Open Design

My open design project is a game that can be played at:

http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~mrubin8/FlightGame/WebPlayer.html

The game represents the life lesson "Don't let money distract you from your goals."

The scripts will be used in our final project which will be a quiditch game.

Reading #8

The Burrill reading discussed performance in its relation to digital media. While it talked about a few different themes and questions related to the subject, the one I found most interesting was the question, "Is the player in a video game the audience or the performer?" An argument could certainly be made for both cases. The player is the audience because he is the one the game is designed to entertain. However he is also the performer since in many ways he controls the plot and interaction of the game. While story events may be similar regardless (or may not be), the player is the one that physically explores the narrative space. In my opinion, the user is always going to be a degree of both the performer and the audience. However, the more control the player has and the more freedom they have exploring the narrative space, the more agency they obtain and the more they become the performer.

The Chapter 5 Ryan reading discussed the influence of user interaction on narrative. He discussed New Media and the way it has transformed the role of the user in his or her own entertainment. New media users help build the narrative space around them through action and decision. The reading concluded by discussing ways that agency should be limited in certain cases where media wants to hold complexity in characters (as opposed to making the character an empty shell that exists only to reflect the user).

Unity Scene

My unity scene can be found at:

http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~mrubin8/WebPlayer.html

It is in the format of a playthrough. The controls are as follows:

W - Move Forward
S - Move Backward
A - Move Left
D - Move Right
Move Mouse - Look Around

E - Interact
Space Bar - Jump

The web player renders fairly slowly (at least on my computer). Apologies if objects flicker strangely, this is an affordance of the web player and not the project. Additionally, the web player does not really show the flashlight effect I have implemented. I will be trying to get the .exe format working for the next checkpoint, so that these implementations will show correctly.

Other things I plan on adding by the next checkpoint:

-Cut scenes

-Sound

-Better item control (ball will roll when user runs into it, objects will become static once put on table)

-Completion conditions met when all items are brought to table

Reading #7

Manovich talks about the 5 principles of New Media: Numerical Representation, Modularity, Automation, Variability, and Transcoding. He talks about the role that these play in differentiating New Media from Old Media, and the way that these generate a more immersive experience.

Bjork's article talks about an app she made, that is a prime example of New Media. It not only plays music, but uses it to generate a visual component, combining the audio and visual components of the media device. Not only is the app cool, but it makes you feel like you're more a part of the music than if you were to just listen to it.