Artifact 5: Art, Games, Technology Reasearch
Artifact 5: Art, Games, and Technology Research
Goals
- Learn about the history of computer graphics
- Examine the role of technology as force for cultural maintenance and change
- Discuss the validity of art created with the aid of machines
In the simplest terms, the central thesis of Beverly Jones’ piece, Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins, is that the history of computer graphics and technology greatly informs modern day achievements in this realm. Jones, who is most likely an engineer, offers a more detailed and complicated explanation when she says, “Electronic and photonic art forms have been and will continue to be influenced by their origins and practices. In this paper the origins and practices of computer graphics from 1945 to the present are examined to reveal cultural patterns embedded in their material and symbolic form.” (Jones, 21) In other words, early computer graphics technology, going back nearly seventy years, can be seen in what Jones called the “conceptual frames” of new technologies.
Jones offers several historical examples to help illustrate her thesis including scientists working at Bell Labs in the 1960’s. In 1966, two such scientists, Knowlton and Harmon, “… produced gray-scale images from drawings, photographs and real objects by using data from a photodensitometer (a device that measures the degree of darkness of a photograph). “ (Jones, 24) Other examples at Bell Labs that were precursors to computer aided scientific and artistic work include E. Zajak depiction of a satellite orbiting in space in 1964 and in 1967, A. Michael Noll’s production of a film that “depicts a four-dimensional object rolling through our three dimensional world.” (Jones, 24) The work of these scientists, nearly fifty years ago, “ … prefigure the work of scientific visualization, in which things that have never been seen and may never be seen are presented as graphic imagery to stimulate conceptual thinking. This imagery augments thought formerly supported by alphanumeric and primitive graphic symbols.” (Jones, 24) While complicated to understand in the specific, Jones is painting a picture of how computer graphics today have come about because of the deliberate layering of one discovery upon another to achieve greater and greater success. Today’s computer and technology advancements are not something Jones likely imagined at the time she wrote the article in 1990.
Jones’ belief that early computer graphic advances influence current applications can be seen in many circumstances. In particular, I was exposed to one such example last summer during my internship at the HopeLab Foundation hyperlink to website. HopeLab’s mission is to harness the power and appeal of technology to improve human health and well-bring. One of HopeLab’s most successful products is called ReMission and ReMission 2 interactive video games designed to help children and teenagers with cancer fight their disease. The games place the players/patients inside the human body and use a variety of weapons such as chemotherapy, antibiotics, and the body’s own immune system. The games were designed specifically to motivate young people to stick to their treatment plans by improving self-efficacy and positive emotions. (HopeLab Website)
The creation of Remission and Remission 2 is an example of Jones’ thesis that early efforts in computer graphics inform more current incarnations. Unlike early video game design teams, Remission’s was comprised of programmers, artists, and scientists. In early video game production, the programmer and the designer were often one and the same. But, as games became more complex and computers more advanced, video game production took the basic platform for game design and added many layers including separate teams for programming and design. Sometimes, the design team is broken into sub-teams because the effects have become so refined and specialized.(Games Design Forum). In addition to the programming and design teams, Remission was developed with significant input from scientists who helped the designers understand the underlying human behaviors that would make the game successful. This unique collaboration speaks to Jones’ view that, “The development of computer graphics reflects trends diminishing the rigidity of boundaries among disciplines and applications. Contemporary work in disciplines formally untouched by computer graphics now reveal convergence … “(Jones, 22). Until the creation of Remission seven years ago there had never been a video game, based on scientific research, designed to address the issues facing young cancer patients. The well-documented development of Remission demonstrates how one type of technology created for a particular use can be enhanced and reused for purposed previously unimagined.
Reflection
Right around the time we studied the unit on Arts, Games, and Technology, an article by Laura Hudson appeared in The New York Times Magazine entitled “Twine, the Video-Game Technology for All”. In reading Hudson’s piece, I was struck by the number of parallels to Beverly Jones’ piece, “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins,”and to several other readings or videos assigned during the quarter. In rereading Jones’ article and my initial response, I was glad to have stumbled upon a more recent article about game technology because all these years later (Jones’ article was written in 1990) her theory continues to hold true.
