Digital games- But Are They Art?

How does Adams define art? Do you agree with his defintion?
According to Adasm, what is needed for videogames to be considered as art?

According Adams, he defined art as" has content, an aethetic, contains ideas, makes you feel things,is not formulaic, has utility and Saleability." Well, i think it's true for art to have combinations of above points or characteristics. I especially agree that the art should make you feel things. You share expressions withe artists through thae artwork, you will comment on the work whether it is good or bad, based on the feeling of things, rathr than based on others' ideas and comments. To bring new creation of techiques or contents, art cannot be formulaic with rules and restrictions. Otherwise, the artwork become boring or the evulated work of previous one. People want to see different and new art rather than the standardized work.

To be the art form, according to Adams, videogames should not be affected by popular culture. Art needs not have Interactivity since creating real art of computer games is hard to achieve in reality. The videogames should have messages or themes to let players discover new things throughout the game. It helps lead to "a non-linguistic expression of a feeling". I qute agree that to become art in videogames, they should have special themes or outlines, so as to achieve "Art Makes You Feel Things". Giving the theme can also provide players the purpose of playing this game or have a deeper understanding and knowlege in the videogames. From Sim City, we know that because of economic prosperity, the character needs to take certain action to achieve the goals. However, i don't agree that popular culture cannot be the art form, as sometimes popular culture can also be art at the same time. Bansky, who is famous for his graffiti's paintings, his work is also classified as popular culture as well as art work. So in videogames, it can also include both popular culture and art work at the same time. I alo think of the painting games that i played when i was child. I put a click on the color, then click the particular area, the selected color is filler in that area. This painting game, in my point of view, can consider real art. It just depends on how the game designer design the game.

Reference:
Ernest W. Adams, “Will Computer Games Ever Be a Legitimate Art Form”. In Clarke and Mitchell (eds), Videogames and Art, 255-264

The ethics of Videogames- Use Manhunt as an example

The Ethics of Manhunt
Manhunt is a violent game. Many countries, such as Canada and the UK, have identified it as "restricted to adults only". In Germany, it even banned the game. This is a very controversy game.


What makes this game so controversial? This game is all about killing. Killing the mankind by using everyday items as weapons, like hammers, crowbars, black jack, chainsaw, etc., is the main feature of Manhunt. Player has to collect these items everywhere. Higher scores will be given who use the most cruel way to kill the victims. Special items or features will be awarded you get 5 stars in some areas. So executions is the main way to  help you get a high score overall.

However, unlock bonus features and codes are, in the fact that,  can be awarded if player get 5 stars in 5 of 20 areas. The game system forces players use the most cruel ways to kill victims till last if they do not know the truth. This system makes players become more aggressive while playing the game.

Throughout the game, player can see victims are being kicked or killed mercilessly. This brings them a loss of sense of mercy and become more aggressive.

The game is set to use everyday items as weapons. As the result, this brings play a sense of reality. They becomes hard to find differences between fake and real world., and may try to use plastic bags or pens to kill others in the worst situation.

With the release of Wii version, this game becomes more dangerous. From GamePolitcs.com, it mentioned that " Wii's motion control system would effectively constitute a rehearsal of the body movements used in real-world beating, slashing and stabbing." It also stated that "The content of Manhunt 2 and the unique physical interaction with the Wii control combine to take this simulation a level closer to reality." With daily practices of using the remote, this makes players get a pratice of these violent acts. The effect of experience becomes bigger.

The study on Violent Games
‘227 college students who completed a measure of trait aggressiveness and reported their actual aggressive behaviors (delinquency) in the recent past. They also reported their video game playing habits. "We found that students who reported playing more violent video games in junior and high school engaged in more aggressive behavior”’is reported from www.apa.org, based on the study from the American Psychological Association. This proves that the videogames can bring people, as least youngsters an aggressive feeling and increase negative behavior. In long term, violent videogames can make them use the emotion and feelings from videogames into the real world.

Participants who have certain level of psychoticism and children are believed that they are highly affected by videogames. They will devlop agrressive behavoir and do violent acts when they face serious conflicts by copying of what they have seen in violent game scenes.

