Vienna Games Conf. Cfp

Call 4 Abstracts & Games* 4th Vienna Games Conference Future and Reality of Gaming – F.R.O.G. 2010*

*GAME\PLAY\SOCIETY *
*Vienna City Hall, Austria, Friday 24 to Sunday 26 September 2010; www.bupp.at/frog*

Vienna’s annual Games Conference FROG offers an open and international platform for leading game studies researchers and scholars, game designers, education professionals and gamers from around the world.

The main objective of FROG 10 is to explore the relations between gaming, society and culture and to discuss insights into how to think ahead and beyond common limits of theory and practice of game and play.

FROG 2010 is jointly organized by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth, the City of Vienna, wienXtra, the University of Vienna and the Danube-University Krems.

*First FROG 2010 keynote announcements:*
Katie Salen, Professor in the Design and Technology, Parsons The New School for Design and co-author of “Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals”; Mathias Mertens, Professor in Media Studies at the University Hildesheim and co-author of “Wir waren Space Invaders”.

More to be announced under www.bupp.at/frog

Conference Theme: “GAME\PLAY\SOCIETY”

This year the FROG Conference will focus on questions, challenges
and innovation exploring the relation of games, playing, society and culture. The organizers seek proposals covering all aspects of
cutting-edge research on digital gaming, gaming culture, game studies, therapy and economy within or across academic disciplines.

We encourage participation from a wide range of disciplines including Education, Psychology, Computer Science, Cultural Anthropology, Fine Arts, Human-Computer Interaction, Media and Communication Studies, Philosophy, Social Science, etc. ….

The FROG Conference facilitates the exchange of ideas and current research findings in an engaging and convivial atmosphere.

Submissions are welcome on a wide range of topics,
such as:

… Game Studies & Game Design
· Innovative forms of gaming (e.g. Alternative Reality Games)
· Innovations in game design, development and production
· New forms of interactivity and revolutionary game interfaces

… Learning & Education
· Methodology of exploring learning
· New challenges of media literacy & playing across generations
· Teaching through digital games

… Consumption & Use & Culture
· Game, gaming and gamer cultures (e.g. eSports, Modding, Clans)
· Community building and (self-)regulation
· Games and social change
· Barrier-free playing and learning / Inclusion and exclusion &
Protection of minors & youth policies

… Economy & Industry
· Economical challenges and trends
· The rise of independent games (e.g. casual games, art games)
· Games as Social Software (e.g. XBox Live, Facebook)

… Therapy
· Games as therapeutically tools
· Play as an expression of needs, beliefs and values
· Questions of violence, addiction, etc. …

*Abstract Submission:*
All authors are invited to submit an abstract of research (as an
anonymized doc.file) work relating to the FROG 2010 subject of “Game, Play, Society” in either English or German. Authors are required to submit their abstracts online at:
http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=frog2010 no later than 15 May 2010.

In the forms of:

/PRESENTATIONS: / In assignment to the FROG topics authors are required to submit profound extended abstract outlining the thesis and methodology of the paper abstracts (1000-1200 words) for their talks (30 min.).

/FROGA KUCHA: /This is the Viennese Version of Pecha Kucha but limited to 10 mini-presentations in a row, in which you show 20 slides, each for 20 seconds. The images forward automatically and you talk along…. and the audience will give immediate Austrian-like feedback: “Muhh or Juhu”!
(6’40” – Abstracts 300-500 words).

/FROG GAME:/ FROG is searching for its own game. Submit a game that can be played by the participants of the FROG 2010. The game can either (a) last for the whole conference or just fill a short session at the FROG Conference Dinner (b). The only limits are: It has to be good; it should not cost more than 1.500(a)/500(b) Euro (for material, equipment, etc.);
it should be technically accomplishable and ethical. (Abstracts
1000-1200 words)

All abstracts will be reviewed and judged on originality, quality and relevance to the Conference. All accepted abstracts will be printed in a book of abstracts, which will be distributed during the Conference.

Authors of accepted abstracts (for regular presentations) will be
invited to prepare a full paper for publication in the printed
proceedings of FROG 2010.

