Thesis Prep
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February 25, 2005
February 22, 2005
Refrigerator Door - Sketch
February 20, 2005
Promise of the Future /norms | commentary / irony
I’m currently considering three different directions for my thesis. In the end, it is possible that my final selection will be one, a hybrid, or a tangent. However, at this time I will consider all three as separate entities. The three concepts currently have considerable differences in scope and direction. Their similarities, at present, seem to have more to do with the sensibilities I bring to their conception and content. I’m also trying to define my thesis by the content and process rather than the technology and platform, at this time.
Project A: Interactive Exhibit – public experience:
This thesis choice would be approached as a CREATIVE SERVICE for an outside entity, such as a children’s museum or aquarium. The venue and “client” of this project would have a large role in the development and funding of this thesis.
The project would most probably take the form of an INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT that enhances an existing venue. It could also be viewed as a “traveling exhibit” and/or “prototype” for future rollout, if applicable. The target audience would most probably be young adults and/or families.
Ideally, the experience would last approximately 15 minutes and completely engage the users. It would encourage cooperative input for a shared and enlightening experience. Multiple modules (of the same/similar design) could produce higher throughput and a more cost effective development.
The benefits of a “Creative Service” thesis would be to work on a “real-world” project with an outside entity. Ideally, it would contribute to the growing field of educational entertainment venues and/or “LBEs.”
Project B: Creative Voice – Personal POV:
Another thesis choice would be approached as a EXPRESSIVE COMMENTARY on a particular social phenomenon. I mentioned in class that I very much enjoy the “mockumentaries” of Christopher Guest and would like to bring a similar sensibility to interactive media. Parody and irony would be important techniques to study and apply to the final content.
The form of the “Creative Voice” could be a “MOCK-GUIDE” and or “MOCK-SELF HELP” system. The simple version of this notion could be a DVD-Rom with various scenarios and commentary, much like a sex educational video from the 1950s. However this could be expanded to a performance piece that parodies motivational speakers through innovative staging (i.e. Big Art Group).
Another form of the “Person POV would be to create a “Future Artifacts” exhibit that looks at a present day social and technical phenomenon as a historical set of objects. This could be interesting if the assumed context was a more advanced civilization than present, or a time capsule to be sent to other civilizations deep in space.
The topical nature of “Expressive Commentary” suggests a more timeless style, be it future looking back, or historical looking forward. Parallels with past phenomenon, like the craze to build private bomb shelters, could be useful and/or inspirational research.
Project C: Creative Voice – Reinterpreted Content:
The third direction for my thesis would be to take an existing work, contemporary or classic, and reinterpret the content into an interactive media thesis. The criterion for this direction would be a film and/or literary work that include characters and linear story.
The primary question would be “how could such a work be re-mastered as an interactive piece?” This question is an important one to answer, as we are all anticipating with the “entertainment convergence.” This topic is discussed on a regular basis in the IMD.
My theory is that episodic narrative, like television programs or comic books, has a stronger parallel to interactive media than film and/or cinema. My third option for thesis would help me prove or disprove this theory in a tangible completed project.
I originally envisioned the form of this to be a performance piece that includes various media elements of “convergence” such as machinima, life action/video, and motion capture. However, the episodic model may suggest multiple and shorter content modules. This concept may be more suited for “webisodes” and/or a subscription model.
February 15, 2005
"The Pests"
NORTH HOLLYWOOD - With flowing fabric the colors of a circus tent, "The Pests" - a massive public art installation - was unfurled last month for the start of a 7-day stay, transforming several cubic feet of my home.
Christo & Jeanne-Claude eat your heart out (as the termites certainly did).
Echo & Narcissus - CTIN 542 Kiosk Inspirations
David Rokeby discusses some interesting ideas regarding "Echo & Narcissus" that may inspire the "Kiosk Project" for CTIN-542:
"While all interactive works reflect interactors back to themselves, in many works the idea of the mirror is explicitly invoked. The clearest examples are interactive video installations where the spectator's image or silhouette becomes an active force in a computer-generated context. Examples include aspects of Myron Krueger's Videoplace work, Ed Tannenbaum's Recollections and Very Vivid's Mandala . The spectator sees some representation of themselves on a video projection screen. This representation follows the movements of the interactor like a mirror-image or shadow, transformed by the potentials with which the artist has endowed the space. These transformations are realized by software running on a computer. In such work, the content is contained in this difference between the gesture and its transformed or recontextualized reflection."