In summary, Hudson’s article explores alternatives to traditional game design and technology and specifically highlights a program called Twine. Twine is a free program that by all measures is easy enough to learn and use in one lesson. In addition, Twine’s technology allows the user to “ … instantly publish your game so that anyone with a web browser can use it.” (Hudson p. 2) Twine games differ from traditional on-line games for two significant reasons: 1) they use different tools and; 2) they attract different kinds of people. For example, “ … while roughly 75% of developers at traditional video-game companies are male, many of the most prominent Twine developers are women …” (Hudson p. 3) Hudson further explores the idea that while there are many independent gaming companies and they explore topics more mainstream companies avoid, Twine is pushing the envelope even more. Specifically, Twine is looking at video games as something not only used by the masses but is also something created by them. This has caused quite a stir in the gaming world and has pitted traditionalists against the emerging designers and users of Twine.
While Jones’ article was difficult to understand given the technical nature of her explanations and examples, I was able to distill her central thesis that the history of computer graphics and technology greatly informs present day discoveries and achievements. Clearly Twine is yet another example of her theory at work. The evolution of computer games and technology has moved it from a place of needing a high level of technical expertise to a place, as Hudson notes, “ … popular among people who have never written a line of code.” (Hudson, p. 2) Twine would never have come into existence without earlier iterations of computer technology that laid the groundwork.
In addition to proving Jones’ theory, Hudson’s exploration of Twine and the people that embrace it, caused me to think about Jane McGonigal’s TED talk – Gaming Can Make a Better World where she offers that playing more games can be used for public good. Specifically, McGonigal talks about the number of hours she would like gamers to spend working to help solve society’s most pressing problems. Just a few years ago, this would be left to those people who embraced gaming and the more complicated technology required to be a gamer. But with the development of Twine and other easy access computer technology, our problem solving team gets bigger exponentially. What a great concept! The notion of gaming for good has been McGonigal’s life pursuit and she has even promoted HopeLab’s ReMission game noted in my initial response. (Artifact 7)
Twine’s user-friendly nature has created a whole new community of games and gamers with lots of new ideas about game content. This includes topics way outside of more traditional games like World of War Craft or Grand Left Auto such as depression, sexuality, relationship management, and other personal exploration issues. The release of these games into the world has caused a negative reaction in some circles including, “outrage that eventually escalated into a campaign against all the designers and critics who have argued for making gaming culture more inclusive.” (Hudson, p.2) This point of view sent me back the readings and materials from Unit Nine, Remixing Culture and specifically the notion of exploring the values and paradigms of ownership and authorship of cultural media. Lawrence Lessig advocates for remix culture, which he defines as, “ … a rich, diverse outpouring of creativity based on creativity.” (Koman, p. 1) Twine is offering just about anyone the opportunity to be a gamer because the software is easy and open source. In my mind, these gamers are similar to the young creators derided by attorney Charles Sims in Lessig’s piece Cultures Compares because they are creating a new kind of gaming culture from previous iterations.
Reviewing my initial post gave me a great opportunity to really see the connectivity between many of the units we covered during the course of Art and Human Values. And, it was fun to see the goals and themes of those units reflected in a completely new article.
Future
I am not someone who plays video games or has ever been drawn to them as a way to entertain myself or engage with my friends. But, I found the article about Twine interesting and combining easier access video game technology with the notion of deploying it for good is intriguing. I am exploring a career in family and human services and in this age of technology, I am curious to learn more about how technology will emerge in my work.
Bibliography
www.Hopelab.org,. ‘Hopelab’. N.p., 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
Wikipedia,. ‘Densitometer’. N.p., 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
Wikipedia,. ‘Video Game Design’. N.p., 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014