Data games are games that use real-world data to drive their mechanics. This can involve using data to generate the playing field or having data exploration be a key part of the game mechanics. Some examples provided include FreeCiv Maps, which uses data to generate maps for strategy games, Brexit Bus, where players control a bus exploring how events affected currency values, and Kimono Colors, a fishing game where collecting colors unlocks more of the dataset.
2. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Data Games
● Data Games are games that use real-world data to drive their
mechanics
● This game be simple - using a dataset to generate a playing field
that the user can then explore
● Or complex - exploring the data is a key part of the mechanics
3. Data Games,
and Data Stories
FreeCiv Maps
http://julian.togelius.com/Barros2015Balanced.pdf
4. Data Games,
and Data Stories
FreeCiv Maps
● Real-world data used to generate maps for strategy games
● Data is used to generate the play space
● Challenge: how to make “real” data fair and balanced?
5. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Brexit Bus
https://advisa.se/en/research/brexit-bus/
6. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Brexit Bus
● Player controls a (familiar) red bus
● “Road” is actually a graph of the value of the Pound (£)
● Player can explore how certain events affected the value
7. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Kimono Colors
http://www.digra.org/digital-library/publications/dataplay-mapping-game-mechanics-to-traditional-data-visualization/
8. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Kimono Colors
● A “fishing” game - player has to collect different colours
● More parts of the dataset (and more combinations of colours) are
unlocked as the player progresses
● Incremental learning and exploration of the available data
9. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Bar Chart Ball
http://julian.togelius.com/Togelius2013Bar.pdf
10. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Bar Chart Ball
● Player has to get a ball from left to right
● Player can change the shape of the graph by choosing what
attribute to represent
● Data can be made up of any numerical datafile
11. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Generative Adventure Games
http://julian.togelius.com/Barros2016Playing.pdf
12. Data Games,
and Data Stories
Generative Adventure Games
● Using OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia, generate the locations,
NPCs, and (crucially) the plot of a mystery/adventure game
● Player follows a trail of clues and interacts with real-world
historical figures
