SLACTIONS 2012: Call for Papers
Research conference on virtual worlds – Life, imagination, and work using metaverse platforms
November 2012
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CALL FOR PAPERS
The metaverse is emerging, through the increasing use of virtual world technologies that act as platforms for end-users to create, develop, and interact, expanding the realm of human cooperation, interaction, and creativity. The conference focus is scientific research on applications and developments of these metaverse platforms: Habbo Hotel, IMVU, Second Life, OpenSimulator, Open Croquet, Activeworlds, Open Wonderland, Minecraft, and others, including MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, and virtual worlds based on social networks, such as *-ville and others, providing a forum for the research community to present and discuss innovative approaches, techniques, processes, and research results.
SLACTIONS 2012 is the fourth edition of SLACTIONS, which was the first international conference held simultaneously in several countries on the topic of metaverse platforms. SLACTIONS aims at covering most areas currently enabled by metaverse platforms, from educational research to content production, from gender studies to media distribution, and from metaverse-based branding, advertising, and fundraising to emerging mash-ups and technology applications. SLACTIONS is unique in its format too, as a one-of-a kind event conducted both in a metaverse platform (Second Life) and on-site in multiple countries throughout the world. SLACTIONS will thus contribute to the current redefinition of the way we think about hybrid online and on-site scholarly collaborations.
Whereas metaverse platforms are no longer a novel topic, they still pose challenges for the adaption of conventional instructional and business practices, research methodologies, and communication practices. We are looking forward to presenting a program of research results, case studies, panel discussions, and demonstrations that scholars, educators, and businesses can port to their own environments and apply in their research, teaching, and business strategy. We will accept papers from the full spectrum of intellectual disciplines and technological endeavors in which metaverse platforms are currently being used: from Education to Business, Sociology to Social Sciences, Media Production to Technology Development, Architecture and Urban Planning to the Arts.
Topics covered may include but are not limited to:
- Accessibility in metaverse platforms
- Advanced scientific visualization in metaverse platforms
- Automatic content generation
- Behavioral studies in the metaverse
- Combination of metaverse platforms with external systems (e-learning, e-business, etc.)
- Communicational paradigms in the metaverse
- Content management and production
- Creativity, design, and arts on the metaverse
- E-business and e-commerce applications
- Educational research, applications, and case studies
- Embodiment in metaverses and Gender Studies
- GIS/metaverse mash-ups
- Integration between metaverse platforms
- Nonprofit activities and fundraising
- Adapting and developing research methodologies for metaverses
- Social Sciences studies in or through metaverse platforms
- Space representation, use, and management in metaverses
- Using metaverse platforms for cooperation
FORMAT
SLACTIONS has the format of a hybrid online and physical conference. All paper presentations and plenary sessions by guest speakers will be held on-line in the Second Life virtual world, and projected locally at local chapters [see http://www.slactions.org], for participants attending physically. Physical participants can interact with the online participants via a “physical chapter avatar” and microphone. Participants will also be able to follow the proceedings broadcast on the Web and interact via a text chat applet. Workshops and other events are conducted locally – or in mixed format across several participating chapters – and local chapters may held local topical round tables.
SUBMISSIONS
Authors are invited to submit:
- A full paper of eight to ten pages for oral presentation
- A “work in progress” paper of 4 pages for oral presentation
- A Flickr image or YouTube video, indexed with the tag “slactions2012” for poster presentations ‘in-world’
- A live presentation in Second Life.
All submissions are subject to a double blind review process and should be professionally proofread before submission. All manuscripts should be formatted according to the ASIS&T proceedings template, available at http://www.asis.org/Conferences/AM04/proceedingstemplate.doc. (Disclaimer: SLACTIONS is not associated with ASIS&T.)
PUBLICATION VENUES – JOURNAL AGREEMENTS
All accepted papers and posters will be published on-line and in ISBN-registered digital proceedings. Video posters and live presentations can submit an abstract for inclusion in the digital proceedings.
The authors of the best papers will be invited to provide revised and expanded versions for publications in special editions of journals or as single contributions to theme-specific journals.
- Journal of Virtual Worlds Research (ISSN 1941-8477)
Selected papers will be fast-tracked for publication in early 2013 issues of JVWR. - Computer & Graphics – International Journal of Systems & Applications in Computer Graphics (ISSN: 0097-8493 / Imprint: ELSEVIER / impact factor 2010:0.720)
Authors of the Best Paper in computer graphics themes will be invited to submit an extended version to be considered for journal publication. - VIRtual – Electronic Journal of Visualization, Interactive Systems and Pattern Recognition (ISSN 0873-1837)
Authors of selected papers on visualization and graphics will be invited to submit extended versions to a special Issue of the journal. - Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research (ISSN 0718-1876)
Authors of selected papers on e-business/e-commerce/m-commerce/e-learning/e-government will be invited to submit extended versions the journal. - International Journal of Web Portals (ISSN 1938-0194, SCOPUS index)
Authors of the Best Paper in Web portals themes will be invited to submit an extended version to be considered for journal publication.
Check out www.slactions.org regularly for more information and developments on the proceedings publisher and journal venues for best papers.
Official language of the conference:
The official language for the on-line space and all submissions is English only. However, at the physical site of local chapters you can also use the native language of that location.
IMPORTANT DATES
Submissions deadline: June 30th, 2012
July 15th, 2012 – Submission results provided to authors
September 15th, 2012 – Deadline for early registration
October 15th, 2012 – Deadline for print-ready versions of accepted papers
November 15-17th, 2012 – Conference