Report on the 2nd London Conference on Computer Games

Proceedings of the Games+Learning+Society Conference: Vol. 4

TEXT: The text of this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivative 2.5 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/) IMAGES: All images appearing in this work are property of the respective copyright owners, and are not released into the Creative Commons.

2009

2003

The programs in this book have been included for their instructional value. They have been tested with care but are not guaranteed for any particular purpose. The publisher does not offer any warranties or representations nor does it accept any liabilities with respect to the programs. Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Pearson Education has made every attempt to supply trademark information about manufacturers and their products mentioned in this book. A list of the trademark designations and their owners appears on page xxiii. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rucker, Rudy v. B. (Rudy von Bitter), 1946-Software engineering and computer games / Rudy Rucker. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-201-76791-0 (alk. paper) 1. Software engineering. 2. Computer games-Programming. I. Title.

Science museums have a natural role in the building of public understanding of science. For some time now, museums are particularly focused on engaging the public: it is a necessary condition to raise interest and cause active responses from the public. In this context, gamification, that is the usage of game dynamics to drive participation, is a way to engage the public.

Computer games have suffered a huge transformation during last 6 years. They are now to be considered as works of art in some cases, if we compare them with Hollywood productions. These software pieces, which sometimes arrive to sell millions of copies, have a great influence on students. Present students are generally used to play computer games and, of course, to learn things from their virtual experiences playing computer games. This paper presents a handful of experiences and two new proposals which can be used to profit from this situation in order to make our students learn more, learn better and enjoy learning. Generalitat Valenciana, project number GV05/165

2021

AAA companies and indie devs alike harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and novel means of user interaction to facilitate game design & development and to provide for more intricate, authentic, entertaining, immersive and fun experiences. The available tools, established approaches, methods and gadgets in development are as broad as their application. With respect to AI perspectives develop from classical search and planning algorithms as well as generative algorithms towards utilising machine learning methods, simulation and optimisation. Even self-adapting, real-time capable systems are proactively utilised in the games industry. With respect to novel approaches of user interaction, especially the integration of multiple channels of communication (multi-modal approaches), for instance considering gestures and voice at the same time, have paved the road for natural user interfaces that diminish the cognitive load of designers, developers and, particularly, the players of next gen computer and video games. The 1 st Games Technology Summit was organised in two tracks: A scientific track and an industry track. We discussed how the successes in AI in Natural User Interfaces have been impacting the games industry (industry track) and which scientific, state-of-the-art ideas and approaches are currently pursued (scientific track). For the scientific track of this half-day event, we have accepted five submissions covering different aspects of how technological advancements impact the development of digital games and how advanced game technologies also foster use cases outside pure entertainment. The accepted submissions cover a broad range from dialogue generation for games to self-assembling agent ensembles as representations of the emerging field of AI in games. Natural user interfaces are represented by contributions about impossible spaces in virtual reality, immersive game technologies for innovative education and multimodal environments for psychomotor skill training, of which the latter two also represent contributions of applying games technologies beyond entertainment.

Games and Culture, 2006

A short, speculative account of the state of play in the formation of a discipline or field of computer games studies. The processes of academic teaching, research, and institutional positioning in regard to computer games are viewed from the perspective of wider currents and crises influencing knowledge formation today. It is argued that the different approaches to computer games cannot ignore the differences in their conceptions of the object of study in a naive pluralism. These different conceptions of games as parts of the technocultural milieu must encounter each other in the name of the struggle against the avoidance of critical thought concerning the nature and forms of technoculture that often prevails in the production of specialist “knowledge” today.

2018

York provides high-quality, accessible education for more than 269,000 degree-credit students and 247,000 adult, continuing and professional education students at 24 campuses across New York City. The University is an integrated system of senior and community colleges, graduate and professional schools, research centers, institutes and consortia. From certificate courses to Ph.D. programs, CUNY offers postsecondary learning to students of all backgrounds. It provides the city with graduates trained for high-demand positions in the sciences, technology, mathematics, teaching, nursing and other fields. As CUNY has grown, the University also has strengthened its mission as a premier research institution, building an array of modern facilities and expanding the ranks of its world-class faculty. Throughout its history, the University has been an integral part of the city and state through partnerships with public schools, economic development initiatives, immigration aid and financial advice services and other community outreach programs. Today, CUNY faculty and staff members continue to benefit New York City-as well as the entire nation-by serving as policy experts to business and government, advisers to nonprofit institutions, civic organizations and community groups. Students, too, are strongly encouraged to experience the cultural, educational and community-based opportunities of the five boroughs, through a network of internships and fellowships, to embracing the city as their campus. About the CUNY Games Network The CUNY Games Network is an organization dedicated to encouraging research, scholarship and teaching in the developing field of games-based learning. We connect educators from every campus and discipline at CUNY and beyond who are interested in digital and non-digital games, simulations, and other forms of interactive teaching and inquiry-based learning.

1987