6. October 2008 by admin.

CALL FOR PAPERS

(PDF Version)
FDG �09, the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games, is a focal point for academic efforts in all areas of research and education involving computer and console games, game technologies, game play and game design. Previously known as Academic Days on Game Development in Computer Science Education (GDCSE 08), this year’s conference expands its scope to encompass all aspects of Computer Science focused game research, along with game-oriented education research, and game studies and game design research. The goal of the conference is the advancement of the science of digital games, including new game technologies, capabilities, designs, applications, educational uses, and modes of play.

The conference will be held aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship, departing from and returning to Port Canaveral, FL with port calls in the Bahamas and at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. FDG 2009 will include presentation of peer-reviewed papers, invited talks by high-profile industry and academic leaders, hands-on tutorials and topical panels on a range of subjects related to games research and education. We invite researchers and educators to share insights and cutting-edge results relating to game technologies and their use.

SUBMISSIONS

FDG 2009 will accept both full paper and poster submissions (the details of each are described below). To encourage submissions across a range of topics, this year’s program includes six distinct theme areas. Authors may choose to submit their papers to the general conference or to a specific theme area of particular relevance. The conference themes are a) artificial intelligence, b) computer science and games education, c) databases, d) game studies/game design, e) graphics and interfaces and f ) networking and security. Papers that fall outside these topic areas are strongly encouraged and should be submitted to the general track. All submissions will be rigorously peer reviewed for their technical merit, significance, clarity and relevance to the advancement of the sciences of games. All full papers must describe a completed unit of work and show rigorous and compelling evaluation of the ideas they present. Poster submissions should describe novel work in progress that is not at the same level of research maturity as a full submission.

PAPERS AND POSTERS

All accepted paper and poster submissions will be published in the conference proceedings, which will be available on a USB drive. For a paper or poster to appear in the proceedings, at least one author must register for the conference by the deadline for camera-ready copy submission. One author of each accepted submission will be provided with a special registration package that allows them to register at the early registration rate. Papers from previous years’ conferences have been included in the ACM Digital Library and we anticipate that all paper, poster, and doctoral consortium publications from this year’s conference will appear there as well. Conference organizers are working with the ACM to obtain in-cooperation sponsorship status, and anticipate approval in late October 2008.

Electronic paper and poster submission is required. Authors should submit their papers at the conference submission site, http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=icfdg2009 . Both paper and poster authors must submit their papers by 11PM Pacific time on December 19, 2008. Papers must not exceed eight pages and poster submissions must not exceed two pages. All submissions must comply with the official ACM proceedings format using one of the templates provided at http://www.acm.org/sigs/pubs/proceed/template.html. FDG 2009 will not accept any paper that, at the time of submission, is under review for or has already been published or accepted for publication in a journal or another conference. This restriction does not apply to submissions for workshops and other venues with a limited audience.

THEME AREA TOPICS

Authors whose papers align with a particular theme area should choose to submit their paper under that theme. Theme areas for FDG 2009 are defined broadly using the descriptions here:

Artificial Intelligence

We solicit papers on artificial intelligence research that provides novel solutions to traditional game AI problems (e.g. path planning, camera control, terrain analysis, user modeling, tactical/strategic decision making, etc.), supports novel game concepts or gameplay elements (e.g. interactive drama, narrative/character development, NPC belief/attitude/emotion modeling, etc.), provides automated or semi-automated solutions to game production challenges (e.g. game design, content creation, testing, prodcedural animation, etc.), or describes the integration of AI technologies (e.g. machine learning, logical inference, planning, etc.) into game AI architectures.

Computer Science and Games Education

The Computer Science and Games Education Theme Area invites researchers and educators to submit papers illustrating the latest advances and innovation in curricula for games and computer science, in both formal and informal educational contexts. All papers must show rigorous and compelling evaluation. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: game design and development curricula, effective practices and infrastructure for the use of games and game technologies in Computer Science courses and programs, Web-based (adaptive) educational games and interdisciplinary collaboration among computer scientists and others to create games in educational contexts.

Databases

The database track is soliciting papers with either novel applications of database techniques to computer games or with novel database techniques especially designed for digital games. Topics include database engines, query processing, and query optimization for games workloads; declarative languages for game programming; distributed database techniques and consistency models for networked games; data management for games that cross physical and virtual worlds.

Game Studies | Game Design

The Game Studies | Game Design theme seeks reports of creative design practice and methods, as well as the exploration and development of innovative gameplay forms and mechanics. Research on new models for player involvement, design as co-construction with players and their communities, and iterative player-centered design are also very welcome. Within the domain of game studies more generally, submissions are welcome in the areas of player experience, game ontology, the social and cultural aspects of gameplay, cross-cultural analyses, networked play (including consoles), casual and serious gaming. Submissions that provide a rigorous analysis of new or emerging phenomena are of strong interest.

