February 2018 - HCI Games

Understanding Gamification Through Goal-Setting Theory

Written by Gustavo Tondello of the HCI Games Group. Goal-setting theory has been used for decades to explain how to motivate people to perform better in work-related tasks by setting and monitoring goals. Gamification is also inherently a goal-oriented activity, aimed at fostering motivation; therefore, it is logic to expect that these two practices would fit very well together and help us design better motivational experiences . . . (Read More)

CHI PLAY 2017 in beautiful Amsterdam — the Venice of the North

Written by Dennis Kappen of the HCI Games Group. CHI PLAY 2017 was held in Amsterdam, one of the most relaxed and serendipitous places on earth, where time and transit did wait for you to experience the grandeur of architecture, design and human connections. People were quite helpful, courteous and very eager to show you the way around . . . (Read More)

‘Life is Strange: Before the Storm’ Episode 1: A poignant look into a damaged teenage mind

Written by Wasi Rizvi a Waterloo Computer Engineering alumnus who has been working in the Toronto tech industry since he graduated in 2015. He has been following gaming news outlets since the launch of the N64, and enjoys casually reviewing games in his spare time. Mental health issues and the anguish they elicit is a topic seldom explored by video games . . . (Read More)