Yet, some people see violent games as a way of expression. They face pressure in daily life , from offices, schools, family o commununity. Playing violent game is the way to release their stress and negative feelings, for imaging the monsters in the game are their bosses, and calm down and release stress after playing the games.

All in all, videogames is the most powerful educational tool. People have to carefully select the games for themselves, fortheir friends, and for their children. Governments should also seriously state each game's rate, to ensure children and teenagers do not have a touch on violent games or other moral- questionable videogames.


Relevant Websites:
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2000/04/video-games.aspx
http://gamepolitics.com/2008/11/17/new-study-wii-motion-controls-do-not-increase-negative-effects-manhunt-2
http://gamepolitics.com/2007/02/28/violent-games-dont-cause-youth-violence-says-usc-sociologist
http://www.digra.org/dl/db/09287.13336.pdf
http://gamepolitics.com/2007/02/28/violent-games-dont-cause-youth-violence-says-usc-sociologist
http://gamepolitics.com/2008/11/17/new-study-wii-motion-controls-do-not-increase-negative-effects-manhunt-2
http://projectmanhunt.com/archives.php?archive=1273861816&subaction=list-archive&
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=3798090&page=2

The Ethics of videogames

a)According to the film, what are some pros and cons of playing video games for individuals and societies?

b) According the film, is there any evidence that digital games can encourage aggressive values and anti-social actions in the real world? Do you agree?

c) Should governments have the right to ban certain games? Why or why not?

Playing video games, it can benefit both players themselves as well as the society. From the video, a boy called Robert, who suffered from the cancer, played Re-Mission. This game is designed to cure all the patients and win the game. This can help children who suffer serious illness have a positive view towards their illness and recieve the medical treatment. There also game to teach adults how to prevent pregnancy by using condoms. The videogames can also raise youngsters concern among the military awareness by offering military games in the teenaging group in the US.Playing videogames can also make the players become famous. In the video, it shows the players' name are shouted loudly in the video game competition.



However, not all video games are benefit for individuals and societies. The shooting games bring horror to the societies. In the game of "American Army", the situation brings a sense of realism that youngsterd may be disturbed by the videogames in his/ her real life. This videogames also brings out the problem of racism. In the game, the Arabs are the killing targets. There may have conflicts between countries and devlop hateness to Americans. The game also makes people become aggressive. Postal uses violent waysto end someone's life, like burning the cats or human, use guns to shoot people to death. There are also more than 20 shooting crimes occured by young shooters who have played shooting games before. They work out the dark side of the game in reality. A boy was caught because of shooting in school. He was believed that the 100% accuracy of shooting is due to the shooting games which he spent most of the time play, getting a practice of shooting position.



I really agree that video games sometimes bring game users aggressive and anti-social actions. There are a huge variety of choices for the violent video games. They give people the concept of "killing is acceptable and legal". When the gamers receive these negative messages, they would do the similar things which the film mentioned.



However, i don't agree that the government should ban the certain games, because this will affect the creativity of the video games companies. However, i will suggest the government set up regulations for the companies. For example, the companiesshould set the age limit to the games, for example, only 18 or above can play the violent games. Beforehand, the games should be played and checked by the committee, then decide which people can play these games, like what the films do.



Reference:

"Gamer Revolution", Youtube. (Accessed in July, 2007)

•http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=t8qYhH2H_TM
•http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=o0MYeIG4E7c
•http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=OekCLo6HyKU
•http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=YV4mlZSDlQE
•http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=5s6Y_jJVBn4

Technological bodies

Which Artist's work do you find the most interesting?
I am interested in the Inter- DisCommunication Machine, designed by HACHIYA Kazuhiko, a media artist. From the description posted by HACHIYA Kazuhiko in Youtube, he described it as "Equipments which exchange views between two persons. You can only see through the other person's eyes when you wear these machines, which forcibly put you in the other's place. These were made to obscure the border between identities of two persons."

