UC Institute for Software Research

Games, Virtual Worlds, and Interactive Technologies

UCI research in computer games, virtual worlds and interactive technologies focuses on empirically-based studies of the processes, practices, and communities that develop games and virtual worlds, as well as tools, techniques, and concepts for developing next-generation technologies and experiences. Ethnographic and virtual enthnographic research methods are employed in the field studies, along with prototyping and deployment of new game-based virtual worlds. and related technologies.

Faculty

Mark Ackerman, ISR, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Crista Lopes, ISR, UCI Informatics

Gloria Mark, ISR, UCI Informatics

Bonnie Nardi, ISR, UCI Informatics

Robert Nideffer, ISR, UCI Studio Art and Informatics

David Redmiles, ISR, UCI Informatics

Walt Scacchi, ISR,UCI

André van der Hoek, ISR, UCI Informatics

Jim Whitehead, ISR, UCSC, Computer Science

Collaborators

Joe Adams, Discovery Science Center

Matthew Bietz, ISR, UCI

Garnet Hertz, UCI Informatics

Yuzo Kanomata, ISR, UCI

Alfred Kobsa, ISR, UCI Informatics

Emily Navarro, UCI Informatics

Kari Nies, ISR, UCI

David Redmiles, ISR, UCI Informatics

Alex Szeto, ISR, UCI

Bill Tomlinson, UCI Informatics

Alf Inge Wang, Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology

Projects

• Virtual Worlds, End Users, and Meta-Design
• Decentralized Virtual Activities and Technologies: A Socio-Technical Approach, (2008-2011), National Science Foundation
• Research partnership investigating generation-beyond-next computer game culture and technology (2007-2009), Daegu Global R&D Collaboration Center, Daegu, South Korea
• Research into Game-Based Virtual Worlds (2007-2009), Intel
• DinoQuest and DinoQuest Online (2005-2007), at the Discovery Science Center

Other News and Events

• ISR Profs. Walt Scacchi, Crista Lopes, and Gloria Mark received a $15,000 Discover award from Northrop Grumman Intelligent Systems to seed a virtual worlds and game technology research collaboration.
• UCI ICS Center for Computer Games and Virtual Worlds established, with Walt Scacchi as Director of Research.
• ISR Connector, Fall/Winter 2008 features stories on Crista Lopes and Walt Scacchi's virtual world and game technology research.
• News story on game research at UCI, Summer 2007.
• Web 3.0: The Game Web Symposium,  UC Irvine, 21 June 2007, and follow-up news story.
• Story on game research at UCI, Spring 2007.
• Story on DinoQuest and DinoQuest Online science learning game environment .
• MASSIVE: A Research Summit on Networked Multiplayer Games at UCI (20 April 2006).
  
• Corporate Opportunities for Multiplayer Games, OCTANe@UCI and AeA, at UCI (21 April 2006).

Selected Publications

• B. Wu and A.I. Wang, An Evaluation of Using a Game Development Framework in Higher Education, Proc. 22nd IEEE-CS Conference on Software Engineering Education and Training (CSEE&T 2009), Februrary 17-19, Hyderabad, India, 2009.
• R. Nideffer, A.I. Wang, A. Szeto, unexceptional.net, submitted for publication, December 2008.
• A.I. Wang and B. Wu, Using XNA to Teach Software Architecture, submitted for publication, December 2008.
• A.I. Wang and B. Wu, An Application of Game Development Framework in Higher Education, submitted for publication, December 2008.
• A.I. Wang, E. Sorteberg, M. Jarrett, and A.M. Hjemås: Problems and Solutions for Mobile Multiplayer Real-time Games over Wireless Networks, Proc. 2008 Intern. Symp. on Collaborative Technologies and Systems (CTS 2008), May 19-23, 2008, Irvine, California, USA.
• W. Scacchi, A. Kobsa, C. Lopes, G. Mark,  B. Nardi, D. Redmiles, and R.N. Taylor,  Decentralized Virtual Activities and Technologies; A Socio-Technical Approach, ISR Technical Report, 2008.
• W. Scacchi, R. Nideffer, J. Adams, A Collaborative Science Learning Game Environment for Informal Science Education: DinoQuest Online,  in IFIP International Federation for Information Processing, Volume 279; New Frontiers for Entertainment Computing; P. Ciancarini, R. Nakatsu, M. Rauterberg, M. Roccetti (Eds.); Boston: Springer, 71–82, 2008..
• G. Smith, M. Cha, and J. Whitehead, A Framework for Analysis of 2D Platformer Levels. Proc. ACM SIGGRAPH Sandbox Symposium 2008, Los Angeles, CA, August 9-10, 2008.
• C.V.Lopes, L.Kan, A.Popov,R.Morla, PRT Simulation in an Immersive Virtual World,  Proc. 1st. Intern. Conf. Simulation Tools and Techniques for Communications, Networks and Systems. Marseilles, FR, 2008.
• W. Scacchi, Emerging Patterns of Intersection and Segmentation when Computerization Movements Interact, in M.S. Elliott and K.L. Kraemer (Eds.), Computerization Movements and Technology Diffusion: From Mainframes to Ubiquitous Computing, ASIST Monograph Series, Information Today, Inc. 381-404, 2008. 
• S. Lindtner and B. Nardi, Venice, California and World of Warcraft: Persistence and Ephemerality in Playful Spaces,  Proc. 41st Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2008), 2008.
• R. Nideffer,  Game Engines as Embedded Systems, in V. Vesna, Database Aesthetics, Univ. Minnesota Press, 2007.
• W. Scacchi and J. Adams, Recent Developments in Science Learning Games for Informal Science Education, Presented at Games, Learning, and Society: 3.0, Madison, WI. July 2007.
• B. Nardi, S. Ly, and J. Harris,  Learning Conversations in World of Warcraft, 40th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS'07), 2007.
• Nardi, B. and Harris, J. Strangers and Friends: Collaborative Play in World of Warcraft, Proc. 2006 ACM Conf. Computer Support Cooperative Work (CSCW'06), 149-158, Banff, Canada, ACM Press, 2006.
• E. Navarro and A. van der Hoek, Software Process Modeling for an Educational Software Engineering Simulation Game, Software Process Improvement and Practice: 10 (3), 311-325. 2004.
• W. Scacchi, Free/Open Source Software Development Practices in the Computer Game Community, IEEE Software, 21(1), 56-66, January-February 2004.
• E. Navarro and A. van der Hoek, Adapting Game Technology to Support Individual and Organizational Learning, Proc. 13th. Intern. Conf. Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 2001.
• J. Muramatsu and M. S. Ackerman, Computing, Social Activity, and Entertainment: A Field Study of a Game MUD. Computer Supported Cooperative Work: The Journal of Collaborative Computing, 7(1), 87-122, 1998.

Sample Games, Virtual Worlds, and Demo Reels

• FabLab Game -- Game-based collaborative teamwork simulator for semiconductor fabrication (Demo Reel, .wmv format)
• Virtual Life 2010+ -- Envisioning future virtual world capabilities and services (Demo Reel, .swf format)
• DinoQuest Online -- Science learning game environment for informal life science education for K-6 grade students (free to play--just register to play)
• WTF?! -- 2D side-scrolling role playing game inspired by World of Warcraft (free to play after game download, plus SDK toolkit)
• Encitra -- An immersive virtual world for the UCI campus being used for experiments in prototyping the design of a personal rapid transit system (Demo reel, YouTube video)

Other Links

• UCI ICS Center for Computer Games and Virtual Worlds
• List of game companies or studios in Orange County, CA
• B.S. Computer Science: Computer Game Design at UC Santa Cruz