Gamified Information Systems Toward an Efficient Delivery of Information

1. Gamified Information Systems Toward an Efficient Delivery of Information KeeratiJittrawong jkeerati@yahoo.com Supervisor: Prof. Alessandro De Gloria

2. Game as an Information Platform • Computer games can be viewed as one of the most efficient information delivery platform • Playing a game means consuming game information and making decision in a fraction of a second StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (2010) by Blizzard Entertainment

3. What is Game Information? • In order to play a game, a player need to know what is the current state of the game that he/she is playing • A computer game need to communicate the state of the game, game information, to the player • In fact, graphics in games are visual representation of game information Tic Tac Toe New Super Mario Bros. (2006) by Nintendo

4. Interactive Entertainment • Computer game is a form of interactive entertainment • Interactive - a player must be able to consume large amount of information in a very short time • Entertainment - the process of obtaining information should be pleasurable • These requirements force game designer to provide game information in the most easiest way for human to consume • So, people could consume more information using less time!

5. Underlying Principles • There are principles behind this efficiency: • Visual - utilizes human preconscious information processing power • Intuitive - eliminates abstract layers of information processing • Contextual - makes it effortless to obtain appropriate information for the task at hand • VIC principles!

6. 1st Principle: Visual ITALY FRANCE UNITED KINGDOM JAPAN GERMANY UNITED STATES

7. 1st Principle: Visual • Our vision system has the highest capacity for processing information • Graphic information processing is preconscious • Free up conscious processing power for more important tasks • Conscious information processing could produce more error • e.g. mistaking “Genova” as “Geneva” • Graphics are not just for aesthetic or luxury • It is very efficient!

8. 1st Principle: Visual • Large amount of information can be packed in a single image A picture is worth a thousand data! StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (2010) by Blizzard Entertainment

9. 2nd Principle: Intuitive Intuitive Non-intuitive Final Fantasy II (1988) by Square Information is in non-intuitive form that requires abstract thinking! Diablo III (2012) by Blizzard Entertainment

10. 2nd Principle: Intuitive • It is not in a form that we could know directly • Still, we are able to interpret it • Thanks to our abstract thinking ability • This abstract thinking involves conscious thought • A source of inefficiency • It is better to be intuitive! Final Fantasy II (1988) by Square

11. 2nd Principle: Intuitive • However, what is intuitive to one may not be intuitive to others • World War II generation – Analog era • Web generation – Digital era • Still, there are things that intuitive to all human • We live in the world; the world is intuitive to all of us • Most computer games utilize it (Virtual World)! Shaiya (2005) by Aeria Games

12. 2nd Principle: Intuitive • Intuitive is a matter of past experience! • You can be trained to be intuitive in something • Through practice, anything can become intuitive • Just like a mathematician who can see through numbers • In fact, through repetitive usage, even a bad user interface could become intuitive to the user! • The most important of all, intuitive information processing is unconscious! • You can do it without consciously thinking about it

13. 2nd Principle: Intuitive • A regular example • After driving a car back home everyday, the way back home becomes so intuitive to us • We can drive back home without thinking consciously where to make a turn • We enter an autopilot mode! • Beware! Autopilot can become a problem • if we are going out of the way e.g. go to supermarket before going back home • It is difficult to alter unconscious thought!

14. 3rd Principle: Contextual • Game information is usually provided in context • In Real-time Strategy game • You play a role of a military general engaging in a battlefield • Apart from controlling units, you also want to know: • Where are enemy units? • Where are allied units? • The game provide just that (Mini-map)! • Only relevant information is provided StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (2010) by Blizzard Entertainment

15. 3rd Principle: Contextual • In games, user interface changes according to the task • All necessary information usually provides in one single screen • If there are multiple tasks, games usually provide multiple interfaces that can be toggled using a hot key • Most computer games have strict time constraints • Game interface has been made using a few possible clicks /keystrokes • A requirement for instantaneous and continuous decision making!

