Group items tagged

From the abstract: "This paper will examine the relationship of pattern recognition and Gestalt principles to procedural form in gameplay. It will identify key features of pattern based play mechanics and outline important synergies between programming paradigms and procedural form. In the course of the paper I will examine the formal and aesthetic qualities of procedural structures and discuss how they generate the experience of psychological flow. I will also identify the role of these mechanisms and their effects in current game design."

5th Annual International conference to be held in Bali, May 7-8, 2012

"Abstract. If iteration is the rule in modern software development practices, this is more the case in game development. While the secret recipe for fun in games remains hidden, game development will remain a highly iterative trial-and-error design process. In this paper we present a semi-automatic process that, through FCA, can assist in the software design of modern videogames. Through FCA we can identify candidate distributions of responsibilities among components, and let the users edit such distributions. We support iteration by facilitating the application of past edits when going through a new iteration of identifying candidate components to accommodate for new version of the game requirements."

Tuniisan startup plans to develop several video games in the near future relying on the work of graduates from the country's only design program

Supplement to Fall 2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook describes careers related to video game development, salary averages, types of companies

First master's level game design program in NYC area

"Beacon Hill Chat is a program with interesting people talking about the interesting things going on in Central Massachusetts. Senator Chandler's guest is Timothy Loew, the Executive Director of Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (Mass DiGi)on the Becker College campus."

Abstract: "Twenty three interviews and four surveys were conducted as case studies investigating the perceptions of expertise, expertise acquisition, and gaps in employment readiness for novice game developers. Participants were primarily game development production staff and educators involved in game related programs. Research results were compared to employability skills research. The findings indicated that there is a great deal of alignment between them, but employability skills may be insufficient on their own to be a reliable standalone source for curriculum development in the game development field because of the industry's unique characteristics. Implications from the research results, and insights from the in-depth interviews, that may be relevant to curriculum developers include evidence for a mismatch of the values, needs, and expectations of stakeholders; and a delineation of key characteristics of expertise and long-term success that may be valuable for inclusion in curriculum outcomes and measures. Two of the key characteristics identified were goal-focused passion, and holistic perspectives. Holistic perspectives included an awareness of heuristic use of tacit knowledge. The model of an expert learner was supported as a potential curriculum outcome focus that encapsulated the main characteristics of expertise that novices or advanced beginners could acquire. Another implication is that there may be a relation between expert characteristics and characteristics of functional behaviours that are related to positive psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy."

Philosophy of computer games, Madrid, 2012

paper to be presented at Philosophy of Games, Jan 2012

Discusses companies hiring artists for game design and development, lengths which artists go to achieve realism, and traditional art colleges and programs adding video game courses and majors.

Abstract: "There are a number of existing game frameworks that make use of simplified programming languages with the goal of lowering the barrier of entry into content creation for noncoders. However, existing tools do not support the creation of social, multiplayer games that creators can easily deploy among their family and friends. To address this, we conducted formative interviews to determine the design goals for a tool that would allow non-coders to create such games. We then created Donburi, a web application that enables anyone to design and publish a mobile, social board game."

Abstract: "Collision avoidance and multi-agent navigation is an important component of modern video games. Recent developments in commodity hardware, in particular the utilization of multi-core and many-core architectures in personal computers and consoles are allowing large numbers of virtual agents to be incorporated into game levels in increasing numbers. We present the hybrid reciprocal velocity obstacle and optimal reciprocal collision avoidance methods for reciprocal collision avoidance and navigation in video games and described their implementations in C++ as HRVO Library and RVO2 Library. The libraries can efficiently simulate groups of twenty-five to one thousand virtual agents in dense conditions and around moving and static obstacles."

"Given the accessibility of games, Fiellin and other Yale researchers see them as an ideal way to teach kids the skills they need to prevent HIV infection. The project is being funded by grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program at Yale."

The Oklahoma House Revenue and Tax Subcommittee has rejected proposed legislation that would have placed a 1 percent surtax on all games rated T (Teen) or higher by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. The bill, first proposed by state rep Will Fourkiller (D) earlier this month, was designed to discourage purchase of violent games and fund new programs focused on childhood outdoor education and bullying prevention.

Game that teaches you how to code games, among other uses. Received significant Kickstarter funding. "Code Hero is a co-op first-person science shooter where you use the code gun to manipulate code. Your code gun can copy code like new items and fire it like ammunition to do new things. You can edit new code to do anything you can imagine."

NEW YORK, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Princeton Review (www.princetonreview.com) -- one of the nation's best-known education services companies -- today reported its third annual list naming the schools with the best programs to study video game design. The new list, "Top Schools to Study Video Game Design for 2012," recommends 50 schools in all.

Silicon Valley's 'Best Kept Secret' Prepares Digital Art Students to Enter In-Demand Animation, Gaming, Audio and Engineering Career Fields SUNNYVALE, CA - February 21, 2010 - Cogswell College, one of the world's leading regionally-accredited institutions offering a unique curriculum that fuses digital arts, engineering and entrepreneurship, is holding an Open House on March 10, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at its Sunnyvale campus. (Had not heard expression "black collar" before)

FORT WALTON BEACH - Video games are not just for fun any longer. A local business recently received a contract to develop a new serious video game for the Army. Goldrush77.com/Caruth Central Business Advisory & Education Service, which recently moved into a new 3,000-square-foot office on Mar Walt Drive, was contracted to develop instructional design programs and a video game for training purposes. ... One of the main purposes of the game will be to help the Army work with groups that may not want its help for fear of retaliation from enemies. (20 new positions available)