Trans-media projects are a unique and interesting medium that takes interactive media to a whole new level. A few companies have attempted to create worlds that effectively cross the boundaries built by individual mediums, but Collapsus takes it to an entirely new level. Stories like Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia began as books, were filmed as movies, and eventually made into video games while maintaining the structural integrity of the world and the characters. This was taken a step further by the world created in The Matrix, where they used movies, games, and comic books to all tell different parts of the same story. This was one of the first purposeful attempts to use more than one media to flesh out different parts of the same world. Through these different trans-media worlds, it became apparent that the worlds that can cross between mediums and maintain their structural integrity are much more powerful than those who are framed by a specific medium. When done right, it strengthens the settings and makes them more memorable and they last longer in the public eye. This concept is interesting and causes the audience to be much more active in interpreting how the pieces all fit together.
Collapsus steps up the game and brings the separate mediums all to one place. This, as far as I am aware, is an entirely new concept. It is fascinating to be able to switch back and forth between three pieces of a constantly developing plot line. The combination of fact and fiction is also new, which brings an interesting perspective that definitely affects how the player/viewer interprets the information given to them. It also does an excellent job of making it feel personal by weaving in the stories of several characters into the overarching plot of the energy crisis. By using these stories to make it feel real, it brings more credibility to the theories that are presented regarding the facts and news stories (or at least it seems like it does). Collapsus is a gripping example of the power of trans-media projects.
For the class, I wish I would have taken this perspective into it at the beginning. This type of trans-media project was not something that I had ever considered before, and it changes the way that I view individual media in terms of their potential. Now I see much more value in learning about multiple platforms and exploring the ways in which they can work together. If I had had this perspective coming into the class, I would have began with an eye open for ways in which they can be combined. In some ways, digital games are a combination of the many types of media that we study in the media school. However, new media experiences like Collapsus take traditional games and turn them on their head. It's experiences like these that will be the future of the media industries as designers explore new ways of combining the ideas we have with the technology we have harnessed.
This also has important implications for the future. When I enter the game industry professionally, media innovations will be what gives the leading companies their edge, and it is important for me to understand them if I hope to compete and succeed. Because trans-media applications are often more powerful than single-media applications, I will be searching for ways to create vivid worlds that can make an impact on the world we live in. The combination of fact and fiction is another innovation that interests me, because it shows that games and media experiences can be used to have an effect on the real world instead of just acting purely as entertainment that quickly fades into the background. This concept will undoubtedly shape much of the future of the media industries.
Monday, March 7, 2011
This American Life
This American Life
When daydreaming about superpowers, most people say they would like to know how to fly or be able to turn invisible. While these are nice, I would go for something completely different. If I could have a superpower, I would choose high intelligence and understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering, like Tony Stark who became Iron Man. This ability would be extremely useful in many ways. Because of the lack of supervillains, it would make more sense to apply it practically. Unlike most powers, though, superhuman intelligence is useful even without supervillains, which is one reason I would prefer to have this power.
One of the things I would build first is an inexpensive low-orbit shuttle built for commercial low-orbit flights. This industry is finally being taken over by relatively small private companies who are ramping up the competition and stepping ahead of NASA. My superpower would give me the means to take this industry by storm and create a hugely successful company that would benefit humans across the world. The next step for that company would logically be space flight and building space colonies. This would be useful to solve the world's overpopulation problem, as well as allowing us to retrieve and research new materials for new power sources and building stronger structures.
Another venture that superhuman intelligence would enable would be deep-sea exploration. With better technology, marine biologists and researchers would be able to search the most remote parts of our world and learn more about how ecosystems work in these unexplored areas. Undersea cities may even become possible, which would afford another solution for the overpopulation issue.
Finally, the third invention I would create to put this power to use is creating a type of technology that disables other weapons, somewhat similar to an electromagnetic pulse. Building arms is easy and continuously more destructive. Peace will never be reached by means of violence when it is in the hands of humans. This weapon-disarming system would be able to handle weapons of all types, from incoming ballistic missiles to mines that have been buried for decades and pose a threat to unknowing passersby. This tool could be the first step to the disarming of the nations' weapon systems and lead closer to peace.
