Meaningful Play 2012 Conference Overview
Whether designed to entertain or to achieve more "serious" purposes, games have the potential to impact players' beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, emotions, cognitive abilities, physical and mental health, and behavior.
Meaningful Play 2012 is a conference about theory, research, and game design innovations, principles and practices. Meaningful Play brings scholars and industry professionals together to understand and improve upon games to entertain, inform, educate, and persuade in meaningful ways.
The conference will include thought-provoking keynotes from leaders in academia and industry, peer-reviewed paper presentations, panel sessions (including academic and industry discussions), innovative workshops, roundtable discussions, and exhibitions of games and prototypes.
Conference News
October 25, 2012 - At the conference closing, the Game Competition Awards were announced, including:
| Category | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Most Innovative | DNA Roulette | |
| Most Meaningful | Quandary | A Closed World |
| Best Student Created | Reveal | Arithmetects |
| Best Non-Digital | awkward moment | |
| Best Digital | POX: Save the People (iPad Edition) |
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| People's Chioce Award | Fair Play | Don't Kill the Cow (tie) Reveal (tie) Osy Osmosis (tie) |
The top five papers were also recognized, including:
- Results from a controlled study of the iPad fractions game Motion Math by Michelle Riconscente
- Feeling right about how you play: the effects of regulatory fit in games for learning by Yu-Hao Lee, Carrie Heeter, Brian Magerko and Ben Medler
- Research Directions for Pushing Harnessing Human Computation to Mainstream Video Games by Peter Jamieson, Lindsay Grace and Jack Hall
- Dispensable, Tweakable, and Tangible Components: Supporting Socially Negotiated Gameplay by Gifford Cheung, Alison Lee, Kevin Cheng and Hae Jin Lee
- Once More with Feeling: Game Design Patterns for Affective Learning by Claire Dormann, Max Neuvians and Jennifer Whitson
October 22, 2012 - Meaningful Play 2012 was a big success! We had 300 attendees from 10 countries and 32 U.S. States! Check out #mp2012 on twitter to check out twitter posts throughout the event and check out flickr to see photos from the event. The conference proceedings are available online.
October 3, 2012 - We are nearly sold out! Register now if you want to attend Meaningful Play 2012! We are just 15 days away from the opening keynote.
September 28, 2012 - Two special lunch events were added - On Thursday, October 18 the IGDA Learning, Education and Games SIG is hosting a meet-up. On Friday, October 19 there will be an Industry/Student Meet'N'Greet.
September 12, 2012 - Early registration ends Friday, September 14. The special conference hotel rate can be obtained through Thursday, September 20. See Location for details.
September 11, 2012 - The complete program schedule is now available! We have 6 keynote presentations, 12 speaker presentations, 12 panels/roundtables, 4 workshops, 94 paper presentations, 20 poster presentations, 48 game demos, and many opportunities to mix, mingle, and socialize.
July 30, 2012 - We had a record number of submissions! Thanks for all those that submitted papers, posters, games, panels, talks, roundtables, and workshops! The program committee and organizing committee are reviewing the submissions and will notify authors in late August.
July 14, 2012 - Special Events Announced, including pre-conference talk with Constance Steinkuehler, Opening Reception, Poster Session, and Game Exhibition, Indie Game: the Movie screening and panel discussion, and Conference Wrap Up, Closing Keynote, and Lunch, and the Meaningful Play Game Room!
July 9, 2012 - Call for submissions deadline extended to July 28. Submit Paper, Panel, Poster, Roundtable, Workshop, and Game submissions now!
June 25, 2012 - Michael John, Ann DeMarle, and John Ferrara announced as remaining three confirmed keynote speakers. See program for details.
June 1, 2012 - Phaedra Boinodiris, Donald Brinkman, and Kurt Squire announced as first three confirmed keynote speakers. See program for details.
April 17, 2012 - The conference hotels are now available for booking.
January 20, 2012 - Registration is open for Meaningful Play 2012.
September 12, 2011 - We are excited to announce the upcoming Meaningful Play 2012 conference to take place October 18-20, 2012 on the campus of Michigan State University.
Conference Audience and Themes
The conference is primarily for:
- industry and academic game researchers
- industry and academic game designers and developers
- game educators
- students
- government and NGOs interested in games
The two primary themes of the conference are:
- exploring meaningful applications of games
- issues in designing meaningful play
The first theme includes an examination of games (of all types) from primarily an academic research perspective.
The second theme focuses on much more practical knowledge from the front-line of actual design, development, and use of games for meaningful purposes.Previous Meaningful Plays
View details on Meaningful Play 2008 and Meaningful Play 2010.
Keynote Line-Up
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| Donald Brinkman, Manager of Digital Humanities, Digital Heritage, and Games for Learning, Microsoft Research | Phaedra Boinodiris, Serious Games Program Manager, IBM |
Kurt Squire, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison |
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| Michael John, General Manager, Glass Lab / Electronic Arts | Ann DeMarle, Associate Professor, Champlain College | John Ferrara, Creative Director, Megazoid Games |
| See the program for additional presenters. | ||
Special Events
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Wednesday, Oct. 17 Special Presentation - Pre-conference Quello Center Lecture Series presentation by Constance Steinkuehler, currently Senior Policy Analyst at the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the U.S. President. |
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Thursday, Oct. 18 Conference Party - Chance to mix and mingle with conference goers at the Opening Reception, view late breaking research at the Poster Session, and play "meaningful" games at the Game Exhibition (appetizers and drinks provided). |
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Friday, Oct. 19 Industry/Student Meet'n'Greet - This is a great chance for students to meet with some of the companies attending Meaningful Play and pass on resumes. It is a great opportunity for companies to find fresh talent. |
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Friday, Oct. 19 Popcorn and a Movie - Get a snapshot into the trials and tribulations of an indie game developer in the screening of the Sundance Award Winning documentary, "Indie Game: the Movie". A Q&A session with game developers will follow the screening. |
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Saturday, Oct. 20 Conference Wrap Up - Enjoy the provided lunch during the closing keynote with Michael John, General Manager of the "GLASS Lab," an unprecedented cooperative effort between the Gates Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and EA to create educational games. |
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Throughout Conference Game Room - Build meaningful connections with your fellow conference goers while playing a digital or board game in the Meaningful Play Game Room. |
Important Dates
| July 29, 2012 DEADLINE EXTENDED! |
Paper, Panel, Roundtable, Workshop, Speaker, and Game submissions due | |
| August 27, 2012 | Notification of acceptance on Papers, Posters, Panels, Roundtables, Workshops, Speakers, and Games | |
| September 14, 2012 | Revised papers due for inclusion in conference proceedings. Early conference registration ends. |
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| October 18, 2012 | Conference begins | |
| October 20, 2012 | Conference concludes | |
| December 1, 2012 | Top paper authors must submit revised manuscript for possible publication in the Journal of Games and Culture | |
| TBA | Journal distribution date |