Audiovizuální reprezentace loot boxů ve videohrách

• Thesis title in Czech: Audiovizuální reprezentace loot boxů ve videohrách
• Thesis title in English: Audio-visual representation in loot box mechanies in video games
• Key words: Video hry, loot boxy, hazard, sémiotika, vizuální a zvuková reprezentace, mikrotransakce, monetizace, virtuální předměty, nákupy ve hře
• English key words: Video games, loot boxes, gambling, semiotics, visual and sound representation, microtransactions, monetisation, virtual assets, in-game purchases
• Academic year of topic announcement: 2020/2021
• Thesis type: Bachelor's thesis
• Thesis language: čeština
• Department: Department of Marketing Communication and Public Relations (23-KMKPR)
• Supervisor: doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Jaroslav Švelch, Ph.D.
• Author: hidden - assigned by the advisor
• Date of registration: 12.10.2020
• Date of assignment: 12.10.2020
• Date and time of defence: 15.09.2021 08:00
• Venue of defence: Hollar - Smetanovo nábřeží 6,Praha 1, H108, Hollar - místn. č. 108
• Date of electronic submission: 27.07.2021
• Date of proceeded defence: 15.09.2021
• Opponents: Mgr. Ing. Marek Vranka

References

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Preliminary scope of work

Loot boxy jsou jednou z nejnovějších forem zpoplatnění herního obsahu uvnitř her samotných. V posledních pár letech se některé hry, které tento způsob obchodu používají, dostaly pod značnou vlnu kritiky a v některých zemích je dnes tato technika zakázaná. Existují však hry, které obsahují loot boxy a hráči jsou s nimi spokojení.

Bez ohledu na jejich etickou či morální stránku, je zjevné, že některé loot boxy jsou více či méně efektivní než ostatní v tom, udržet hráče, aby dobrovolně kupoval a otevíral další. Každá hra, která využívá mechaniku loot boxů, nabízí jiné odměny za jejich otevírání. Napříč různými hrami je však možné zpozorovat, že způsob jejich otevírání sdílí velice podobné audiovizuální prvky, kterými působí na mysl hráčů. Tato práce se na tyto prvky zaměří a na základě odborné literatury je bude analyzovat a hodnotit.

Cílem této práce bude určit, jaké jsou audiovizuální prvky v mechanice loot boxů použity a analyzovat je.
Práce bude užitečná jak pro ty, kteří chtějí loot boxy ve své hře použít (např. herní vývojáře a publishery), tak i jejich odpůrce (např. herní kritiky a politiky).

Preliminary scope of work in English

Loot boxes are one of the newest ways of additional monetisation of in-game content. In the last years, some games containing loot boxes were criticised for their unethical usage of loot boxes and in some countries, this mechanic got banned.

Not all games are predatory in their use of loot boxes, in some games they uplift the game experience and players are satisfied with them. It is apparent that loot boxes in different games perform differently. Each title that has them offer different incentives for buying and opening them. No matter the game, they always have some audiovisual aspects in common that affect how players approach them.

This thesis will look for and analyse these aspects based on relevant literature. It will be useful for those, who want to implement them in their game (for example game developers and publishers), and also for those who oppose them (for example game critics and politicians).