Ludogram as a new format for scientific publication in game studies

from description of interactive experience to reproducible game communication

Abstract

This article proposes the concept of the ludogram — a peer-reviewed scholarly publication in which an academic text is augmented by a reproducible game module, expert annotations, transparent peer review, and—in experimental versions—a system for the voluntary collection of behavioral data. This concept addresses a fundamental methodological challenge in video game research: an interactive object is typically described through static text, resulting in the merely indirect representation of elements such as controls, pacing, feedback, learning processes, embodiment, and the overall "feel of the game." Drawing upon an analysis of executable papers, explorable explanations, citizen science games, Games with a Purpose, open peer review, and living publications, the article demonstrates that while individual elements of this format already exist, they have not yet been integrated into a specialized editorial infrastructure tailored to research in games, HCI, and interactive media. A model for the ludogram is proposed, comprising a scholarly text and a game module, and incorporating the following distinct layers: textual, playable, annotational, analytical, review-based, and versioning. Methodological, technical, ethical, legal, and institutional constraints are discussed. The article concludes that the ludogram should be regarded not merely as a decorative extension of a traditional article, but rather as a distinct form of reproducibility for disciplines engaged in the study of interactive systems.