arXiv subjects

Nisha Devasia

Publications and source records attributed to Nisha Devasia.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

SAVEstate: A Method for Documenting Player Reflection in Digital Games

In recent years, interest in eudaimonic player experiences (PX) - concerning reflection, meaning-making, and personal growth - has increased. However, most games user research methods are not well-suited to study eudaimonic PX, as they have been developed to evaluate features of hedonic PX, such as flow, immersion, and playability. To more deeply explore eudaimonic PX, we require methods that can 1) investigate how moment-to-moment PX shapes player reflection and 2) explore how players reengage and reinterpret their experiences longitudinally. In this paper, we present SAVEstate, a method that uses documentation as a means of studying player reflection. SAVEstate consists of two phases: reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action, which allow researchers to probe players' in-situ reflections and how they reengage with their gameplay, respectively. Using SAVEstate, we were able to observe in-situ meaning-making and connect it to post-game reflection-on-action, and view synchronous sensemaking across multiple participants. We also developed an open-source desktop application for researchers to adapt in their own SAVEstate deployments. We discuss implications for how researchers might use SAVEstate to conduct future research in meaningful PX.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2026

Where Does AI Leave a Footprint? Children's Reasoning About AI's Environmental Costs

Two of the most socially consequential issues facing today's children are the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the rapid changes to the earth's climate. Both issues are complex and contested, and they are linked through the notable environmental costs of AI use. Using a systems thinking framework, we developed an interactive system called Ecoprompt to help children reason about the environmental impact of AI. EcoPrompt combines a prompt-level environmental footprint calculator with a simulation game that challenges players to reason about the impact of AI use on natural resources that the player manages. We evaluated the system through two participatory design sessions with 16 children ages 6-12. Our findings surfaced children's perspectives on societal and environmental tradeoffs of AI use, as well as their sense of agency and responsibility. Taken together, these findings suggest opportunities for broadening AI literacy to include systems-level reasoning about AI's environmental impact.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2025

"I Would Not Be This Version of Myself Today": Elaborating on the Effects of Eudaimonic Gaming Experiences

While much of the research in digital games has emphasized hedonic experiences, such as flow, enjoyment, and positive affect, recent years have seen increased interest in eudaimonic gaming experiences, typically mixed-affect and associated with personal meaningfulness and growth. The formation of such experiences in games is theorized to have four constituent elements: motivation, game use, experience, and effects. However, while the first three elements have been relatively well explored in the literature, the effects - and how they may influence positive individual outcomes - have been underexplored thus far. To this end, in this work, we investigate the perceived outcomes of eudaimonic gaming and how different components of the experience influence these effects. We conducted a survey (n = 166) in which respondents recounted meaningful gaming experiences and how they affected their present lives. We used a mixed-methods approach to classify effects and identify significant subcomponents of their formation. We contribute an empirical understanding of how meaningful gaming experiences can lead to positive reflective, learning, social, health, and career effects, extending current theoretical models of eudaimonic gaming experiences and offering implications for how researchers and practitioners might use these findings to promote positive outcomes for players.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2025

Partnership through Play: Investigating How Long-Distance Couples Use Digital Games to Facilitate Intimacy

Long-distance relationships (LDRs) have become more common in the last few decades, primarily among young adults pursuing educational or employment opportunities. A common way for couples in LDRs to spend time together is by playing multiplayer video games, which are often a shared hobby and therefore a preferred joint activity. However, games are relatively understudied in the context of relational maintenance for LDRs. In this work, we used a mixed-methods approach to collect data on the experiences of 13 couples in LDRs who frequently play games together. We investigated different values around various game mechanics and modalities and found significant differences in couple play styles, and also detail how couples appropriate game mechanics to express affection to each other virtually. We also created prototypes and design implications based on couples' needs surrounding the lack of physical sensation and memorabilia storage in most popular games.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2025

Does the Story Matter? Applying Narrative Theory to an Educational Misinformation Escape Room Game

Rapid spread of harmful misinformation has led to a dire need for effective media literacy interventions, to which educational games have been suggested as a possible solution. Researchers and educators have created several games that increase media literacy and resilience to misinformation. However, the existing body of misinformation education games rarely focus upon the socio-emotional influences that factor into misinformation belief. Misinformation correction and serious games have both explored narrative as a method to engage with people on an emotional basis. To this end, we investigated how 123 young adults (mean age = 22.98) experienced narrative transportation and identification in two narrative-centered misinformation escape room games developed for library settings. We found that propensity for certain misinformation contexts, such as engagement with fan culture and likelihood to share on social media platforms, significantly affected how participants experienced specific measures of narrative immersion within the games. We discuss design implications for tailoring educational interventions to specific misinformation contexts.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2021

Designing Games for Enabling Co-creation with Social Agents

Digital tools have long been used for supporting children's creativity. Digital games that allow children to create artifacts and express themselves in a playful environment serve as efficient Creativity Support Tools (or CSTs). Creativity is also scaffolded by social interactions with others in their environment. In our work, we explore the use of game-based interactions with a social agent to scaffold children's creative expression as game players. We designed three collaborative games and play-tested with 146 5-10 year old children played with the social robot Jibo, which affords three different kinds of creativity: verbal creativity, figural creativity and divergent thinking during creative problem solving. In this paper, we reflect on game mechanic practices that we incorporated to design for stimulating creativity in children. These strategies may be valuable to game designers and HCI researchers designing games and social agents for supporting children's creativity.

cs.RO↗