News
The DigiMedia Dialogs#5 took place on December 17 with an interesting session on the design process of the initiative, the implementation and main results of the pilot study #00 and the expectations for the future of the Students@DigiMedia project. The team of the pilot edition – Carlos Santos, Liliana Costa, Mónica Aresta, João Batista, Tânia Ribeiro, Francisco Regalado, Lorena Sousa e Maria Clara Rodrigues – proposed a task at the end that helped the DigiMedia members to get familiar with the form opened for proposals’ registration and that promoted team work and cohesion.
The Media Innovation Circle#6 took place on November 26 with a talk by Víctor Navarro Remesal, Tecnocampus Mataró-Maresme Foundation (Spain), followed by a participated discussion on the topic “Asymmetrical cooperative play: Doing (international) game research from the fringes”, moderated by Liliana Costa (DigiMedia/UA).
The video is already available on DigiMedia YouTube channel. Watch HERE. We invite you to subscribe the channel.
Víctor Navarro-Remesal is a media scholar specialized in games. He teaches History of Videogames and Interactive Narrative at Tecnocampus, Universitat Pompeu Fabra and Game Design at UOC. He’s the author of ‘Libertad dirigida: Una gramática del análisis y diseño de videojuegos’ (Shangrila, 2016) and ‘Cine Ludens: 50 diálogos entre el juego y el cine’ (Editorial UOC, 2019), as well as the editor of ‘Pensar el juego. 25 caminos para los game studies’ (Shangrila, 2020). His research interests are player freedom, Zen-inspired games and slow gaming, gêmu, and game preservation. He is one of the founding members of DIGRA Spain. His current funded project is ‘LUDOMYTHOLOGIES: Myths and ideology in contemporary video game.
Abstract
Academia is by definition an international enterprise. The search and construction of knowledge cannot be attained by one individual alone, not by a closed community. This is specially important when dealing with games and video games, cultural objects that come from industries that were transnational from their inceptions. But this internationality can overshadow the idiosyncrasies of the local and how local spaces come together to form uneven international networks. The interest of this presentation, motivated by the foundation of the Spanish chapter of DiGRA and the coming release of the book “Perspectives on the European Videogame”, is to explore the state of game studies, or game research, as a field from this perspective: how exactly is it international? What are the ways in which we can play it as a cooperative play and how we are made to compete? How can we be aware of the asymmetries in the design of this cooperative play, and can they be played to our collective advantage? And what does it mean to be in the “fringes” (geographically, linguistically, conceptually) of game studies?
DigiMedia researchers Pedro Beça and Mónica Aresta presented the main results of the Gamers4Nature (G4N) project at the SMART-ER webinar on Citizen Science .
Taking place on the 13th December, the webinar “Water, Environment and Community Engagement Through Citizen Science” had as main goals to boost a strong Community on Citizen Science within the ECIU Consortium and to identify potential lines of collaboration between projects and foster the creation of SMART-ER trans-national pilots in Citizen Science.
The DigiMedia researchers introduced the Gamers4Nature project and its goals, and shared examples of digital games developed by students along the project.
The article “A Profile on Twitter Shadowban: An AI Ethics Position Paper on Free-Speech” by was published in Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2021. IDEAL 2021.
Abstract:
Citation:
Marcondes F.S. et al. (2021) A Profile on Twitter Shadowban: An AI Ethics Position Paper on Free-Speech. In: Yin H. et al. (eds) Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2021, pp. 397-405. IDEAL 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13113. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91608-4_39
More information available HERE
The article “Mechanics or Mechanisms: defining differences in analog games to support game design” by Micael Sousa, Nelson Zagalo (DigiMedia member) and Ana Patrícia Oliveira (DigiMedia member) was published in 2021 IEEE Conference on Games (CoG).
