[Dutch-chapter] next meeting of game researchers on February 19, 2010 in Utrecht

[Jeroen Jansz]

*Meeting Game Researchers*

The Center for Advanced Gaming and Simulation (AGS) and the Dutch 
chapter of DIGRA organize meetings for game researchers four times a 
year. The meetings normally consist of two lectures, followed by some 
drinks for further discussions. The meetings will be held in English.

The next meeting is scheduled on Friday, February 19, 15.00 - 18.00 hrs. 

Please note, the location is slightly different from our earlier 
location in Helios. We meet at the *Belle van Zuylenzaal, Academiegebouw 
Utrecht*. You must access this room through the main entrance of the 
Academiegebouw at Domplein 29, 3512 JE Utrecht. 

Participation in this meeting is free. It is necessary though to 
register. *Please register below.*

*Program on Friday, February 19* 

    * 15.00 Welcome with coffee and tea
    * *Social play as design framework *by Tanja Sihvonen, University of
      Tampere, Finland

How does the dynamic of play change when people start gaming online? 
What kind of possibilities are there for players to alter their own 
gameplay experiences, both within the given ruleset of the game and 
against it, as well as on the metalevel of gaming itself? It has been 
suggested that the metalevel of gaming ('gaming the system') is the 
result of the reappropriation of metarules, the player's negotiations 
over the rules, which may eventually constitute a vital component of 
their actual gameplay. Online social interaction often plays a key role 
in this kind of reframing. In this presentation I will suggest that the 
internet does not act merely as a distribution channel for games but 
also an agent of change in itself. It provides incentive for users 
because it allows the formation of communities and the acquisition of 
social significance in particular ways. It is hard to exaggerate the 
importance of social media (such as Facebook) as the facilitator of 
these processes. The question then remains, how does this kind of 
'participatory design' of the playworld transform the context in which 
gameplay acquires social significance, and how can we study it.

    * *The appeal of digital games for an older audience* by Bob de
      Schutter, Catholic University of Louvain

This research project explored the use of digital games among older 
adults. To provide a set of 'benchmark data' with respect to the uses 
and gratifications of these players, an exploratory survey was 
administered among 124 individuals, aged between 45 and 85 years old. 
The findings from this study were used as a basis for a qualitative 
Grounded Theory study among 35 respondents aged 50 to 70. The project 
provides a rich description of the meaning that digital games have in 
the life of older players, with a specific focus on the role of 
perceived need gratification in the assignation of meaning towards 
digital games.

    * *An introduction to DiGRA Flanders *by Bob de Schutter
      While academic game research in Flanders has grown exponentially
      over the last couple of years, Flemish game researchers were
      fragmented throughout the country. As this was not a beneficial
      situation to conduct high quality game research, informal meetings
      with members of many Flemish research groups exposed a mutual
      desire to organize a collaboration on a structural level.
      Considering the multidisciplinary and international merits of the
      Digital Game Research Association, a Flemish DiGRA chapter proved
      to be the perfect fit for the communication and collaboration
      platform Flemish game researchers aspired. During this
      presentation, I will introduce the members of its organisation, as
      well as the past and future activities of DiGRA Flanders
    * 17.15 Drinks  *  *

 

*To register for the meeting on Friday, February 19, 15.00-18.00 hrs. 
please follow this link:*


http://gate.gameresearch.nl/index.php?pageID=105



Kind regards,

Marinka Copier (DiGRA),
Mark Overmars (AGS) and
Jeroen Jansz (DiGRA).


-- 
Prof. Dr. Jeroen Jansz

FHKW - Department of Media and Communication
Erasmus University Rotterdam
P.O. Box 1738
NL-3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Phone: 	+31 10 408 24 53 
Email:	jansz at fhk.eur.nl
Website:	http://www.fhk.eur.nl/personal/jeroen_jansz/bio/
 
Visiting address:
L-Building, Room L2-33
Woudestein Campus, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam

Route and Location:
http://www.eur.nl/english/addresses/


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