Art, Technology, and Games
Objective:
- Learn about the history of computer graphics
- Examine the role of technology as a force for cultural maintenance and change
- Discuss the validity of art created with the aid of machines
The thesis or purpose of that article Computer Graphics: Effect of the Origin is actually to identify and argue that “dynamic interactive multisensory output” (Computer Graphics) are not just “technical effects” but are actually the result of a much broader “cultured condition conception patterns” (Jones, 21). Furthermore, the author states, “I hope to establish the relation of specific image, object, event or environment to conceptual thinking” in attempt to identify the purpose of his article (Jones, 21). Additionally, the author explains ancient Egypt architecture as one his example to show or clarify his thesis or purpose of article as he states “The stones columns of ancient Egypt architecture were based on earlier bounds papyrus columns” (Jones, 21). I think a compelling and accurate of Jones thesis at work today can be seen in video games. As he identifies the cultural conception to be a “tendency towards abstract experience” which heightens “sensation and sedate others and for this reason may be examined a potential addiction” and in “visual reality may be viewed in light of addiction television, video games and home computers” (Jones, 21).
Another expert that have similar views and might also support the theory Jones is Jane McGonigal. As her interest in the addictiveness of video games is also the primary point of her discussion TED videos of ideas worth spreading. As McGonigal points out that presently people or average gamer spend over 10,000 plus hours in gaming is very similar or can be supported by what Jones defines as “tendency towards abstract experience” that leads to potential addiction towards television, video games and home computers. Though, Jones and McGonigal basically arguments differs in main points as Jones mainly relate his aspects of video gaming to support his argument of conceptual view in computer graphics by pointing out the abstract experience that one gains form it and McGonigal mainly points at the productivity of the time that young minds spend on games as these brilliant minds that achieve “epic win” in games by successful means of team work and strategies can use that time to actually solve real world issues if games were created to target real world issue instead of conceptual game world issues.
Refection:
The video above shows how a game is actually design. The video shows how each character is designed including the objects around him and how it has been programed to work with the responses it gets back from a player. This shows how much actual work is actually being put in by programers that design such programing language that allows artist to make a visual concept of fantasy that can be operated by others. With technology we can see the work of multiple different profession come together in forming a master piece. Technology has brought by a new culture of art in which, people can show their visual thoughts or artistic ability in different ways. Some of the by which the technology has allowed us to express our artistic ability through the gaming industry is by the following: art of 3D graphics, fantasy game stories and visual experience of an artistic designed world. Many people don’t really give the gaming industry much artistic value because the entire notion that arts need to have a disinterested view in order to appreciate it and because of the fact that it has been created with machine instead of humans. With such view Ellen Dissanayake makes a valid point that arts need to be appreciated for art sake rather than the notion that is attached to it. Art created by machine is not the product of an artificial intelligence rather it is the product of the combination of humans capabilities and the use of these machines are to bring a better visual representation of stories, characters and fantasy worlds as the artist wants it to be visualize not how we visualize it with our own thoughts; this is why art created by the help of technology (which in reality is just the combination of speciality to achieve a certain goal) is actually an valid art.
Another point that is brought up by Jane McGonigal that makes a strong argument is considering the time the people spend on actually attaining artificial world goals, if diverted to real world problems, could actually solve many of the real world issues that we today have on hand. I mean though true, many people actually play games to escape real world problems and as the visual concepts games to any people are more appealing than the real life problems. This in my opinion, is because gamers (or people of the 21st century) form of appreciating art is by playing games and to attain the amusement of arts in the form of a visual experience. I mean much have changed since the industrial revolution and so has our ways or culture of appreciating art. Many people today prefer to watch a movie or play video games than to go to a art gallery. Although, they are many that still appreciate art form by scriptures and murals, my point is not to say that we no longer appreciate their artistic value rather that we are now part of a popular culture that is more comfortable with the new culture of art. Jane McGonigal makes a nice point, I think we would achieve a lot if games could solve real world problem but can we actually do this with its preservation of artistic values? In my opinion, that games are piece of arts because it allows the maker to visualize his free mind in a gaming environment, by doing so he makes others also visualize the creativity of his mind and by limiting such mind set to attain certain goals we would not be able to enjoy a artistic creativity that can only be achieved by free minds.
Future:
I would definitely like to explore more on Jane McGonigal theory of gaming to solve real life situation and really see that if games created by such tasked mindset can actually achieve artistic goals that can actually meet our popular culture art craving.
Bibliography:
“Gaming Can Make a Better World.” Jane McGonigal:. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2015. <http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world?language=en>.