Abstract:
Citation:
M. Sousa, N. Zagalo and A. P. Oliveira, “Mechanics or Mechanisms: defining differences in analog games to support game design,” 2021 IEEE Conference on Games (CoG), 2021, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/CoG52621.2021.9619055
More information available HERE
Raissa Sales’s online PhD defense takes place on the 17th December, at 2:00 p.m., with the topic Infocommunication and digital platforms in the sharing economy: a multicase study about the trust in sustainable contexts | Infocomunicação e plataformas digitais na economia de partilha: um estudo multicasos sobre a confiança em contextos sustentáveis
Raissa Sales is a student of the PhD programme in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms and her supervisor is Vania Baldi (DigiMedia, UA).
DigiMedia members are invited to participate in this important moment.
Abstract:
This research analyses the recent emergence of trust and participation relationships formed online and conducted digitally, in the sharing of goods and services, and thus propose good communication practices and reliable information sharing, to facilitate a collaborative culture within that network. It considers the trust and shared interests formed online between users of the digital platforms Volunteers Base, The Poosh and WWOOF Portugal, focusing on the exchange of skills and knowledge and the digital sharing of ‘lifestyles’ based on a culture of sustainability. The primary focus of this investigation is to analyse the experiences of ‘sharing’ between those who offer to work, without financial remuneration, as a volunteer, in exchange for acquisition of certain skills, a better social life and to expand their contacts, with those hosts willing to teach, accommodate and pass on their understanding in order to receive help in their social space. A qualitative and exploratory approach forms the foundation of the methodology for collecting and interpreting data, derived from observation across three digital platforms, content analysis of 104 host profiles, a survey of 110 individual volunteers and collaboration with 11 designated experts. The role of these digital platforms in ‘the sharing economy’, aim to mediate the relationships between users through an info-communication system, capable not only of linking a network of users, but, above all, look to inspire trust among the users using tools of information and mechanisms that ensure faith in the system. Intercommunication between users facilitated by these digital platforms, by use of these tools and resources, is also the way in which these sharing experiences are being promoted and reflects the degree of commitment of these organizations to their users. The fact that transactions of exchange, sale, rental, or donation take place between peers (directly between the actors within the sharing economy and without intervention by a traditional company), modifies the procedural logic of consumption, but does not entirely eliminate organizational interests, these organizations that truly strive to allow a better use of resources (technological, social, or environmental) consequently create more sustainable practices. In general, the investigated digital platforms manage their content to guarantee open access to information for users, while minimally seeking to ensure data and privacy. User safety is one of the main issues raised from the perspective of trust in the digital platform. However, these digital platforms do create a culture of participation imbued with social values common to both volunteers and hosts that makes trust essential for a collaborative lifestyle. To build trust in this context, takes as its starting point, the expectation of reciprocity, backed-up by the commitments of strangers who seek to experience a way of life based on non-commodified, non-financial exchange. Although this type of sharing still seems eccentric for some, to others the opportunity is part of a learning process and the formation of ethical-social bonds. The reciprocal agreement between users can be defined by various interpersonal, cognitive, and subjective indicators. From this, one can see the implicit formation of a social pact between the actors involved, based on the teaching, and learning of skills related to sustainability and reinforced by shared experiences mediated within the network. Trust can therefore be built from shared experiences and collaborative lifestyles, as maintained by the community of volunteers and hosts, and supported by digital platforms designed for this purpose. In light of this, the proposal of good info-communicational practices in the context of a collaborative culture in a network, was strategic, in order to explore its best dynamics and socio-technical conditions. This construct was based on a set of 16 guidelines proposed for the success of sharing practices. It is hoped that this investigation, given the evidence of a collaborative ethos, can promote a participatory culture of good digital practices, fostering the intersection between academic discussions, the policies of the analysed platforms and the interested institutions.
To participate follow the link: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/88112625338
More information available HERE
Open call for one (1) Research Grant under the TRUE – Trustworthy news and Related content for a Unified writing Environment – a project under the ID (AAC 17/SI/2019), with financial support from Centro2020, Portugal 2020, under the following conditions:
1. Scientific Area: Communication Sciences and Technologies
2. Admission Requirements: Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in Multimedia and Communication, or related areas. Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD in Information and Communication Sciences or related areas or enrolled in a Non-Degree Course of University of Aveiro. Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in the scientific area of Information and Communication Sciences or related areas.
