Foundations of Digital Games Conference April 26-30, 2009

FDG ’09, the fourth International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games, is organized on April 26-30, 2009 on-board the Disney Wonder cruise ship departing from Port Canaveral, Florida. The FDG`09 is a focal point for academic efforts in all areas of research and education involving computer and console games, game technologies, game play and game design. Previously known as Academic Days on Game Development in Computer Science Education (GDCSE 08), this year's conference expands its scope to encompass all aspects of Computer Science focused game research, along with game-oriented education research, and game studies and game design research. The goal of the conference is the advancement of the science of digital games, including new game technologies, capabilities, designs, applications, educational uses, and modes of play.

The FDG 2009 will include presentation of peer-reviewed papers, invited talks by high-profile industry and academic leaders, hands-on tutorials and topical panels on a range of subjects related to games research and education. We invite researchers and educators to share insights and cutting-edge results relating to game technologies and their use.

CALL FOR PAPERS

FDG 2009 will accept both full paper and poster submissions. To encourage submissions across a range of topics, this year's program includes six distinct theme areas. Authors may choose to submit their papers to the general conference or to a specific theme area of particular relevance. The conference themes are a) artificial intelligence, b) computer science and games education, c) databases, d) game studies/game design, e) graphics and interfaces and f) networking and security. Papers that fall outside these topic areas are strongly encouraged and should be submitted to the general track. All submissions will be rigorously peer reviewed for their technical merit, significance, clarity and relevance to the advancement of the sciences of games. All full papers must describe a completed unit of work and show rigorous and compelling evaluation of the ideas they present. Poster submissions should describe novel work in progress that is not at the same level of research maturity as a full submission.

**Submission deadline is extended to 11PM Pacific time on December 23, 2008**

PAPERS AND POSTERS

All accepted paper and poster submissions will be published in the conference proceedings, which will be available on a USB drive. For a paper or poster to appear in the proceedings, at least one author must register for the conference by the deadline for camera-ready copy submission. One author of each accepted submission will be provided with a special registration package that allows them to register at the early registration rate. Papers, posters and doctoral consortium publications from this year's conference will be included in the ACM Digital Library. The conference is organized in cooperation with ACM SIGWEB, SIGART and SIGCSE and expects approval of in-cooperation status with additional ACM SIGs soon.

IMPORTANT DATES

December 23, 2008 Full paper and poster submission deadline

December 23, 2008 Doctoral Consortium proposal submission deadline

January 30, 2009 Paper, poster, and Doctoral Consortium notifications of acceptance/rejection

February 9, 2009 Regular registration deadline

February 20, 2009 Camera-ready copy due. Presenting author conference registration deadline

March 9, 2009 Late registration deadline

April 26-30, 2009 2009 Int’l Conference on Foundations of Digital Games

April 30, 2009 Doctoral Consortium

COSTS

Registration for the conference includes a stateroom (shared), all meals onboard ship, bus transfer from selected Orlando airport hotels to the Disney Wonder, bus transportation from the Disney Wonder to the Orlando airport, port taxes and fees, all onboard gratuities, and conference registration.

Early registration (until and including December 9):

Cabin without balcony (has ocean view window): $650

Cabin with balcony: $725

Regular registration (until and including Feb 9):

Cabin without balcony (has ocean view window): $775

Cabin with balcony: $875

Late registration (up until and including March 9):

Cabin without balcony (has ocean view window): $950

Cabin with balcony: $1025

Please see www.foundationsofdigitalgames.org for additional information.

Kind regards,

Sanna Kuusisto / Acadmic Audience Manager, Microsoft Switzerland