IEEE CoG 2020 Topics and Tracks

AI for Playing Games

This track invites submissions on all aspects of AI for playing games. Although the core focus of this track is single or multi agent performance on game playing, other related topics, such as forward model learning, are also invited.

All types of games are covered, including:

• Classic games (board games, card games etc)
• Real-time strategy (RTS) games
• Puzzles
• Single-player games, multi-player / multi-agent games
• Competitive or collaborative games
• Simulation games
• Text adventure games
• General Game Playing (including General Video Game Playing)

Papers where the main contribution is a new game for testing AI agents should be submitted to the Benchmarking and Competitions track.

Analytics and Player Modelling

This track is dedicated to players and the use of computational means for modeling them. We take player modeling to mean the detection, prediction and expression of human player characteristics that are manifested through cognitive, affective and behavioral patterns while playing games. Player modeling studies primarily the use of various methods for the construction of theory-based or data-driven models of players.

Topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Affective computing for modeling the emotion of players
• Sensing (e.g. physiology, face tracking, etc) for player modeling
• Game and player analytics methods for modeling players
• Analytics and game data visualization
• Learning from demonstrations for player modeling
• Annotation approaches for player behavior and experience
• Datasets of gameplaying and player experience
• Models of experience (engagement, tension), behavior
• AI-based automatic testing of games
• Modeling users in games - players, students, teachers, practitioners
• Ethical issues of player modeling
• Generative player models

Benchmarks and Competitions

This track invites submissions where the main topic is a game or game-related benchmark or competition. Submission can be proposals for new benchmarks or competitions or novel approaches to existing ones. We also invite survey-style papers that give an overview over the outcomes of existing benchmarks and competition. We further explicitly welcome critical commentary on the state-of-the-art of game-related benchmarks and competitions.

Topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Evaluation of AI agents
• Machine learning related to games (e.g. for predicting player or
AI behaviour)
• Learning forward models
• Assessment of procedural content generators
• Analysis tools for existing competitions
• Game competitions for more general AI (AGI)
• Introduction to or concepts for new competitions or benchmarks
• Methodological contributions to benchmarks/competitions

Multimedia and Games

This track seeks for paper in the broader field of machine learning with emphasis on deep learning and innovative multimedia technologies for serious games applications.The track includes artificial intelligence methods for all the topics of a serious game, included but not limited to:

• Deep machine learning in serious games such as Convolutional
Neural Networks, Long Short-Term Memory Networks (LSTM), Deep Belief Networks
• Recurrent implementation of the deep learning structures
• Incorporation of activity sensors in the gaming technologies to
drive emotions in the design and the implementation phase
• Incorporation of novel multimedia technologies in the game design
and plot
• Use of novel 3D reconstruction processes for improving the realism
of a game and making it more attractive
• Extend 3D geometric modelling to time dimension (4D modelling) to
accelerate reconstruction time
• Fusion of different types of media to improve intelligence in the
design of the game

Education and Games

Topics of interest in the context of gamification and game based learning include (but are not limited to):

• Immersive Technologies and Applications
• Mixed Reality Immersive Learning Spaces
• Cognitive and Pedagogical Analysis
• STEM Education
• Cultural and societal aspects of immersion
• Games and Gamification

Game Design

This track invites submissions related to game design and development in all types of games and other playful experiences (including analog and tabletop games). Papers should aim for high scholarly quality, either via an empirical evaluation of design process or outcomes, or with a strong foundation in relevant literature.

Topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Design approaches, practices, and methodologies
• Design of games for entertainment, education, training, or other
purposes
• Design patterns, mechanics, dynamics, or aesthetics
• Socio-cultural critique of game-making culture
• Empirical analysis of game design and development processes
• Post-mortems of game design or development processes and outcomes
• Design process and validation of a new game
• Best practices and critiques in game design and development

Game Interfaces and User Interaction

This track invites submissions related to the field of games user research and player-computer interaction.

We welcome submissions that explore issues related to player experience and interaction, whether that is between the player and the game, multiple players, or streamers and their audiences. This includes (but is not limited to) the following:

• Methods for evaluating and studies of player interaction and
experience
• Player interaction with and experience of new technologies such as
AR or VR
• New control and input techniques for games and their effect on players
• Novel interface design and feedback techniques for players and
spectators
• Analytics and visualization related to player behaviour
• Social factors and dynamics of player communities
• Evaluation for player-player communication and player-audience
broadcasting techniques

Game Theory and Multi-agent Systems

This track invites submissions related to any aspect of the theory pf mathematical games and the theoretical aspects of game-related multi-agent systems.

Topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Normal form games (i.e. games represented by a payoff matrix)
• Games and theories of mind
• Modelling of human and animal decision-making
• Game theory applied to ecology, economics, politics, business
social dynamics, and other areas in the physical and social sciences
• Evolutionary game theory
• Effects of representation on learned behaviours and agent dynamics

Narrative and Interactive Entertainment

This track invites submissions related to narrative and interactive entertainment where narrative and interactive entertainment is any topic relating to constructing, telling, understanding, and responding to stories in interactive environments.

Topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Computational narrative in computer games
• Interactive narrative in computer games
• Novel technologies and systems for storytelling in computer games
• Analysis and Evaluation of Interactive storytelling systems
• Computational Models of Character Design and Interaction
• Believable Interactions with Characters
• Natural Language Processing for Games
• Interactive Applications of Storytelling Systems
• Intelligent Cinematography and Editing for Games

PCG and AI for Game Design

This track invites submissions related to the generation and evaluation of various kinds of game content, as well as AI systems which engage in game design. This includes procedural content generators and automated game designers, as well as assistive technology like mixed initiative game design tools.

Topics include but are not limited to the following:

• New algorithms for content generation, including PCG via Machine
Learning
• New application areas for content generation, such as
reinforcement learning generalization
• Tools for mixed-initiative or co-creative content generation
• Tools for mixed-initiative or co-creative game design
• Automated game design systems
• Automated game 'tweaking'
• Computational models of game design
• Integration of auto-playtesting and PCG systems
• AI-Based Game Design

Serious Games Technology

This track is dedicated to the study, design, and development of serious games technologies, i.e. technological approaches that, for instance, support the realization, utilization, analysis or maintenance of games with a purpose beyond entertainment.

Topics include but are not limited to the following:

• AI for serious games (e.g. expressive agents, interactive storytelling)
• Game design approaches for serious games
• Multimodal interaction and user interfaces for serious games
• Serious game development and testing

Virtual and Augmented Reality

As VR displays and soon to be AR or mixed reality displays become a commodity for the average user, immersive gaming for entertainment as well as for training in multiple academic and industrial domains (medical, logistics, manufacturing, education) is a prominent sector of game technologies. Research but also implementation challenges exist ranging from 3D interaction, multimodal input, brain-computer interfaces, usability metrics for VR/AR, motion sickness, etc. How a gaming and training experience could become even more intuitive, enjoyable and efficient, based on the hardware available, is an open research area. Moreover, hardware advances such as in the optics, haptics, controllers, etc could drive the field of gaming and training in VR/AR or mixed reality to its full potential. We invite papers in this track, in all aspects of research in VR/AR and mixed reality which could improve the user experience of gaming and training applications.