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

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)

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

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

To give you an idea of the sort of papers were looking for, just have a look at the list of last year's presentations