Related Webpages
The following three websites are closely linked to the development patterns and ideas of my proposed project. The first example known as 3D Kingdom has been around for many years and used to be a pioneer in the digital media world online. This site displays 2D and 3D work submitted by users as well as work that is submitted by professionals which include a variety of media formats such as audio and video as well as downloadable content. This site, similarly to CGSociety, take in the latest viral art and displays them for discussion, critique and standard analysis. They also provide links to similar projects as well. This relates to my project as one of the goals of my page is to display the latest media in relation to on specific topic. This viral media will direct viewers all over the web in order to maximize their viewing experience and project to them all of the information they could possible know of on a specific topic such as Bomberman through one web page. This is done using Google image call ups and Youtube call ups as well as blogs and tweets and latest news. These pages are essential to the development of my page because of the level of user/viewer interactions with the page. The ability to have audio and video commentary to go along with visual commentary, the ability to display the latest video or music in relation to a topic helps to keep things tidy and very well organized without having to have the viewer traveling and searching all over the web to find what they are looking for. The Megaman Network is another site that closely relates to my project as well. With a specific topic in mind, Mega Man, this site promotes the character and all of the latest news about him, the creator, and the game. Like my page, this site streams Youtube video's and images allowing for user comments and feedback and assists in promoting the game, game character, and game culture. As my page currently promotes my groups game Bomberman Online, this provides to be a perfect example on how to successfully promote the character, culture, and game to the masses. My page immediately displays work and progress on the game including video, screen, and artwork, but also will allow viewers to navigate through viral media such as other games be it through professional developers or publishers or fan made homebrew or independent games such as this one. 3D Links is yet another webpage with common grounds to that of my project. Although taking the step a bit further, this page gives the user links to every type of assistance in the media world possible. This site brings together images, video, audio and also helps users by directing them to purchasing hardware, books, tutorials and much more all through one page. I also added FootyTube to the list of pages that I would like to borrow elements from. This site links vuewers to the latest and most talked about video relating to soccer all over the world. The site sorts these videos by category and popularity as well as giving viewers a chance to discuss and the discussion is my favorite part.
Related Links:
http://www.3dk.org/
http://www.themmnetwork.com/
http://www.3dlinks.com/galleryindex.cfm
http://www.footytube.com/
Monday, November 15, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Proposal Feedback
Desirae/Amy/Dan/Joe/Melissa B./CJ
Nate/Mike B./Jared
Dax/Lynn/Kyle/Melissa T.
Amanda/Sam B./Sam O./Mike P.
Nate/Mike B./Jared
Dax/Lynn/Kyle/Melissa T.
Amanda/Sam B./Sam O./Mike P.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Adv New Media Proposal
For my project I would like to create a 3D short animation in 3D Studio Max. The animation will utilize the story and or principles of the mythical story of the flight of Icarus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icarus
This project will push my ability to animate and direct story telling elements in one piece and follow the criteria drawn out in the project guidelines as a Man v. Machine project.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icarus
This project will push my ability to animate and direct story telling elements in one piece and follow the criteria drawn out in the project guidelines as a Man v. Machine project.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Favorite Video Game of All Time
Before the death of platform gaming, characters such as Super Mario, Link, Sonic the Hedgehog and even Crash Bandicoot ruled video gaming with their amazing jumping and tunnel traveling abilities, their amazing array of weapons and song playing, their blazing speed and their... well I don't know what crash does. None of these characters have transformed over the years as much as the furry squirrel Conker.
Conker's journey as a platform character has had its ups and downs. From Conker's Pocket Tails to Conker's Bad Fur Day. Conker's Bad Fur Day is the game of all time. The game provides numerous unique elements. The must notable one was the rish that company Rareware took to produce it. Conker began as a childs platformer character. One to attempt to sit in harmony with Donkey Kong and all the best, however, Rareware flipped this tiny squirrels personality from a cute and furry little forest animal to a alcoholic, drug and sex addicted.... furry little cute forest animal. The game reaches far into taboo land as you recover from a hangover, help a sunflower and bee copulate, piss on rock monsters and go to war.
