1	Research Program at the UCI Game Lab Walt Scacchi UCI Game Lab and Institute for Software Research UCIrvine Wscacchi@uci.edu http://www.ics.uci.edu/~wscacchi/Presentations/GameLab
2	Overview Research Problems Approach Related efforts Conclusions
3	Game World Stats
4	Motivation The Game Grid a networked, clustered computing environment for researching, developing, playing and experiencing next generation (and beyond) computer games and game worlds Not just Web services framework and computing grid fabric But a testbed, archive, and venue for new ways of developing, deploying, and performing game- based synthetic or mixed reality environments across a variety of (heterogeneous) platforms See http://www.calit2.net/meta-game/
5	(One) Research problem What is the best way to rapidly create networked game worlds and play experience? “best” => faster, better, cheaper open source (e.g., BSD style license) (global) community-based development, contribution and support Fun, enjoyable, intrinsically motivating, disruptive, etc. modification, construction, or generation?
6	Proposed solutions Modification Hack existing game content, levels, engine Repurpose content/data from other sources Generation Parameter value instantiation Macro expansion Language-directed (game) application generation Meta-environments tailored for (game) domain Construction Scripting (UnrealScript vs. c-shell/Perl/Php/…) Custom programming using SDK and other tools
7	Proposed solutions: evaluation Modification and construction Current/legacy (low-level) approach Limited scalability Rehosting, heterogeneity, interoperability are usually difficult and costly Can be open source and community-based Motivating for emerging game developers
8	Proposed solutions: evaluation Generation Alternative (high-level) approach Architectural scalability by design Platform parameterization Can be open source and community-based Faster, better, cheaper vs. current? Fun? Intrinsically motivating?
9	Proposed solutions: evaluation Generation Modification Construction
10	Approach Investigate the development and use of meta-environments for new game domains Support generation, modification, and construction techniques and tools Target (non-traditional) game domains relevant to artists, scientists, humanists, software developers, gamers, etc.
11	Related R&D efforts visual and performing arts e.g., machinima science and technology education informal education in science museums humanities and social sciences graphic narratives for storytelling alternative game cultures and venues hot rod game machines and GameCon’s
12	Work in progress (NSF) Open source software development practices, processes, and communities (NSF) Open source software quality (NSF) Automating process discovery, modeling and recovery (TBD) Visualizing work practices
13	More Game Lab R&D projects The Game Preserve Ladera Ranch Digital Art Park FutureSpace! Aerospace Adventure World Game Ethnography Bots ArtCade Machines ISEA2004 (e.g., FLAN-I-Jam)
14	Game Lab research partners (sample) Cal(IT)²at UCSD and UCI Schools of Fine Arts, Engineering, Computer Science, Humanties, GSM, etc. Institute for Software Research Center for Pervasive Communications and Computing Visualization & Interactive Systems Group Discovery Science Center (Santa Ana, CA)
15	Game Grid Environment Collaborators Walt Scacchi, ISR and GSM Magda El Zarki, ICS Dan Frost, ICS Falko Keuster, EE and ICS Antoinette LaFarge, Studio Art Robert Nideffer, Studio Art and ICS Celia Pearce, Cal(IT)² NMA Andre van der Hoek, ICS and ISR
16	Prior accomplishments USC System Factory Project (81-91) Large-scale software engineering Involved 1-2% of all MS and PhD CS students in US (81-89) USC ATRIUM Laboratory (93-98) Modeled and reengineered system development and usage processes in telecomm, corporate finance, military procurement, acquisition, film production, and interactive teleradiology Developed process life cycle engineering in addition to 25 sponsored projects
17	Conclusions Jointly conducting R&D in computer game culture and technology Breaking down barriers between art, science, technology, culture through computer games, game environments, and experiences Creating a new generation of informal learning tools and techniques, together with a global community of developers and users.
18	References W. Scacchi, Understanding the requirements for developing open source software systems, IEE Proceedings – Software, 149(1), 24-39, Feb 2002. (pdf) W. Scacchi, Is open source software development faster, better, and cheaper than software engineering? 2^nd Workshop on Open Source Software Engineering, Orlando, FL, May 2002. (pdf) A. Karrer and W. Scacchi, Meta-environments for software production, Advances in Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering , D. Hurley (ed.), Volume 4, 37-70, 1995. (pdf)
19	The End Questions? Contact me at Wscacchi@uci.edu or find details at http://www.ics.uci.edu/~wscacchi Back up slides follow J
20	CERN Quantum Game
21	Cartoon Physics
22	MEMS mirror
23	MEMS-spider
24	Sims Intro
25	Sims Story(1)
26	Sims Story(2)
27	Hot rod PCs
28	QuakeCon
29	QuakeCon Room
30	PC Extreme