I am not particularly drawn to Tony Stark, even though he has this power, mostly because of his character. He is arrogant and somewhat of a jerk, and not very wise. Anyone who thinks that they can take on terrorists on their own is doomed to reap the rewards of their own hubris. It is true that eventually Stark joins with the government in the Marvel Civil War and advocates for the registration of superheroes with the government, but his cocky attitude never leaves. For this reason I am not a huge fan of Tony Stark/Iron Man as hero.
When daydreaming about superpowers, most people say they would like to know how to fly or be able to turn invisible. While these are nice, I would go for something completely different. If I could have a superpower, I would choose high intelligence and understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering, like Tony Stark who became Iron Man. This ability would be extremely useful in many ways. Because of the lack of supervillains, it would make more sense to apply it practically. Unlike most powers, though, superhuman intelligence is useful even without supervillains, which is one reason I would prefer to have this power.
One of the things I would build first is an inexpensive low-orbit shuttle built for commercial low-orbit flights. This industry is finally being taken over by relatively small private companies who are ramping up the competition and stepping ahead of NASA. My superpower would give me the means to take this industry by storm and create a hugely successful company that would benefit humans across the world. The next step for that company would logically be space flight and building space colonies. This would be useful to solve the world's overpopulation problem, as well as allowing us to retrieve and research new materials for new power sources and building stronger structures.
Another venture that superhuman intelligence would enable would be deep-sea exploration. With better technology, marine biologists and researchers would be able to search the most remote parts of our world and learn more about how ecosystems work in these unexplored areas. Undersea cities may even become possible, which would afford another solution for the overpopulation issue.
Finally, the third invention I would create to put this power to use is creating a type of technology that disables other weapons, somewhat similar to an electromagnetic pulse. Building arms is easy and continuously more destructive. Peace will never be reached by means of violence when it is in the hands of humans. This weapon-disarming system would be able to handle weapons of all types, from incoming ballistic missiles to mines that have been buried for decades and pose a threat to unknowing passersby. This tool could be the first step to the disarming of the nations' weapon systems and lead closer to peace.
I am not particularly drawn to Tony Stark, even though he has this power, mostly because of his character. He is arrogant and somewhat of a jerk, and not very wise. Anyone who thinks that they can take on terrorists on their own is doomed to reap the rewards of their own hubris. It is true that eventually Stark joins with the government in the Marvel Civil War and advocates for the registration of superheroes with the government, but his cocky attitude never leaves. For this reason I am not a huge fan of Tony Stark/Iron Man as hero.
Hero/Villain Critique
Jordan Bond's Blog: http://jbond00777.blogspot.com/
Jordan's hero/villain combo begins with a strong contrast in color. The hero has two color forms, a blue and a yellow, both of which are bright and heavily saturated. The villain, however, has a very dark color palette, being mostly gray and black, with bits of darker color on its head and hat. His colors are much more muted, darker, and less saturated than the hero's colors. This contrast actively sets them apart in the viewer's mind by pointing toward different motivations and opposing alignments. This is due to the purity of the colors, and their hue. The hero comes across as more pure because his colors are pure and unmarred. In addition, his colors didactically show his state of being. This may not seem significant at first, but the transparency create a connection between the viewer and the hero that is missing with the villain. The villain's colors are much less bright, and therefore not pure, which conveys a dark intent. Also, they mask his state of mind, creating an uncomfortable disconnect between the viewer and the villain which creates negative feelings in the viewer toward the villain. The hero is actually somewhat complex in his color scheme because his color depends on whether he is awake or asleep. Each form is simple in color with heavy saturation, but the brightness and hue depends on his state of consciousness.
Cameron Brown's Blog: http://cameronbrown9080.blogspot.com/
On this blog, there is only one character posted, and it is very hard to determine what to make of it because of that. This is interesting because it shows that the meanings of a character's traits are completely relative to the the world in which the character exists. This character specifically is difficult to categorize because he is wearing neutral colors that could be used for a hero or a villain. The character's posture and expression would seem to point toward him being a hero, but the things he stands for would point me toward the opposite conclusion (probably only because of my own values). The fact that he is wearing complementary colors also points toward his heroic nature because their hues and medium brightness are somewhat calming. Apart from these observations, though, no conclusions can be made since there is nothing to compare or contrast with.