The game pushes the boundaries in terms of gameplay, graphics, and everything in between. Its rating of M for mature doesn't just sit on the box and cartridge for no reason. Though vulgar and completely obscene, Conker's Bad Fur Day generated a cult following. Though not the best remembered game due to the limited number of people who can play due to age, Conker's Bad Fur Day is comical, satirical, and fun.
Conker's journey as a platform character has had its ups and downs. From Conker's Pocket Tails to Conker's Bad Fur Day. Conker's Bad Fur Day is the game of all time. The game provides numerous unique elements. The must notable one was the rish that company Rareware took to produce it. Conker began as a childs platformer character. One to attempt to sit in harmony with Donkey Kong and all the best, however, Rareware flipped this tiny squirrels personality from a cute and furry little forest animal to a alcoholic, drug and sex addicted.... furry little cute forest animal. The game reaches far into taboo land as you recover from a hangover, help a sunflower and bee copulate, piss on rock monsters and go to war.
The game pushes the boundaries in terms of gameplay, graphics, and everything in between. Its rating of M for mature doesn't just sit on the box and cartridge for no reason. Though vulgar and completely obscene, Conker's Bad Fur Day generated a cult following. Though not the best remembered game due to the limited number of people who can play due to age, Conker's Bad Fur Day is comical, satirical, and fun.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Curatorial Project (Reality v. Virtual Reality)
For my curatorial project, I have chosen to create a hybrid theme which will mix both the “Gaming” theme with the “Virtual Reality” theme given to us for this assignment. These two themes produce an extremely strong influence in today’s society more than most of the options given to us for this project and that the two themes, which can with no doubt make for an excellent project on standalone, can together produce a phenomenal representation of society and the outlook on how we live and do things. Video games and online based games such as Second Life created a whole new world for humans to inhabit, however, this accomplishment has distorted the perspective in our minds in regards to differentiating reality and virtual reality. This exhibit stresses the rapidly growing connection and dependence between reality and virtual reality and also attempt to artistically represent the two themes together into a fluid hybrid of work. Although the “Gaming” theme may appear to be the easier amongst the other selected themes because of my generations understanding of the gaming industry and its economical impact, it could perhaps be one of the more difficult ones if analyzed heavily as gaming projects more than just visuals. Gaming projects ideas and ideals that we tend to bypass when we become deeply submerged between the fog of reality and virtual reality and the truthfulness between the two. The selected works offer a view into the space created by reality and virtual reality and how they relate to each other. From early incarnations of human based involvement in gaming in the form of the board game Life through to more recent incarnations are heavily emphasized in this exhibit. It may seem confusing at first to piece the concepts of reality and virtual reality displayed by the selected exhibit materials, but in depth analysis clearly shows the common link between the two fields. Technology is pushing every aspect of our lives further and further and virtual reality is just as affected as is reality in regards to this technological push. With the release of our favorite games month after month, we tend to overlook gameplay mechanics for pure visuals. These visuals are enhanced to an unbelievable degree to simulate realism; however, this was not the original intent of the video gaming market. Like our bypass for gameplay mechanics in virtual realistic societies and engagements, we use this same concept in reality. We tend to overlook the mechanics that compose our lives in favor of looking beyond into what we want our lives to be like. Ironically enough, video game life appears to be a simulation of that ideal life that many of us strive to achieve.
Human Checkers
This piece starts of the exhibition as it contains simpler visual connections to human absence from reality and presence in gaming culture. Although all fun and games, this is clearly a simple linking and start of what would become a culture phenom.
http://www.kissimmeechamber.com/images/checkers2.jpg
The Game of LIFE
Another subtle introduction to this cultural shift can be found in the board game Life. The game features many similar concepts that would eventually be borrowed by video games. A players goal is to basically life "the life" and taking over careers and responsibilities of growing up. Similar to a "Second Life" players are unaware of the fact that the mind gets temporarily detached from reality in an attempt to experience a faux life.
http://www.popular.com.sg/images/product/stationery/59214.jpg
World at War
Although semi-humorous, this image displays what is a growing trend in video games recapturing historic events. The game HUD display on this image satires the historic influences on gaming and links reality to virtual reality heavily. These types of games are also the most violent and visually accurate which offers "semi" authentic first person perspective on a section of reality that is wished to have never have happened.
