• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.201-223
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• 2016

Purpose As social network games (SNG) enjoy rapid growth in the market and become a major sector of the gaming industry, it is of great interest to examine the how users continuously use SNG. In SNG, the users' social interaction is the most prominent advantage of the social network, as well as the entertainment afforded by the game. This study explores the relationship between altruism, which is considered the most prominent characteristic of SNS, and the continuance usage intention, as well as the moderating role of social capital. Based on social capital theory and organizational citizenship behavior, this research model considers social bonding and bridging that are divided by social capital. Design/methodology/approach An AMOS analysis based on survey data from 223 SNG users indicated that SNG with greater altruism enhance social capital (social bonding, social bridging), which is related to the user's satisfaction and the continuance intention of SNG. Findings Social bonding is positively related to the user's satisfaction with SNG. In other words, social bridging positively affects the continuous usage intention of SNG. These findings help managers in developing and implementing altruistic relationships and social capital for continuous usage of SNG.

• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.55-68
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• 2013

This study examined the factors determining experience of flow in mobile social network games. Built upon the literature on flow experience in the Internet and online games, this study classified the determining factors into three categories. The first category is the content factor which includes graphic design, challenge, and incentive; the second is the device factor including ease of access and ease of control; the third is the social factor including social interaction and community activities. A correlation analysis was conducted to examine the association between each of the seven determining factors and flow experience. Additionally, a hierarchical regression analysis was performed to evaluate which of the selected factors would exert a relatively strong influence on experience of flow. Both analyses reached the same conclusions as follows: Graphic design, incentive, and community activities increase flow experience while challenge and ease of control exert little influence on flow experience. In addition, graphic design was the most influential element in determining flow experience, followed by community activities and incentive, respectively.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.43-52
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• 2020

The mobile game industry has become the one of the fastest growing industries with its astonishing market size. Despite its industrial importance, a few studies empirically considered actual purchasing behavior in mobile games rather than the intention to purchase. Therefore, this paper investigates the key drivers of in-app purchase by analyzing the game-log dataset provided from a mobile game company in Korea. Specifically, the effects of goal-directed, habitual and social-interacted playing behavior are analyzed on in-app purchase. Furthermore, the recursive relationship with playing and purchasing behaviorsis also considered. The result shows that all suggested factors have positive impacts on in-app purchase in the current period. In addition, the effect of previous habitual playing has a positive impact, but the effect of social-interacted playing and in-app purchase in the previous period have negative impacts on in-app purchase of the current period. These findings can improve our understanding of the impact of game playing on in-app purchase in mobile games, and provide meaningful insights for researchers and practitioners.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.15-39
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• 2007

Mobile games have emerged as the most innovative entertainment technology, adding new revenue streams, taking advantage of the potential of wireless applications and service offerings. Mobile games, like any other types of computer game, offer a unique value for users in providing an exciting digital experience in virtual worlds. In this paper, we attempt to investigate the demographic factors which play critical roles in determining the level of playing times; classify mobile gamers based on their motives for playing games; and empirically test differences in their demographic factors and mobile game usage. Statistical results show that significant differences in playing times exist, depending upon their age, gender, mobile device, mobile phone usage, mobile game experiences, and preferred games genres. Applying Factor analysis, we have identified Escape, Social interaction, Challenge and Competition, Fantasy, Diversion and Relaxation, Ease of Accessibility as key motivators for playing mobile games. Additional cluster analysis shows that the categorization of gamers, according to their usage habits and the key motivators for playing, can be made as follows: Multi-gamers, Communication-focused gamers and Mobile active-gamers. Further correlation of these grouping with socio-economic data shows the significant differences in gaming habits and patterns of mobile phone use.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.78-91
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• 2020

In this study, an investigation was conducted into the influencing factors for the learning motivation of players in the game, including experience, vicarious experience, the need of achievement, the need of power, and mastery motivation. Then, a discussion was conducted regarding the role played by learning motivation, learning performance, and satisfaction with continuous use. A survey was conducted with 519 players, most at the intermediate gaming level in . As demonstrated by the results of this study, experience, vicarious experience, the need of power, and the mastery of motivation have significant positive association with the players' motivation of learning the game. Learning performance and satisfaction have a positive impact on the continuity of use. Additionally, the correlation between the need of achievement and learning motivation is insignificant. Overall, the research results confirm the significance of the social-cognitive theory relative to the learning motivation. Players began to transform, satisfied with their achievements in the game, as well as gradually evolving toward self-improvement to achieve satisfaction. It offers a new explanation and crucial reference for mastering the gaming trend among the contemporary players.

