Chris Baber The University of Birmingham & Oliver Westmancott - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Social Networks and Mobile Games: the use of Bluetooth for a multiplayer card game Chris Baber The University of Birmingham & Oliver Westmancott Westmancott Consulting

Aims • Compare the effects of mobile devices and mobility on multiplayer game-play • Mobility = ability to move • Mobility = ‘mobile device’ • Consider the use of Social Network Analysis for exploring mobile games

Communicative Action Theory [Habermas, 1984] • Instrumental: directed towards goal, with knowledge of rules • Strategic: modify instrumental action to take account of other player’s action • Normatively regulated: behaviour that is condoned by group • Dramaturgical: presentation of Self • Communicative: coordination through speech acts • Discursive: debate and discussion of norms

BELKA • Mobile devices • HP-Ipaq with Bluetooth • Laptop as ‘dealer’ • Based on card game • Simple graphics • Straightforward game-play • Easily interpretable rules, symbols, conventions

BELKA screens

Playing the game

Making a challenge

Dealer

The Experiment • Study • N = 38 in groups of six • No fixed sequence for turn-taking Sitting Moving Cards A B PDA C D

Dependent Variables • Turns • Player ID • Trades • Dealer – With other player • Time – With dealer • Plays • Rejected plays • Pairs

Analysis • Frequency of turns – By type – Between players – By style: defensive vs. aggressive • Social Network Analysis – Sociometric Status – Centrality – Geodesic distance

Frequency of turns Activity A C B D Turns 100% 100% 100% 100% Sitting Moving Trades: 48.7% 47% 55.6% 36.9% Cards 56.5 33.25 Dealer PDA 21.75 18.25 Trades: 4.8% 4.6% 0.8% 2.7% Other Rejected 16% 2.3% 5.3% 1.4% Plays Pairs 2.2% 1.2% 2.3% 2.7% Plays 28% 44.8% 36% 56%

Social Network Analysis • SNA represents social interaction in the form of networks and applies graph theory to derive quantitative metrics – Sociometric status – Contribution a given agent makes to overall communication activity – Geodesic distance – Shortest path between two nodes in a network – Centrality – The most central agent has shortest geodesic distance from other agents

SNA Sociometric Status A B D Agent C Dealer 9.08 6.17 3.42 2.25 Red 3.33 3.08 1.75 2 Green 4.42 0.96 1.67 2.08 White 2.42 1.08 0.92 1.42 • High Purple 4.42 3.67 1.92 1.42 • Medium Blue 4.83 4.38 1.17 1.33 • Low Yellow 3.67 0.42 2.33 0.83

P R W PDA B Position of Seated Players Y G D P B W Cards D R G Y

SNA Centrality Agent A C B D Dealer 3.5 4.58 3.83 3.67 Red 3.5 3.93 3.83 3.67 Sitting Moving Green 3.5 3.24 3.83 3.14 Cards 21/21 15/21 White 3.5 3.06 3.29 3.67 PDA 19/21 20/21 Purple 3.5 4.59 3.83 3.67 Geodesic distances = 1 Blue 3.5 3.24 2.88 3.67 yellow 3.5 2.75 3.29 3.14

CAT & BELKA A C B D Instrumental {P, T, O} {P, T, O} {P, T, O} {P, T, O} Playing cards PDA Playing cards PDA Strategic Td > P Td = P Td > P P >Td To To Normative Turn of cards Message from Td Turn of cards Message from Td regulation Dramaturgical Dominant Dominant dealer Dominant Availability dealer dealer Availability Style Status Style Style Style Communication Line of Sight Line of sight Move to play Move to play Crowd dealer Connection Speech Connection Discursive Rejected plays Line of sight & P Availability & availability movement To To

Conclusions • Game-Play varies across mobility and medium: – Mobility leads to fewer moves overall – Mobility leads to relative decrease in Trades (other) – Mobility leads to relative increase in plays – Rejected plays only apparent in Card + sitting – Ipaq has fewer moves than cards • Plays constrained by availability – Sitting = line of sight – Mobile = connectivity • Social Network Analysis provides objective measures of structure