World of Warcraft
Perhaps one of the most influential life simulators is Blizzard's World of Warcraft game and expansions. World of Warcraft has an unbelievable subscription base. Many turn tot his game in order to escape a reality filled with disappointments and or little excitment. The game has been heavily criticized for the amount of hours player spend online as opposed to spent on their own lives. It has also been linked with the ability to manipulate a players analysis on life and draw them in so far that reality becomes a "Second life" to World of Warcraft taking over as the primary life.
http://blog.makezine.com/_previews_pc_world-warcraft_world-of-warcraft-a.jpg
Really?
This image was spawned off of the ongoing trials lead by Jack Thomspon who, for many years, has attempted to outlaw the production and distribution of violent video games. Notorious during the "Hot Coffee" trial debates, Jack Thompson has argued that video games have pushed destroyed the barrier separating reality and virtual reality thus causing a conflict which disrupts a gamers intelligence in decision making. He blames video games such as the Grand Theft Auto series for its extreme violent content which is making its way into the hands of little kids even with the ESRB rating system intact. He has linked this particular game with numeroud murder cases which ironically appear to simulate a video game event.
http://wiredblogs.typepad.com/games/gamercheney.jpg
Nothing Beats Sex!
Following the Jack Thompson entry, this is what caused major controversy during the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game features a sex mini-game which violates the ESRB rating given to it prior to its release. This is a significant image as it demonstrates how close games are coming to reality. Sex is considered majorly as a sacred act or taboo. This game seems to demonstrate it otherwise. Sex in video games is not a new concept, but it has contributed to its fair share of controversy as the idea of sex is heavily linked to religion.
http://www.techdigest.tv/hot_coffee_GTA.jpg
Fake or Foto?
This image is in the exhibit to purely demonstrate technology. When analyzing the image, it is extremely difficult to make anything out of it, however, when told that half of the image is a computer generated version of the car, it becomes shocking to see that the differences are subtle if even evident. Technology has come a long way over the years from single palette pixel images to cinematic computer generated visuals which appear almost too real. The realism achieved by video games is quite attractive and does enhance gaming experience, but it also enhances the perception of virtual reality and helps to place virtual reality a step higher in the minds of younger generations.
http://www.everybodysucksbutus.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/gt5-prologue.jpg
Human Checkers
This piece starts of the exhibition as it contains simpler visual connections to human absence from reality and presence in gaming culture. Although all fun and games, this is clearly a simple linking and start of what would become a culture phenom.
http://www.kissimmeechamber.com/images/checkers2.jpg
The Game of LIFE
Another subtle introduction to this cultural shift can be found in the board game Life. The game features many similar concepts that would eventually be borrowed by video games. A players goal is to basically life "the life" and taking over careers and responsibilities of growing up. Similar to a "Second Life" players are unaware of the fact that the mind gets temporarily detached from reality in an attempt to experience a faux life.
http://www.popular.com.sg/images/product/stationery/59214.jpg
World at War
Although semi-humorous, this image displays what is a growing trend in video games recapturing historic events. The game HUD display on this image satires the historic influences on gaming and links reality to virtual reality heavily. These types of games are also the most violent and visually accurate which offers "semi" authentic first person perspective on a section of reality that is wished to have never have happened.
World of Warcraft
Perhaps one of the most influential life simulators is Blizzard's World of Warcraft game and expansions. World of Warcraft has an unbelievable subscription base. Many turn tot his game in order to escape a reality filled with disappointments and or little excitment. The game has been heavily criticized for the amount of hours player spend online as opposed to spent on their own lives. It has also been linked with the ability to manipulate a players analysis on life and draw them in so far that reality becomes a "Second life" to World of Warcraft taking over as the primary life.
http://blog.makezine.com/_previews_pc_world-warcraft_world-of-warcraft-a.jpg
Really?
This image was spawned off of the ongoing trials lead by Jack Thomspon who, for many years, has attempted to outlaw the production and distribution of violent video games. Notorious during the "Hot Coffee" trial debates, Jack Thompson has argued that video games have pushed destroyed the barrier separating reality and virtual reality thus causing a conflict which disrupts a gamers intelligence in decision making. He blames video games such as the Grand Theft Auto series for its extreme violent content which is making its way into the hands of little kids even with the ESRB rating system intact. He has linked this particular game with numeroud murder cases which ironically appear to simulate a video game event.
http://wiredblogs.typepad.com/games/gamercheney.jpg
Nothing Beats Sex!
