experience of computer game sound be in the future? This was the question posed in an online discussion forum to which the book’s contributors were invited to respond. What follows is a free-wheeling debate about the future of game sound. Little editing has been done, other than the most obvious grammar, syntax and spelling errors, in order to maintain the fresh, often off-the-cuff responses. Three related themes become apparent in this discussion: affect, emotion and biofeedback; realism versus alternative realities; and the need for a game-sound design aesthetics. The first opens up interesting possibilities for enhanced player interaction (including player-player interaction across networked games) and immersion. Although authors and games companies often talk about the player being immersed in the gameworld, it is clear that current technology only hints at the potential. Similarly, games companies often praise the realism of their game sounds: even the iconic sound of Atari’s Pong of the early 1970s had its synthetic tones described as “realistic”. But which realism is being alluded to? What precisely does this Holy Grail of realism represent and how should it be attained? Is it the authenticity of sound that contributes to game realism or its verisimilitude in the context? If the latter, does realism derive from expectation, culture and genre and what debt does it owe to other forms of media? If realism refers to an emulation of reality, do we mean social realism, thematic realism, consequential or physical realism and who wants to play reality anyway? These questions directly relate to the need for a game sound design language: something that is still nascent. Game sound involves a very different paradigm to the derivation and perception of sound as found in reality or any other form of recreational medium. Like real-world environments, game sound derives from the actions of and upon its entities but it is triggered from a different rather than issuing directly from those entities. Unlike cinema, games require the willing and active participation of the player to effect the game and its sound. Whatever the future holds, it is clear that we have only begun to discover the possibilities inherent in computer game sound.
- Avaliação contínua em Tecnologias e Design de Multimédia (Continuous assessment in Multimedia Technologies and Design)Publication . Alves, Valter; Sousa, Catarina; P. Duarte, Rui; M. P. Figueiredo & A. FrancoA licenciatura em Tecnologias e Design de Multimédia1 (TDM) da Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão de Viseu, do Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, prepara profissionais com competências para desempenhar todo o processo de análise de necessidades na área da multimédia, conceção criativa de soluções, produção dos conteúdos que essas soluções contemplem, e implementação da componente tecnológica, Web ou aplicacional, que as suporte. Tirando partido da oportunidade de restruturar o plano de estudos, na sequência da avaliação externa, repensou-se a organização curricular2 de modo a suportar práticas que se vinha a introduzir na formação e que privilegiam uma abordagem prática, de proximidade entre estudantes e docentes, em que se recorre à avaliação contínua e ao ensino baseado em projeto, com interação entre unidades curriculares (UC), para promover trabalho acompanhado e continuado. Procura-se que os estudantes valorizarem cada semestre como o tempo em que podem desenvolver competências e assistir a resultados pragmáticos da sua aplicação, por oposição, nomeadamente, à ideia de que o período de aulas serve para se ser exposto a conhecimento e que é depois, num momento específico, que se demonstra o que se aprendeu, numa prova em época de exames (ou, ainda mais tarde, já no mercado de trabalho). A restruturação arrancou em 2017/2018 e foi aplicada simultaneamente a todos os anos curriculares. O interesse de docentes e alunos em abraçar as alterações aos conteúdos programáticos e às metodologias de ensino acabou por ter um efeito muito positivo na aceitação das perturbações impostas pela transição e no estado anímico de todos. As várias reuniões de preparação e de balanço, tanto entre docentes como com alunos, permitiram manter o entrosamento e gerir as alterações, com o contributo e compreensão de todos. Neste capítulo, reportamos o que tem sido a nossa experiência na interpretação da avaliação contínua e outros aspetos pedagógicos relacionados. Para contextualização, os autores têm assumido funções de direção do curso e/ou têm sido responsáveis pela relação com as entidades externas que, como exporemos, é um dos alicerces desta formação. Ressalvamos que não é nosso intuito sugerir qualquer tipo de generalização para contextos equiparáveis, mas apenas de partilhar as práticas, sucessos e desafios com que nos temos deparado.
