[game_edu] re: Open Letter to Academic Game Researchers

[J R Parker]

Keep in touch with your own students, as you shepherd some of them into 
the industry. In time, they'll be in a position to give back. -Darius


I do exactly that, but not for that reason. I want the students to see 
both sides of the equation, my research and the work in industry. I 
don't actually agree that industry is years ahead of academics in this 
or most areas. At my university, I don't have to sign over my IP, and 
companies are still not knocking my door down. No, it is (IMHO) simply 
the current intellectual/emotional stage of the industry.

I see the game industry as much like the movie business was in the 30's 
and 40's. There's a studio system, stars, controlled funds, bright 
lights, and glitz. I no longer expect industry to be interested in my 
game technology work, and I care about that much less than I used to. 
One day they will lift their heads and look around. Either they'll be 
interested then, or not. There's little I can do to speed up the process 
of evolution.

I don't think it's an academic's natural place to be ahead of the pack, 
but it IS or place to think strategically (longer term). If game 
companies can't look much  more ahead than 6-9  months (their next 
project) then I get that, but I'm not willing or able to change what I 
do any more than they are. I have annual reports, grad students to feed, 
and paper deadlines to meet. I share whatever I have whenever someone is 
interested, and am always keen to have lunch or drinks with interesting 
folks from the Gameboy developer down the road. I have limited energy 
for preaching, and either joint efforts will happen or not as a natural 
evolution of the work.

-- 
 
Dr. J. R. Parker                   http://www.ucalgary.ca/~jparker
Digital Media Laboratory                      jparker@ ucalgary.ca
University of Calgary                           403-220-6784
Faculty of Science                        (FAX) 403-284-4707      
 ICT 713                                        403-220-4315
 ICT 715 (LAB)                            Also:            
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~jparker/DML        Sport Technology Laboratory    
Serious Games Canada                       University of Calgary
www.seriousgames.ca                        Faculty of Kinesiology

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