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GIST Scientists Develop Model that Adjusts Videogame Difficulty Based on Player Emotions

Published

3 years ago

September 6, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Appropriately balancing a videogame’s difficulty is essential to provide players with a pleasant experience. In a recent study, Korean scientists developed a novel approach for dynamic difficulty adjustment where the players’ emotions are estimated using in-game data, and the difficulty level is tweaked accordingly to maximize player satisfaction. Their efforts could contribute to balancing the difficulty of games and making them more appealing to all types of players.

Difficulty is a tough aspect to balance in video games. Some people prefer videogames that present a challenge whereas others enjoy an easy experience. To make this process easier, most developers use ‘dynamic difficulty adjustment (DDA).’ The idea of DDA is to adjust the difficulty of a game in real time according to player performance. For example, if player performance exceeds the developer’s expectations for a given difficulty level, the game’s DDA agent can automatically raise the difficulty to increase the challenge presented to the player. Though useful, this strategy is limited in that only player performance is taken into account, not how much fun they are actually having.

In a recent study published in Expert Systems With Applications, a research team from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in Korea decided to put a twist on the DDA approach. Instead of focusing on the player’s performance, they developed DDA agents that adjusted the game’s difficulty to maximize one of four different aspects related to a player’s satisfaction: challenge, competence, flow, and valence. The DDA agents were trained via machine learning using data gathered from actual human players, who played a fighting game against various artificial intelligences (AIs) and then answered a questionnaire about their experience.

Using an algorithm called Monte-Carlo tree search, each DDA agent employed actual game data and simulated data to tune the opposing AI’s fighting style in a way that maximized a specific emotion, or ‘affective state.’ “One advantage of our approach over other emotion-centered methods is that it does not rely on external sensors, such as electroencephalography,” comments Associate Professor Kyung-Joong Kim, who led the study. “Once trained, our model can estimate player states using in-game features only.”

The team verified—through an experiment with 20 volunteers—that the proposed DDA agents could produce AIs that improved the players’ overall experience, no matter their preference. This marks the first time that affective states are incorporated directly into DDA agents, which could be useful for commercial games. “Commercial game companies already have huge amounts of player data. They can exploit these data to model the players and solve various issues related to game balancing using our approach,” remarks Associate Professor Kim. Worth noting is that this technique also has potential for other fields that can be ‘gamified,’ such as healthcare, exercise, and education.

This paper was made available online on June 3, 2022 and will be published in Volume 205 of the journal on November 1, 2022.

Let us hope this study paves the way to games that any type of player, whether hardcore or casual, can enjoy!

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Evoplay’s premium titles hit SkillOnNet platform in multiple markets

Published

36 minutes ago

March 18, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet has bolstered its already diverse platform by rolling out Evoplay’s cutting-edge games across multiple regulated markets worldwide.

Players at SkillOnNet’s flagship gaming sites like PlayOJO, PlayUZU, and BacanaPlay can now sink their teeth into Evoplay’s award-winning portfolio, including fan-favourite slots such as The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy and Hot Triple Sevens, as well as engaging instant games such as Penalty Shoot-out.

Instant games are especially popular in Brazil – a key market for both companies. SkillOnNet recently entered the newly regulated jurisdiction with its BacanaPlay and PlayUZU brands and sees the Evoplay deal as an opportunity to offer high quality content to the burgeoning Brazilian market.

Jani Kontturi Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “Evoplay has redefined online gaming with its next-generation instant games and visually stunning slots. Their content is a perfect addition to our platform as we continue expanding into new regulated markets. With Brazil now a big focus, we’re confident that Evoplay’s innovative titles will resonate strongly with players there.”

Ihor Zarechnyi, CCO at Evoplay said: “SkillOnNet is a powerhouse in the industry and shares our passion for innovation and quality. We look forward to a successful partnership that will bring exceptional gaming experiences to players around the globe.”

The post Evoplay’s premium titles hit SkillOnNet platform in multiple markets appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Former Entain exec Jez White joins BetComply

Published

2 hours ago

March 18, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

BetComply, iGaming’s most trusted technical and regulatory compliance firm, has hired the former Entain executive Jez White in a new role overseeing safer gambling and sustainability.

White joins BetComply as the firm’s first Safer Gambling & Sustainability Specialist, following more than eight years at Entain, where he served as Director of Player Protection Systems and Analytics. His expertise across responsible gaming, risk management, and player protection technology has been instrumental in shaping industry standards.

In his new position, White will design and implement safer gambling strategies, audit existing safer gambling models and design CRM strategies for BetComply clients.

Daniel Brookes, CEO of BetComply said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Jez, who has been at the very cutting edge of regulated online gaming for many years now. Few, if any, can match his level of expertise, and this is a major coup for BetComply and our partners. His insights and experience will be invaluable as we continue to set new benchmarks in compliance and sustainability.”

Jez White, Safer Gambling & Sustainability Specialist at BetComply, added: “I’m incredibly proud of the advancements made in player protection during my eight years at Entain, and I’m now excited to join BetComply. They have very quickly emerged as the leading compliance firm in our industry, and I’ll be contributing to their vision of creating a safer and more sustainable gaming sector.”

While at Entain, White led the implementation of an industry-leading safe gambling strategy that incorporated pattern recognition models and real-time interaction technology.

BetComply has been expanding its senior team over recent weeks. In February, Paola Menchem was brought in to lead its legal and regulatory compliance services.

The post Former Entain exec Jez White joins BetComply appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Darts Player Prakash Jiwa Gets Eight-year Ban for Match Fixing

Published

2 hours ago

March 18, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Darts player Prakash Jiwa has been banned from all Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) events for eight years after being found guilty of match-fixing and betting on darts.

The UK Gambling Commission’s Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) supported the investigation by facilitating information gathered in the course of its enquiries.

Following a hearing before the DRA Disciplinary Committee on 21 January 2025, Jiwa was found guilty of fixing four matches and betting on darts. He was found not guilty of obstructing the enquiry.

The Committee has suspended him from playing in or being involved in any DRA-regulated events until 6 November 2031, provided he pays costs of £17,741.46 in full.

There is no suggestion that the other players in these matches were involved.

John Pierce, Commission Director of Enforcement, said: “All betting customers in Britain should have confidence that bets placed with licensed gambling businesses are on markets that are fair and free from betting-related corruption.

“Our Sports Betting Intelligence Unit works closely with partners such as the Darts Regulation Authority to support sporting integrity investigations and combat match-fixing. This decision sends a clear message that betting-related corruption in sport will not be tolerated.”

The post Darts Player Prakash Jiwa Gets Eight-year Ban for Match Fixing appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.