Ready player viz: player-created data visualizations for video games

A screenshot of the database of visualizations and their labeled metadata.
A screenshot of the database of visualizations and their labeled metadata.
Abstract
We present a survey of the design space of player-created strategic visualizations for video games, to better understand how players make sense of complex game mechanics and incorporate feedback from fellow players. We present several examples of these visualizations, and contrast them to developer-created visualizations, both in information presentation and purpose. We find that there is a rich community-building aspect to visualization development within game 'fandoms', facilitated by cross-platform exchange and iterative development, including: social media, informational 'wikis', and in-game modifications ('modding'). Finally, we consider player-created visualizations in the context of a broader imagining about the future of visualization development for non-game but analogous strategic applications. We maintain a collection of tagged and categorized examples of player-created video game visualizations here.
Materials
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Authors
Michael Davinroy
Citation
Thumbnail image for publication titled: Ready player viz: player-created data visualizations for video games
Ready player viz: player-created data visualizations for video games

Jane Adams and Michael Davinroy. Proc. alt.VIS workshop at IEEE VIS—alt.VIS. 2022. DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/vkmsr

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