• Proceedings of the Korea Information Processing Society Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.117-120
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• 2013

스마트폰의 보급으로 모바일 소셜 네트워크 게임(SNG: Social Network Game)을 즐기는 사용자들이 증가하고 있다. 그러나, SNG의 특성에 맞는 자원 활용률을 고려한 효율적인 게임서버에 대한 연구는 매우 부족한 실정이다. 본 논문은 가상화 기반으로 SNG게임서버를 설계 및 구현한다. 또한 가상화 기반 분산 게임서버의 CPU 사용률과 Memory 사용량을 분석하여 게임서버의 자원 활용률을 보인다. 이를 토대로 SNG게임서버 환경구축의 기반지식을 제공한다.

• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.89-100
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• 2015

This study aims to figure out the impact of cross-promotion strategy on flow experience to overcome the restrictions of social network game. Social network games faces tougher market competition and shorter product life-cycles. The results show that the less users play games, the more they feel flow experience led by interests and self-expression of SNG. On the contrary, the more they play games, self- expression and sense of competition factor are proved to be effective factor for flow. Also Users' cognition for usefulness and annoyingness of cross- promotion are different according to level of game uses and promotion uses. People who play games more and utilize promotion more appreciate the usefulness of promotion and indulge in flow experience of SNG.

• Journal of the HCI Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.5-15
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• 2018

The biggest characteristic of Social Network Game(SNG) is that games are played through competition and cooperation with the actual acquaintances based on SNS. Even though such competition and challenge spirit have been dealt importantly as preceding factors having influence on the flow in games in the existing game area, it is rare to find researches deeply considering the characteristics of ranking competition between acquaintances in SNG. Moreover, it was not considered that such acquaintances could be the targets of competition and also challenge at the same time in SNG. Therefore, this study examined the achievements(big differences in ranking, small differences in ranking) of the targets for comparison and closeness(strong ties, weak ties) with the targets for comparison as factors having influence on competition and challenge spirit, and also empirically analyzed the influence of such factors and interactions between factors on players' competition and challenge spirit in the ranking competitive society, by analyzing the characteristics of ranking competition between acquaintances in the mobile puzzle, SNG based on SNS through the analysis on the preceding research on the self-evaluation maintenance model of the social comparison theory. In the results, when preferentially exposing competitors with small difference in ranking and also exposing competitors with stronger ties, players' competition is stimulated, so that it can improve their challenge spirit. Such results of this study can be expected to a lot contribute to the actual design work of SNG ranking table contents.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.269-278
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• 2018

This study analyzed the outcome of 120 persons who used mobile game in order to investigate the influence that heuristic type which affects users' selection has on word of mouth, the influence that word of mouth has on users' behavioral intention and whether word of mouth will play the role of mediation between heuristic type and behavioral intention or not. First, heuristic(representatives, adjustment) type is found to have positive(+) influence on word of mouth (favorableness, reliance, persuasiveness). Second, while reliance word of mouth is found to have significant influence on behavioral intention, favorableness, persuasiveness and word of mouth is not found to have significant influence on behavioral intention. Third, heuristic (representative, adjustment) type is found to have significant influence on behavioral intention. Fourth, only reliance, word of mouth is found to play the role of mediation in the role of heuristic type and behavioral intention. The outcome of this study will help to understand users' behavioral intention selecting game in mobile game market.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.136-142
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• 2009

Today, as a core industry of high value added contents, the field of game received great influences as a complex cultural technical industry of multimedia and such. Users of Mobile Web2.0 will now choose the well-made contents and this has become stronger in relation to the technical advancements of mobile platforms such as the Wibro and HSDPA. Accordingly since the year 2006, the Korea Game Industry Agency has begun a public subscription for functional games to elevate the necessity of changes in social recognition for edu-games. Although the current investment effects of edu-games are being valued relatively low in comparison to the scale, outcome and the transparency of the game industry, the created effects of the value added is very high when compared to other industries. The purpose of this study is placed in the political propositions for the edu-game investments necessary in the quality expansions of edu-game contents.