Games with a purpose (GWAPs) have proven to be effective solutions to solving difficult problems, labeling data, and collecting commonsense knowledge. Unlike traditional games, GWAPs must balance between acquiring accurate solutions or data and maintaining player engagement. However, when it comes to designing GWAPs, the effects of different game mechanics on accuracy and engagement are not well understood. We have conducted two studies to understand the way different choices of game mechanics and their effect on player behavior. The first study (Cabbage Quest) compares cooperative and collaborative game mechanics. The second study (Gwappy Bird) compares different difficulty levels.
The Entertainment Intelligence Lab focuses on computational approaches to creating engaging and entertaining experiences. Some of the problem domains they work on include, computer games, storytelling, interactive digital worlds, adaptive media and procedural content generation. They expressly focus on computationally "hard" problems that require automation, just-in-time generation, and scalability of personalized experiences.
