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Ken Leung Week 2 Assignment
1. An area of interest you've identified.
- Immersion
- paintings
- the notion of realtime art ( http://www.tale-of-tales.com/tales/RAM.html)
- character development
- the connection between real space and virtual space
- dynamics of protest and other forms of powerful free speech
- virtue in games
- more physical human-computer interfaces
- mindfulness in games
- spectating in games
2. A couple of questions (stated in the form of a question) and opportunities suggested by your area of interest - what do you (or a potential viewer) want or need to know about this area?
Can character development occur in a space rather than a timeline? In what ways can virtual space and real space be integrated in one immersive whole? Can theme of virtue be taught in games? Can there be other more physical interfaces than the gamepad? Rather than draw a player into his zen-like state of flow, can a game make a player experience mindfulness and become more aware of the moment? Can game exercise a person's mindfulness? Can game model and express the tense dynamics of a political protest?
How can games be better design to allow for others to passively watch or event participate in a game?
3. Identify a method or process that can be used to explore your question.
Meditation allows people to exercise mindfulness. Mr. Rogers is a virtuous and charming role model. In Ancient Roman Coliseums, spectators could vote whether a losing gladiator would die. American idol is also an example of a spectator game. However I'm interested in a spectator game that could take place in one room, and the feedback of the spectators would be in real-time.
4. One to three actual topics or subjects that address your interests/questions. (Not ‘a game’ or ‘experience’ or ‘interactive film,’ find a subject/setting/character/narrative.
As a camera man what you film with determine the outcome of a power struggle between corporations and the people.
By squeezing two haptic sensors, a audio/visual system will provide a sublime experience of mindfulness.
5. Pair your topics with a genre and an audience: Not just "a game" but the type of game and the type of player you envision.
The moral adventure for the self-reflective player.
The action game for crowds.
A meditation game for the tense player.
A political game for the media minded.
6. Commit to a term (participant, viewer, player, reader, user, audience) that you will use throughout the project.
- immersion
- virtue
- mindfulness
My computer has become my favorite tool and preferred media. I use it for painting, modeling, programming, writing, filming, video editing. Practically any is possible with the computer. It offers the flexibility and cohesiveness that is hard to find with any other tool. It gives wider access of knowledge than any library. I see the computer as my blank canvas and it represents the possibilities of what I can create with my imagination.
Computers are the gateway to the web. It is the medium that will help define how we interact in the future. I see the ubiquity of this medium bringing us closer and democratize the power of mainstream media.
I have used my computer for painting and modeling. I have yet to use it for music, because I am not musically inclined. Neither have I used it much to make games. I think it would serve me well to learn something about both.
I am always looking for something fresh. Some outlet that presents something I have yet to see. TV and YouTube have become boring and predictable. They are also dense with less than mediocre material. The Getty is dense with classic pieces of art. The Getty Museum itself is not an inspiration. Rather it holds a collection of work that inspires me. There is always some painting sculpture, photograph, or artifact that will stretch my imagination. Though I may be standing still in front of an art piece. My mind will wander and my heart will race as I immerse myself in the piece. I think classic works of art keep us in touch with great artists that lived through the ages. And I believe that there are some lessons and morals that apply to the challenges we face today.
I have yet to spend a day to find a work than really inspires me. I'd like to set aside time for that.
My grad is a portfolio of my work before grad school started. I think it best represents what I was capable of at that time. Unlike most websites then, my flash portfolio had a serene style that tried not to bombard the viewer with sensation tricks. However it still made use of the latest in Flash technology including XML. I think back then I relied on volume and variety to prove my talents. But the Flash portfolio was just a giant bag to hold everything I made. My portfolio as a work of art did not feel coherent nor bold. Now I would rather try to be an artist that uses less rather more to make a bolder point.
Both the museum and my grad portfolio are collections of work. But what I realize is that I don't want to create a collection but focus in on one thing. I want to find only a few pieces of artwork that inspire me at the Getty. I want to make one piece of work that is bold but brings together most my skills and talents. Another thing I find in common with all three pieces is immersion. I find I can get lost working in the computer, the same way I get lost exploring a portfolio or gallery.
I think the theme I might want to present is that "You sometimes need to get lost to know where you're going."
Happy New Year, Everyone!!!
1up.com has an insightful article on the challenges and responsibilities that gamers face in adulthood. From fitting games into their busy schedule to being a responsible gaming parent, this article shows that we're a new generation that is young at heart, but is willing to make gaming part of our grown-up lives.