Social Simulation and Games

Organiser: 

ESSA Special Interest Group Social Simulation and Games

Session chairs:

Timo Szczepanska, CRAFT Research Lab, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway

Melania Borit, CRAFT Research Lab, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway

Harko Verhagen, Stockholm University, Sweden

Description:

This special track focuses on the interplay between social simulation and games. We wish to bring together researchers working in both fields at a crossroads where synergies will be created between the two areas. (NB! The games domain is not the same with the game theory one.)

• Game design. What level of abstraction is chosen for a game intended to be combined with an agent-based model (ABM) in a research setup? What game elements / game mechanics are useful?
• Modelling the social situation. Which approach captures the situation with sufficient granularity? How should a choice be made to include specific theories and models that describe the situation?
• Example implementations. Stories of success and failure: Which elements in a game that includes social interaction turn out to be useful, and which are counter-productive? Which elements of social simulations can be used in the design of games? How can you document the games & ABM research design in a useful way?