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Abstract

This paper presents D4R: an openly available and adaptable online resource based on “DISTRAINT: Deluxe Edition”, which can be applied to streamline designing and running user-oriented studies (and more). D4R can be customised to fit your research or didactic needs. It is run in the browser via linking a URL to the main game file on a hosting server. The software has more robust applications, but it was originally designed for examining how in-game linguistic parameters interface the user–game dynamics. We describe D4R’s constituents and how they need to be set up. The process of collaborating with the creator of D4R and DISTRAINT is also detailed — demonstrating the productivity of joint industry-academia endeavours. Having reviewed studies that similarly employ games as stimuli in research and training, we discuss prospects for implementing D4R. The game files use common formats and are available through a designated data repository for “(D4R) DISTRAINT For Research”.

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2026-08-25
2026-09-09
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