> "Moore, Morgan Douglas" <mooremd@ucsub.Colorado.EDU> writes:
> >How about The Star Wars universe? A theoretical v.r. MUD that springs from
> >the X-Wing/Tie Fighter game engine could provide a solid footing for one
> >type of theoretical discussion. Certainly different from Dali, but it
> >could pick up the Hamlet thread quite smoothly.
>
> This brings up a question that has been on my mind: what is the place of
> games in interactive art? To what degree are they (can they be) art? What
> aspects of a game can we look at artistically (graphics/sound, playability,
> interactivity, or everything together)? Specific examples?
> Just wondering what anyone has to say...
What place in art does a perspective drawing have, given that it's simply
a copy of reality?
Perspective Drawing was one of the main influences of the Rennaissance
(sp?), the Age of Enlightenment. People began to see that the world could
be measured, and better understood. It brought learning out of the
Church, and into Colleges and Universities. How important is Da Vinci's
painting in the Sisteen (sp?) Chapel? Venus de Milo? The Mona Lisa?
The ability to make a close approximation of reality is what stretches
the scientific and artistic abilities of mankind. It is the only process
I know of that exercises both of those qualities at the same time. The
fact that any reasonably observant person can tell the difference between
the real thing and a copy is a reminder that we are not perfect, and that
there is much more that we must understand about ourselves and our universe.
When reality producing skills work well, they can be used to influence
people to do better (and sometimes, worse) things. Art has always had a
profound influence on humanity. It creates images and emotions in the
mind which can then be contemplated and acted upon. When you look at the
ceiling of the Sisteen Chapel, and see what appear to be real people
floating up there, how easy is it to then accept what the Church teaches
about God, and heaven? Art moves people.
What VR brings us is a new medium, which more closely approximates a real
environment through the immersion of more of the senses. It has added a
third dimension into which the missing parts of reality can be poured. In
the 1500's, the first perspective drawings finally got the measures of
our reality in two dimensions. Now, for the first time, we have three.
For the art world, this is like the turning of the new millenium in the
year 2000. It is an advance that is very central to our lives, and has not
happened for a long time. I predict it will give us a new age. (Now you
know why I'm so passionate about getting VR -- NOW!)
Uh, yeah, modeling reality is kewl. We should do it. :)
--- Andrew C. Esh mailto:andrew_esh@cnt.com Computer Network Technology andrewes@mtn.org (finger for PGP key) 6500 Wedgwood Road 612.550.8000 (main) Maple Grove MN 55311 612.550.8229 (direct) <A HREF="http://www.mtn.org/~andrewes">ACE Home Page</A>