*Important Dates:*
Abstract submission: 15 May 2010
Notification: 07 June 2010
Conference: 24-26 September 2010
Full paper: October 2010

*Registration for the Conference & Conference Fee:*
· Early bird: 07 June – 27 July 2010
· Registration: 28 July – 24 September 2010
· Conference fee: € 120,- / Early bird: € 100,-
· Conference fee for students & staff members of youth organizations:
€ 50,- / Early Bird: € 35,-
· The registration fees includes admission to all sessions, a printed copy of the Book of Abstracts, coffee breaks, lunch on 25 September, the Conference Dinner and the Gamers’ Party.

Conference Programme Co-Chairs:
Jennifer Berger (University of Vienna);
Christoph Klimmt (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz);
Konstantin Mitgutsch (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); Claus Pias (University of Vienna);
Martin Pichlmair (Studio Radiolaris; Vienna University of Technology);
Maja Pivec (University of Applied Sciences FH Joanneum);
Herbert Rosenstingl (Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth);
Doris Rusch (Massachusetts Institute of Technology);
Christian Swertz (University of Vienna);
Michael Wagner (Danube-University Krems); Jeffrey Wimmer (TU Ilmenau)

For any questions, please contact frog@bupp.at or visit the Conference website www.bupp.at/frog.

The FROG is held in partnership with the 3rd International Games
Conference Cologne “Clash of Realities”, 21-23 April 2010,
http://www.clashofrealities.de/

Women In Games – Cancelled

We have just been informed that this year’s women in games conference has been cancelled due to low delegate numbers.

This is a real shame, especially for all those people who worked very hard to organise it. / Aphra.

**************************

This year the conference will focus on ‘diversity’ and its implications for the games industry. Keynote speakers include Sheri Graner Ray, author of Gender inclusive design, and Lizzie Wilding (Codemasters) alongside Professor Valerie Walkerdine, author of ‘Children, Gender, Video Games’, Helen Kennedy (UWE and current President of DIGra) and my good self!

Full details of speakers etc. available at http://www.womeningames.com/

Gearing Up For Games Fleadh

Next week students will honour the thirtieth anniversary of PAC-MAN during the games programming festival, Games Fleadh, at Tipperary Institute, Thurles, on the 10th & 11th March.

Teams from universities, colleges and schools have created their own versions of the classic game, which will be judged by games industry professionals during the two-day computer games programming celebration.

Micheal Meagher, Academic Engagement Manager, Microsoft Ireland said “Microsoft values academic achievement and Games Fleadh is an occasion where we can see what students are capable of in the games design space”. Mr. Meagher went on to say “we are delighted to support and be associated with Games Fleadh and look forward to reviewing student portfolios”

Games Fleadh includes games programming competitions: XNA Ireland Challenge Colleges and Schools Cup, Robocode Ireland, SchoolBots Challenge and a number of fun gaming tournaments.

Philip Bourke, founder of Games Fleadh and Programme Chair, Degree in Computing Games Design and Development, Tipperary Institute, said, “I feel strongly that students need portfolio development opportunities. This is where their coursework dovetails with Games Fleadh and the Fleadh has created an annual – industry endorsed – portfolio event, on their doorstep”.

Each challenge contestant received a starter kit which is a single player, single level and single life sample of Namco Bandai’s PAC-MAN coded in XNA Game Studio. Contestants then created three newly imagined levels for the game. The teams who devise the most innovative and fun PAC-MAN inspired experiences are in line for the challenge cup.

Barry O’Neill, President, Namco Bandai Networks Europe, said “PAC-MAN has achieved iconic status globally over the past 30 years and has influenced many generations of game developers. We are delighted that so many students will honour this heritage and we look forward to seeing their individual takes on the classic PAC-MAN format”.

Games Fleadh will be attended by representatives from a number of companies based in Ireland including Microsoft Game Studios, PopCap Games International, DemonWare and Jolt Online. These professionals will be sharing their experience with students during GamePro Talks, thus creating another opportunity for students to hear from leading industry professionals.

Gamedevelopers.ie will also be there so look out for us!

for more see http://www.gamesfleadh.ie