COMPARING K-MEANS AND HIERARCHICAL CLUSTERING TECHNIQUES FOR MOBA GAME DATA ANALYSIS

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games have become a global phenomenon in the gaming industry. This article aims to examine the evolution, impact, and social aspects of MOBA games. We analyzed various literature sources, including scientific journals, articles, and research reports relevant to the keyword "MOBA." In our analysis, we see the development of MOBA games from their beginnings as modified real-time strategy (RTS) games to become a very popular standalone game genre. We also investigated the influence of MOBA games on mental health, social behavior, and addiction rates among players. Abstract P-ISSN: 2302-8734 Abstract Additionally, we explore social aspects such as communication within teams, development of collaborative skills, and learning related to MOBA gaming. Our research results show that MOBA games have a significant impact on players, both positive and negative. In a positive aspect, this game can improve social skills, strategic thinking skills, and team coordination. http://jurnal.umt.ac.id/index.php/jt/index E-ISSN: 2581-0006 Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games have become a global phenomenon in the gaming industry. This article aims to examine the evolution, impact, and social aspects of MOBA games. We analyzed various literature sources, including scientific journals, articles, and research reports relevant to the keyword "MOBA." In our analysis, we see the development of MOBA games from their beginnings as modified real-time strategy (RTS) games to become a very popular standalone game genre. We also investigated the influence of MOBA games on mental health, social behavior, and addiction rates among players. Additionally, we explore social aspects such as communication within teams, development of collaborative skills, and learning related to MOBA gaming. Our research results show that MOBA games have a significant impact on players, both positive and negative. In a positive aspect, this game can improve social skills, strategic thinking skills, and team coordination. However, there is also a risk of high levels of addiction and mental health disorders associated with excessive use. This research provides in-depth insight into the MOBA gaming phenomenon and the importance of understanding social aspects and their impact. However, there is also a risk of high levels of addiction and mental health disorders associated with excessive use. This research provides in-depth insight into the MOBA gaming phenomenon and the importance of understanding social aspects and their impact.
 Keywords: Bibliometric, Online Games, MOBA, Toxicity, Student.

What makes an ideal team? Analysis of Popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games

The relationship between video game experience and cognitive plasticity remains a central focus of research, particularly given its potential applications in clinical rehabilitation. Although both first-person shooter (FPS) and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games have been shown to enhance cognitive functions, the specific associations between the cognitive effects of different game genres and brain network structure remain unclear. This study aimed to examine whether long-term experience with FPS and MOBA games is associated with genre-specific patterns of cortical thickness covariation across brain regions. A total of 116 male participants (mean age 21.2, SD 1.9 y) were recruited via online advertisements for this cross-sectional study. On the basis of strict inclusion criteria (gaming experience >5 years, gaming frequency >5 hours per week, and ranking within the top 15%), participants were categorized into FPS players (n=39, 33.6%) and MOBA players (n=40, 34.5%). An additional group of healthy controls (n=37, 31.9%) with no gaming experience in the past 2 years was also included. High-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired using a 3-T scanner. Individualized differential structural covariance networks were constructed based on the cortical thickness values extracted from 68 brain regions using the Desikan-Killiany atlas. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA to identify significant structural covariance edges (SCEs), network-based statistic prediction analysis for weekly gaming hours, and support vector machine analysis for group classification. One-way ANOVA identified 30 significant SCEs across the 3 groups (P<.001, false discovery rate corrected). Post hoc analysis (P<.02, Bonferroni corrected) revealed that, compared to the MOBA and control groups, the FPS group exhibited 2 dominant networks: a temporo-fronto-parietal network anchored in auditory regions and a visuo-sensorimotor network. Both gaming groups showed enhanced SCEs in visual-attentional networks compared to the control group. The network-based statistic-predict analysis demonstrated that structural covariance matrices could effectively predict weekly gaming hours in FPS players (r=0.34, 95% CI 0.26-0.42). The positive edges primarily formed a temporo-fronto-parietal-occipital network, whereas the negative edges were centered on the entorhinal cortex. The support vector machine classifier successfully differentiated FPS players from controls (area under the curve=82.95%) and from MOBA players (area under the curve=72.37%). Long-term FPS and MOBA gaming experiences are associated with different brain structural network architectures. The uniqueness of FPS gaming lies in the extensive structural covariance between the primary auditory cortex and regions supporting visual attention and sensorimotor processing, which may reflect higher demands on cognitive skills. This suggests potential utility in auditory-visual rehabilitation and provides a theoretical basis for the assessment and selection of professional electronic sports players. However, the negative edges involving the entorhinal cortex in FPS players indicate that an overreliance on response learning strategies may come at the expense of the spatial memory system. Consequently, caution is warranted when applying such games to ameliorate age-related memory decline.

