This is an interdisciplinary conference covering a wide range of topics, from computer science to game studies. There is also a PhD symposium for starting PhDs. See below.

Aphra.

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

FDG 2010: The 5th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games

19-21 June 2010, at Asilomar Conference Grounds, Monterey, California.

http://fdg2010.org/

*** Important Dates ***

Workshop Proposals: 18 Sep 2009 (past)
Paper and Poster Submission: 5 Feb 2010 (soon soon)
Doctoral Consortium Submission: 12 Feb 2010
Author Notification: 29 Mar 2010
Demo Submission: 2 Apr 2010
Registration for Authors: 9 Apr 2010
Camera Ready Papers: 23 Apr 2010
Workshops: 18 Jun 2010
Conference: 19-21 Jun 2010

LATEST NEWS
===========

* Invited Speakers:

Jane McGonigal, Director of Game Research & Development
Institute for the Future – http://www.avantgame.com/bio.htm

James Gee, Mary Lou Fulton Presidential Professor of Literacy Studies, Arizona State University
https://webapp4.asu.edu/directory/person/1054842

… additional invited speakers forthcoming …

Workshops at FDG 2010

Three workshops will be held in conjunction with FDG 2010

Intelligent Narrative Technologies III
Procedural Content Generation in Games
Teaching Aesthetics in Game Design

Visit http://fdg2010.org/Workshops.html for details.

Update to Doctoral Symposium

There is updated instructions for the FDG Doctoral Symposium. The deadline is still 12 Feb 2009. See below for submission details.

* FDG is an ACM in-collaboration conference

All papers accepted to FDG 2010, as well as all the papers accepted into the FDG workshops, will be published in the ACM Digital Library, indexed, cross-referenced and will available for easy access, downloading and referencing!

* Panels at FDG 2010

In addition to invited speakers from industry and academy leaders, peer-reviewed papers and tutorials, FDG 2010 will have panels on topics related to games. If you have any burning suggestions for panel topics or people you would like to be on the panel, please email Ian Bogost ian.bogost@lcc.gatech.edu

OVERVIEW
========
FDG 2010, the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games, is a focal point for academic efforts in all areas of research and education involving games, game technologies, gameplay and game design. The goal of the conference is the advancement of the study of
digital games, including new game technologies, capabilities, designs, applications, educational uses, and modes of play.

FDG 2010 will include presentations of peer-reviewed papers, invited talks by high-profile industry and academic leaders, hands-on tutorials and topical panels on a range of subjects related to games research and education. We invite researchers and educators to share insights and cutting-edge results relating to game technologies and their use.

PAPER and POSTER SUBMISSIONS
============================
FDG 2010 will accept both full paper and poster submissions. Authors may choose to submit their papers and posters to the general conference or to a specific theme area. The seven theme areas for FDG 2010 are described below.

1) Artificial Intelligence
Track Chair: Magy Seif El-Nasr, Simon Fraser University

We solicit papers on artificial intelligence research that provides
novel solutions to traditional game AI problems (e.g., path planning, camera control, terrain analysis, user modeling, tactical/strategic and decision making), supports novel game concepts or gameplay elements (e.g. interactive drama, narrative/character development and NPC belief/attitude/emotion modeling), provides automated or semi-automated solutions to game production challenges (e.g., game
design, content creation, testing and procedural animation), or
describes the integration of AI technologies (e.g., machine learning, logical inference and planning) into game AI architectures.

2) Computer Science and Games Education
Track Chair: Andrew Phelps, Rochester Institute of Technology

The Computer Science and Games Education Theme Area invites researchers and educators to submit papers illustrating the latest advances and innovation in curricula for games and computer science, in both formal and informal educational contexts. All papers must show rigorous and compelling evaluation. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: game design and development curricula, effective
practices and infrastructure for the use of games and game
technologies in Computer Science courses and programs, Web-based (adaptive) educational games and interdisciplinary collaboration among computer scientists and others to create games in educational contexts.

3) Game Design
Track Chair: Tracy Fullerton, University of Southern California

The Game Design theme seeks detailed reports of creative practice and methods, as well as the exploration and development of innovative gameplay forms and mechanics. Design postmortems that rigorously analyze the intent and effect of particular solutions, mechanics, structures or gaming situations are very welcome. Also, research on new models for player involvement, design for learning, participatory design, iterative player-centered process, and investigations into the
relationship between hardware and software platforms and design are strongly encouraged. Submissions may discuss theoretical designs or implemented ones, but should provide evaluative evidence and rigorous analysis of outcomes.

4) Game Studies
Track Chair: Mia Consalvo, MIT

Game Studies as a field is broadly interdisciplinary, welcoming a
variety of theoretical, methodological and computational approaches to the study of games and play. This year, we particularly seek submissions that investigate areas such as player experience, game ontology, the social and cultural aspects of gameplay, cross-cultural or global analyses, networked play (including consoles), game aesthetics and criticism, casual and serious gaming and analysis of
new and emerging phenomena. All submissions must provide rigorous analysis and present evaluative evidence.

5) Graphics and Interfaces
Track Chair: Steven Feiner, Columbia University

The Graphics and Interfaces theme seeks papers on all aspects of computer graphics and user interfaces that are specifically related to digital games, including but not limited to: animation, modeling, rendering, 2D and 3D user interfaces, collaborative user interfaces, mobile user interfaces, tangible user interfaces, design of (interfaces for) Web 2.0 game focused web applications, integration of web-based and computer/console based game worlds, augmented reality
and virtual reality, and novel interaction devices and displays.

