EDUCOMUNICAÇÃO

Digital Games Research Conference 2003
4-6 Novembro, 2003, Universidade de Utreque, Holanda

The conference will be the first official event of the new interdisciplinary association DiGRA, aiming to promote quality research of games, interdisciplinary collaboration in games research, design and development, and recognition of game studies as an academic field of enquiry. A wide range of approaches is encouraged focussing on research, design and development. We aim at a broad diversity of topics, such as:

Computer Games
On the history of games, game aesthetics (narrative, interactivity) and
game play (structure, time, multiplayer platforms).

Design/productionConcerned with the relationship between the designer/producer and the game (programming, project management).

Reception
Reception focuses on the individual player’s relationship to the computer game: the cognitive, social, psychological and therapeutic effects of games.

Games as an aesthetic phenomenon
On games as art, game-genres and storytelling. On the similarities and differences between computer games and other media

Games as a cultural phenomenon
How games are interpreted, their meaning and significance to the player, their contribution to an understanding of oneself, of relationships with others, and of one’s world (gender, ethnicity, nationality).

Games as a social phenomenon
Considers normative aspects of computer gaming and the effects of games on social behavior. Issues include the effects of computer games on (un)acceptable or (un desirable behavior, such as aggression and addiction, and partcipation and education.