R. Migneco, Travis M. Doll, Jeffrey J. Scott, Christian M. Hahn, P. Diefenbach, Youngmoo E. Kim
{"title":"An audio processing library for game development in flash","authors":"R. Migneco, Travis M. Doll, Jeffrey J. Scott, Christian M. Hahn, P. Diefenbach, Youngmoo E. Kim","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293603","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293603","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years, there has been sharp rise in the number of games on web-based platforms, which are ideal for rapid game development and easy deployment. In a parallel but unrelated trend, music-centric video games that incorporate well-known popular music directly into the gameplay (e.g., Guitar Hero and Rock Band) have attained widespread popularity on console platforms. The limitations of such web-based platforms as Adobe Flash, however, have made it difficult for developers to utilize complex sound and music interaction within web games. Furthermore, the real-time audio processing and synchronization required in music-centric games demands significant computational power and specialized audio algorithms, which have been difficult or impossible to implement using Flash scripting. Taking advantage of features recently added to the platform, including dynamic audio control and C-compilation for near-native performance, we have developed the Audio processing Library for Flash (ALF), providing developers with a library of common audio processing routines and affording web games with a degree of sound interaction previously available only on console or native PC platforms. We also present several audio-intensive games that incorporate ALF to demonstrate its utility. One example performs real-time analysis of songs in a user's music library to drive the gameplay, providing a novel form of game-music interaction.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116087131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Density constraints for crowd simulation","authors":"Ioannis Karamouzas, J. Bakker, M. Overmars","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293590","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293590","url":null,"abstract":"Virtual worlds are nowadays commonly used in interactive applications, like computer games and simulations. Typically, such worlds are populated by a large number of virtual characters. On one hand, these characters have global goals with respect to the environment and thus, they must be able to plan their paths toward their desired locations. On the other hand, they should try to avoid collisions with each other and with the environment. In this paper, we present a new technique to improve the global routes that characters prefer to follow by taking into account the crowd density. Consequently, in our simulations, characters can intelligently plan their paths around congested areas, favoring less dense regions. This leads to an efficient flow of characters, reducing at the same time the amount of energy and time consuming avoidance maneuvers that the characters have to perform. The technique is fast and can plan paths for thousands of characters in real-time.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123344581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Appearance capturing and animation techniques for realistic, true-identity gaming avatars","authors":"M. Ionita, P. Corcoran","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293604","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293604","url":null,"abstract":"Making use of a class of 2D statistical face models known as active appearance models (AAMs), we investigate a technique for generating real-time animated avatars suitable for video gaming. We consider here a number of improvements of these models in order to make them more robust to varying environmental conditions, as well as to reduce the computational load such that to become adapted for real-time implementations.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"52 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128258711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Narrative paradox and the design of alternate reality games (ARGs) and blogs","authors":"Patrícia Gouveia","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293585","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293585","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores the narrative paradox and how we can design interactive fictions where actions and narrations can contribute for a more meaningful experience within an interactive setting. In this paper we argue that pervasive and alternate reality games (ARGs) and blogs, where participants can cooperate and compete in the real application of tactics and strategies as they play the game online and offline, can contribute to create a more engaging environment where players are able to build their own stories. Player made content and hyperfiction are useful tools to better understand alternate reality games and blogs. The analysis of playable fiction can contribute to recombine action and narration in digital ecologies and we may consider that implosive stories, in which everything happens simultaneously, present in digital spaces allow us to better understand the problem of interactive environments that use mixed technologies. We consider that ARGs are inclusive spaces where gamers can learn how to deal with different media, different communities and different genders. In this mix media spaces gamers can play with action and narrative in order to design their own fictions and stories in real time. In this article we consider some ARGs, I'm Trying to Believe, I Love Bees, Uncle Roy All Around You, among others, in order to argue that this persistent games can be useful to better understand the narrative paradox.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"87 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114999334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Concept, implementation and evaluation of an improvisation based music video game","authors":"S. Grollmisch, C. Dittmar, Gabriel Gatzsche","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293599","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293599","url":null,"abstract":"Popular music video games are mostly examples of the rhythm game genre. They rarely respect the creative component of actually playing music. In this publication, a novel improvisation game-play element is introduced to account for the creativity. An evaluation is conducted to assess, whether improvising music as a game-play element in music games can increase the entertainment factor. Therefore, prototypes of two improvisation-based music games are implemented and compared to a simple rhythm game with regard to the entertainment factor. The evaluation shows that the entertainment factor can be significantly increased by an additional improvisation part in rhythm games. A purely improvisational game instead does not significantly improve the entertainment factor compared to a purely rhythm-based video game.