3. Eligibility: Candidates who comply with the provisions of paragraph a) of no. 1 of article 2 of the Research Grant Holder Statute, as amended by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of 28 August, and also the provisions of article 9 of the Scientific Research Grant Regulations of the University of Aveiro are eligible.
4. Work plan:
It is intended, during this scholarship, to perform the following tasks:
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- Study similar solutions of writing supporting.
- Develop digital solution to support writing (based on web technologies), considering text main entities, and showing similar content fonts.
- Test and evaluate the solution with the target audience.
5. Applicable legislation and regulations: Statute of the Scientific Research Grant Holder, as amended by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of August 28; Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the University of Aveiro, Regulation no. 292/2020, published in Diário da República no. 61, Series II, of March 26 (https://dre.pt/application/file/a/130722170); Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16 (Legal regime of recognition of academic degrees and diplomas of higher education awarded by foreign higher education institutions).
6. Work place: The work will be carried out at the Department of Communication and Art of the University of Aveiro, in the DigiMedia laboratory, under the scientific supervision of Professor Telmo Eduardo Miranda Castelão da Silva.
7. Duration of the fellowship(s): The fellowship will have a duration of 12 months, starting in January 2022, possibly renewable, not exceeding the maximum duration of the project.
8. Amount of the monthly maintenance allowance: The amount of the grant is €1,104.64, according to the table of monthly maintenance allowance values, set out in Annex III of the Scientific Research Grant Regulations of the University of Aveiro.
9. Selection methods: The selection methods to be used are:
(a) Curriculum evaluation (50%);
b) Interview (50%).
10. Composition of the Selection Board: Professor Telmo Eduardo Miranda Castelão da Silva (Chairman); Professor Jorge Trinidad Ferraz de Abreu (Effective Member); Professor Pedro Alexandre dos Santos Almeida (Effective Member); Professor Ana Margarida Pisco Almeida (Substitute Member); Carlos Manuel das Neves Santos (Substitute Member).
11. Application deadline and form of presentation of applications: The call is open from 13 to 27 of December of 2021 and only applications submitted within the deadline will be admitted.
The application should be formalized with the following documents: Cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, qualifications certificate and other supporting documents deemed relevant. You should also indicate the e-mail address to which, by that indication, you accept to be notified for all purposes within this procedure.
The application should be done by e-mail to tsilva@ua.pt
12. Form of publication/notification of results: The results of the evaluation shall be disclosed no later than 60 working days after the deadline for submission of applications by notifying the candidates. The candidates are informed, in a prior hearing, under the terms established in the Administrative Procedure Code, of the probable meaning of the final decision, and may, within 10 working days of this notification, comment on this decision. The final results may be appealed to the Rector, to be submitted within 10 working days of the respective notification.
13. Form of publication/notification of results: The results of the evaluation shall be made public no later than 60 working days after the closing date for submission of applications and shall be notified to the applicants. The candidates are informed, in a prior hearing, under the terms established in the Code of Administrative Procedure, of the probable meaning of the final decision, and may, within 10 working days of this notification, express their opinion on this decision. The final results may be appealed to the Rector, to be submitted within 10 working days from the respective notification.
14. Tender duration: The final ranking list of candidates will be valid until 1 of April of 2021 for the purpose of constituting a reserve list for selection.
ACM IMX’22
ACM International Conference on Interactive Media Experiences (IMX)
22-24 June 2022, Aveiro, Portugal
Deadline for submission: 28/01/2022
https://imx.acm.org/2022/participation/papers/
The ACM International Conference on Interactive Media Experiences (IMX) focuses on challenges and innovations across diverse forms of media engagement and experiences. The aim is to provoke and promote discussion and the sharing of exciting ideas amongst researchers, industry practitioners and the academic community in all forms of media: VR, AR, MR, XR, 360°, live-streaming, online media content, authoring and production, as well as TV. We encourage authors to submit their novel research findings in analyzing, developing, creating, installing, evaluating, critiquing or distributing interactive media experiences. Possible topics of interest include:
• Understanding audience interests and their related interaction with content.