Following the Jack Thompson entry, this is what caused major controversy during the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game features a sex mini-game which violates the ESRB rating given to it prior to its release. This is a significant image as it demonstrates how close games are coming to reality. Sex is considered majorly as a sacred act or taboo. This game seems to demonstrate it otherwise. Sex in video games is not a new concept, but it has contributed to its fair share of controversy as the idea of sex is heavily linked to religion.
http://www.techdigest.tv/hot_coffee_GTA.jpg
Fake or Foto?
This image is in the exhibit to purely demonstrate technology. When analyzing the image, it is extremely difficult to make anything out of it, however, when told that half of the image is a computer generated version of the car, it becomes shocking to see that the differences are subtle if even evident. Technology has come a long way over the years from single palette pixel images to cinematic computer generated visuals which appear almost too real. The realism achieved by video games is quite attractive and does enhance gaming experience, but it also enhances the perception of virtual reality and helps to place virtual reality a step higher in the minds of younger generations.
http://www.everybodysucksbutus.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/gt5-prologue.jpg
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Fake or Foto
This week, I have found a great topic for my original posting. In this class, we are discussing art of the digital age and how we interact with it, and this post goes along fairly well with that. Being a 3D modeler and animator, it is a major part of my job to create visually realistic images when called for. For example, the above image is a digital rendering that I have created using Autodesk's 3D Studio Max software. It retains virtually all of the characteristics of realistic imagery and properties including the number of bumps on the ball. The programming power that we are offered through programs such as Autodesk's Maya and Max software as well as Softimage's XSI provide us the ability to regenerate reality through digital means. When you view a movie with lots of special effects, does your mind sometimes wander off thinking to yourself, "Man that looks real!" or "Was that real?"? Because I am familiar with the various techniques used in digital manipulation and 3D modeling, I can spot the differences fairly easily, however, the ability to distinguish reality from virtual reality is getting much more difficult over the years due to the increase in technology and the decrease in human participation in reality as virtual reality is taking over our daily lives more each year. The company Autodesk has produced a few challenges over the year that test a viewer’s ability to compare and contrast and to eventually differentiate real images and digital renders produced through one of their award winning programs. I have posted a link to the challenge for you all to take and test your ability to not only separate digital reality and reality, but to compare them with shared relations.
http://area.autodesk.com/index.php/fakeorfoto/challenge/
Monday, April 6, 2009
Out With The New, In With The Old
This weeks original posting focuses on a community project that I have been following since the very beginning of the project. Sega's Sonic The hedgehog 2, released in November 1992, became a worldwide best selling video game for the Sega Genesis and became a nostalgic icon for many. When Sega released Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the console hardware used to run the game was nowhere near as sophisticated as the technology we have now. Games then were held tight to a limited color palette and 16 Bit processing power and not to mention the sound processing was terrible, though the tunes played are quite catch and nostalgic themselves. Now, we can generate more than 5 times the processing power and we can produce lossless audio for games as well. We are also not limited to a small selective color palette either. So with all of this ability that we have in the 21st century, we should be able to make new great games right? Yes, and now actually. The community at the Sonic Retro Forums have taught an old dog new tricks. They have created a new game based nearly entirely off of an old one. With this comers Sonic the Hedgehog 2 HD. The community, most of whom are trapped in nostalgic moments of ring collecting and midi synthesizers, have decided to test the limits of new technology in this new HD era with old ideas. Created entirely from scratch, they have produced new HD resolution visuals based on the 16 Bit counterpart and have made a playable demo. The community has not just recreated a cultural classic, they have revived it. The new HD version is scaled in many ways to look and feel just like the '92 version with the exception of new sprites, resolution, and a new soundtrack. This is not only interesting because of the amount of work done, but this is incredible because it is a community project with no influence from Sega at all. Not even a cease and desist order! It is also amazing to see concepts of the old such as art and sound being re-engineered for today's technology. Here is a link to the demo for t hose who want to see what has become of this project.
http://www.logotypes.se/sonic/HD/TechDemoSecondRelease.rar
http://www.logotypes.se/sonic/HD/D3D_dll_files.rar
http://forums.sonicretro.org
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