The popularity and usage of digital games has increased in recent years, bringing further attention to their design. Some digital\r\ngames require a significant use of higher order thought processes, such as problem solving and reflective and analytical thinking.\r\nThrough the use of appropriate and interactive representations, these thought processes could be supported. A visualization of\r\nthe game�s internal structure is an example of this. However, it is unknown whether including these extra representations will\r\nhave a negative effect on gameplay. To investigate this issue, a digital maze-like game was designed with its underlying structure\r\nrepresented as a decision tree. A qualitative, exploratory study with children was performed to examine whether the tree supported\r\ntheir thought processes and what effects, if any, the tree had on gameplay. This paper reports the findings of this research and\r\ndiscusses the implications for the design of games in general.
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