Nordic Game Research Network

1. Nordic Game Research Network Tampere 9.4.2008 Ole Ertløv Hansen ertloev@vrmedialab.dk

2. Welcome • Practical Info • Refunding of travel and accommodation cost • Dinner: Plevna, Itäinenkatu 8 (finlayson area) • NGRN • Web-page (still under construction) • Secretary: Lise Suhr Mogensen lsm@vrmedialab.dk

3. Introducing • Myself • Associate professor, PhD • Research interest: the game experience – theoretical approaches to interactive media. • InDiMedia – Aalborg University

4. NGRNNordic Game Research Networkertloev@hum.aau.dk

5. Introducing • NGRN • How the idea emerged and surprisingly became real. • Funding period autumn 07 – autumn 10 • Grant 900.000 NOK • A lot of restrictions on how to spend it.

6. NGRN • Objectives • ”The objective of the network during the funding period is to establish a permanent platform for a Nordic cooperation on game research.” • ”Another objective for the funding period is to establish the basis for Nordic anchored research education programs and actual researcher education seminars.” • ”A third objective for Nordic Game Research Network will be to appear as the research-based network in relation to the education-related network Nordic Game Education Network and the development-oriented Nordic Game Program. Nordic Game Research Network’s target areas will, thus, be the theoretical and analytical perspectives founded in the philosophical, aesthetic, sociological, cognitive and technical research areas.”

7. NGRN • Activities (promised in the application) • PhD-seminars • Research education coordination seminars • Research application and development seminars • Opening event – closing event

8. Upcoming • PhD – seminar • Time: 17.-19. June 2008 • Place:Dronninglund slot and VR Media Lab • Purpose: research education, PhD-networking, input to research school activities, • Participants: Nordic PhD-students (max. 20), senior researchers (ca. 5) (session chairs & key notes)

9. Future events • Research seminar I • Time: autumn/winter 08-09 (3 day seminar) • Place: ? • Purpose: to initiate coordinated applications, present newest work in progress and visionary ideas for Game Research • Participants: Nordic Game Researchers (max 30 funded by NGRN)

10. Future events • Research School or research education template • Time: autumn 08 (1 day meeting) • Place: ? • Purpose: discuss & develop the possibility for an interdisciplinary Nordic computer game research school (follow up on the PhD-seminar) • Participants: ? (ca. 5)

11. Future events • PhD – seminar II (consolidating the template) • Time: Autumn 09 • Place: ? • Purpose: • Participants:

12. Future events • Research seminar II (closing event) • Time: spring 10 • Place: ? • Purpose: A new beginning • Participants: NGRN-contributors

13. Future events • Other initiatives – depends on the budget

14. Part II • Activities: • Focus on specific activities or ? • ‘Big’ events or meetings within smaller groups? • ‘International relations’ • Research – education – industry

15. Upcoming and future events (part II) • PhD-seminar I June 08 • Topics: • Sociology: • Empirical methodology and games • Philosophy and aesthetics: • Ontology and epistemology of games, aesthetics and games, • Psychology: • Cognition, emotion, perception and the experience of games • Game design: • innovative game mechanics, game worlds and interfaces

16. Upcoming and future events (part II) • Research seminar I • Time: autumn/winter 08-09 (3 day seminar) • Place: ? • Purpose: to initiate coordinated applications, present newest work in progress and visionary ideas for Game Research • Participants: Nordic Game Researchers (max 30 funded by NGRN)