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http://www.gameinnovation.org/index.php/Welcome_to_the_Game_Innovation_Database%21
Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) has announced the launch of the Game Innovation Database (GIDb), a new online encyclopedia of videogames (www.gameinnovation.org).
The goal of the online database is to classify and document every innovation in the history of videogames. The GIDb provides a taxonomy for videogame innovations and is implemented through an online “wiki,” which allows anyone who reads it to update existing entries and contribute new ones. People can edit the site’s content, look up a game and innovation, explore the taxonomy and suggest new features for the Web site.
“Videogames have been, and continue to be, an area where innovation is flourishing,” says project advisor Jesse Schell, an instructor of Entertainment Technology who specializes in game design at the ETC. “So many videogame innovations have occurred so fast that there is a danger that many fascinating and important innovations will be forgotten. We have created the Game Innovation Database in order to create a historical record of which innovations appeared when, and why they are important.
“By making the GIDb an open wiki that anyone can contribute to, or correct errors in, we believe that eventually we will be able to have a complete record of every innovation that has occurred, all organized by a taxonomy that is clear and useful. We believe that this database will be able to serve as a historical record and a teaching tool, as well as a helpful resource for designers who want to study what has come before,” Schell said.
The GIDb is designed for a variety of users. The Web site acts as a forum to discuss the importance, influence and potential applications of various innovations. Instructors may use the GIDb as a resource for teaching videogame history and design classes, and game developers can also use it as a tool for research and brainstorming.
“The videogame industry has existed for around 35 years, and there is still no comprehensive resource for the history of videogame innovation,” said Eric Keylor, a member of the development team. “The GIDb will fill this need. Academics and instructors can use it as an educational resource, while fans can use it to learn something about their favorite games and to discover related games,” Keylor said.
The database had a few hundred entries at its launch, but as the community becomes aware of the database, it is expected to grow. Users with a strong interest in expanding the database may apply to join the GIDb Editorial Board.
“There are several books that document the history of videogames, but none of them really attempt to document the experiences that made them unique,” said Justin Cinicolo, another collaborator on the project. “The essence of the project isn’t about preserving games; it’s about using our innovative past to make our future games even more creative,” Cinicolo said.
The Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon offers an interdisciplinary master’s degree program with the College of Fine Arts and School of Computer Science. Although students come from both fine arts and technology backgrounds, they are not expected to master both fields. Instead, the program focuses on honing the students’ existing skills and teaching them to work effectively with other professional groups. Carnegie Mellon is the only university to offer the Master in Entertainment Technology (MET) degree. |
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