February 06, 2005
Time-Totem concept for CTIN-542
February 02, 2005
Death by Lawn Clutter - CTIN-489
EA CHALLENGE:
Come up with an idea for a new way for a Sims to die (Sims 2) package.
SOLUTION:
"Death by Lawn Clutter" was a hybrid idea created by the team of Andrew, Glenn, Hunter (our EA coach), Kellee, and Ted.
PITCH (presented by Andrew):
You (the player) understand that decorating your lawn can increase your Sims' environmental points. However, too much of any good thing can become and bad thing. "Death by Lawn Clutter" is a potential event that begins when you have too many objects in your yard that upset the Aesthetic Review Board.
You may receive warnings from neighbors, telling your Sims to reduce the amount of clutter on the lot. However, once the SARB visits your lot (after midnight) they place a curse on your property that brings on a series of Plagues to destroy your property. The primary plague will be Raining Fire that surrounds the Sims household, traps and kills the Sims in the house. Secondary plagues may be added if time permits (stretch goals).
TEAMS:
After the brainstorming exercise and idea pitch to EA, we were joined by Victor and Ray (also from EA), discussed the goals of the project and broke into sub-teams to accomplish our goals. Glenn and Victor designed the Controller Object. Kellee and Victor designed the Raining Fire Plague. Todd and Ray championed the NPC actions and/or Aesthetic Review Board. Andrew documented the process and wrote the text for the player experience.
CONTROLLER OBJECT:
This is the invisible object that acts as a shell and/or trigger for the overall experience. In this case the CO checks the number of objects on the lawn and, if the number is over a certain threshold, will begin the chain of unfortunate events. The CO is created in Edith as a Global Sim Object. This means it is resident on every lot. All of the logic is in the hourly loop that tests the current state of the current lot. (Screen shot A). These were actually individual counters/stacks that searched for different items like Gnomes, Flamingoes, or news papers. Items that are included in this loop are Warnings, Aesthetic Review Board visit and Scenario Controller.
PLAGUES:
Raining Fire is a tree that was contained within the scenario controller. We took the animation from the falling satellite and coupled that with the pre-existing fire effect. These searched for objects on the lawn and called forth the same number of fire balls to fall from the sky. This was an effective use of existing objects and animation that was created within Edith with minimal effort.
Swarm of Flies was the second Plague contained withing the Scenario Controller. This was created by utilizing the Flyswarm effect and attached it to a new object. This new object was actually a fire holder model taken from the fire object. This holder is called up by the controlling object and created as an instance. This invisible was invible and placed under the counter.
NPC:
A dummy object, created for the CO, called the Lawn Clutter NPC. The LCNPC is a script that instructs any NPC in the game (we didn't want to create them from scratch) to follow a series of actions/instructions. The sequence includes: going to the mailbox, putting a book in his/her hand (raised to the heavens and pages flipping in the wind), going to closest lawn clutter, disapprove of the scene, growl at the scene, and perform the plague chant.
SIM-TEXT:
Catalogue Descriptions:
Flamingo: Classic decorative item for a Sims' lawn that is often featured in a prominent location. May enhance a properties value and/or street appeal. If in low mood, Sims sometimes autonomously kick the flamingo. Note that flocks of flamingoes may be more appropriate for the Florida everglades.
The Gnome: Cute little mystical creature that compliments any Sims' lawn and garden. These charming decorative creatures may bring good luck to those that stop to admire them. But don't get greedy with that luck! Purchasing and displaying too many Gnomes may reverse the positive Feng Shui of a peaceful setting. If in low mood, Sims sometimes autonomously kick the Gnome.
Warnings
First Warning: Neighbors are complaining about your choice in exterior decorations. You may want to decrease their number to maintain suburban equilibrium. If not, they may get irritated and report you to SARB (Sims Aesthetic Review Board).
Second Warning: Less is more, or so some say. The quantity of your lawn and garden items have been reported to SARB (Sims Aesthetic Review Board). The committee is known to be extremely uptight and is rumored to have cursed other homes in the neighborhood.
SARB Curse: Your Sims have exceeded the maximum lawn clutter allowed by SARB (Sims Aesthetic Review Board) and are cursed to damnation! Heaven help the souls inside that will face the deadly plagues to follow!!