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