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"58 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121940987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multi-agent platform for development of educational games for children with autism","authors":"S. Alers, E. Barakova","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293583","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293583","url":null,"abstract":"Multi-agent system of autonomous interactive blocks that can display its active state through color and light intensity has been developed. Depending on the individual rules, these autonomous blocks could express emergent behaviors which are a basis for various educational games. The multi-agent system is used for developing games for behavioral training of autistic children. This paper features the functional and electronic design of the individual blocks and transformation of the multi-agent system to a platform that allows multiple games to be designed through easy reprogramming of the blocks. Three game concepts that show the type of games that can easily be implemented and reprogrammed are described. The impact of this platform is shortly mentioned in the discussion. The initial tests of using the platform for various educational games are very positive. However, the results of user tests go beyond the scope of this paper and are not discussed in the text that follows.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"37 6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128957506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"XQUEST used in software architecture education","authors":"Bian Wu, Alf Inge Wang, Jan-Erik Strøm, T. Kvamme","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293607","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293607","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes the motivation and application of a Microsoft XNA extended library- XQUEST (XNA QUick & Easy Starter Template) in a software architecture course. Further, it presents the evaluation of the usability and usefulness of the XQUEST library in the context of a software architecture course. XQUEST was designed and implemented to save students' time in development projects offering flexible components. The evaluation was based on the survey of students questionnaires. Finally, the questionnaire results were analyzed in relation to three aspects: suitability, usefulness and usability. In many aspects, the results show that XQUEST enhances XNA in suitability as a teaching aid in software engineering learning, and can be a useful and helpful extension to understand XNA. The results also show that XQUEST is easy to use and save students time in development, thus giving students more time to focus on the practice of course theory.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"69 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115866435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Compositional applications of a game engine","authors":"A. Dolphin","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293598","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293598","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper it is suggested that game engine technologies provide the capacity for developing existing modes of artistic presentation and dissemination within the realms of sound art and music composition/performance. The paper outlines three creative works currently under development which are predominantly preoccupied with the use of game engines for musical and/or sonic purposes. Each project utilizes the game engine Unity 3D used in conjunction with external software for sound generation, synthesis or musical analysis. The artistic context and motivations of the work are briefly discussed, with the three projects, SpiralSet, MagNular, and CollideOscope Score subsequently being described and outlined.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"92 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121140676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Architectural studies of games engines — The quake series","authors":"James Munro, C. Boldyreff, A. Capiluppi","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293600","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293600","url":null,"abstract":"The presented approach constitutes a useful resource for games developers who wish to contribute to the further evolution of these games engines; and it provides insights into how the Quake engine architecture has evolved in practice since it was released as an open source project.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"49 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128638790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Can mobile game development foster student interest in computer science?","authors":"S. Kurkovsky","doi":"10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293601","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEGIC.2009.5293601","url":null,"abstract":"Mobile culture refers to an increasingly important role that mobile communication and mobile media play in our everyday lives. Young people are often viewed as the driving force behind the innovation in mobile technology, since they comprise the majority of early adopters and most avid users of mobile gadgets and applications, especially mobile games. Many contemporary college students grew up surrounded by computer games and electronic gadgets and, therefore, may better relate to mobile technology than to the desktops dominating current academic environment. This paper makes the case for using mobile game development as a motivational tool and a learning context in computing curriculum, which is supported by the results of a large student survey. The paper also presents a case study illustrating how mobile game development can be successfully integrated into a breadth-first introductory Computer Science course.","PeriodicalId":328281,"journal":{"name":"2009 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference","volume":"2006 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125837095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}