Serious Games research PhD student Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen IT-University Copenhagen Game-research.com 24th November 2004, Malmö “…develop games which contain advanced content, operate according to sound pedagogical principles, enable classroom customisation, and create real excitement within the core game market…” - Henry Jenkins

Background: Masters Degree in Psychology PhD scholar at IT-University of Copenhagen, Written two Danish books and several articles on computer games and learning. Heavily involved in game community: Digra, Game-studies, Game- research, AOIR, DAC, IGDA Earlier consulting: Framfab, Incircle, EQ, Game-Research. Still consult on computer game related issues. Reports on eSports, online gaming, risks in online games, and research on computer game risks.

Bluffers Guide to Computer Games Research

1970’s – The early years Nobody really talks about researching computer games yet ’s – The beginning Research into beneficial and especially harmful effects. Triggered by the growing popularity of computer games and public debate. The majority of research resources go into answering questions like: Do computer games increase aggression, violence, asocial behaviour, learning etc.? Do computer games support stereotyped gender perception? Brief history of game research

1990 ’ s – The seed is sown Research broadens with academics flocking from all disciplines, the numbers increasing up through the late 1990’s with conferences, magazines, courses and web-sites popping up. Research is broadening with every given subject with the slightest connection to computer games – Growing – all men to battle stations … 2000 – Growing – all men to battle stations … A beginning qualification and specialization of the field through university courses, ph.d. education, basic framework/ structures, and establishment of peer-reviewed journals. The focus of research is still controlled by researchers early academic training but times are changing. The challenge is coherence! Brief history of game research

Two different paradigms, both approach computer games as far back as the 1980s Simulation & Gaming: Games, simulations, education, structural properties, limitations, learning – starting point in traditional games/simulations. Computer game studies: Game design, narratology, ludology, hypertext, learning, violence – starting point in computer games. Cross-communication sparse Historical awareness limited Awareness of canons and classics missing Methods weak and in development Brief history of game research

Some areas are beginning to crystallize. The Effects of Games (psychology, education, social, ethnography,...) Aesthetics in Games (narrative, interactivity, visual aspects, art, language, themes/genres...) Cultural issues of Games (gender, identity, violence, ideology, communities, nationality, regulations...) Games ‘in themselves’ (definitions of games, gameplay, structure, time, multiplayer, platforms, case studies...) Inspired by Susana Tosca (2002) Some overview of topics

Computer Game Centres Games-To-Teach (MIT) Laboratory for Advanced Computing Initiatives (Georgia Tech) Center for Computer Games Research Copenhagen (Denmark) Play Research Group (Sweden) Zero Game (Sweden) IC CAVE (Scotland) Game Research Lab (Finland) Lab 130 (US) Computer Game academic sites Ludology.org Joystick101.orgGame-research.comGame-culture.com Terra Nova Digiplay.org.uk Light houses in game research

Computer Game Journals Simulation & Gaming: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Theory, Practice and Research Game studies: the international journal of computer game research International Journal of Intelligent Games & Simulation Computer Game Conferences CGDT / CGDC (Copenhagen, Tampere) DIGRA (Utrecht, Vancouver) COSIGN (Surrey, Amsterdam, Augsburg, Middlesbrough) Manchester, Bristol, London, Edinburgh (UK) Chicago, Lodz, Edmonton WE NEED ONE BIG LIGHTHOUSE DIGRA? Light houses in game research

Collaboration between industry and research Concept art from the game.

Global Conflicts – an example… Set-up network – the right people Build the framework for project – Conflict in the Middle-East Good funding chance with the industry Design philosophy for the computer game Concept art from the game: A control post in game where the player must get through or hinder other people from getting through.

Global Conflicts – The gameplay Concept art from the game.  Breathing universe modelled close to reality  Transfer links: Newspapers, TV-spots, radio.  Variation in difficulty, complexity and play style  Strong reporting system  Personal vs. strategic  Avoid aggression  Different roles  Make education manual  New Scenarios

Global Conflicts – Goals Explore, develop and implement a prototypical educational computer game examining the challenges and possibilities in development process and the educational use of such a title Provide a foundation for a serious games industry through a prototype convincing other developers of the potential in developing educational computer games beyond low-budget titles Explore whether educational computer games have a future in the educational system and the form it may take. 18 months research project that is to achieve – took the same to put together the consortium.

Global Conflicts – Partners IT-University Copenhagen: Anchor point for the research part. Provides space for the research project, sparring with relevant game researchers, and a plug-in to a research network, MediaMobsters: Hub for development of the prototype the physical manifestation of the research project. They provide the entire technical development. Danish United Nation Association: Provide content, sparring, and connections with experts and organizations in the field. Alinea Publishing: Provide input on content, sparring, subject experts, and feedback on special didactic challenges in the educational system, and barriers towards use of computer games. Schools in Gentofte Kommune: The test bed for the practical experiments towards the end of the project with school classes.

Global Conflicts – What’s in it.. Evaluation of the educational outcome Documentation of production process Matured industry and market Integration of subject areas Support for the educational part Testing of the game in schools Free market information Access to most recent research Informed game design Concept art from the game.