- Connecting Students with Research through Active Participation in Projects: An Experience in a Design and Multimedia DegreePublication . Alves, Valter; P. Duarte, Rui; Sousa, Catarina; Abrantes, Steven LopesThe relationship between students and the higher education institutions has been perceived differently in the literature and policy documents, including a variety of terms such as “consumers,” “active participants,” “community of learning,” “students as change agents,” “students as partners,” and “students as co-creators of learning and teaching” (Bovill et al., 2016; Cook-Sather et al., 2014; Dunne & Zandstra, 2011; Matthews et al., 2018). In recent years, higher education has seen a growth in research and practice focused on students becoming active partners in the processes of learning and teaching. For example, inquiry and research-based learning, as well as problem and project-based learning, have assumed greater importance. Engagement in research and collaborative forms of pedagogical relationships between academics and students are considered important elements to improving teaching and learning (Sousa, Lopes, & Boyd, 2020). By involving students in research projects, the teaching staff opens opportunities for problem-based and student-centered approaches where the role of the academic/ teacher is to facilitate learning and to provide guidance and information (Willcoxson et al., 2011). Students and academics work in a more horizontal and collaborative way. Therefore, the importance of explicitly inviting students to connect with researchers and research as an integral part of their learning journey has been highlighted (Fung, 2017). This paper presents the experience of the Multimedia Technologies and Design degree of involving students in research projects developed by the teaching staff. In four different funded research projects, with several partners from different external institutions, students were invited to participate as members of the research teams. The involvement was not part of any assignment and therefore constituted an extracurricular activity that students volunteered for. This year, four students are engaged, participating in the work that is connected to all four projects. The initiative is underpinned by the concept of a “community of practice” developed by Wenger (1998), who advocated the idea that learning is social. A community of practice is organized around groups of people who share common interests or concerns and who are able to deepen their knowledge about a specific subject by interacting regularly (Wenger, 1998, 2007). In the paper, the process of involvement of the students in the projects is analyzed. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the projects have been developed without in-person meetings. The technological solutions that were implemented will be analyzed in terms of limitations and advantages for the active participation of the students and contributions for collaboration. Through the description of the workflow implemented, specific challenges of involving students in research projects from the field of Design and Multimedia will be substantiated.
- Dynamic enhancement of videogame soundscapesPublication . Pires, Durval; Alves, Valter; Roque, LicinioA game soundscape often includes sounds that are triggered by the game logic according to the player’s actions and to other real time occurrences. The dynamic nature of such triggering events leads to a composition that is not necessarily interesting, at a given moment. We propose a system aiming at the enhancement of the soundscape generated during gameplay. The main component of the system is a module that implements heuristics, which we set to follow principles from Acoustic Ecology and, specifically, the notion of healthy soundscape. In order to inform the heuristics, designers can characterize the sounds being handled by the sound engine, using an API that aims to be accessible and informative about the designer’s intentions. We also present reflections on an essay where a game was remade using the proposed system, which helped us to support the feasibility of the proposed system.
- Guidelines for sound design in computer gamesPublication . Alves, Valter; Roque, LicinioThe inconsequential exploitation of sound in most computer games, both in extent and nature, contrasts with its prominence in our daily lives and with the kind of associations that have been explored in domains such as music and cinema. Sound design remains the craft of a talented minority and the unavailability of a public body of knowledge on the subject has greatly contributed to this state of affairs. This leads to a mix of alienation and best-judgment improvisation in the broader development community. A sensitivity to the potential of sound for the enrichment of the experience—with emphasis on game specifics—is, therefore, necessary. This study presents a contribution to the practice of sound design for computer games. An approach to intentional sound design, informed by multi-disciplinary interpretations of concepts including emotion, context, acoustic ecology, soundscape, resonance, and entrainment, is distilled into a set of design guidelines that holistically address the different sound layers.
