Mind analysis game is a game that deals with the training and exercise of the brain. It tests the ability of the player to focus, reason under pressure and makes use of already acquired knowledge in a short period of time. Inactivity of the human mind and the low level of responsiveness of the human brain to stimulus which are prominent in some people, both old and young have been a great challenge. Hence, this study develops a mind analysis game that enhances the thinking and concentration of the user. The game was developed using C# programming language on a game engine called Unity 5. It runs on android operating system. It ensures efficient testing and improvement of a person's thinking abilities and makes sure that the person is able to gain intellectually from the game. The game also evaluates the performance of the players and makes appropriate comments when necessary according to the scores awarded to each question in every stage.
A game is an ongoing series of complementary ulterior
transactions progressing to a well-defined, predictable outcome.
Descriptively, it is a recurring set of transactions, often
repetitious, superficially plausible, with a concealed motivation
[
This study deals with the third definition given above.
Many players enjoy playing games because they provide a
challenge. This provides one of the primary motivating factors for
single-player home games, where social or bragging rights
motivations are less of an issue. Games can entertain players over
time, differently each time they play, while engaging their minds
in an entirely different way than a book, movie, or other form of
art. When a person faces a challenge and then overcomes it, that
person has learned something. It does not matter if that challenge
is in mathematics textbook or in an android phone game.
Challenging games can be learning experiences. Players will learn
from games, even if that learning is limited to the context of the
game, such as how to navigate through the forest or survive a
particularly hairy battle. In the best games, players will learn
lessons through gameplay that can be applied to other aspects of
their life, even if they do not realize it. This may mean that they
can apply problem solving methods to their work, use their
improved spatial skills to better arrange their furniture, or perhaps
even learn greater empathy through role-playing. Many players
thrive on and long for the challenges games provide, and are
enriched by the learning that follows.[
Mobile games are very common these days because they have a
kind of alluring power in them. No matter what one’s age is,
children or adults, both demonstrate equal enthusiasm when it
comes to playing mobile games. They get glued to their
smartphones and become totally oblivious to the happenings
around them. Of late, with the ubiquitous presence of
smartphones, these games have been gaining tremendous
popularity, owing to several reasons [
Building games is one of the most challenging and rewarding
experiences one can ever have. Taking pure imagination and
making it come alive is absolutely addictive—a creative process
so immersive and consuming that one will start craving it when it
hasn’t been done for too long. [
Two of the design tools used for this game are Use Case Model and the Data Flow Diagram. 2.1 The Use Case Model Fig. 1 shows the use case model of the game. There are two actors in the system: the User and the Admin. It also shows the functions of the different modules that exist in the system.
The game was developed using C Sharp (C#) programming language on a game engine called Unity 5 and it runs on android operating system. C# programming language was used because it communicates well with Unity’s libraries.
In the system, there is a time constraint and the player is adequately timed for each level of difficulty. The game tests for the ability of the player to think under pressure. A percentage is displayed at the end of each level along with a message to the user according to his/her performance.
This mobile application has two users in the system. 1. Admin: The Admin manages the application and works with the backend of the system. He/She controls everything that is going on in the system. The backend is only accessible to the administrator. It is protected from the user with some level of access control. The Admin can add new categories and new levels of difficulty to the already existing application. He can also edit or tweak any part of the game when necessary. 2. The User: The User interacts with the system and makes use of all its features. When a user opens the game application, he sees a welcome screen that contains the different options that he/she can pick from. (New game, difficulty stages, level, quit). If the user decides to pick the ―New game option‖, the game starts by default at the lowest level of difficulty. For each stage in a level, there is a group of 5 questions in different categories. The more the user plays, the more difficult the game becomes and the time to answer each question becomes shorter, and the number of pictures reduces. A user can decide to change his level of difficulty to further push himself/herself to learn more. At the end of each stage, a message that states the grade/performance of the user is displayed on the screen. When a user has played to his/her satisfaction, he/she can decide to close the game to continue at a later time or just completely close the game. If the user completely closes the game, no history of last game would be displayed if he reopens it. 3.1.1 Screenshots of Results 1. The menu page: Fig. 3 shows the menu page of the game. This is the first page that provides the users with the possible options he/she can choose from. It contains the New Game, Continue Game, Difficulty, Ratings, Help and Exit options. 1. Stage 1 Question: Fig. 4 shows the stage 1 question of the game. It presents some pictures to the user and asks him/her to give a one word answer to describe them. 3. Answer Page: Fig. 5 shows an answer page. This is displayed after the slideshow has finished playing. The user has the option to replay the slideshow but he/she would lose 5 points and 5 seconds of his/her playing time would be deducted from the total time given to play the game. There is an input box where the user can put his answer. If the answer is incorrect, the user has to use the replay button to look at the slideshow again. When the player selects ―Done‖ after giving the correct answer, he moves to the next level. 4. The Score Page: Fig. 6 shows the score page of the system. When the player gets the answer right, he is congratulated and awarded a score and the next stage is displayed. The score page is displayed after every stage.
The Mobile Mind Analysis Game developed in this study helps users to exercise their brain by giving brain teasers in form of logical questions. It helps the players to take note of their surroundings and also train the brain to make use of unconsciously stored information in the brain. Hence, it enhances the thinking and concentration of the user thereby reducing inactivity of the human mind and giving a high level of responsiveness of the human brain to stimulus.
We would like to express our appreciation to the reviewers of this paper. Even though time did not permit us to perfect every aspect of the paper, we hope to improve on it for a journal article. 6.