16. Summary • Computer games try to push information out of conscious processing as much as possible! • Conscious thinking is orders of magnitude slower • Conscious thinking is more prone to error • A similar concept as in GPU • Pushing graphics calculation from CPU (conscious) to GPU (unconscious) • In short, VIC principles are: • Efficient • Less error • Free up conscious processing power

17. Gamified Information System Information System Game System info. info. data command

18. Gamified Information System Traditional Information Systems Gamified Information Systems Information from Database is provided in VIC fashion! However, computer games are designed for receiving command not data May not be suitable for data entry task • Has its core in Database Management System (DBMS) • Text & Table are prevailing

19. Gamified Information System Traditional Information Systems Gamified Information Systems

20. A Proof of ConceptVirtual Terminal Information System (VTIS) Information is provided in a visual manner by replicating a container terminal into a 3D virtual world, and users can obtain information from the associated 3D objects

21. Context • The main task of terminal manager is to monitor the handling of containers in the terminal • Virtual Terminal would be both visual and intuitive • The most important information are: • Container information • Container transportation equipment information • Cranes • Tractors • Reach stackers

22. Container Information Container Search Container Information

23. Container Information • Container information • Container location can be seen in the virtual world • Users can obtain container information by clicking at the container • Follow VIC principles • Usage of information icons • Very efficient • Easy to implement • Compatible with traditional information system!

24. Container Search • Search box is placed in the main interface • Contextual principle • Search box • BIC code is a text code • Text box is more appropriate than graphics • Visualize principle is useful, but … • It does not mean that we would turn everything into graphics!

25. Transportation Equipment Information Visual Status Mini-map

26. Mini-map • The whole terminal can be seen at a glance! • Also serve as a navigation tool • Only relevant information is displayed • Only information about transportation equipment that have problems

27. Visual Status Equipment status can be immediately seen! Moderate problem requires attention Serious problem requires immediate attention

28. System Architecture Advanced feature for Real-time Location Tracking Terminal Server WiFi GPS & Handheld PC Client VTIS Server

29. Implementation issues • Paradigm shift • Event-driven v.s. Loop-driven • Computer games are single-task oriented • Unity is not thread-safe • TCP connection becomes a problem • Lidgren networking library resolves the problem • Limited GUI components • GUI in Windows & Web applications are more well-developed • E.g. Unity does not have charting library • Nevertheless, Unity still allow us to extend its GUI

30. Conclusion • Information Systems and Computer Games come from different backgrounds • Have different goals and purposes • This work is an early effort in migrating game technology into information system arena • Gamified Information System (GIS) is quite powerful and could greatly improve an efficiency in information delivery • However, there are many issues to be considered before an adoption (esp. at this early stage)

31. Adoption Issues • Game technology (esp. game engine) has its strength in real-time interaction with virtual world • Some information system applications may not be suitable • GIS provide information in a task-specific way • In the cases where information for the task (or the task itself) is not known or changing, GIS may not be appropriate • GIS requires extra development effort • Especially at this stage where most IT companies/organizations do not have an expertise in games/3D technologies

32. Conclusion • Nevertheless, VIC principles are very useful and should be applied wherever applicable • E.g. the usage of information icons • In fact, VIC principles should be applied when designing HCI interfaces • After all, it is too early to judge the future of GIS at this point • It is hoped that this work could spark an interest in GIS! • If a killing application of GIS is found, the convergence of IT and Game technologies could happen in the future!

33. Potential Applications • Efficiency and reliability are prime concern • Possible domains: Military and Medical • A second could mean life or death • Decision mistake could cost life • Obtaining information is a secondary task • Possible domains:Automobile (driving), Maritime (navigating), Aviation (flying) • Need to preserve conscious processing power for the primary task • Since the user could easily have cognitive overload, the amount of information provided to the user must be highly optimized

34. Q & A