Journal of Game Development

Rationale

The game industry has become a multi-billion dollar industry in a relatively brief period. It has grown more rapidly than experts predicted and it continues to push current computer technology beyond capacity. During this continuing period of accelerated growth, little time is invested in serious academic research. Game developers and publishers, pressured by competition and commercial challenges, are forced to learn and develop "as they go." To date, advances in game technology have been "evolutionary"—one game improving on the other, and often the result of "borrowed research" from other disciplines that has been applied to the game environment. Consequently, the lack of game-specific research has prevented many in the academic community from embracing game development as a serious field of study. The current state of game development is reminiscent of computer science in the '60s— a discipline attempting to establish an identity—yet often in the shadow of mathematics.

Numerous developers and programmers who are currently employed in the industry are self-taught or they have developed their skills while "on the job." Others have been formally educated, holding degrees in related disciplines. They frequently cite peer-reviewed journals from a variety of areas, including mathematics, physics, artificial intelligence, simulation, visualization, programming, and networking. Although these articles are beneficial, initially they must be uncovered, segregated, analyzed, and tested to determine their intrinsic value to the game industry.

To remedy this time-consuming process, it is necessary to provide a vehicle for disseminating the research and findings that are indigenous to the game development community. The Journal of Game Development will provide a much-needed medium of communication and the raison d'etre for serious academic research focused solely on game-related issues. This type of research, which spawns innovation, is paramount for the continued growth and success of the game industry.

Aims and Scope

Serving the game development industry and the academic community, The Journal of Game Development will present leading-edge, original research, and theoretical underpinnings that detail the most recent findings in related academic disciplines; hardware, software, and technology that will directly affect the way games are conceived, developed, produced, and delivered. The research will come from both industry and academia.

The journal will cover all game development related areas, including artificial intelligence, mathematics, physics, networking (particularly for massively multiplayer online games), programming, graphics, audio, simulation, polygonal techniques, real-time issues, etc. Other areas of importance and application for these findings include robotics, visualization, and grid computing.

The journal will help validate the research with a new, practical, and interesting medium for disseminating the information of this important application of computer science, and it will help to garner acceptance for the study of game development by the academic community. The journal will feature the following:

• Leading edge research and theoretical underpinnings in areas central to innovative applications for game development
  
• International Advisory and Editorial Boards comprised of both academicians and industry professionals
  
• Only peer reviewed journal dedicated to the advancement of game development as a recognized field within the computer science discipline
  
• Opportunity for those outside of the game development community to publish game-related research in the appropriate journal

Possible issue topics (subject to board approval):

• Grid computing or massively multiplayer issues (e.g. real time issues, wavelets, compression techniques)
  
• Mathematics
  
• Physics
  
• AI
  
• Visualization
  
• Audio