• Developing new content forms and formats and media/video‑centric experiences.
• Analyzing and developing underlying technologies and systems.
• Critiquing and creating production tools and workflows.
• Exploring the use and implications of AI and machine learning (e.g. in social media, media analytics, etc.).
• Developing innovative business models and marketing techniques in relation to multimedia experiences.
• Understanding wider social and cultural contexts of multimedia experiences.
• Designing and showcasing experimental media interactive art experiences.
• Exploring cultural, artistic, and creative experiences through interactive multimedia (e.g. performance & opera, digital humanities, etc.).
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All submissions should follow the ACM guidelines. There is a single submission paper format (for long and short papers in the main paper track). We invite the submission of anonymized papers of between 7,000–8,000 words excluding references and figure/table captions, with a 150 word abstract. Authors are encouraged to submit a paper of length proportional to its contribution; valuable but concise contributions are also welcome as short papers (anonymized and up to 4000 words excluding references and figure/table captions). Shorter, more focused papers will be reviewed with the expectation of a small, focused contribution.
Further details on each of the topics are on the conference website. IMX is an inclusive, growing, interdisciplinary community, so if you aren’t sure whether the specifics of your research are in scope then please email paper@imx2022.com<mailto:paper@imx2022.com>.
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Important Information:
• Submission deadline: 28/01/22
• Decision Notification: 08/03/22
• Selection: Double Blinded Review Process + Rebuttal • Request toenter Mentoring Programme for authors: 09/01/22 https://imx.acm.org/2022/equity/mentoring-program/
• Call for volunteer AC: 01/01/2022 https://imx.acm.org/2022/participation/call-for-associate-chairs/
• Physical and in person conference, however, remote participation will be made possible if needed – (TBA).
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Please feel free to contact the technical program chairs if you would like more information on scope, submission route or any other issues:
paper@imx2022.com<mailto:paper@imx2022.com>
More information available HERE
CALL FOR PAPERS: GAMEBOOKS
The 18th Annual Tampere University Game Research Lab Spring Seminar
5-6 May 2022, Tampere, Finland
Abstract deadline: 21 January 2022
Games and books have long standing relationships. From the Cave of Time choose your own adventure book to Nier: Automata World Guide, Warhammer 40.000 Core Rule Book, Sleeping Gods storybook board game, Overwatch Anthology comic book, Dragons of Autumn Twilight novel, A Beginner’s Guide to Go, and The Lusty Argonian Maid in Elder Scrolls, “gamebooks” can come in many forms. They can, for example, provide the context for games to unfold, explicate the rules, contain inspirations to guide gameplay, or augment and expand gaming and play with a reading experience. While some approaches to game studies have deep roots in literature studies, the many ways in which games and books combine still leaves much room to investigate.
Through interrogating games as books, books as games, and book-game hybrids we can uncover their relationship to different ludic and literary traditions. Books can sustain or contest the hegemonic cultural and societal values related to games and game cultures. Games can take the form of books that we “read” through gameplay. Accordingly, how do we understand this interplay between games and books? What kind of gamelike elements and experiences do books have, and what can we learn about books by playing them like games? The way technological development has affected the interplay of games and books, brings forth more questions related to values, materiality, and production. Rulebooks, for example, have traditionally been essential for analog games, but were once central for digital games as well. Will game related books be reduced to Kickstarter stretch goals and collectors’ items when the growing popularity of tutorial videos, virtual tabletops, and interactive companion apps have d
iminished or changed the role of game related books? Or would we see an invasion of books into digital gamespaces as in-game books and transmedia novels are becoming cost efficient solutions for deepening and expanding the game world and the player-reader experience?
These are just some potential dimensions and questions related to myriad ways books and games come together. For the Spring Seminar of 2022, we are seeking submissions from scholars studying different aspects of gamebooks, book games or any combinations of the two. In addition to game studies and literature studies oriented research, we particularly invite papers that challenge and question existing ideas of game-book hybrids from any perspective. We strongly encourage creative interpretations of both the concepts of “game” and “book” and their possible interrelations.