Graphics and Interfaces

The graphics and interfaces theme seeks papers on all aspects of computer graphics and user interfaces that are specifically related to digital games, including but not limited to: animation; modeling; rendering; 2D and 3D user interfaces; collaborative user interfaces; mobile user interfaces; tangible user interfaces; design of (interfaces for) Web 2.0 game focused web applications; integration of web-based and computer/console based game worlds; augmented reality and virtual reality; and novel interaction devices and displays.

Networks and Security

We invite submissions that focus on the many aspects of constructing networked games and networked game services. Submissions that fall under the following areas are encouraged: networked game architectures, network protocol design for games, latency issues, lag compensation, and synchronization methods, mobile and/or resource-constrained games, software and middleware support for developing networked games, content delivery and adaptation, services for supporting networked games, cheat detection techniques, cheat prevention via secure game design and the networking and security aspects of Web-based games and game portals.

December 19, 2008:Full paper and poster submission deadline

http://www.foundationsofdigitalgames.org/

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6. October 2008 by admin.

Valenciennes, in the north of France, greets, for the 9th consecutive time,
the European meetings of the young digital creation, which will be held from
27th to 30th November 2007. Organized by the Chamber of Commerce and
Industry of the Valenciennes region, this event is the annual meeting of
young creators, students and professionals of digital animation, cinema,
sound and video game. On 5,000 visitors, we include 500 professionals coming
from 10 countries. Every year the festival presents in preview nearly 300
animation films and multimedia works from about 50 European countries. In
the program on the National Scene of the Phoenix theatre: projections,
conferences, previews, tributes and teaching workshops. One of the main
event of the festival is a set of student’s contest and awards on animation,
web sites, games…

Pr. Stephane Natkin
stephane.natkin@cnam.fr

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6. October 2008 by admin.

I

SAGA 2009 will be held in Singapore - 29 June to 3 July 2009. This will be a special event, being both the 40th Anniversary and the 1st S.E.Asian ISAGA conference.

The theme of the conference is “Learn to Game, Game to Learn”. We learn about games and simulations; and then we learn from games and simulations. The conference theme embodies this double aspect. Between the learning and the game are people, methodology, and technology. The theme acknowledges the idea that players should first learn how to play and participate before being able to learn. It also acknowledges the idea that teachers, trainers and researchers should learn about games and simulations, and how to use them. They should also learn about the methodologies and technologies. Then they may help their participants to reach through the methodology and technology to the games and simulations that they organize.

The theme is broad and encompasses all aspects of games, simulations, experiential learning exercises and related methods as used in learning, training, development, research and other areas.

The 40th ISAGA conference will be an opportunity for people to take stock, reflect on (debrief) the last 40 years, and to survey the current state of simulation/gaming, and to reflect forward (brief) into the future.

Tracks have 3 main focuses: technology, content and methodology, covering areas that include the followings but are not limited to:

Interactive Digitial Media

Mobile Gaming

Simulators

Virtual Communities

Virtual Reality

Education & Learning

Engineering

Healthcare

Humanities

Natural Resources

Professional Training

Social & Policy sciences

You are cordially invited to submit proposals to the following type of sessions:

Single Papers - Technical papers will be presented in single paper sessions, with papers of related issues (e.g., from the same track) scheduled in the same session as much as possible. A paper presentation will be typically scheduled for 20-30 minutes in a session.

Interactive sessions - These are sessions in which a fair amount of time is spent interacting with participants. Sessions can take the form of a tutorial, a workshop, a demo, partcipation in a game, simulation or exercise. A session may consist of several contributions by several participants with a common theme. The proposer will be the session leader who invites the other contributors and organises the session. Each interactive session is scheduled in multiples of 1-hour time slot.

Poster sessions - The aim of a poster session is to allow a less formal presentation to advertise and share an ongoing research with conference participants. Space in a room or in a common area at the conference venue will be allocated to allow a quick and efficient communication of presentation to the viewers, allowing viewers to discuss it one on one with the presenter. A limited number of posters will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis.

Laptop sessions - These are similar to poster sessions and subject to the same space constraint, except that the presentations will be done on the presenters’ own equipment such as a laptop.

Open space activities - The aim of such sessions is to allow extended people movement in games and simulations, through exhibits, game-stations, and product demonstrations or others.

Proposals are to be submitted online at www.isaga2009.org.

We look forward to hearing from you and meeting you at ISAGA2009.

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