I want to try this to get the feeling of seeing from others' eyes. It also brings people think about others' feelings and situation while hearing this. The artist also ask us to think of personal identities. Well, i think this machine can be useful for closer relationship between people using in the long term. This is because people would like to care about of people see, and take reaction to it. Perhaps, i have thought of using it for the one who are blind and other one who is not blind, letting the healthy people feel the darkness or the loss of sight's situation. If the technolgy possible, let the blind one has the oppotunity to see the world through other's lens.

Reference:
"Inter Dis-Communication Machine (1993)", Youtue. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOzVzcmK0VU (accessed August 28, 2009)

-How many online identities do you have? What are they like?
-In what ways are they different to your "in person" identities?
-What are some benefits of expressing one's identity online?
-What are some risks?

I have about 5 online identities. They are Lingnan Account, MSN, Hotmail, Facebook, Xanga. MSN is for chatting, while Lingnan Account and hotmail is for recieve and send information. For Facebook and Xanga, i think they are some kinds of blog. Usually I may hide my birthday year, Identity card no., cell photo no. and other personal information. For Xanga and MSN, i use fake names.

By using identity online, I can make friends. For example, Facebook can help others find me and add me as friend. At the same time, friends can get the latest news of mine. They can check up my texts in Xanga, Facebook, and reply their feelings or advice to me. Besides, I can recieve relevant messages from schools, companies, and friends by using Hotmail,Lingnan Portal.

However, identity online has its risk. First, people who hate you leave negative comments on your blogs, causing cyber-bullying. Second, it may affect the employment opportunity. Nowadays, employers check the interviewees' facebook, twitter, myspace, etc., in order to know more about their personal life, and  decide on the employment. Furthermore, hackers can take personal information from identity online, and use for illegal purpose.

As the result, we should not explore ourselves too much in identity online.For example, we should not put personal address, Identity card number, passport number, credit card number, etc., to prevent others stealing the information. We should find trusted identity online, so that we can take benefits from it.

3) Consider “Bus Uncle” or Chris Crocker’s “Leave Whitney Alone” and upload the one you prefer to your blog. Comment on the following:

"Bus Uncle"

1.How many viewers are estimated to have watched the youtube video?

According to Youtube(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSHziqJWYcM), about  2,613,359 views to have watched "Bus Uncle", but I believe at least 4,000,000 viewers have watched this video in differrnt versions/subtitles.

2.   How would you rate the video?

•Is it of high quality in technical terms? Is it interesting aesthetically eg camera angles, use of light, the narrative, and so on?

•Does it raise interesting socio-cultural issues? 

Well, for technical term, i won't rate this video high. The video-taker only used his mobile/ camera to take the scene secretly. There is no use of lights, no narrative, no special effect. The only thing that we can find in the video is two men's conversation about talking on phone on the bus, plus the viewrs' laughing noise.Only later on, we can find the subtitle one on youtube.

However, i definetly rate high in term of social and cultural aspect. This video really raises many Hong Kong people, or other countries' people interest. The young man ask the old man talked on phone in a quiet voice so that he didn't disturb others on the bus. Then the old man scold the young man loudly with using poor manner, saying that he was under stress. From this video, we know two things. The old man did wrong, but did not accept the yong man's advice, and even scold him back. The old man was against the bus rules by disturbing others and saying obscene language.Second, Hong Kong people face the problem of under stress. They face pressure during working days, but they don't know how to release/ reduce the stress. This becomes a "bomb" when they are under uncomfortable situation.

"Bus Uncle" can let other countries' people understand Hong Kong culture. Hong Kong people talk on phone everywhere, even on the bus. This is different from Japanese culture. People can learn the Hong Kong language, like how to response ithe bad language (though it's bad to use this kind of language!!!!)

3.   Do you think it deserved the attention that it received from the internet community?

It definitely gets the attention from thye internet community. First of all, when we look at the number of views under the video, we can find that millions of people have watched this videos. There are also thousands of people leave the comments after watching it. Then newspapers post the news as well, more and more people know this issue. Later on, the newspapers or magazines wanted to have interviews with these two men. Then even TV programs or advertisements also re-acted  similar secenes again. People also use techniolgy and remix what Bus Uncle said into a song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v48tRk-Yy8&feature=related). Or some print tees to gain profits from this issue.(http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060716002855/evchk/images/thumb/e/e1/06la4p6.jpg/303px-06la4p6.jpg)

4) Do video- sharing sites such as Youtube enhance or worsen creative culture?Comment.