Hannah's Blog: http://summersymphony203.blogspot.com/
I was unable to find the hero/villain on Hannah's blog.
Jordan's hero/villain combo begins with a strong contrast in color. The hero has two color forms, a blue and a yellow, both of which are bright and heavily saturated. The villain, however, has a very dark color palette, being mostly gray and black, with bits of darker color on its head and hat. His colors are much more muted, darker, and less saturated than the hero's colors. This contrast actively sets them apart in the viewer's mind by pointing toward different motivations and opposing alignments. This is due to the purity of the colors, and their hue. The hero comes across as more pure because his colors are pure and unmarred. In addition, his colors didactically show his state of being. This may not seem significant at first, but the transparency create a connection between the viewer and the hero that is missing with the villain. The villain's colors are much less bright, and therefore not pure, which conveys a dark intent. Also, they mask his state of mind, creating an uncomfortable disconnect between the viewer and the villain which creates negative feelings in the viewer toward the villain. The hero is actually somewhat complex in his color scheme because his color depends on whether he is awake or asleep. Each form is simple in color with heavy saturation, but the brightness and hue depends on his state of consciousness.
Cameron Brown's Blog: http://cameronbrown9080.blogspot.com/
On this blog, there is only one character posted, and it is very hard to determine what to make of it because of that. This is interesting because it shows that the meanings of a character's traits are completely relative to the the world in which the character exists. This character specifically is difficult to categorize because he is wearing neutral colors that could be used for a hero or a villain. The character's posture and expression would seem to point toward him being a hero, but the things he stands for would point me toward the opposite conclusion (probably only because of my own values). The fact that he is wearing complementary colors also points toward his heroic nature because their hues and medium brightness are somewhat calming. Apart from these observations, though, no conclusions can be made since there is nothing to compare or contrast with.
Hannah's Blog: http://summersymphony203.blogspot.com/
I was unable to find the hero/villain on Hannah's blog.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Joke Video Comparison
Each of our group's joke videos utilized a different location, and thus the space was manipulated differently for each. In the color video, space was used deliberately to manipulate how the audience felt about the two characters. Medium and flat space was used to form a positive connection between the father and the son, while deeper space was used to cause separation between the viewers and the son. This contrast in space was intended to make the audience feel differently about each character. However, in the black and white video, space was not focused on in the composition of the shots. Medium space was used consistently through most of the video while other techniques were utilized to manipulate the audience's feelings. This consistency moved the audience's focus to the other techniques that were used to set the scenes in that second video.
The videos also used different kinds of rhythm. The color video had an irregular rhythm set up by the unique wall designs and the asymmetric arrangement of the furniture. This rhythm was used to keep the scene interesting, despite the lack of camera movement. It was also used to frame the characters to cause the audience to focus on them, like when the son was in time-out. The black and white video used a constant rhythm to frame the son which was created by the carpet. An irregular rhythm was used in the kitchen scene to frame the mother. This contrast was used to actively convey to the audience that the two characters were separated, instead of showing it didactically. This active separation was reinforced by the fact that the two characters were not shown in the same shot, whereas the color video used over the shoulder shots to capture both characters in the same shot many times.
The videos also used different kinds of rhythm. The color video had an irregular rhythm set up by the unique wall designs and the asymmetric arrangement of the furniture. This rhythm was used to keep the scene interesting, despite the lack of camera movement. It was also used to frame the characters to cause the audience to focus on them, like when the son was in time-out. The black and white video used a constant rhythm to frame the son which was created by the carpet. An irregular rhythm was used in the kitchen scene to frame the mother. This contrast was used to actively convey to the audience that the two characters were separated, instead of showing it didactically. This active separation was reinforced by the fact that the two characters were not shown in the same shot, whereas the color video used over the shoulder shots to capture both characters in the same shot many times.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Game Clip Critique
Bioshock is an intense thriller game that fully utilizes color to reinforce the themes and the feel of the game. This is the introduction to the game, which sets the stage for what the player is supposed to experience throughout the entire game.
