Proposed Schedule

10.00

Welcome and Opening

10.15

Getting Serious about Games.
What are they? (Dr Mark McMahon)

Serious Games, 3D Visualisation, what are they and how can they bring value to you and your organisation? This session introduces and defines the concepts with some examples to show how others have used computer games and visualisation technologies to provide Specific genres of games are discussed as well as the outcomes they are designed to achieve

10.45

Serious Game Case Study 1
Submarine training with LASTS (Michael Garrett & Andrew Widdis)

This thesis explores the effectiveness of 3D simulation environments based on First Person Shooter (FPS) gaming technologies to enhance the spatial awareness of trainees in unfamiliar real world spaces, using a case study involving the Location and Scenario Training System (LASTS), developed by the Royal Australian Navy. LASTS was based on the FPS Unreal Tournament 2003 and was used to create a virtual representation of the Main Generator Room (MGR) on-board a Collins class submarine.

The purpose was of this research was to identify the characteristics that contribute to effective learning within 3D FPS simulation environments. In order to identify these characteristics, a model was proposed representing the interrelationships between, and determinant factors of, the concepts of spatial cognition, learning within a simulation environment, and computer-generated 3D environments. Results indicated that LASTS could be successfully used as a training tool to enhance the spatial awareness of trainee submariners with reference to the MGR on-board a Collins class submarine. The contributing characteristics of the proposed model were also validated with reference to the data gathered from the LASTS case study. This indicated that the model could be utilized in the design of future 3D simulation environments based on gaming technology in order to facilitate effective spatial awareness training.

11.15

Morning Tea

11.30

A social perspective on Games
Demographic info about gamers, impact of games on society (Dr Glen Spoors)

12.00

Persuasive Games & Pervasive Games
(Dr Mark Balnaves & David Fono)

Businesses already use collaborative group software to enhance information sharing or buy land in Second Life to enhance the social activity of their employees. Businesses, however, are starting to get serious about the persuasive potential of interactive games, for promoting products, engaging with customers and dealing with crises. In this presentation I will provide overview of some of the applications of games for persuasive purposes.

Pervasive games bring videogames out of simulated environments and into everyday life. They use mixed media extensively to provide a rich experience that captures people's attention. These games call you on the phone; they keep blogs; they write messages in the sky; they hide secret codes in ordinary webpages. Technology is used not as a specific platform, but as a social glue to provide massively scaled collaboration amongst players. Major corporations have been using them for years as viral marketing campaigns, but their capacity to engage and educate has recently caught the attention of non-profit organizations and educators. That's because these games provide training and calls-to-action in real world contexts, where the fruits of these initiatives can be brought to bear immediately, even as part of the gameplay itself. We'll look at where these games came from, how they work, what makes them effective, and where they're headed.

12.30

Designing effective games for learning
Simulations, problem-based learning, social environments, Second Life
(Dr Mark McMahon)

This session looks at the factors that make games successful. Serious games are not just 'infotainment'. Care needs to be taken to ensure that products align with outcomes, are tied to an appropriate model of learning, and incorporate game elements in a balanced and engaging way. Fundamentals of learning are discussed as well the basic principles of gameplay. The presentation will explore the potentials and pitfalls when designing these environments, emphasising techniques for ensuring the various elements are integrated in holistic ways.

1.00

Lunch

1.45

Engaging with Industry
MInT (Masters of Innovative Technology) & educational courses that include games
(Assoc. Prof. Joe Luca & Ken Ireland)

ECU is keen to collaborate and engage with industry through both research and development projects. One vehicle of helping promote collaboration is the Master of Innovative Technology, which bridges the industry/education nexus by identifying industry and community growth areas, and customising course structures to suit these needs. Courses content can be from different disciplines and from different universities with specific areas of expertise.

2.15

Immersive environments: applications to research, education, and entertainment (Paul Bourke)

Paul Bourke will present and discuss the relative merits of a number of technologies that he is involved with that present graphical information to the human visual system so as to exploit characteristics not normally engaged by small flat traditional computer displays. This will include stereoscopic projection and environments such as VROOM (the Virtual ROOM), a 360 degree stereoscopic cylindrical display, large scale planetarium domes, and a small personal hemispherical display. Applications of such environments include visualisation, engaging spaces for education, entertainment, and gaming. Some discussion will also be given to what application and game developers need to do in order to create content for such environments.

2.45

iVEC (Professor Andrew Rohl & Dr. Daniel Grimwood)

iVEC, 'the hub of advanced computing in Western Australia', promotes the uptake by industry and government of high performance computing, visualisation, large scale data storage and high speed networking within Western Australia.

In this talk we will present the facilities that we have available to academic gaming researchers and to the local gaming industry. This will be followed by examples of where advanced computing technologies are already being used or may be used in games development and delivery.

3.15

Afternoon Tea

3.30

Emerging consumer 3-D technology (Steven Pegg & Simon Kwok)

The cinema market is embracing digital technology and with this there is a strong push for the widespread introduction of stereoscopic 3-D into theatres. At the same time stereoscopic 3-D is also emerging as a consumer product not only for movies but for other areas such as data visualization and games. DDD is a company with a long history of research into 3-D and is currently developing a stereoscopic 3-D games driver that will enable standard off the self game titles to be taken to the third dimension. Stereoscopic 3-D adds realism and provides a more engrossing experience for the viewer. During this talk we will take a look at how stereoscopic 3-D works, up and coming 3-D display technology for the home market, an overview of how games can be presented in 3-D and a demonstration of this technology in action.

4.00

Panel: Serious Games - The Way forward

5.00

Close – Associate Professor Joe Luca, Director of Createc
Drinks