Part III Game Data Analysis

This part of the book intersperses theory-heavy contributions with in-depth case studies, examining strategies for selecting the most relevant game variables and then discussing methods for data analysis from datamining to spatial analyses. The case studies come from advanced analysis techniques employed at Crystal Dynamics, IO Interactive and Milestone. This part has the following take-aways: • Provide an overview of the forefront of large-scale multidimensional datamining techniques geared to improve user experience. • De fi ne a common terminology and discuss the process of isolating relevant game variables and turning them into measures for high-level, player behavior modeling. • Show how industry and academia can successfully partner for complex analyses. • Demonstrate how game telemetry systems can be successfully deployed in existing game user research practices. • Describe current practices in spatial game analytics. The part will consist of fi ve chapters: • Chapter 12 : Game Data Mining introduces the area of data mining and provides example data mining algorithms that can be used for analysis of game telemetry. The chapter also shows the concepts through case studies done in collaboration with the industry. The chapter is a contribution from Andres Drachen (co-editor of the book) and Christian Thurau, CTO of Game Analytics a company formed to deliver game analytics services to game developers, Julian Toeluius, Associate professor at ITU, Copenhagen, Georgious Yannakakis, Associate professor at University of Malta, Malta, and Christian Bauckhage, professor at University of Bonn, Germany. • Chapter 13 : Meaning in Gameplay: Filtering Variables, De fi ning Metrics, Extracting Features and Creating Models for Gameplay Analysis investigates the concepts behind telemetry, metrics, and variables collected to measure player behavior and modeling. 204 Part III Game Data Analysis

• Chapter 14 : Gameplay Metrics in Game User Research: Examples from the Trenches discusses a case study of the use of game metrics analysis in collabora- tion with IO Interactive. The chapter is authored by Anders Drachen and Alessandro Canossa (Co-editors of this book) with Janus Rau Møller Sørensen, a user research manager at Crystal Dynamics and IO Interactive, worked on titles including Hitman Absolution and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. • Chapter 15 : Interview with Aki Järvinen from Digital Chocolate is an interview with Aki Järvinen, creative director and competence manager at Digital Chocolate. The interview delves into the use of analytics at Digital Chocolate and its role and importance within the company. • Chapter 16 : Better Game Experience Through Game Metrics: A Rally Videogame Case Study shows another case study of using game analytics for a racing game developed at Milestone, Italy. The chapter is a contribution from Pietro Guardini, games user researcher at Milestone contributed to several titles, including MotoGP 08 , the Superbike World Championship (SBK), and Paolo Maninetti, senior game programmer at Milestone, worked on titles such as MotoGP08 and the Superbike World Championship (SBK).