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games are increasing in popularity. These MOBA games are known to provide players with in-game purchasable add-ons. However, to date the impact of such in-game purchases, particularly hero skins, on player's motivation is unexplored. We use self-determination theory to develop a survey for measuring players' motivation when purchasing in-game hero skins of Defense of the Ancient 2 and League of Legends. 133 participants were surveyed on multiple factors related to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, including, competence, autonomy, relatedness, money, rewards, praise, reputation and purchase intention. Results show that competence, praise, and rewards can independently predict the purchase intention and when combining competence, praise and rewards, only competence and praise can influence purchase intention. Thus, our study highlights that player's competence and need for praise especially influences their intent to purchase in-game hero skins. While further validation is warranted, the survey presented in this thesis can assist to contribute to measuring the motivation on in-game hero skins purchases.--Author's abstract

Electronic sports show significant user churn caused by a toxic gaming atmosphere, and current GUI-based interventions are insufficient to address the issue. Based on the theoretical framework of Perceiving and Experiencing Fictional Characters, a new hybrid interaction interface and paradigm combined with tangibles is proposed to counter negative mood. To support the frustrated users of Massive Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games, we added AI teammates for better personal performance and social robots for the disclosure of negative mood. We hypothesized that AI teammates’ invisibility and anonymity would mitigate negative emotions; an effect amplified by the presence of social robots. A comparative experiment was conducted with 111 participants. Social robots for emotion-oriented coping improved user mood but AI teammates for problem-oriented coping did so better, although their higher levels of experienced anonymity may not have been preferred. Unexpectedly, conversing with a robot after playing with an AI teammate brought the mood back to that experienced when talking to a robot alone, while increasing the distancing tendencies. With this in mind, AI and social robots can counter the negative atmosphere in MOBA games, positively contributing to game design and empathic human–computer interaction.

Mobile Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games have emerged as one of the most popular gaming genres, yet the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms contributing to their addictive potential remain unclear. In this study, 23 participants played six real matches of Honor of Kings while synchronized 64-channel EEG recordings were conducted. We provide EEG data collected during gameplay, alongside corresponding video recordings. Additionally, we developed an experimental protocol that accurately marks the timestamps of player kills and deaths within the EEG data. This allows for an investigation of neurophysiological responses to kills and deaths at a millisecond-level time scale within actual MOBA gameplay. Furthermore, we include resting-state EEG data recorded in both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions, as well as participants’ demographic information and scores related to gaming addiction, impulsivity, and emotional regulation. This dataset aims to contribute to the understanding of neurophysiological responses in natural MOBA gaming environments, providing open access resources with high ecological validity.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to facilitate understanding of how to convert free players to paid consumers in free-to-play games.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the consumption value framework and affordance theory, the present study argues that in-game purchase behaviors are determined by multiple consumption values of in-game items. The perceptions of consumption values were influenced by game affordances. The model was tested, using data from an empirical survey with 2,006 free-to-play game players.FindingsMonetary, enjoyment and social values of in-game items positively predict purchase behaviors in free-to-play games. Game fairness and balance of challenges and skills significantly influence perceived enjoyment value.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study provide operable implications to facilitate in-game consumption. The model was tested within the context of free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games; however, caution is advisable when generalizing the findings to other subgenre of games.Originality/valueThis study extended and thus validated the consumption value framework in the context of free-to-play MOBA games. This study explored the antecedents of consumption values from the perspective of game affordance.

As the online video game industry becomes increasingly competitive, game marketers have introduced various loyalty programmes to keep player retention, the Battle Pass system is one of them. This work aimed to find the drivers influencing loyalty programme effectiveness. In other wordsother words, to understand how the loyalty program in online video games really works, especially in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games. To answer this question, the Battle Pass system in the Honor of Kings, one of the most popular MOBA games in China, has been chosen to be studied. This paper conducted semi-structured interviews to obtain players' veritable feelings about this loyalty programme from multiple angles. The results of these in-depth conversations provide viable explanations of the research questions from which 5 main motivations have not been observed in other research and were summarized as factors affecting loyalty programme effectiveness. Overall, this work fills the research gaps using qualitative research methods; in addition, it provides the possible indicator for the research on consumer behavior in online video games and the value of guiding marketers to formulate practices that rely on the continuous engagement of their users.

Previous research shows that female players participate less in competitive games than male players. However, it is reported that there are more female players are than male players in King of Glory (KoG), one of the most popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games on the mobile platform in China. This study aims to investigate how can KoG capture the interest of female players. We compared the game design of KoG with League of Legends (LoL), one of the most popular MOBA games on the PC platform. We followed up with a semi-structured interview study with 20 participants about their gameplay experiences on the two different platforms. Our analysis indicates that mobility, sociability, and lower barrier to entry are the main factors that drove female players to participate in KoG.

