The European Game Science Lab (EGSL) officially kicked off at the end of October. At a hybrid kick-off meeting at the renowned IMT Lucca, all project partners came together to set the course for an exciting first year. The timing could hardly have been better, as the meeting coincided with the internationally renowned Lucca Comics and Games trade fair – an ideal platform for presenting this new European initiative.
Strategic Planning for the First Project Year
At the hybrid kick-off hosted at IMT Lucca, the EGSL partner organisations discussed and coordinated the annual planning and specific work package activities in detail. This careful planning forms the foundation for all future initiatives of the laboratory and emphasises the interdisciplinary approach of the partners involved.
“The combination of strategic consortium planning, public exhibition at the IMT Library, and specialist lectures laid the operational foundation for the European Game Science Lab.”
Presence at Lucca Comics and Games
In the days following the kick-off, the European Game Science Lab took the opportunity to introduce itself to a wider audience. At the IMT Library’s exhibition at Lucca Comics and Games, the project was able to attract numerous visitors and inspire them with its goals. The trade fair, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from the gaming, comic, and pop culture scene every year, provided an excellent platform for making contacts and expanding the network.
Specialist Lectures on Socially Relevant Gaming Topics
To accompany the exhibition, IMT Lucca organised a high-calibre lecture programme that addressed the importance of games in our society. Two specialist lectures deserve special mention:
Ennio Bilancini and Thomas Bremer gave an exciting outlook on the development of the Ludo-Narrative Framework in their lecture – a promising approach that aims to bring narrative elements and game mechanics into a coherent theoretical framework.
In another presentation, Thomas Bremer and David Witzgall shed light on the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence brings to game development. In view of the rapid developments in the field of AI, this was a particularly topical and relevant subject that met with great interest.
Outlook
With this successful launch, the European Game Science Lab has laid the foundations for its future work. The combination of strategic planning, public presentation, and professional exchange already demonstrates the scope and potential of this European initiative.