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IntroductionThis page covers topics from abstract research on games to applied technology for commercial video game production. It aims to appeal to academic researchers and game developers, as well as those who fall somewhere in between. Video game design and production is a fast paced, hit-driven, technology-based field. Hardware used in game consoles and personal computers continues to improve, getting faster and cheaper at a dizzying pace. Video game developers start each new project with increased computational resources, and a long list of cool features they would like to incorporate. Since they normally work on very tight production schedules, they have little or no time to experiment with untested technology. Results from recent research help to bridge that gap. Researchers, working largely in academia and occasionally in
industry, are motivated
by exploring new technology. To be published, research must be novel: either a completely new
idea
or a significant improvement on an old idea. Commercial game
development can provide a rich stream of "...it would be nice if..."
ideas which can inspire new research projects. This focus on
novelty in the research world contrasts with the commercial
world. There, while novelty is good, what really matters is an
enjoyable, engaging experience. A sequel can be a hit while a
strikingly original game may not. These two communities have conflicting goals and very
different
cultures. Yet a mutually
beneficial symbiotic
relation can exist between them. With luck this page may
lead to cross-fertilization and perhaps some beneficial collaborations. Maintenance of this page is generously sponsored by the R&D group of Sony Computer Entertainment America. What isn't here
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