CALL FOR PAPERS
IE 2012
21-22 July 2012
Auckland, New Zealand
The 8th Australasian Conference on Interactive Entertainment
The Australasian Conference on Interactive Entertainment is a cross-disciplinary conference that brings together researchers from artificial intelligence, audio, cognitive science, cultural studies, drama, HCI, interactive media, media studies, psychology, computer graphics, as well as researchers from other disciplines working on new interactive entertainment specific technologies or providing critical analysis of games and interactive environments.
PLAYING THE SYSTEM
We like to think of play not as an effective tool that is used to a certain end, but rather, that play is valuable in itself and has the power to transform our systems and change our view of the world. Play is close to its players, free and challenges (external) control. The notion of playing the system can be associated with counter-culture, taking on the system, emancipation from domination, change, doing things differently, unintended use, trying out, tinkering around and taking control. The struggle over the control of the computer can be shown in many situations.
Using computers has become mainstream today. Will users be happy being consumers or will they start to be producers of the digital medium? Interaction is hard, and without initiative and considerable skills, the results will be trivial. The process includes failure. Many so-called interactive experiences are shallow and narrow, not offering the user any real participation. Being passive is easy.
But the computer is not used to its full potential if the users limit themselves to copy, re-do or re-create what has been done before. The interaction with the computer places the control over it in the hands of its users, arguably more so than previous media. Users demand and take ownership of the digital medium, when they start to (mis-) use it for producing, extending, changing and creating reality. In this process media consumers turn into users, artists and players.
Users who playfully interact with their computers are not necessarily playing computer games, but fight with the computer, accept a challenge, try to reach their own goals and not the ones that were anticipated by somebody else. Competent users can change the medial form, not only fiddle with the (arbitrary) content; they can reformat the medium, and modify the rules of play. The world of media is changing fast. People who watched TV ten years ago will never go back to linear media. Their attitude towards technology has changed. They are not asking for permission, reading the manual or following orders. They are playing the system.
TRACKS
*Playing Games* The track revolves around game design methodologies and game development technologies which includes artificial intelligence, graphics, animation, gamification concepts, tangible interaction, mixed realities, augmented realities, phenomenology, embodiment, place and space, time, tactile interfaces, haptics, motion- detection games and networked play.
*Playing Art* This track centers around questions on information, communication and awareness; analogue and mechanical art meet digital art, game art, engaging people and offering new perspectives and experiences, and changing the way we see the world.
*Playing Mobile* This track focuses on mobile gaming, teams, location-based play, competition, collaboration, performative aspects, splitting/meeting/joining groups, making movies with mobile phones and/or cultural remixing.
*Playing Education* Topics in this track are learning, understanding, exploration, invention and surprise; this might or might not include outright educational drill games.
The four tracks overlap, but focus on different aspects of playing the system. Multiple perspectives allow interdisciplinary contributions from the areas of media, play, art, design, science, installations, performance and film. The more interaction there is between theory and practice the better. There are many questions that bridge several tracks, e.g. play and the real world, simulation, random chance, flow, immersion, complexity, challenge, medial convergence, collaboration and multiplayer games and their dynamics.
We welcome academic papers and practical works, and combinations. We expect contributors to develop a strong vision, explore it, test it, backup their claims; to be focused and critical. Submissions will only be accepted if they contain a high level of innovation and research rigor. Not everything is getting more fun, better and brighter because somebody claims it is interactive. Note that the list of topics provided is not exhaustive and top quality works in areas that have a strong correlation to our themes are always welcome.
SUBMISSIONS AND REVIEW
IE2012 will only accept submissions via http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ie20120
IE2012 will accept four kinds of submissions; all accepted submissions will be included in the conference proceedings.
Long Papers: Maximum 10 pages.
Regular papers represents mature work where the work has been rigorously evaluated. All regular papers will be peer reviewed for technical merit, significance, clarity and relevance to interactive entertainment. Accepted papers are required to give a 15-20 minute presentation at the conference.
Short Papers: Maximum 3 pages.
Short papers represent novel work in progress that may not be yet as mature as regular submissions, but still represents a significant contribution to the field. All short papers will be peer reviewed for technical merit, significance, clarity and relevance to interactive entertainment. Accepted papers are required to present a poster at the conference.
Demo Submissions: Maximum 1 page.
Technical demonstrations show innovative and original implementations to interactive entertainment. Demo papers will be reviewed by the conference chair and the program chair for significance and relevance. Demo presenters are responsible for bringing the necessary equipment to set up their own demo at the conference.
Exhibition Submissions: Maximum 3 pages.
Exhibition papers can represent both mature and novel work related to interactive entertainment. Applicants are to submit a short write-up outlining and contextualising the work to be exhibited, including pictures. They will need provide a clear understanding of the proposed exhibited design work, its relationship with interactive entertainment supported by design argumentation. A detailed description of what and how the work needs to be exhibited should also be included. Exhibit presenters are responsible for bringing the necessary equipment to set up their own exhibit at the conference.
All submissions must be in PDF format, formatted according to the official ACM proceedings format using templates at http://www.acm.org/sigs/publications/proceedings-templates For a submission to appear in the proceedings, at least one author must register for the conference by the deadline.
All conference papers will be fully peer reviewed using a double-blind process (i.e., authors names and affiliations are omitted) by an International Review Panel to ensure research dissemination of the highest quality. IE2012 will not accept any paper that, at the time of submission, is under review for or has already been published or accepted for publication in another journal or conference.
ACCEPTANCE
Successful authors have the opportunity to modify their papers to include recommendations from the International Review Panel. All accepted papers are published in the CD-ROM conference proceedings. Accepted papers will be published in the IE2012 conference proceedings. Please see http://ieconference.org for papers from previous years.
KEY ORGANISERS
IE2012 Honorary Chair:
Yusuf Pisan, University of Technology, Sydney
IE2012 Conference Chairs:
Daniel Cermak-Sassenrath, Auckland University of Technology
Charles Walker, Auckland University of Technology
IE2012 Program Chairs:
Chek Tien Tan, University of Technology, Sydney
IMPORTANT DATES
Long Paper Submission 31 March 2012
Short Papers Submission 31 March 2012
Exhibit Submissions 31 March 2012
Demo Submissions 31 March 2012
Author Notification 1 May 2012
Camera Ready Papers 31 May 2012
IE Conference, Auckland, New Zealand 21-22 July 2012