< Back Dr Dino Ratcliffe Queen Mary University of London iGGi Alum Teaching AI agents transferable skills for game playing My research focuses on the ability of an AI agent to be able to evaluate the various skills it would need to master a game, such as in an FPS (first person shooter) like doom. If the agent can learn to cluster actions that may split into strategies such as attacking enemies, gathering ammo/health and avoiding enemy fire this information could then be used in similar games. This information would also provide a base for being to evaluate players on a skill level, giving a much more granular view of their strengths and weaknesses in any of these games. This could then be used for better matchmaking in team games, placing players into teams whose skill sets complement each other. Other applications include being able to guide the player into situations that give them more experience in the areas they are weakest. Dino started a MSci in computer science at the University of Essex in 2011. During the next 4 years, he focused on modules that involved improving technical skills and Artificial Intelligence. He was the winner of the K.F Bowden Memorial prize in two separate years. Dino worked at the London startup Signal Media during the summer of 2014 and continued to work for them part time during my masters year. He graduated with a 1st class degree. Please note: Updating of profile text in progress Email Website LinkedIn Mastodon BlueSky GitHub Other Link Featured Publication(s): Cross-lingual style transfer with conditional prior VAE and style loss Author's declaration Win or learn fast proximal policy optimisation Domain Adaptation for Deep Reinforcement Learning in Visually Distinct Games Clyde: A deep reinforcement learning doom playing agent Themes Game AI - Previous Next

< Back Echo Suite of Software (Showcase Brochure) Link Author(s) Florian Oliver Block, Marian Ursu, Jonathan David Hook, Ben Kirman, Anders Drachen, Simon Peter Demediuk, Athanasios Kokkinakis, [...], Alan Pedrassoli Chitayat, ... Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back Deep Learning for Wave Height Classification in Satellite Images for Offshore Wind Access Link Author(s) RJ Spick, JA Walker Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back Bodystorming in SocialVR to Support Collaborative Embodied Ideation Link Author(s) C Gonzalez Diaz, R Fiebrink, P Perry, R Gibson, B Martelli, S Deterding, ... Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back iGGi/AIM/C4DM Spring Writing Retreat 2025 Last week’s 2025 Spring Writing Retreat was a great success! And the warm & sunny weather certainly landed like the cherry on top! The event brought together 16 PG Researchers from iGGi and AIM CDTs, and the C4DM. The three days were spent at High Leigh Conference Centre in Hertfordshire. According to feedback survey, all respondents found the retreat useful, and an overwhelming majority (75%) deemed the duration and number of participants to be just right. (The remaining 25% are equally split both ways, so we conclude that what was on offer hit the sweet spot.) Here is what participants replied to the question " What was the primary benefit of being away with your and other CDT members?" Made some new friends, got to work on my research in a very focused manner. Vitamin D & focused writing time A change of scenery and structure I could focus entirely on my project Focus, socialise, change environment, and being inspired by other people's research and knowledge Balanced and structured days with focused writing sessions Very concentrated environment A constructive environment Focus. No need to worry about food I felt a really supportive and productive environment spending sometimes with my colleagues and new ones away from the usual workplace. Many participants enquired if there will be another writing retreat soon, so we better get planning! Previous 7 May 2025 Next

< Back Sam Hughes University of York iGGi Alum Affect and Emotion using Immersive Sound in Intelligent Games. (On Industrial Placement with Remedy Entertainment) Recent advances in high definition video displays and 3-D headsets, coupled with motion tracking and biosensor technologies, have enabled video games to reach unprecedented levels of visual immersion and interaction. There is little research however on how the aural feedback of the player, which can help assess their emotional state, can be used to inform the game intelligence and affect the emotive impact of the game. Furthermore, improvements in domestic surround sound and binaural technology are paving the way for fully enveloping and realistic soundtracks that extend the gameplay beyond the visual and can significantly enhance the emotive experience. This research project therefore addresses how current sensor and tracking technologies can be enhanced through analysis of player aural reactions such that the game intelligence can in turn provoke a conditional response via the reproduced soundtrack. In other words, how can the emotional impact of a spatial soundtrack during gameplay be enhanced by the user aural response alongside other physiological detections such as heartbeat and movement? Sam is a sound designer and voice actor who founded the audio journalism site, The Sound Architect™. Sam was selected as one of the first to ever receive the Prince William Scholarship from both BAFTA & Warner Bros. to study MSc Post Production with Sound Design at The University of York where he graduated with a Distinction and a Departmental Award for achieving the Highest Overall Average Grade. Sam has been highly active in the community for years including writing for BAFTA Guru, sitting on the BAFTA Youth Board, running Game Audio North and being an active member of BAFTA Crew Games. Most recently Sam has worked regularly with game audio company Sweet Justice on a variety of titles that include mobile and AAA. Sam’s recent credits include Injustice 2 and Madden NFL 2017. Please note: Updating of profile text in progress Email Website LinkedIn Mastodon BlueSky GitHub Other Link Themes Player Research - Previous Next

< Back The lived experience of Internet Gaming Disorder: core symptoms, antecedents and consequences as based on a qualitative analysis of Reddit posts. Link Author(s) E Petrovskaya Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back A manifesto for more productive psychological games research Link Author(s) N Ballou Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back Dr James Walker University of York iGGi Industry Liaison Supervisor Dr James Walker is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Digital Creativity at the University of York. A member of the Digital Creativity Labs, and the York Cross-disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis (YCCSA). His current research focuses on bio-inspired algorithms (including AI and machine learning) and their application to games and game data analytics. He is also a senior member of the IEEE. Email James@digitalcreativity.ac.uk Website LinkedIn Mastodon BlueSky GitHub Other Link Themes Creative Computing Esports Game AI Game Data - Previous Next

< Back Commentary: Prediction of problem gambling by demographics, gaming behavior and psychological correlates among gacha gamers: A cross-sectional online survey in Chinese young adults Link Author(s) LY Xiao, N Ballou, C Eben Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back Open Play: A longitudinal dataset of multi-platform video game digital trace data and psychological measures Link Author(s) N Ballou, TA Földes, M Vuorre, T Hakman, K Magnusson, AK Przybylski Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back Why game designers should study magic Link Author(s) S Kumari, S Deterding, G Kuhn Abstract More info TBA Link