6) Infrastructure (Databases, Networks, Security)
Track Chair: Mark Claypool, WPI

The Infrastructure track invites submissions that focus on the many aspects of improving systems support for digital games. Suitable papers should describe novel networks, operating systems or database systems that are especially designed for games, or make novel use of existing systems to support games. Topics of interest include: networked game architectures, network protocol design for games,
latency compensation and synchronization methods, mobile and/or resource-constrained game platforms, software and middleware support for networked games, content delivery and adaptation, services for supporting networked games, cheat detection and prevention, networking and security for Web-based games and game portals, database engines
and database optimization for games, distributed database techniques and consistency models for networked games, and data management for games that cross physical and virtual worlds.

7) Learning in Games
Track Chair: Elisabeth Hayes, Arizona State University

Learning in Games invites papers that investigate how games contribute to intellectual, creative, social, and embodied forms of learning in and outside the classroom, for learners of all ages. Studies focused on educational games as well as the learning potential of COTS games are welcome. Research on the design of games for learning, the outcomes of game-based learning, and learning that occurs in the
social contexts and interactions around games (such as within fan communities) should be submitted to this track. Papers on the professional training of game developers should be submitted to the Computer Science and Games Education track.

All paper and poster submissions will be rigorously peer reviewed for their technical merit (where applicable), significance, clarity and relevance to the advancement of the study of games. All full papers must describe a completed unit of work and show rigorous and compelling evaluation of the ideas they present. Poster submissions should describe novel work in progress that is not at the same level of research maturity as a full submission.

Full papers must not exceed eight pages, but can be shorter. We will review for quality not length! Poster submissions must not exceed two pages.

All submissions must be submiteed via
https://easychair.org/login.cgi?conf=fdg2010 and must comply with the official ACM proceedings format using one of the templates provided at
http://www.acm.org/sigs/pubs/proceed/template.html

All accepted paper and poster submissions will be published in the conference proceedings. For a paper or poster to appear in the proceedings, at least one author must register for the conference by the deadline for camera-ready copy submission.

All papers, posters, and doctoral consortium publications from FDG 2010 will be included in the ACM Digital Library.

Submissions must not have been published previously. In addition, a submission identical or substantially similar (or even a subset or superset) in content to one submitted to FDG should not be simultaneously under consideration at another conference or journal during the entire FDG review process (i.e., from the submission deadline until the notifications of decisions are emailed to authors).

DOCTORAL CONSORTIUM
===================

(updated instructions)

FDG 2010 – the International Conference on Foundations of Digital Games – is soliciting submissions from doctoral students for the FDG Doctoral Consortium.

The FDG 2010 Doctoral Consortium provides a
supportive environment in which Ph.D. students can get early feedback on their research directions, both from fellow students and from experienced faculty in the area.

The consortium is intended primarily for beginning Ph.D. students who intend to pursue a career in academia. Since the goal of the Doctoral Consortium is to enable greater number of new PhDs in the area, applications from students who are close to completing their PhD will have lower priority (or are
discouraged).

Approximately 5 students will be invited to participate.
Students participating in the consortium will submit a 3 page extended abstract describing their research, which will be reviewed by the conference program committee. Accepted abstracts will appear in the conference proceedings.

Students authors of accepted papers will be invited to participate in both the main conference and the doctoral consortium and will receive financial support including conference registration, and an allowance
for travel expenses. Accepted authors should contact the consortium chair for specifics.

All students accepted into the Doctoral Consortium will be expected to attend both the conference and the Doctoral Consortium session. Interested students should submit a CV and 3 page extended abstract that discusses:

* What the goals of your research are
* Why those goals are important and who they would be important to
* How your approach differs from previous approaches, if any
* Your current results, if any
* Plans for completing this research

Applicants should upload their 3 page extended abstract
(PDF format) and their CV (as an attachment, PDF format ) to
http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=icfdgdc2010, by February 12, 2010.

Applications should also have their advisors email a letter
of recommendation by this date directly to Zoran Popovic
(zoranp+fdgdc10@gmail.com) with the subject line “FDG DC
Recommendation”. Applicants should make sure that advisors send the support letter by February 12, 2010.

Important Dates for Doctoral Consortium

Doctoral Consortium proposal submissions: 12 February 2010
Advisor support letter: 12 February 2010
Doctoral Consortium notification of results: 2 April 2010
Registration for Authors: 9 April 2010

Please direct your questions to the Doctoral Consortium Chair Zoran Popovic (zoranp+fdgdc10@gmail.com).

>b?FDG 2010 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
=============================

Conference Chair
Ian Horswill, Northwestern University

Program Chair
Yusuf Pisan, University of Technology, Sydney

Doctoral Consortium Chair
Zoran Popovic, University of Washington

Workshops Chair
Michael Mateas, University of California, Santa Cruz

Panels Chair
Ian Bogost, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tutorials Chair
Robin Hunicke, That Game Company

Local Arrangements Chair
Marilyn Walker, University of California, Santa Cruz

Webmaster
Karl Cheng-Heng Fua, Northwestern University

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
======================

Please see http://fdg2010.org/ for this year’s conference and
http://foundationsofdigitalgames.org/ for past years, including: