GAME-ON 2001 November 30-December 1, 2001 Holiday Inn - London Docks London - United Kingdom Sponsored by SCS International Appeal - University of Wolverhampton - Infogrames Studios Ltd. - Binary Illusions - SGI Federal - Creature Labs - Modelbenders - Aarhus University - UC Davis - University of Teesside Conference URL http://hobbes.rug.ac.be/~scs/conf/gameon2001 CONFERENCE TOPICS The aim of the 2nd annual European Game-On Conference on simulation and AI in Computer Games, is to bring together researchers and games people in order to exchange ideas on programming and programming techniques, which will be beneficial to the gaming industry and academia. Secondly it aims to steer young people into this industry by providing how-to tutorials and giving them the opportunity to show their ideas and demos to the gaming industry. The conference will concentrate mostly on the programming of games, with special emphasis on simulation, AI and fuzzy sets, and physics related computer graphics. Next to that, all of this will be fused in the topic of computer game design in stand-alone and networked games. Software providers will be able to show their latest packages and give hand-on tutorials for the participants. Companies will also have the opportunity to seek new talent at this event. The conference will cover: Games Systems and State-of-the-art, Modelling and Simulation, Animation, Games Design and Development, Intelligent Systems, Evolutionary Systems and Artificial Life, Graphics and Virtual Reality and European Projects. SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME The topics are distributed over four main topics: CORE AI - Designing (Extensible) AI Engines with Built-in Machine Learning Technologies - Using Adaptive Markov Models - Using Decision Trees, Production Rules and Learning - Using Fuzzy Logic for membership functions and inference procedures - Using Rule Based AI or a Finite State Machine (FSM) - Using Fuzzy State Machines (FuSM) or Cascaded FuSMs - Using Artificial Life and layered AI Techniques - Level-of-Detail AI - Using scripting languages to govern NPC Bots, synthetic characters, or believable agents - Controlling simulated characters (Group Behaviour control) using f.ex. flocking algorithms based on extensible scripting systems - Cognitive Modeling: (combining geometric models and inverse kinematics to simplify key-framing.physical models for animating particles. Bio-mechanical modeling, behavioral modeling) - Domain knowledge specification and character instruction - Creating AI Networks using supervised learning and genetic algorithms, and pathfinding - Using Databases using the winnowing algorithm - Using Multi-user Data Management Physics and Simulation - Collision detection, contact resolution and manifold generation (methods Lin-Canny, OBB Trees, I-Collide and Ray Tracing) - Calculation optimization between objects - The closest point algorithm by Gilbert Johnson and Keerthi (GJK) between convex and union-of convex objects - Contact equation formulation (point-plane, edge-edge and sphere-plane) - LCP (Linear Complementary problems)Based contact resolution - Iterative constraints and penalty methods for contact resolution - Micro-Collisions PERIPHERAL All programming 3-D Scalability - MRM (Multi-Resolution Mesh) - Technology and the Messiah and Lith Tech Engines - Scalable level of detail-oriented rendering Methods for scaling animation quality - Scaling animation quality, new animation steps, on interpolated key-frame animation or key-frame morphing - Bump mapping: emboss-dot product and environment mapped bump map (EMBM). Facial Animation - Facial animation for Real-Time, Model Behaviour of 3D Modeling - Modelling the bone structure of faces Skeletal animation and fully scaled rendering - Physical Simulation, 3D Character Animation and physical controllers - Simulation performance - Rigid body physical animation and rigid body dynamics - Polygon Character Design and level of Detail under Technical Constraints - Particle systems, full polygonal models or sprites - Smooth rendered skins, soft skinning, head animations and full body animation (Skin, extrude and boolean, Design, composition and anatomy) - Skeletal, skinning, single skin meshes - Creating Character Animation Assets - Real-Time motion Synthesis, - Kinematics and Dynamics, Animating the real-time run cycle - T-Buffers and motion blur - Motion Capture Techniques 3D in Game Animation - Creating and scaling special effects in Real-Time 3D: environmental weapon effects and general pyrotechnics, software used to produce single frame and animated textures, booth looping and linear, and the pivotal role of alpha channels. Modeling an animation of the geometry needed and the system used to encode additional engine-specific timing and trigger data into the files. - The use of the engine particle system and scripting capabilities - Weighted vertices, Streaming SIMD - Extension Overview (floating point instruction) - Pre-rendered cinematics - Scaling of special effects and texture tricks: particle systems for generating smoke and fire, texture tricks, for volumes, lens flares and onscreen pyrotechnics. Tools - Silicon Graphics (MAYA, as a game prototyping environment) - 3D Programming for Rage Programmable Shaders (Renderman) Design - Game Engine Design and game environment creation - Using rapid prototyping (NEMO-DEV)and generic technology (generic world building engine), portable code - Using Math for Game programming by solving simultaneous Equations - Using Modularity and isolation abstraction, data hiding, functional independence, cohesion and coupling - Using Java as an embedded Game scripting engine - Procedural content placement, level design, enemy and entity placement - Using Databases in online Games - Programming in Linux, C++ and Visual Basic - Programming Web Games in Java - Scalable 3D games - Creating large 3D worlds - Creating Multiplayer online Games - Techniques for scaling game content,and approaches to scaling game content - C++ optimization Strategies and Techniques - 3D Engine optimization - Optimizing games for the MIPS RISC Architecture - Game design: User set set according to hard limits, pre-runtime profiling and runtime profiling Rendering - Rendering Equations and architectures - Image Based Rendering (polygon counts (throughput) and overdraw (filtrate) - Photorealistic rendering using Open GL and Direct 3D - Multi texture tricks like gloss mapping, dynamic environment mapping, detail texturing and bump mapping - Spatial aliasing and Anti-aliasing and accumulation buffers - Setup, Rendering and Transforms - Full floating point setup - Perspective-corrected texture mapping, multiple filtering modes, sophisticated texture blending for special effects and effective looking transparency - Classical local illumination equations and colour theory - Creating Reflections and shadows with stencil buffers and Z-Buffers - Light maps and changing texture coordinates, shadow maps, projected shadow maps - Methods for scaling lighting and shadows, lighting calculations - Equation on a per pixel basis, pixel path and voxel animation - Procedural Texture Methods and Theory and Real-Time Procedural Texture Implementation - Parametric Surfaces, Deforming surfaces, Curved surfaces and tri-linear flip-flopping - Using NURBS (non-uniform rational B-splines) and other parametric surfaces for representing 3D Geometry Matrix Manipulations - Methods for scaling geometry using parametric curves and surfaces in relation to polygonal models - Progressive meshes and subdivision surfaces Voice Interaction - Using Intelligent Speech Synthesis Algorithms, Speech Processing, Voice Interaction, Speech Synthesizer - Interaction with AI-NPC's, Voice-Over - Net Technology (one to one, and one to many) CORPORATE Tutorials 3D Studio Max Cutting Edge Techniques for Modelling and Simulation Game Development in C++, Visual Basic Programming Games in Java Puzzle Game Design Softimage Game Development Tools, Techniques and Technology Advanced Open GL Game Development Community Design Storyplaying The art of testing games Figure Drawing "Aren't we great" presentations EUROPEAN PROJECTS 1. fundamental work in games on mult-agent co-operation/competition using either game theory or co-evolutionary means to evolve strategy 2. plausibility and believability for VR/games agents - physical (virtual stuntman) or social would be of interest 3. work on deception, motivation, ethics and belief systems for agents for political/diplomacy type multiplayer games Students are encouraged to show demos of their work to the companies present at the conference. The best demo will receive a cash prize from the organizers. Furthermore, we will initiate a competition in game problem solving. (more info on this later) LAST YEAR'S PROGRAMME CAN BE FOUND ON: http://hobbes.rug.ac.be/~scs/conf/gameon2000/prelprog.html CONFERENCE SITE The conference will be held at The Holiday Inn, London Nelson Dock is located on the south bank of the Thames, opposite the famous Canary Wharf development. The hotel can easily be reached from central London and from the major London airports. This purpose built hotel and conference centre incorporates the original wharf buildings; Nelson Dock, the only dry dock left in London; La Dame de Serk - a full size replica 3 masted French barque which houses the restaurant - Traders; and Nelson House - the original dock owners home.. Hotel Contact information: Holiday Inn, London Nelson Dock, 265 Rotherhithe Street, London,SE16 5HW, Tel: +44.20.7231.1001, Fax: +44.20.7231.0599, Email: reservations@holidayinnnd.com Website: www.holidayinnnd.com. CONFERENCE PRICES Authors: 375 EURO, Students: 175 EURO SCS/ASIM/EUROSIM Members: 400 EURO, All other: 475 EURO (prices include Proceedings, lunches, conference dinner, get-together party and coffee breaks) DEADLINES Submission Deadline: AUG 15th Extended Submission Deadline: SEP 5TH Notification of Acceptance/Rejection SEP 15th Full Paper Submission: OCT 15th Conference Dates NOV 30- DEC 1 The full Call for papers can be downloaded from http://hobbes.rug.ac.be/~scs/conf/gameon2001 in PDF-and ASCII format REPLY CARD: First Name: Surname: Occupation and/or Title: Affiliation: Mailing Address Zip code: City: Country. Telephone: Fax: E-Mail: [ ] Presenting a paper, by submitting a full paper [ ] Presenting a short paper (by submitting an extended abstract) [ ] Participating in the industrial program [ ] Organizing a vendor session [ ] Proposing a panel discussion (please mention names of panelists) [ ] Contributing to the exhibition [ ] Without presenting a paper Other colleague(s) interested in the topics of the conference is/are: Name: Address: Name: Address: Yes, I intend to attend the [] GAME-ON'2001 The provisional title of my paper / exhibited software package is: With the following highlights: The paper belongs in: TICK THE CATEGORY [] Games Systems and State-of-the-art [] Modelling and Simulation [] Games Design and Development [] Intelligent Systems [] Animation [] Evolutionary Systems and Artificial Life [] Graphics and Virtual Reality [] European Projects If you would like to receive more information about SCS and its activities, please tick the following box: [ ] YES, I would like to know more about SCS [ ] NO, please remove me from your database.