Our Research

Historically, social spaces have created limited avenues for the performance of queerness. There are notable exceptions for online spheres (ex: Tumblr, Overwatch); however, other online virtual spaces such as VRChat continue to subdue cues for queerness. Primarily, this can be observed through behaviours asserted by users that work to cultivate a territory through transphobic articulations, designating a hierarchy of queerness...

Video games as a system are composed of two component systems: the player and the game. The interaction between these two create specific gameplay experiences which can be described mechanically by player actions and gameplay challenges. We systematically look at potential player actions (as defined by basic cognitive and motor abilities) and gameplay challenges to understand how they relate to...

In queering gameplay, cues of sexuality concentrate the possibilities of action communicated by (avatar) design. However, many games such as Blizzard’s World of Warcraft (Blizzard 2004) ensure the erasure of queerness by “correcting” threats on heteronormative gameplay – updating the queer bugs which permit the player to embody queerness. Centering a discussion of gaming as an embodied experience through avatar...

For many digital games, a player is able to construct their digital identity with an avatar. Digital games often prescribe character customization interfaces (CCIs) which allow the player to create or customize their avatar. Yet, the range of possibilities given to a player is restricted by the design choices placed by the game’s interface, ultimately limiting the “possibilities a certain...

We present four experiments comparing player performance between several information displays used in first-person shooter (FPS) games. Broadly, these information displays included heads-up displays (HUDs), and alternatives such as spatial representations, and diegetic (in-game) indicators. Each experiment isolated a specific task common to FPS games: (1) monitoring ammunition, (2) monitoring health, (3) matching the weapon to the situation, and (4)...

Realistic video game characters are a desirable game component to increase a game’s value. Even if the game’s ending does not change, realistic character behaviours encourage players to replay a game multiple times to see what happens along the way. This is closer to tabletop games where players know the game’s outcome, but still play because no two sessions are...