The ever-widening world of video games comes together Oct. 16-18 at Michigan State University when it hosts the “Meaningful Play” conference.
The three-day event will bring together academics, researchers, designers and players for one of game industry’s premier gatherings.
“I think we do a pretty good job of balancing between academics and industry,” said Casey O’Donnell, one of the conference organizers and an assistant professor of media and information.
“We take a pretty broad view of the word ‘meaningful,’” said Brian Winn, an MSU associate professor of media and information who also directs the Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab. “Games can be educational, serious. Even entertaining games can be meaningful.”
The conference will focus on theory, research and game-design innovations, principles and practices. The goal: To better understand and improve upon games that entertain, inform and educate in meaningful ways, especially games in the health and education fields.
One of the more visual highlights of the conference is the game exhibition that will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 16 in the ballroom of the MSU Union.
“There will be more than 40 people presenting their game projects,” Winn said. “Participants can interact with the designers and, of course, play with the games.”
On Friday, Oct. 17, there will be the “Pure Michigan Game Exhibition and Celebration.” That is from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Technology Innovation Center, 325 E. Grand River, East Lansing.
“We’ve invited Michigan-based game development studios to come and show off their stuff,” Winn said.
The is the fourth year MSU has hosted the conference, which will also feature speakers, panel discussions, presentation of academic papers and posters, and hands-on workshops.
For more information, visit http://meaningfulplay.msu.edu/.