The list of possible topics includes but is not limited to:
* Games in the form of books: Choose your own adventure, puzzle books, interactive comics, etc.
* Representations and remedializations of books in games, visual novels
* How are games created textually: rules and descriptions, crunch and fluff in game sourcebooks, rule books, expansion books, source books
* Technological developments affecting the interplay between games and books
* Books based on games: novelizations of games, expanded universes of games, fan created game related books, transmedia storytelling, recipe books
* Games and game-based applications based on books
* Published paratexts on games: e.g., titles such as “Art of Game X” or the “Making of Game y” books, strategy guide books, walkthroughs
* Production: How are gamebooks made? Who makes them? Why are they made? How do ‘writing’ and ‘design’ intersect?
* Books signaling the cultural and societal values of games and game cultures
* Gamebooks as collectibles, as crowdfunding stretch goals, as vanity items
* Materiality and aesthetics of gamebooks
* Books as toys: pop-up books, children’s books, tactile books, activity books
* Accessibility and gamebooks: adaptations to braille, game audio books
* Methodology: Is game studies able to address these issues, where should methods be borrowed from and how do they need to be adapted
Submission and publication
Gamebooks is the 18th annual spring seminar organised by Tampere University Game Research Lab<https://gameresearchlab.tuni.fi/>. The seminar emphasises work-in-progress submissions, and we strongly encourage submitting late-breaking results, working papers, as well as submissions from graduate and PhD students. The purpose of the seminar is to have peer-to-peer discussions and thereby provide support in refining and improving research work in this area. The seminar is organised in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence in Game Culture Studies<https://coe-gamecult.org/>.
The papers to be presented will be chosen based on extended abstract review. Full papers are distributed prior to the event to all participants, in order to facilitate discussion. The seminar will be chaired by Professor Frans Mäyrä, and there will be two invited expert commentators (to be announced later) to provide feedback on the papers.
The seminar is looking into partnering with a publisher so that the best papers would be invited to be further developed for publication in a special journal issue — or, appropriately, a book. In the past, we have collaborated with Analog Game Studies, Games and Culture, International Journal of Role-Playing, Simulation & Gaming, and ToDiGRA journals.
The seminar will be held at Tampere University, Finland. The seminar is free of charge. Remote participation will be possible as well. The seminar is augmented with a physical visit to The Finnish Museum of Games and other social programme.
Submission guidelines
The papers will be selected for presentation based on extended abstracts of 500-1000 words (plus references). Abstracts should be delivered in PDF format. Full paper guidelines will be provided with the notification of acceptance.
Our aim is that all participants can familiarise themselves with the papers in advance. Therefore, the maximum length for a full paper is 5000 words (plus references). The seminar presentations should encourage discussion, instead of repeating the information presented in the papers. Every paper will be presented for 10 minutes and discussed for 20 minutes.
Submissions should be sent to gamestudiesseminar@gmail.com.
Important dates
Abstract deadline: 21 January 2022
Notification of acceptance: 10 February 2022
Full Paper deadline: 8 April 2022
Seminar dates: 5-6 May 2022
More information available HERE
The book “Comunicação, saúde e acessibilidade” organized by Margarida Almeida (DigiMedia member), Oksana Tymoshchuk (DigiMedia member) and Suely Maciel, was published within the 4º Congresso Internacional Media Ecology and Image Studies – MEISTUDIES.
