IST 2002 International Conference on Partnerships for the Future,
Copenhagen 4-6 November 2002


GAMENET: EU Networking for Development and Application of Next-
Generation Computer Games

Professor Norman Gough & Dr Qasim Mehdi
Games Simulation and AI Research Group
School of Computing and Information Technology,
University of Wolverhampton, UK
Philippe Geril
Ghent University
Ghent, Belgium

The University of Wolverhampton is one of a growing number of universities offering undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in games
development.
In addition it has a team of MPhil/PhD researchers looking at developments for next-generation computer games, in collaboration with local
games companies
and European partners. Challenges for games developers include providing:

? "Human imitation/intelligence" for games characters and their environments
? Designing "believable" characters
? Simulating Virtual Worlds with intelligent path planning, navigation etc
? Developing strategies for negotiating with characters, task planning, team work between characters
? New techniques for rendering games characters
? New delivery platforms e.g. TV, multiuser, Internet
? Wider applications areas including "edutainment", business training etc

Four years ago we planned an international approach to networking and started by introducing GAME-ON 2000, the 1st International Conference
on Intelligent Games and Simulation. This is now held annually in London and the 3rd GAME-ON 2002 Conference will take place on 29-30
November 2002. There will be
over 30 technical papers presented. The conference database links together more 3600 researchers interested in the theme. Emphasis is placed
on on-going research and there are prizes for the best student papers and game demonstrations. In addition, a web-based journal was published
entitled
IJIGS: The International Journal of Intelligent Games and Simulation http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~cm1822/ijigs11.htm.
This provides a network of expert editors and over 150 researchers have registered to have access.

On behalf of the participants in these initiatives, we have now published an FP6 Expression of Interest (EOI) on Cordis for GAMENET: a proposed
EU Network of Excellence in Intelligent Computer Games and Their Simulation under thematic priority 1.1.2i. This network aims to link together
academia and games companies across Europe, as well as linking in with other proposed games networks in complementary areas. In the short
term the Network will seek to expand the existing knowledge base in the field of computer games, e-learning, AI and graphics. Medium term
aims are to promote and manage industrial placements of students and researchers. Long-term aims are to establish a scientific organisation to
supervise and advise EU scientists and developers about next generation computer games.

Our next GAMENET planning meeting will take place at 1400 hours on Saturday 30th November 2002 at GAME-ON 2002 3rd SCS International
Conference on Intelligent Games and Simulation, University of Westminster in Harrow London (November 29-30). Further details of the
conference are at:
http://biomath.rug.ac.be/~scs/conf/gameon2002/index.html

For further details please contact
Professor Norman E Gough or Dr Qasim Mehdi
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Tel: +44 1902 321832/321822
http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~cm1822/mistgames.htm
or
Philippe Geril
Ghent University
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