Researching Affective Systems and Engaging Interactions
Researchers
Sultan Alharthi
Visiting Ph.D Student, Planning Interfaces
Sultan is a Ph.D. student at New Mexico State University, USA, under the supervision of Dr. Zachary O. Toups and Dr. Igor Dolgov. He holds a M.Sc. in Computer Science from California Lutheran University. His main interests include serious games for training, augmented and virtual reality games, wearable computers, and idle games. His thesis centers around applying Activity Theory to analyze Urban Search & Rescue teams’ planning and sensemaking practices to inform the design of training games. He worked for several years as a lecturer in the Department of Information Systems in the College of Computer Science at Jeddah University, Saudi Arabia.
Sultan Alharthi, Ruth C. Torres, Ahmed S. Khalaf, Zachary O. Toups, Igor Dolgov, and Lennart E. Nacke. 2018. Investigating the Impact of Annotation Interfaces on Player Performance in Distributed Multiplayer Games. In Proceeding of the 2018 ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI 2018. Montreal, QC, Canada. ACM, 314. doi:10.1145/3173574.3173888
@inproceedings{Alharthi2018a,
author = {Alharthi, Sultan A. and Torres, Ruth C. and Khalaf, Ahmed S. and Toups, Zachary O. and Dolgov, Igor and Nacke, Lennart E.},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI '18},
doi = {10.1145/3173574.3173888},
publisher = {ACM},
title = {{Investigating the Impact of Annotation Interfaces on Player Performance and Collaborative Planning in Games}},
year = {2018}
}
In distributed multiplayer games, it can be difficult to communicate strategic information for planning game moves and player interactions. Often, players spend extra time communicating, reducing their engagement in the game. Visual annotations in game maps and in the gameworld can address this problem and result in more efficient player communication. We studied the impact of real-time feedback on planning annotations, specifically two different annotation types, in a custom-built, third-person, multiplayer game and analyzed their effects on player performance, experience, workload, and annotation use. We found that annotations helped engage players in collaborative planning, which reduced frustration, and shortened goal completion times. Based on these findings, we discuss how annotating in virtual game spaces enables collaborative planning and improves team performance.
Sultan Alharthi, Nicolas LaLone, Ahmed S. Khalaf, Ruth C. Torres, Lennart E. Nacke, Igor Dolgov, and Zachary O. Toups. 2018. Practical Insights into the Design of Future Disaster Response Training Simulations. In 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM 2018). Rochester, NY, USA. .
@inproceedings{Alharthi2018b,
abstract = {A primary component of disaster response is training. These educational exercises provide responders with the knowledge and skills needed to be prepared when disasters happen. However, traditional training methods, such as high-fidelity simulations (e.g., real-life drills) and classroom courses, may fall short of providing effective and cost-efficient training that is needed for today's challenges. Advances in technology open a wide range of opportunities for training using computer-mediated simulations and exercises. These exercises include the use of mixed reality games and wearable computers. Existing studies report on the usefulness of these technologies for training purposes. This review paper synthesizes prior research and development of disaster response simulations and identifies challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned. Through this review, we provide researchers and designers with an overview of current practices in designing training simulations and contribute practical insights into the design of future disaster response training.},
author = {Alharthi, Sultan A and LaLone, Nick and Khalaf, Ahmed S and Torres, Ruth and Nacke, Lennart and Dolgov, Igor and Toups, Zachary O},
booktitle = {15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM 2018)},
isbn = {9780692127605},
issn = {24113387},
keywords = {Training Disaster Response Mixed Reality Simulation},
title = {{Practical Insights into the Design of Future Disaster Response Training Simulations}},
year = {2018}
}
A primary component of disaster response is training. These educational exercises provide responders with the knowledge and skills needed to be prepared when disasters happen. However, traditional training methods, such as high-fidelity simulations (e.g., real-life drills) and classroom courses, may fall short of providing effective and cost-efficient training that is needed for today’s challenges. Advances in technology open a wide range of opportunities for training using computer-mediated simulations and exercises. These exercises include the use of mixed reality games and wearable computers. Existing studies report on the usefulness of these technologies for training purposes. This review paper synthesizes prior research and development of disaster response simulations and identifies challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned. Through this review, we provide researchers and designers with an overview of current practices in designing training simulations and contribute practical insights into the design of future disaster response training.
Sultan Alharthi, George E. Raptis, Christina Katsini, Igor Dolgov, Lennart E. Nacke, and Zachary O. Toups. 2018. Toward Understanding the Effects of Cognitive Styles on Collaboration in Multiplayer Games. In Companion of the 2018 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing - CSCW '18. Jersey City, NJ, USA. ACM, 169-172. doi:10.1145/3272973.3274047
@inproceedings{Alharthi:2018:TUE:3272973.3274047,
author = {Alharthi, Sultan A. and Raptis, George E. and Katsini, Christina and Dolgov, Igor and Nacke, Lennart E. and Toups, Zachary O.},
title = {Toward Understanding the Effects of Cognitive Styles on Collaboration in Multiplayer Games},
booktitle = {Companion of the 2018 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing},
series = {CSCW '18},
year = {2018},
isbn = {978-1-4503-6018-0},
location = {Jersey City, NJ, USA},
pages = {169--172},
numpages = {4},
url = {http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/3272973.3274047},
doi = {10.1145/3272973.3274047},
acmid = {3274047},
publisher = {ACM},
address = {New York, NY, USA},
keywords = {cognitive styles, collaboration, multiplayer games, planning, team formation, teams, user study},
}
In multiplayer games, players need to coordinate action to succeed. This paper investigates the effect of cognitive styles on performance of dyads engaged in collaborative gaming activities. 24 individuals took part in a mixed methods user-study; they were classified as field dependent (FD) or independent (FI) based on a cognitive style elicitation instrument. Three groups of teams were formed, based on the cognitive style of each team member: FD-FD, FD-FI, FI-FI. We examined performance in terms of game completion time, cognitive load, and player experience. The analysis revealed that FD-FI cognitive style had an effect on the performance and the mental load. We expect the findings to provide useful insight for practitioners and researchers on improving team collaboration in different contexts, such as learning, eSports, and disaster response.