Adaptive Game Music - collaborative R&D PhD student Troels Brun Folmann IT-University Copenhagen 24th November 2004, Malmö

Agenda: ► Personal background Game Audio ► Game Audio ► Game Music ► Concerns regarding Game Music Collaborative R&D ► What is Collaborative R&D? ► Example of Collaborative R&D ► Potential areas of Collaborative R&D ► Time-line of Collaborative R&D

Background: Masters Degree in Information Technology PhD scholar at IT-University of Copenhagen, Owner of – company specialized in Game Audio Clients : EIDOS/CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, CAPCOM, UNIVERSAL & SONY Street cred: ZX-Spectrum, C64, AMIGA 512, PC, XBOX, PS/PS2... Earlier consulting: 4 years of experience with executive search & selection

Game Audio in general: MUSIC AMBIENT- FX VOCALIZED SOUND- FX

Adaptive Game Music: Adaptive Game Music AMBIENT- FX VOCALIZED SOUND- FX

Concerns related to Game Music: ► Lack of consistent terminology for communicating ”Music”  Client to Composer communication  Composer to Client communication ► Music often serves as the make-up - not a tool  ”...Just make it sound like Gladiator...”  Stereotypical usage ► Music is often low prioritized in production (In the shadow of visuals) ► Lack of contextual understanding on appliance of Music ► Repetitive issues ► Quality issues (Sound- and compositional ”BEEP-BEEP” quality)

What is Collaborative R&D? ► Because the academical world got no understanding of reality ► Because the industry got no interest in academia ► Just because! ► The idea of making the scientific and industrial communities collaborate Why Collaborative R&D? ► Aspire change in nordic political climate to invest more into the game sector ► Increase growth on the market ► Academia needs to produce candidates for a potential market ► Industry needs highly qualified candidates w/ industrial experience ► Academia can offer time (do time-consuming things) Time CAN be money. ► Industry can offer practical knowledge ► Both can potentially offer investment Why not Collaborative R&D?

Example of Collaborative R&D Client side: ► American client needs Full Cinematic Soundtrack ► Client produces upcoming AAA title for PS2, XBOX & PC ► Client interested in collaborative R&D, if:  Client gets full access to all scientific documentation and analysis  End-product is a high-end adaptive soundtrack  Production costs are kept down University side: ► University interested in investing resources into collaboration ► University interested in letting researchers get hands-on experience ► University needs industrial collaboration (does the industry too?)

Selected areas of potential collaboration: ► Software development  Game-engines, algorithmic programming, networks etc. ► Visuals  Level design, character design, texture-design, low-poly modelling etc. ► Audio  Sound design, music composition, adaptive audio etc. ► User-testing game products by academic standards (MS / Fulton)  Cognitive research, Interview sessions, Focus group interviews  Qualitative and quantitative user studies ► Extensive (time-consuming) analysis of potential markets ► Extensive (time-consuming) analysis of potential product users ► Academic analysis of diversified markets ► Refinement of conceptual development  Pre-conceptual development ► Extensive user-testing during pre- and conceptual development stages ► Keeping prototype costs down

INDUSTRIAL WORLDACADEMIC WORLD SEPERATION TRANSPARENCY COMMUNICATION COLLABORATION SEPERATION TRANSPARENCY COMMUNICATION COLLABORATION Collaborative research time-line MISSION COMPLETED

Game Research PhD, Assistant Professor Jesper Juul IT-University Copenhagen 24th November 2004, Malmö

Do you understand this? ► Much of the current critical and theoretical literature on new media, including video and computer games, assumes both the conceptual transparency of the video or computer screen and the absolute authority of a rational scientific order. [...] Given the multifaceted experiential component of games, an uncritical conception of spatial phenomenology and the verisimilitude of linear perspective fails to explain how video games operate. ► No? Don’t worry.

Game studies can make sense ► Much knowledge in universities, but you need to look. ► We understand player learning, how stories work, how to understand community, how genres develop, graphics, code, sound, etc... ► Vocabulary: We can take the time to explain why nobody gets “emergent gameplay”. ► We have time to pick things apart.

University research ► Some research is relevant to the game industry, some is not. ► This is the way it will be: The researcher caters to an internal market (universities) and an external market (society/industry). This is OK. ► We make the fun boring. ► Expectation management. ► Some research is incomprehensible - but don't let that put you off. There are gold nuggets to be found. ► The Sims should have been created as a university project. (Innovation / new audiences / long time-to-market.) We didn't.

Industry needs to fix ► Better production management. ► Less "not-invented-here". ► Better playtesting. ► Better audience awareness. ► Sims is the best-selling game (series) of all time. ► Why is there only 1 Sims clone?

Educating students for game development Early problems with game courses: ► Bad assignment #1: Make something that is almost a game, but don't make a game. (Make San Andreas before making Pac Man.) ► Bad assignment #2: Make a bad copy of a 4-year old game. A better model, we think: ► The process from idea to implementation. (Everybody has great ideas, but do they work?) ► Follow a standard format: Concept - design document - prototype/playtesting - production - playtesting/Q&A. ► Actual relevant programming and art skills. ► Critical awareness & vocabulary - learn to think and talk about games. ► Students should come out, knowing how to talk about games, understanding the process from idea to product, aware that there are more to games than CD-ROMs.

Now and future? ► Fairly bad at university-industry collaborations. Lack of precedence. ► This goes both ways: Universities bad at presenting research and industry bad at listening. ► We need a Nordic indie game jam! ► Why are all the keynote speakers at Game Developers Conference or the academic conferences American or British?

Thanks for listening… Questions or comments… itu.dk itu.dk itu.dk Slides at Links: