The National Digital Research Centre at the Digital Exchange has issued a call for expressions of interest from both commercial companies and academics for applied research and development projects in the digital media area.

Further information is available at http://www.ndrc.ie/eoi

Deadline for expressions is the 15th of August 2008.

The National Digital Research Centre, Digital Exchange
Crane Street, The Digital Hub
Dublin 8.

http://www.ndrc.ie/>www.ndrc.ie
+353 1 480 6252

Michael El Baki, CEO of Bit Rabbit, and winner of the overall gd.ie person/company of the year award 2008, has informed us that he is moving back to France with his family. While we are sorry to hear he will be a less frequent attendee at our gd.ie events apparently Bit Rabbit, his company will remain in Ireland.

In other news, Bit Rabbit has signed at deal with DotEmu, a Paris based mobile games developer. DotEmu will use Bit Rabbit’s RabbitFactory middleware to port their classic arcade games to mobiles.

Romain Tisserand, CTO of DotEmu said “While looking for a mobile OS porting solution, RabbitFactory appeared to be the most flexible, professional and easy to use middleware. It really enables us fast track porting of classic games, and to focus on our core business”.

Michael El Baki, CEO of BitRabbit said “Emulation of retro games is one of the most intensive and difficult process, and porting such technology to Smartphones is a real challenge. Our multiplatform and highly optimized APIs offer DotEmu the robustness and performance needed for that task. By combining our two technologies, mobile gamers will be able to enjoy lots of classic games”.

For more see http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/dotemu-rabbitfactory-deal-deal-struck-to-bring-retro-games-to-mobiles-and-pc

*** WORKSHOP ***Evaluating Player Experiences in Location Aware Games

HCI 2008: Culture, Creativity, Interaction
1-5 Sept. 2008, Liverpool, John Moores University, UK
http://www.hci2008.org

Submission Deadline: July 14th, 2008

UPDATE:
The authors of the best abstracts may be invited to submit
a full paper for inclusion in a special edition of a leading journal.
———————————————————————

Location aware technologies such as widespread mobile computers and varying location sensors open up a massive range of possibilities for extending game playing into streets, buildings and even the rural landscape. New and extended forms of location-aware games including mobile or pervasive phone games, smart toys, role-playing games as well as Mixed Reality (MR) games all demonstrate promising new forms of game play. Substantial work has also gone into new game concepts, sophisticated technology and viable business models.

However, research on the methodological issues of studying mobile player experiences, pervasive game activity and ubiquitous interaction has become necessary. Furthermore, there is also a need to explore the methodological issues in the evaluation of the intertwined, mutually dependent dimensions related to the usability and playability of location-based games.

This workshop will bring together researchers, practitioners, and students with the objective of sharing knowledge, experience and ideas so that the many user experience issues of location aware games can be more thoroughly addressed.

We would like to invite papers to be submitted to this workshop that focus on one or several issues of measuring player experience in location-aware games including but not limited to:
* User interface design issues on multiple device types: from ideas to guidelines and principals
* Devices and modalities, including tangible computing
* Appropriateness of existing HCI work to game interfaces e.g. task analysis, heuristics, interviews and other methods
* Social dimensions of location gaming technologies, from non-player participation to between player communication
* Theoretical issues related space, place and presence
* Contextual issues when designing and evaluating location aware games
* Using participatory design and probes in design and evaluation
* Game design patterns

*** SUBMISSIONS ***

Authors are invited to submit position or research papers of not more than 4 pages, including tables, figures and references. Submissions will be accepted to be presented in a talk or as a poster. Papers should present original research or summarize experiences related to the above mentioned workshop topics. All submissions should be made via the online workshop paper submission system.

Paper submissions should adhere to the HCI 2008 style guidelines. The respective templates may be found at:
http://www.cms.livjm.ac.uk/hci2008/documents/HCI_2008_Paper_Template.doc
Please include all author and contact information in your submission.

Unless clearly indicated otherwise, submission of a workshop contribution implies permission for a publication on the workshop website.

*** IMPORTANT DEADLINES ***

Paper Submission: July 14th, 2008
Notification of Acceptance: End of July

*** POST WORKSHOP ***

We are currently in advanced stages of negotiation with a leading journal and have provisional acceptance for a special issue. We anticipate being able to make a further announcement shortly. If you require more information please contact us.

*** Organising and Programme Committee ***

Rod McCall, Fraunhofer FIT, Germany (co-chair)
Barbara Grüter, Hochschule Bremen, University of Applied Sciences, Germany (co-chair)
Anne-Kathrin Braun, Fraunhofer FIT, Germany (co-chair)
Lynne Baillie, Glasgow Caledonian University (UK) and FTW, Austria
Andrew Wilson, Blink, UK
Richard Wetzel, Fraunhofer FIT, Germany
Zachary O’Toups, Texas A&M University, USA
Joerg Niesenhaus, University of Duisberg-Essen, Germany

** Further Information ****
For more information contact Rod McCall (rod.mccall@fit.fraunhofer.de) or visit www.ipcity.eu

The workshop is being held in association with the EC funded IPCity and PEACH projects.

This year’s Edinburgh Interactive Festive and finals of the Dare to be Digital competition will take place in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Sunday 10th August – Tuesday 12th August 2008.

This year’s event includes:
* Two days of conference, including addresss from 19 Entertainment and Codemasters
* Partnership with Dare Protoplay brings the EIF under one roof in 2008
* VIP Networking Events
* An expanded three-day Games Screening Programme covering three cinema rooms
* Consumer feature area for sampling key titles from 10th-12th August, including games from
Nintendo, Sony and Codemasters
* The Edge Awards
* In-festival, retail site with Gamestation
* Recruitment Area
* Digital Interactive Symposium

To register visit www.edinburghinteractivefestival.co.uk