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