Each presentation is meant to provide your summary of the significance of the work described in the paper. For some of the papers, this will be things like the conceptual framework that the paper's authors put forward. For other papers, the significance will lie in a particular algorithm's design and how it does (or doesn't) function in some way related to narrative systems.
Your presentation should last 15 minutes, leaving about another 5 or so for questions from the class afterwards. If your presentation runs longer than 20 minutes, I'll have to end it by interrupting. You should prepare something like a powerpoint presentation to run with your discussion, using the slides to summarize your points or to augment what you're saying with relevant info/images/etc. While powerpoint may be one of the easiest tools to use for this, feel free to create the presentation media using anything that can be run on the in-class PC (html, pdf, quicktime, windows media, text files, Word, etc). Once you have finished your presentation, please email the TA your presentation media in PDF format. If you cannot find a way to convert your presentation to PDF, please let me know and we can see about some alternative submission arrangement.
The major outline of your presentation will typically run like this:
- Introduction to the ideas in the paper. Just give the context -- what the main idea is, why its important to us.
- Related work described by the paper. How do the new ideas in the paper fit into the existing research community's work?
- The paper's contribution in detail. How does the algorithm work? What is the conceptual distinction being drawn? What is the argument to support the authors' claims?
- Evaluation. How do the authors show us that their claims are right? This should include a discussion of YOUR evaluation, as well. Do you think they did a compelling job discussing the eval? Did they leave something out? Get something wrong?
- Summary and Discussion. Bring it all together here.
You can deviate from this outline, of course, and creativity in covering all the items in 1-5 is especially appreciated. But make sure that you do a scientific job -- we need depth and rigor in our analysis. |
[Note that some of this text is taken from the course syllabus. But I expand on the ideas here, so don't skip it thinking you've read it already.]
If you're considering an implementation
An implementation will involve the development of novel algorithms for structuring user interaction in a virtual world, along with the implementation of those algorithms in one of the virtual world systems available to course participants.
Basically, you will build a system that demonstrates some narrative element(s). You should NOT build the system from the bottom up unless the construction overall is the main contribution of the project. More typically, you should pick a project that takes some kind of software environment and augment it to display an enhanced aspect of narrative. Take a game engine that you've worked with and build a character dialog generator. Work with Scratch to create an interactive adventure game that uses some code you wrote to dynamically generate quests. Build a MUD where groups of users work towards common goals and the system balances the storyline as each of the many users changes the world.
Some candidate environments you might use:
- LambdaMOO text-based virtual world (with scripting language)
- Unreal Tournament 2004
- Scratch
- Alice
- XNA Game Studio Express
- C/C++/OpenGL/Java/Lua
- Any game that comes with a scripting environment
The implementation options will require time in the lab outside of class time in order to acquire any necessary authoring skills, then design, build and test the finished product. You may give periodic updates on your project to the class if this is appropriate. At project due date, you may be asked to give a class demonstration of your system, including a short presentation describing its scientific contributions followed by an example of the system at work. If your system is interactive (and I'd really like it to be), you should make your system accessible for class members to experience in settings less formal than the project review demo (for instance, by designing it so that we can access it via the net).
You will be expected to submit your presentation slides, design notes and a three-page description of the system, the central algorithm(s) used, its contribution and its evaluation.
If you're considering a research paper
A research paper may be on any topic of your choice as long as 1) it addresses issues of interface and interaction as they unfold in class and 2) is approved by the instructor. As you will discover, this makes the acceptable category extremely broad, but please do not make the error of assuming that I'll approve any topic or that, once your topic is approved, your paper need not have depth and focus.
Research papers should be no more than 15 pages in length, including all figures, diagrams and references. Papers should use 12 point font, use one and a half spacing, have no more than 5 lines per inch and margins of one inch all around. Papers considerably shorter than 15 pages in length will be looked at with an additional level of curiosity.
All papers will be submitted electronically (via on-line submit pages) unless prior approval is given, and will be made available to the class for our review and possible discussion (Which you should be prepared to lead if asked). Your paper should be submitted in PDF format. Note that your paper will be graded on the ideas it presents AND how well it presents them. Spell. Correctly. Use proper grammar. Construct a clear, compelling and valid argument. An essential skill for any scientist is the ability to communicate his or her ideas to his peers and to the general public. Your paper is one example. |
In this course we examine the use of intelligent systems to control interaction within virtual worlds, focusing on the computational modeling of narrative as a primary organizing principle for that interaction. Class format is a combination of seminar and lecture, drawing from texts at the intersections of artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, multi-agent systems, computational linguistics, user interface design, narrative and film theory and sociology.
The focus of the course is cross-disciplinary, and it often attracts students with interests both inside and outside of computer science. While the emphasis in the course will be on theoretical aspects of intelligent interaction and will focus on computational techniques from artificial intelligence, the course benefits strongly from the participation of students from related fields. The assignments are designed to help engage students from other disciplines and their enrollment in the course is encouraged. Pre-requistites Graduate standing in Computer Science or consent of instructor. The course is taught by Dr. R. Michael Young. Course time and location, Fall 2008Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays9:35AM to 10:25AM
Room EB2 1230 |
Office hours for Fall 200R. Michael Young Wednesdays from 3:00PM to 4:30PMor by appointmentAll office hours held in EB2 2258 unless otherwise noted
| | TA Leo (Byung Chull Bae) Tuesday 10:30AM to noon; Friday 3:00PM to 4:30PM or by appointment (bbaeATncsu.edu)
All office hours held in EB2 2246 unless otherwise noted | | | | |
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