Blog Archive

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

IRSGD day 1

Yesterday we had our first symposion of the International Research School of Game Design (IRSGD). In the morning we met in the mocap studio. Steven Bachelder, (he is our über-chair) had made sure that Richard Bartle, Mike Sellers, Ernest Adams, Pär Ågerfalk and Masayuki Nakajima and myself were all in place. Our first task is to work out how we see the subject of game design and game design research. The goal is not consensus, rather to establish a workable agenda.

In the afternoon Richard, Mike and Ernest gave talks that were open to students. Again, our students make me proud. They always toss themselves into game development like there was no tomorrow. The big hall in the library was packed, and relevant questions were asked. When we had to make a small break just to make sure that people could get some air.

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We will continue our discussions today, and for that I am making a notes of yesterday to keep in mind as we continue:
- Mike: A unique aspect of games is that they produce goals relevent internally in the system. Research agenda very close to my own; social agents, emotions in games, meaningful narratives. (We are so on the same page)
- Richard: Games with soul. The importance of talking to designers. Importance of formally describing game design elements. (We are too on the same page. Operational logics etc.)
- Ernest: gave a great list of what game design is, and what it isn’t. Very useful. Then, after mapping several optional approaches for games research he zeroed in on focusing on game design problems. (erm... We are SO on the same page.)

Today Else Nygren, Mikael Wiberg, and Patrick Prax (all three from Uppsala) are joining us and we will all give mini-talks in the same spirit as yesterday. I’ll take the opportunity to talk about AI based game design.