Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

A comprehensive guide to the design and development process of games for impact.Serious games—or games for impact—encompass everything from educational, therapeutic, and rehabilitative games to games for social, scientific, and cultural impact. While the field is flourishing, the practice of actually designing such games is not readily understood. Filling this gap, Designing Serious Games provides a comprehensive guide to the design and development process of this unique interdisciplinary field. The book guides readers through a user-centric design process that includes methods to define the game’s goal, understand its target audience, design accordingly, and evaluate outcomes. Featuring diverse case studies, actionable advice, and incisive interviews with transformational game practitioners and industry leaders, this practical book is an essential resource for anyone interested in designing serious games.Provides game design instruction tailored to the needs of serious gamesOffers step-by-step activities and guidance on concept design, preproduction, production, and postproductionHighlights industry perspective through interviews sharing real-life insights of development practiceIncludes extensive exercises and case studiesSuits both students and professionals

Developing a successful game in today’s market is a challenging endeavor. Thousands of titles are published yearly, all competing for players’ time and attention. Game analytics has emerged in the past few years as one of the main resources for ensuring game quality, maximizing success, understanding player behavior and enhancing the quality of the player experience. It has led to a paradigm shift in the development and design strategies of digital games, bringing data-driven intelligence practices into the fray for informing decision making at operational, tactical and strategic levels.Game Analytics - Maximizing the Value of Player Data is the first book on the topic of game analytics; the process of discovering and communicating patterns in data towards evaluating and driving action, improving performance and solving problems in game development and game research. Written by over 50 international experts from industry and research, it covers a comprehensive range of topics across more than 30 chapters, providing an in-depth discussion of game analytics and its practical applications.Topics covered include monetization strategies, design of telemetry systems, analytics for iterative production, game data mining and big data in game development, spatial analytics, visualization and reporting of analysis, player behavior analysis, quantitative user testing and game user research. This state-of-the-art volume is an essential source of reference for game developers and researchers.Key takeaways include:Thorough introduction to game analytics; covering analytics applied to data on players, processes and performance throughout the game lifecycle.In-depth coverage and advice on setting up analytics systems and developing good practices for integrating analytics in game-development and -management.Contributions by leading researchers and experienced professionals from the industry, includingUbisoft, Sony, EA, Bioware, Square Enix, THQ, Volition, and PlayableGames.  Interviews with experienced industry professionals on how they use analytics to create hit games.

Developing a successful game in today’s market is a challenging endeavor. Thousands of titles are published yearly, all competing for players’ time and attention. Game analytics has emerged in the past few years as one of the main resources for ensuring game quality, maximizing success, understanding player behavior and enhancing the quality of the player experience. It has led to a paradigm shift in the development and design strategies of digital games, bringing data-driven intelligence practices into the fray for informing decision making at operational, tactical and strategic levels.

Game Analytics - Maximizing the Value of Player Data is the first book on the topic of game analytics; the process of discovering and communicating patterns in data towards evaluating and driving action, improving performance and solving problems in game development and game research. Written by over 50 international experts from industry and research, it covers a comprehensive range of topics across more than 30 chapters, providing an in-depth discussion of game analytics and its practical applications.

Topics covered include monetization strategies, design of telemetry systems, analytics for iterative production, game data mining and big data in game development, spatial analytics, visualization and reporting of analysis, player behavior analysis, quantitative user testing and game user research. This state-of-the-art volume is an essential source of reference for game developers and researchers.

 Key takeaways include:

Thorough introduction to game analytics; covering analytics applied to data on players, processes and performance throughout the game lifecycle.In-depth coverage and advice on setting up analytics systems and developing good practices for integrating analytics in game-development and -management.Contributions by leading researchers and experienced professionals from the industry, includingUbisoft, Sony, EA, Bioware, Square Enix, THQ, Volition, and PlayableGames.  Interviews with experienced industry professionals on how they use analytics to create hit games.

Developing a successful game in today’s market is a challenging endeavor. Thousands of titles are published yearly, all competing for players’ time and attention. Game analytics has emerged in the past few years as one of the main resources for ensuring game quality, maximizing success, understanding player behavior and enhancing the quality of the player experience. It has led to a paradigm shift in the development and design strategies of digital games, bringing data-driven intelligence practices into the fray for informing decision making at operational, tactical and strategic levels.Game Analytics - Maximizing the Value of Player Data is the first book on the topic of game analytics; the process of discovering and communicating patterns in data towards evaluating and driving action, improving performance and solving problems in game development and game research. Written by over 50 international experts from industry and research, it covers a comprehensive range of topics across more than 30 chapters, providing an in-depth discussion of game analytics and its practical applications.Topics covered include monetization strategies, design of telemetry systems, analytics for iterative production, game data mining and big data in game development, spatial analytics, visualization and reporting of analysis, player behavior analysis, quantitative user testing and game user research. This state-of-the-art volume is an essential source of reference for game developers and researchers.Key takeaways include:Thorough introduction to game analytics; covering analytics applied to data on players, processes and performance throughout the game lifecycle.In-depth coverage and advice on setting up analytics systems and developing good practices for integrating analytics in game-development and -management.Contributions by leading researchers and experienced professionals from the industry, includingUbisoft, Sony, EA, Bioware, Square Enix, THQ, Volition, and PlayableGames.  Interviews with experienced industry professionals on how they use analytics to create hit games.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Entertainment Computing, ICEC 2011, held in Vancouver, Canada, in October 2011, under the auspices of IFIP. The 20 revised long papers, 18 short papers and 24 poster papers and demos presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 94 initial submissions. The papers cover all main domains of entertainment computing, from interactive music to games, taking a wide range of scientific domains from aesthetic to computer science. The papers are organized in topical sections on story, active games, player experience, camera and 3D, educational entertainment, game development, self and identity, social and mobile entertainment; plus the four categories: demonstrations, posters, workshosp, and tutorial.

Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

A comprehensive guide to the design and development process of games for impact.Serious games—or games for impact—encompass everything from educational, therapeutic, and rehabilitative games to games for social, scientific, and cultural impact. While the field is flourishing, the practice of actually designing such games is not readily understood. Filling this gap, Designing Serious Games provides a comprehensive guide to the design and development process of this unique interdisciplinary field. The book guides readers through a user-centric design process that includes methods to define the game’s goal, understand its target audience, design accordingly, and evaluate outcomes. Featuring diverse case studies, actionable advice, and incisive interviews with transformational game practitioners and industry leaders, this practical book is an essential resource for anyone interested in designing serious games.Provides game design instruction tailored to the needs of serious gamesOffers step-by-step activities and guidance on concept design, preproduction, production, and postproductionHighlights industry perspective through interviews sharing real-life insights of development practiceIncludes extensive exercises and case studiesSuits both students and professionals

Developing a successful game in today’s market is a challenging endeavor. Thousands of titles are published yearly, all competing for players’ time and attention. Game analytics has emerged in the past few years as one of the main resources for ensuring game quality, maximizing success, understanding player behavior and enhancing the quality of the player experience. It has led to a paradigm shift in the development and design strategies of digital games, bringing data-driven intelligence practices into the fray for informing decision making at operational, tactical and strategic levels.Game Analytics - Maximizing the Value of Player Data is the first book on the topic of game analytics; the process of discovering and communicating patterns in data towards evaluating and driving action, improving performance and solving problems in game development and game research. Written by over 50 international experts from industry and research, it covers a comprehensive range of topics across more than 30 chapters, providing an in-depth discussion of game analytics and its practical applications.Topics covered include monetization strategies, design of telemetry systems, analytics for iterative production, game data mining and big data in game development, spatial analytics, visualization and reporting of analysis, player behavior analysis, quantitative user testing and game user research. This state-of-the-art volume is an essential source of reference for game developers and researchers.Key takeaways include:Thorough introduction to game analytics; covering analytics applied to data on players, processes and performance throughout the game lifecycle.In-depth coverage and advice on setting up analytics systems and developing good practices for integrating analytics in game-development and -management.Contributions by leading researchers and experienced professionals from the industry, includingUbisoft, Sony, EA, Bioware, Square Enix, THQ, Volition, and PlayableGames.  Interviews with experienced industry professionals on how they use analytics to create hit games.

Developing a successful game in today’s market is a challenging endeavor. Thousands of titles are published yearly, all competing for players’ time and attention. Game analytics has emerged in the past few years as one of the main resources for ensuring game quality, maximizing success, understanding player behavior and enhancing the quality of the player experience. It has led to a paradigm shift in the development and design strategies of digital games, bringing data-driven intelligence practices into the fray for informing decision making at operational, tactical and strategic levels.

Game Analytics - Maximizing the Value of Player Data is the first book on the topic of game analytics; the process of discovering and communicating patterns in data towards evaluating and driving action, improving performance and solving problems in game development and game research. Written by over 50 international experts from industry and research, it covers a comprehensive range of topics across more than 30 chapters, providing an in-depth discussion of game analytics and its practical applications.

Topics covered include monetization strategies, design of telemetry systems, analytics for iterative production, game data mining and big data in game development, spatial analytics, visualization and reporting of analysis, player behavior analysis, quantitative user testing and game user research. This state-of-the-art volume is an essential source of reference for game developers and researchers.

 Key takeaways include:

Thorough introduction to game analytics; covering analytics applied to data on players, processes and performance throughout the game lifecycle.In-depth coverage and advice on setting up analytics systems and developing good practices for integrating analytics in game-development and -management.Contributions by leading researchers and experienced professionals from the industry, includingUbisoft, Sony, EA, Bioware, Square Enix, THQ, Volition, and PlayableGames.  Interviews with experienced industry professionals on how they use analytics to create hit games.

Developing a successful game in today’s market is a challenging endeavor. Thousands of titles are published yearly, all competing for players’ time and attention. Game analytics has emerged in the past few years as one of the main resources for ensuring game quality, maximizing success, understanding player behavior and enhancing the quality of the player experience. It has led to a paradigm shift in the development and design strategies of digital games, bringing data-driven intelligence practices into the fray for informing decision making at operational, tactical and strategic levels.Game Analytics - Maximizing the Value of Player Data is the first book on the topic of game analytics; the process of discovering and communicating patterns in data towards evaluating and driving action, improving performance and solving problems in game development and game research. Written by over 50 international experts from industry and research, it covers a comprehensive range of topics across more than 30 chapters, providing an in-depth discussion of game analytics and its practical applications.Topics covered include monetization strategies, design of telemetry systems, analytics for iterative production, game data mining and big data in game development, spatial analytics, visualization and reporting of analysis, player behavior analysis, quantitative user testing and game user research. This state-of-the-art volume is an essential source of reference for game developers and researchers.Key takeaways include:Thorough introduction to game analytics; covering analytics applied to data on players, processes and performance throughout the game lifecycle.In-depth coverage and advice on setting up analytics systems and developing good practices for integrating analytics in game-development and -management.Contributions by leading researchers and experienced professionals from the industry, includingUbisoft, Sony, EA, Bioware, Square Enix, THQ, Volition, and PlayableGames.  Interviews with experienced industry professionals on how they use analytics to create hit games.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Entertainment Computing, ICEC 2011, held in Vancouver, Canada, in October 2011, under the auspices of IFIP. The 20 revised long papers, 18 short papers and 24 poster papers and demos presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 94 initial submissions. The papers cover all main domains of entertainment computing, from interactive music to games, taking a wide range of scientific domains from aesthetic to computer science. The papers are organized in topical sections on story, active games, player experience, camera and 3D, educational entertainment, game development, self and identity, social and mobile entertainment; plus the four categories: demonstrations, posters, workshosp, and tutorial.