Presentation:
Index
Reflexões
As vacinas e a desinformação no ecossistema da mídia by Mágda Rodrigues da Cunha and Luana Chinazzo Müller
Trabajo de los reporteros gráficos en tiempos del Covid -19 by Vladimir Tornero Cruzatt, Dennis Vargas Marín and Carlos Fernández García
A percepção sensorial de violência nas mídias podem somatizar padrões mentais patológicos by Tiago Negrão de Andrade and Osvando José de Morais
Libras em projetos midiáticos: comunicação e tecnologia voltadas para a representação e registro da língua de sinais by Luis dos Santos Miguel and Fernanda Henriques
O aumento do consumo de podcasts no Brasil no período da pandemia de Covid-19 by Alvaro Bufarah Junior
Aplicabilidades
O papel da fotografia nos processos comunicacionais via Instagram sobre o COVID-19 by Denis Renó, Andréa Versuti, Teresa Piñeiro-Otero and Xabier Martínez Rolán
Análise da comunicação dos chefes de governo das Américas no Twitter sobre covid-19 e vacinas by Rita de Cássia Romeiro and Paulino Marina Lisboa Empinotti
Visita guiada com audiodescrição para pessoas com deficiência visual: experiência na Rádio Unesp FM by Raissa Herena de Toledo, Guilherme Ferreira de Oliveira and Suely Maciel
Aplicativos mobile: uma revisão sobre elementos de adesão e aderência nas tecnologias aliadas à prática de exercícios e promoção de vida saudável by Jaqueline Costa Castilho Moreira, Hugo Modaelli Marques and Felipe Videira Roma Moreira
A crescente acessibilidade nas redes sociais: ser diferente e ter acesso à tecnologia, representação e inclusão by Daniela de Carvalho Guedes Bombini and Osvando J. de Morais
Tecnologia Assistiva: a utilização do QR Code como ferramenta de acessibilidade para pessoas com deficiência visual by Anderson Rogério Campana, Maria Cristina Gobbi and Claudines Taveira Torres
Acessibilidade Comunicacional para pessoas com deficiência visual e acesso à cidade: desenvolvimento do aplicativo “SIGA – Guia Acessível da Cidade” by Guilherme Ferreira de Oliveira and Suely Maciel
More information available HERE
The article “Beats and Units Framework: A Story-Game Integration Framework for the Ideation Stage of Narrative Design of Serious Games” by Nelson Zagalo, Ana Patrícia Oliveira and Pedro Cardoso, all DigiMedia members, was published in Interactive Storytelling, the Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, ICIDS 2021, Tallinn, Estonia, December 7–10, 2021.
Abstract:
Citation:
Zagalo N., Oliveira A.P., Cardoso P. (2021) Beats and Units Framework: A Story-Game Integration Framework for the Ideation Stage of Narrative Design of Serious Games. In: Mitchell A., Vosmeer M. (eds) Interactive Storytelling. ICIDS 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13138. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92300-6_15
More information available HERE
The 10th Iberoamerican Conference on Applications and Usability of Interactive TV (JAUTI2021) took place from December 2 to 3, 2021, in Sangolquí, Ecuador. This event aims to present research efforts from academia, industry or government agencies in designing, development, and usability of Digital TV applications and related technologies (IPTV, SmartTV, Connected TV, and Web TV).
SESSION A – User interfaces and interaction in the TV ecosystem
Interactive television (iTV) as a means to decrease elderly social isolation
Juliana Camargo, Telmo Silva and Jorge Abreu
SESSION B – Usability and UX evaluations
The potential of notifications in the TV ecosystem to connect people
Juliana Camargo, Ana Velhinho, Rita Santos and Telmo Silva
Integração de conteúdos multimédia numa plataforma digital de agregação de conteúdos noticiosos
Pedro Almeida, Pedro Beça, Telmo Silva, Carolina Nicolau, Iulia Covalenco and Marcelo Afonso
SESSION D – Environments and interaction techniques
Envelhecimento Ativo e Saudável: o papel de um Assistente de Informação Proativo na TV
Gabriel Faria, Telmo Silva and Jorge Abreu
SESSION E – Technologies, services, and applications for interactive digital TV
MixMyVisit – Geração automática de vídeos para a melhoria da experiência dos visitantes
Pedro Almeida, Pedro Beça, José Soares and Bárbara Soares
Gathering data for training NLU modules in the context of iTV
Tiffany Marques, Rita Santos, Jorge Abreu, Pedro Beça, Telmo Silva and Pedro Almeida
More information available HERE