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) is one of the most successful game genres. MOBA games such as League of Legends have competitive environments where players race for their rank. In most MOBA games, a player's rank is determined by the match result (win or lose). It seems natural because of the nature of team play, but in some sense, it is unfair because the players who put a lot of effort lose their rank just in case of loss and some players even get free-ride on teammates' efforts in case of a win. To reduce the side-effects of the team-based ranking system and evaluate a player's performance impartially, we propose a novel embedding model that converts a player's actions into quantitative scores based on the actions' respective contribution to the team's victory. Our model is built using a sequence-based deep learning model with a novel loss function working on the team match. We showed that our model can evaluate a player's individual performance fairly and analyze the contributions of the player's respective actions.

OBJECTIVESThis study examined the association between high risk of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and online game genres used by adolescents.METHODSThe data derived from the baseline data of the Internet user Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of gaming disorder in Early Adolescence. A total 1,532 middle school students who use online games included. The participants reported the names of the online games they used during the past year. Game genres were categorized into role playing games (RPGs), shooting, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), simulation, arcade, sports and action games. The risk of IGD was measured using the Internet Gaming Use-Elicited symptom Screen. The relationship between the experience of online game genre and high risk of IGD was analyzed using multiple logistic regression model.RESULTSThe game time of a student was longer if he or she had an experience of RPGs, shooting games, MOBA games, simulation games, and action games. The direct and independent association between high risk of IGD in adolescents and the genres of RPGs, simulation games and MOBA were found to be odds ratios 1.52 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 2.26); 1.59 (95% CI, 1.03 to 2.45); and 1.51 (95% CI, 1.03 to 2.21), respectively after adjusted the potential confounding variables and the use of other online game genres.CONCLUSIONSThe present cross-sectional study has found an association between online game genres and the risk of IGD in adolescents attending a school. A cohort study should verify the causal association in future.

Online multiplayer games are often rich sources of complex social interactions. In this paper, we focus on the unique player experiences (PX) created by Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games. We examine key phases of players' engagement with the genre and investigate why players start, stay, and stop playing MOBAs. Our study identifies how team interactions during play with friends or strangers affect PX during these phases. Results indicate the ability to play with friends is salient when beginning play and during periods of engagement. Teams that include friends support a wider range of play possibilities - socially and competitively -- than teams of strangers. However, social factors appear less relevant to those choosing to stop playing, who do so for a variety of reasons. This study contributes to the field by identifying a strategy to improve the wellbeing of players.

Toxic behavior (i.e., toxicity) is a pervasive problem in online gaming communities such as League of Legends. This issue arises from factors such as frustrating and stressful in-game experiences and online disinhibition. Prior research on addressing toxicity has focused primarily on the perpetrators and how to mitigate their negative behavior and the consequences. The aim of this study was to approach toxicity from the perspective of the victims instead, and consequently, to investigate the factors that contribute to the experience of victimhood in multiplayer online battle arena games. A global sample of League of Legends and Defense of the Ancients 2 players (n=313) was collected to test hypotheses based on three theoretical approaches drawn from previous work, namely, the online disinhibition effect, social cognitive theory and theory of planned behavior. Participants were asked to complete a survey that included variables related to the three theoretical approaches. The results of the study indicated that self-efficacy, and benign and toxic disinhibition, were the most relevant antecedents for the experience of being a victim of toxicity. Accordingly, the findings thus suggest that players with low self-efficacy and high online disinhibition may be more likely to experience victimhood in multiplayer online battle arena games. In general, insights based on our study demonstrate that individual characteristics partially explain why some players are more susceptible to toxic behavior than others. The study's results have practical implications for game developers and policymakers, particularly in the areas of community management and player education. For example, game developers may consider incorporating self-efficacy training and disinhibition reduction programs into their games. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on toxicity in online gaming communities and invites further research into toxicity from the perspective of the victims.

Predicting likelihood of psychological disorders in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) players from Asian countries using supervised machine learning

While extensive research has examined the relationship between gaming and aggression, few studies have focused on the factors that mediate the connection between trash-talking behavior and aggressive outcomes in multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games. This study addresses this gap by investigating the role of screen time as a mediator between trash-talking and aggressive behaviors in young players of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB). Unlike previous research that primarily explored direct links between gaming and aggression, this study introduces screen time as a novel variable that influences this relationship. The study sampled 390 gamers aged 10 to 24 years, all enrolled at Southern Luzon State University in Lucban, Quezon, Philippines. Key variables, including verbal aggression, hostility, and anger, were assessed using standardized questionnaires, along with measures of trash-talking attitudes and screen time. Using mediation analysis, the study identified screen time as a key factor that explains the relationship between trash-talking and aggression. The findings revealed that trash-talking indirectly contributes to aggressive behavior through prolonged gaming exposure. In other words, the negative effects of trash-talking on aggression are amplified by increased screen time. This discovery offers a fresh perspective by highlighting screen time as a critical channel through which trash-talking influences aggression. The results underscore the importance of addressing both toxic communication and excessive screen time to foster a healthier and more sustainable gaming environment. As mobile gaming continues to dominate youth leisure activities, these findings provide actionable insights for developing interventions that reduce aggression and encourage positive competition in esports