CFP: Proposed Panel for the 2007 Society for Cinema & Media Studies
(SCMS) Conference: Chicago, IL, March 8-11, 2007

==Videogame Mechanics==

In keeping with the Society for Cinema & Media Studies' growing
incorporation of game studies among its proceedings, we seek papers
for a panel tentatively entitled "Videogame Mechanics."

Much has been made of the explosive growth of the videogame market and
its inroads into the disposable time and income of film and television
audiences, yet relatively little analysis has been undertaken of the
rapid evolution of these games and their interfaces. Indeed, as
controllers and game engines become increasingly complex, so too must
ludic practices. As such, the most elemental aspects of both games
and the player's experience are rapidly developing and expanding to
adapt new technologies and systems.

While much has been written on the "language" of cinema, both the
grammar and vocabulary of games remain works in progress. This panel
seeks to address this evolution, examining the changing practices of
play via interface and game mechanics. Paper proposals should address
either specific structural components of videogames (i.e. power-ups,
saved games, game interfaces, etc.), the ludic issues that arise from
such constitutive elements, or the relationships between the
structures and mechanics of games and other media. All approaches to
these subjects are welcome.

Please submit a 300 word abstract, along with a brief biographical
statement, to Robert Buerkle of the University of Southern California
at buerkle_at_usc.edu by August 21, 2006.

Accepted panelists will be notified by August 27 in order to submit
the proposed panel
to SCMS by September 1. Acceptance of this proposed panel by SCMS is
not guaranteed.

Details of the 2007 SCMS conference can be found at
http://www.cmstudies.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=51

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Received on Fri Aug 11 2006 - 15:27:56 EDT