Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences | 2017 The Style of Tetris is…Possibly Tetris?: Creative Professionals’ Description of Video Game Visual Styles Stephen Keating Wan-Chen Lee Travis Windleharth Jin Ha Lee University of Washington University of Washington University of Washington University of Washington [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Abstract tools cannot fully meet the needs of retrieving visual Despite the increasing importance of video games information and digital materials [2] [21]. In addition, in both cultural and commercial aspects, typically they current access points for retrieving video games are can only be accessed and browsed through limited limited, with browsing options often restricted to metadata such as platform or genre. We explore visual platform or genre [9] [10] [14]. In order to improve the styles of games as a complementary approach for retrieval performance of video games in current providing access to games. In particular, we aimed to information systems, standards for describing and test and evaluate the existing visual style taxonomy organizing video games are necessary. Among the developed in prior research with video game many types of metadata related to video games, visual professionals and creatives. User data were collected style is an important but overlooked piece of from video game art and design students at the information [5]. The lack of standard taxonomy for DigiPen Institute of Technology to gain insight into the describing visual information, with regard to video relevance of the existing taxonomy to a professional games, is a primary reason for this problem. This study audience. Using a think-aloud card sort method, we focuses on improving the organization and retrieval of observed their thought process for describing and video games through visual style information. categorizing visual styles of video games, and also Our goal is to conduct specialized user-based collected candidate terms for revising the taxonomy. research for modeling visual styles as they relate to The results of this research will inform ongoing video games. In particular, we explore how individuals metadata work in the field to develop a standard for close to the creation process of video games perceive cataloging video games and interactive media, and will and describe visual styles of games. The participants of be useful to information systems that sort and classify this study were recruited from the DigiPen Institute of games for users and cultural preservation. Technology, a university offering strong undergraduate programs focused on video games and digital art creation. This group was selected specifically for their 1. Introduction close involvement in the video game creation process. This study applies think-aloud and card sorting Video game retrieval remains a challenging task methods to collect user-generated descriptors of video despite many existing systems of organizing game visual styles. We compared the collected terms information. In the library and information science with the existing taxonomy established by the GAMER domain, there have been continuous efforts devoted to (GAME Research) group at University of Washington the establishment of classification schemes, such as the Information School [6] [18]. This video game visual Dewey Decimal Classification, and cataloging rules style taxonomy was created as part of a larger research like the Resource Description and Access. There are agenda establishing a metadata schema for video also metadata schemas like Dublin Core that expand games, which targets general users and information their application to non-book materials. However, professionals who describe, organize, and preserve these existing standards were developed with a focus video games. The Video Game Metadata Schema on describing textual materials and thus, are limited in (VGMS) was established as a result of this project. The their applicability to describe visual information schema was created based on multiple approaches appropriately [10]. With the advent of the Internet, the involving domain analysis and a series of user studies, digital world created a glut of visual information that and was tested and modified several times [3] [10] needs to be organized and accessed. Video games, as a [14]. The existing visual style taxonomy was also prominent type of visual information, prosper in the created and tested in a prior user study [3], but digital age, and there are increasing needs to retrieve primarily with general game players. With the data video games and game-related information. However, contributed by the particular group of participants in as noted in prior research, current search and discovery URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10125/41402 ISBN: 978-0-9981331-0-2 CC-BY-NC-ND 2046 our study, we can examine the level of conformity content and concept image-based retrieval [4]. The between the user-generated terms and the visual style history and focus of computerization is heavily taxonomy established by the GAMER group. Through influenced by content, rather than concepts, largely this study, we explore the following research questions because content-based retrieval is an easier process to in particular: automate [5]. This resulted in a research field dominated by content-based work in spite of the rich RQ1. How do individuals close to the creation process but different research of concept-based work [4]. of video games describe and organize the visual styles In the 1980s, Shatford [24] discussed the relative of video games? absence of studies for what users are searching for in RQ2. Does the existing visual style taxonomy images as well as how they are searching for it. By the accurately reflect the cognitive descriptors applied by early 2000s, image searching and organization creatives to visual styles? emerged as its own field due to the explosion of visual RQ3. Are there terms specific to video games and content generated by the Internet. As indicated by the visual styles that should be added to the existing numerous studies Jörgensen references in 2003, the taxonomy? amount of research for querying digital images goes from practically non-existent in the 1980s to This work will contribute to 1) improving our necessitating multiple studies by multiple organizations general understanding of how specialized users in less than a decade [11]. The importance of describe and organize visual styles of games, and 2) understanding user-querying of images and their needs evaluating and understanding what might be improved is becoming increasingly important today. As users upon in the current metadata schema and encoding become more specialized, a need arises for the ability scheme with relation to video games and visual styles. to search and organize information catered to interests This work also highlights the importance of adapting that are not just general, but also highly specific. As metadata to specific users in order to facilitate early as the 1990s, Keister [12] noted that searching information retrieval, given the highly specialized becomes specific to user types based on queries organizational terms resulting from the user research. structured by specialization. A better understanding of how specialized users query their semantic world thus 2. Relevant Work becomes vital for being able to better serve user needs, ideally at the level of the individual. Examining video game visual styles requires an Though digital specialization results in the creation understanding of both the context of conceptual image of a huge amount of image content, it also results in retrieval as well as the role of visual styles in video much of that information lacking context. Conceptual game retrieval. The following sub-sections will focus metadata creation is a time-consuming process and on reviewing literature related to each of these topics. frequently motivated by personal interest or knowledge Understanding the context of conceptual image rather than empirical data from users. As a result, much retrieval helps elucidate the need for concept-based of the research for image organization is still based on search in image retrieval, its inherent biases and content analyses performed by individuals or machines limitations, and informs, through transference, how rather than multi-user image organization analyses [7]. video game image retrieval is handled [5]. In addition, The emphasis on image content creates a semantic gap the second sub-section will focus on discussion of as defined in the image retrieval community [19], video game retrieval, mainly how metadata contributes which prevents users from being able to discover to video game discovery, and how users respond to concepts contained in the image. In addition, it also searching and browsing for games by visual style. misses how the audience is using the image as well as what they perceive as important. For purposes of 2.1 Conceptual Image Retrieval discovery and acquisition, how an audience finds images serves as the primary challenge, and what is In prior image-based retrieval research, there are often missing tend to be terms not described purely by two kinds of retrieval methods that are prominently content alone. discussed: content-based retrieval and concept-based Visual styles are important methods for referring to retrieval [4]. Content-based image retrieval focuses on concepts in an image and also provide a linguistic and examining the image material, or