The most noticeable attribute of the color in this introduction is the saturation. All of the colors are very full. This fullness makes the scenes all very vivid and striking to the player, especially because many of the colors are very dark. The goal of the game is to make the player uncomfortable and wary at any given point during gameplay. Heavy saturation is used throughout the entire game and it makes the environments seem surreal and alien. This is especially effective in the introduction because, as the game introduces the city of Rapture, the goal of the game designers was to create a sense of awe in the player. The obvious ways that this is done is through the scale of the city and the things used in the city. However, the saturation is effectively used to supplement this in a subtle way.
The hues used in this scene are used to create contrast among the various elements in the setting. The two strongest colors used are yellow and blue. These complementary colors go well together and create a contrast between a warm (inside the buildings) and a cool (in the water) feel. Within each of those colors, a variety of analogous colors are used to create affinity among the scenery and objects that are related. This is done to associate all of the interior buildings and pieces of Rapture with one another, and to contrast that with the water that surrounds it.
Finally, the brightness of the colors reinforces both the contrast between the hues, and the vividness created by the saturation. Bioshock is a mostly linear game, and so there is usually one direction in which the player should travel. In the introduction, the contrast in brightness is used to guide the player in the right direction. It separates the background from the foreground, and keeps the player's attention focused on a certain area. This is done in the very beginning with the ring of fire standing on the water. The brightness of the flames encircles the player and shows them that they need to stay in the safe dark water. It then herds them toward the tower, the only direction that any other bright color and light is coming from (the lamps on the tower and the moon are both in this direction). When the player enters the tower, the brightness first focuses their attention on the statue of Andrew Ryan in the foreground (a key character in the game). As it becomes time to move on, lights come on in the background and make the hallways further back more bright than the foreground, enticing the player forward. The brightness of colors is used consistently to guide the players eye to points of interest that reinforce the awe-inspired theme of the introduction, which then sets the stage for the feel of the rest of the game.
The most noticeable attribute of the color in this introduction is the saturation. All of the colors are very full. This fullness makes the scenes all very vivid and striking to the player, especially because many of the colors are very dark. The goal of the game is to make the player uncomfortable and wary at any given point during gameplay. Heavy saturation is used throughout the entire game and it makes the environments seem surreal and alien. This is especially effective in the introduction because, as the game introduces the city of Rapture, the goal of the game designers was to create a sense of awe in the player. The obvious ways that this is done is through the scale of the city and the things used in the city. However, the saturation is effectively used to supplement this in a subtle way.
The hues used in this scene are used to create contrast among the various elements in the setting. The two strongest colors used are yellow and blue. These complementary colors go well together and create a contrast between a warm (inside the buildings) and a cool (in the water) feel. Within each of those colors, a variety of analogous colors are used to create affinity among the scenery and objects that are related. This is done to associate all of the interior buildings and pieces of Rapture with one another, and to contrast that with the water that surrounds it.
Finally, the brightness of the colors reinforces both the contrast between the hues, and the vividness created by the saturation. Bioshock is a mostly linear game, and so there is usually one direction in which the player should travel. In the introduction, the contrast in brightness is used to guide the player in the right direction. It separates the background from the foreground, and keeps the player's attention focused on a certain area. This is done in the very beginning with the ring of fire standing on the water. The brightness of the flames encircles the player and shows them that they need to stay in the safe dark water. It then herds them toward the tower, the only direction that any other bright color and light is coming from (the lamps on the tower and the moon are both in this direction). When the player enters the tower, the brightness first focuses their attention on the statue of Andrew Ryan in the foreground (a key character in the game). As it becomes time to move on, lights come on in the background and make the hallways further back more bright than the foreground, enticing the player forward. The brightness of colors is used consistently to guide the players eye to points of interest that reinforce the awe-inspired theme of the introduction, which then sets the stage for the feel of the rest of the game.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Joke Videos
Video 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZJxsDM5xDQ
Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu-HUm8yr_g
Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu-HUm8yr_g
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