 

Everything has both good and bad sides, just depends on how we view the videos.

Video- sharing sites can share some interesting and exciting news to others. For example, "Bus Uncle" is first posted Youtube, then it immediately raise public concern on the issue. People can also use video- sharing sites to express their opinions on current matters. "Leave Britney Alone!" is an example that a fan of Britney Spears reacted to what paparazzis did to Britney. 

Video- sharring sites can also allow users make some creative videos. From "Creativity meets circulation: Internet videos, amateurs and the process of evolution", Roman Marek mentions" The technology of digital video editing allows even a beginner to use only certain parts of the orginal video- clip. As a result, we can see dozens of recycling/Mash-Up/ Re-edit or remix videos." (1)From this, it shows video- sharring sites gives an opportunity to users to put their finished creative videos to others, letting others leave comments on their work.

Besides, video-sharring sites can bring us some people famous by their creavtity. Chris Crocker is the ggod example. At first, no one knowed a boy called Chris Crocker. With the wide spread on watching and commenting of his video,"Leave Britney Alone!", Chris Crocker become one of the internet celebrities. Eveytime when he uploads his video,the video has at least 100 thosand views. He can gain so many responses as he use personal emotional expression to response current issues. As a result, people start making some funny things or use personal advance to create videos and become internet celebrities.

On the other side, video-sharring sites cause the problem of copyright. Users post videos that haven't asked for allowance from the copyright owners. Many music videos on the sites are not approved by the owners and are posted on sites. This really wosrens creative culture as creative companys cannot gain profits for further development.

In my opinion, video-sharring sites are still good for creative culture. People can bring their ideas into reality with making simple digital videos and share to others. Then other people can remix/recycle.... the videos, making same videos into differnt versions, which become more and more creative.

1) What are some photographic effects that can be achieved using digital or analog (darkroom, film, lights etc) technology?
By using some functions, we can change the colors of the photos. With a click on "Black & White" function, the photo can turn into Black and white. It can help change/remove imperfection to suit user's taste.





When we look at this photo, we can see that woman's face has been shapen and the photo is lighten. So by using digital technology, we can male the photo as good-looking as you can.

For analog technology, tit can change the light effect of the orginal setting.





In this photo, we can see that the photogragher has used darkroom in this photo. The four corners are dark, and the bottom part is darken. The whole photo only focuses on the red ballon in the sky.



 The analogy technolgy can also make the photo looks yellower, or darker. From this photo, the overall it looks yellow because of different films the phototaker has used.






2) What are some photographic techniques that can only be done using digital technology?
 If we want to replace the background of the pictures, we definitely need to use digital technology.

  



 From this poster, we can see that the background of yellow and orange is added by using the digital technology. We cannot change the color like this in the real world.

Only digital technology can mix different landscapes together into one photo, and managing the size as what the photo-maker wishes to.

 The analogy technolgy cannnot change imperfection like what photoshop does. Photoshop can remove ances from the girl's face, but the analog one can't.








3) What is the difference between analog photography and digital photography?
From Wikipedia, Analog photography means " photography using a progressively changing recording medium, which may be based either on a chemical process (e.g., photographic film or plate) or electronic means (e.g., using a vidicon or CCD sensor)."(1)While Digtial photography means"photography that uses an array of light sensitive sensors to capture the image focused by the lens, as opposed to an exposure on light sensitive film. The captured image is then stored as a digital file ready for digital processing (colour correction, sizing, cropping, etc.), viewing or printing."(2)Analog photography depend more on the physical means, like film or plate, but the digital photography depends more on digital functions. For axample, Digital camera can turn the photos into black and white by a click, but the analog phographs may need to change to a particular film, or arrange the lighting, darkness, so that it can take a black and white photo.
Reference:
(1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_photography
(2)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_photography