- Interação com clientes em projetos de design de multimédia em contexto formativoPublication . Alves, Valter; Sousa, Catarina; P. Duarte, Rui; Pereira Cardoso, José Carlos; Lamelas, BrunoA formação na Licenciatura em Tecnologias e Design de Multimédia do Instituto Politécnico de Viseu passa pela conceção e implementação de soluções envolvendo produtos multimédia que vão ao encontro das necessidades de terceiros. Para que os cenários em que essas competências são desenvolvidas se aproximem da realidade do mercado de trabalho, os estudantes são sistematicamente colocados em contacto com entidades externas, que apresentam problemas reais e que assumem o papel de “cliente”. Esta prática carateriza os trabalhos desenvolvidos nas unidades curriculares (UC) de Projeto Integrado (I a IV) e nas UC que para elas contribuem, mas o modelo estende-se a muitas outras UC. Na quase totalidade dos casos são utilizadas metodologias de desenvolvimento incremental e iterativo (Cockburn, 2008; Korsaa et al., 2002; Larman & Basili, 2003; Lidwell et al., 2010). Um dos aspetos mais sensíveis na gestão destes projetos tem sido a expectativa que os estudantes começam por ter de que as entidades cliente são versadas na exposição das suas necessidades e que têm um domínio completo dos problemas que querem ver solucionados. Assim, torna-se estratégico preparar os estudantes para o facto de, frequentemente, as entidades cliente dependerem do próprio exercício de design para construir uma perceção exata do que pretendem. Esta noção também implica que, com a evolução dos trabalhos, haja inflexões no feedback da entidade cliente. Esse fenómeno é parte integrante da metodologia adotada e, desde que as variações sejam contempláveis nos limites temporais para a conclusão do projeto, precisam de ser atendidas. Uma outra dimensão, que é relevante levar os estudantes a saber contextualizar, é que as entidades tendem a comunicar as suas necessidades por via da apresentação de soluções, mas que esse formato deve ser encarado apenas como uma ferramenta de expressão. As entidades procuraram o serviço dos designers precisamente para que estes desenhem as soluções mais adequadas, pelo que eventuais soluções que comecem por ser apresentadas precisam de ser encaradas como pontos de partida para o diálogo e não necessariamente como condicionantes ao processo criativo. Neste artigo, partilhamos a experiência no acompanhamento de projetos, que tem permitido construir uma abordagem pedagógica focada nas interações com as entidades cliente, relevante para o ensino do design de multimédia
- Learning with a Newborn Bee - Design and Development of a VideogamePublication . Alves, Valter; Carapito, Nuno; Sousa, Catarina; P. Duarte, Rui; Braguez, Joana Rita Cerieira; Fonseca, F.; Pereira Cardoso, José Carlos; Lamelas, Bruno; Costa, Cristina Amaro DaIn Europe, there are several challenges for beekeeping, such as low level of professionalism and the general public unfamiliarity with bees. Given the importance of beekeeping for rural development and of bees themselves for the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainability of the planet, knowledge promotion about bees and beekeeping is of utmost importance. The project “beeB – Foster for beekeeping bridges through innovative and participative training” (2019-1-PT01-KA202-60782) was developed with the contribution of six countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Norway, and Estonia) and created tools to allow family beekeepers, or any other non-professional beekeepers, to acquire skills in this area by using innovative and adaptive forms of training that are based on ecological and good practices. The project also set out to create innovative ways of disseminating knowledge associated with the world of bees and its wonders, raising a general interest that might contribute to value the beekeeping sector and to stimulate novel beekeeping pathways. One of the outputs of the project was Ba-Bee-Bee, a videogame that develops as an interactive narrative. The plot is based on the discoveries of a newborn bee inside the hive. The bee can move through scenarios and trigger conversations with other characters. Along the dialogues, when some key concepts are introduced, the game unlocks collectible cards that can be revisited at any moment via the game inventory. In the back of each card, players can find a short paragraph systematizing or adding some more information on the topic. Players can roam freely through the world game, making it possible to repeat interactions and unlock cards that they might have missed. The game runs in desktop computers and mobile devices. All the text presented, in the dialogues, cards, and interface was localized for the partner languages. The process of developing the game was a combination between game design decisions and integration of scientific knowledge targeting the intended public. It implied to distil pieces of information about bees and beehives and translate them into a narrative that led the game environment, the plot and character actions, and the gameplay itself. Developing games that promote learning but are not strictly didactical is a challenge for interdisciplinary teams. The paper intends to contribute with the analysis of the experience of Ba-Bee-Bee, starting with the description of its design and development, followed by a critical discussion of the solutions found for combining playfulness, flow, and learning
- Lesson Plans from the Higher Education Course Curriculum for a Distance Learning Model Reinforced with Robotics for 3 to 7 Years Old ChildrenPublication . Konakli, Tuğba; Figueiredo, Maria Pacheco; Alves, Valter; Operto, Fiorella; Gilardi, LucaEARLY recognizes the importance of early childhood education and the potential of digital technologies in enhancing learning experiences. By providing teachers, parents, and children with effective strategies and resources, it aims to improve the quality of online education for young children. To ensure that all preschool children have access to a continuous learning process in different circumstances (e.g., pandemics, prolonged illness or other situations), teachers and parents benefit from being prepared for these different circumstances. The materials developed and offered in the Higher Education Course Curriculum for Distance Learning Model Reinforced with Robotics for 3-7 Years Old Children are, therefore, relevant. Besides the Curriculum itself, which can be used for structuring training or for self-learning, EARLY offers some examples of activities and lesson plans for online activities with educational value. The main target group of this curriculum is pre-service preschool educators (undergraduates in most countries), but the material is also suitable and recommended for experienced preschool educators who want to expand their competences and those who are in close contact with an early childhood learner.
- Mobile Application for Real-Time Food Plan Management for Alzheimer Patients through Design-Based ResearchPublication . P. Duarte, Rui; Cunha, Carlos; Alves, ValterAlzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects many individuals, mainly in an older age group. Over time, it leads to other diseases that affect their autonomy and independence. The quality of food ingestion is a way to mitigate the disease and preserve the patient’s well-being, which substantially impacts their health. Many existing applications for food plan management focus on the prescription of food plans but do not provide feedback to the nutritionist on the real amount of ingested calories. It makes these applications inadequate for these diseases, where monitoring and control are most important. This paper proposed the design and development of a mobile application to monitor and control the food plans of Alzheimer’s patients, focused on informal caregivers and respective patients. It allows both the realistic visualization of the food plans and users to adjust their consumption and register extra meals and water consumption. The interface design process comprises a two-level approach: the user centered design methodology that accounts for users’ needs and requirements and the user experience questionnaire to measure user satisfaction. The results show that the interface is intuitive, visually appealing, and easy to use, adjusted for users that require a particular level of understanding regarding specific subjects.
- Playfulness and communication for children with autism spectrum disorder: guidelines for a videogamePublication . Alves, Valter; P. Duarte, Rui; Fonseca, F.; Bernardo, Marco V.; Barreto, Pedro; Silva, C.E.; Felizardo, Sara; Videira, I.; Matos, A.; Henriques, C.Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects sensory processing and conditions the development of communication skills and social interaction. Literature shows that children with ASD are fond of technologies and videogames in particular. The predictable and constant behaviour of technological components, the visual appeal, and the challenges are often highly appreciated (Zakari et al., 2014). Besides, videogames typically allow users to play alone, which is adequate to the profile of such an audience. The use of videogames by autistic children has shown to be relevant, and studies are evidencing gains in several areas (Malinverni et al., 2017; Hedges et al., 2018; Ng & Pera, 2018; Valencia et al., 2019; Baldassarri et al., 2020). Even so, existing solutions that were specifically developed for this audience have assumedly pedagogical goals, which systematically compromises their ludic dimension (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015). A study is being developed to design and implement a videogame that focuses on pure playfulness and provides an advantage to players who adopt specific strategies that rely on communicating with other players. This videogame is conceived for both intervention and research. The game mechanics explores the flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi, 2011), in order to dynamically adapt the challenges to the skills shown by the players, trying not to let them reach states of anxiety (due to lack of skills) or boredom (due to lack of challenge). This reasoning is extended to motor skills, as autistic people may have difficulties. In this context, it is important to clarify that the study is limited to children with ASD without associated intellectual development disorders that compromise the viability of the very act of playing. Also instrumental to the project, different scenarios are designed so that researchers can observe and collect scientific data, aiming at better understanding the related issues. Such scenarios support the analysis of the influence of physical proximity between the players, their prior level of familiarity, and their relative communicational abilities. Also under analysis is the impact of repeating the experience, both in terms of in-game performance and regarding a possible contribution to the relationship between participants and, eventually, with third parties. The core of this paper is the presentation of the design guidelines that were created to support the videogame. The guidelines result from the contributions of experts, organised according to a Delphi technique (Green, 2014). The set of experts cover the fields of ASD, game design, special education, occupational therapy, rehabilitation, and educational research. Also included is the description of the videogame development, which resorts to agile methodologies, allowing for an incremental and iterative production, supported by recurrent tests and consistently validated according to the intended objectives.