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We looked inside some of the posts by interactive-pixel-art and here's what we found interesting.
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Many people say that art creates an experience for the viewer. The relationship between the art and the viewer is an ever changing arena. As technology continues to evolve, the way in which the viewer sees and experiences the art has consequently changed as well. Throughout history, many different art types and movements have been created and utilized, such as minimalism, pop-art, or abstract art. As the art world moves forward, what can be classified as art will always be called into question. One type of art, which first appeared in the 1920’s, has been recently gaining more popularity and interest; interactive art.
Interactive is defined as, “ A direct observation of or participation in events as basis of knowledge”, or as, “ The fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through observation or participation.” (Webster Dictionary). Based on this definition, interactive art can then be described as a piece of art that allows the viewer to gain knowledge through observation or participation. Chee-Onn Wong et al. stated that, “…utilizing knowledge discovery to uncover the message behind the interaction contributes to a better interactive experience through personalization of the interactive experience provided to the spectator.” (Wong et al. 2009). In other words, by having the viewer interact directly and gain knowledge from the art piece, the artist’s intention that is gleaned from the piece becomes more personal and meaningful.
Using this working definition of interactive art, I have created this exhibition in order to take a closer look at one form of interactive, experience art; video games. Specifically, I will be looking at pixel style video games. My definition of a pixel style video game is a game where the individual pixels are more defined and not smoothed out like modern 3D games. They also utilize the old style of games popular from the mid 80s to the mid 2000s, including all the features that associated with those games like the specific music style and dialog boxes. In the TED talk “Why I brought Pac-Man to the MoMA” Paola Antonelli, Design Curator at the MoMA, stated that, “ We live today, as you know very well, not in the digital, not in the physical, but in the kind of minestrone that our mind makes of the two.” (Antonelli, 2013). This quote means that we as humans perceive our world by combining what we know of the physical world around us with what we know in the digital world. Videogames are the perfect example of this combination because it allows us to interact with things we know of from our world in a digital setting.What makes pixel games unique is their ability to both evoke nostalgic feelings while also present different experiences using the same type of medium. David Mather stated that,
“ Memory bridges not just past and present, but outside and inside…dreams and reason…creation and loss.” (Mather 2006). This metaphorical bridge that Mather describes is what helps makes pixel games so impactful to the players and is why we are still making them today. Pixel games can range from impersonal, historical re-tellings to thought provoking, introspective displays of personal ordeals. Within this exhibit I have created I have selected some games that I feel display the wide range of experiences that make up the human condition.
The sharing of both personal and impersonal experiences is important because through them humans can experience both sympathy and empathy. An example is when someone loses a person who meant alot to them, whether it is a family member or a friend. If someone else feels bad for the individual’s loss they are sympathetic and will try to help them as best they can. If this someone else has also lost someone, they can feel empathetic to the individual and are able to help the individual in different ways that they could not have if they had never experienced loss. These feelings of sympathy and empathy and the actions that result from these emotions are an important part of the human condition. These shared feelings connect people together and allow an educational, meaningful exchange of thoughts and feelings to occur. By using videogames as an interactive art form, the experiences and feelings of sympathy and empathy can be better understood and shared with more individuals.
Understanding other humans makes up what we call the “human condition”. Colin Welch says the human condition is, “…about the fundamental issues of human existence.” (Welch 2015). People can use these video games to explore the issues that Welch mentions and better understand these issues through the interactions and decisions made by the player.
Consequences in these games give the players’ actions weight and meaning. In Greg Costikyan’s article he states a couple of ideas. The first one being, “ Interaction must have a purpose.” (Costikyan 2002). In other words, every action that we take as humans has a meaning to it, whether it is to achieve something for ourselves or just have a successful conversation with another. We have a motive to whatever we say or do. This logic holds true to games as well. Costikyan also states, “ What makes a thing into a game is the need to make decisions.” (Costikyan 2002). A successful game is one that really makes the player connected to the created world and characters. This is enhanced when there is meaning and weight to the player’s actions. If the game erases every action that the player takes then the feeling of actually having any kind of impact on the game world’s inhabitants disappears, leaving the player feeling disconnected from the gaming experience. In games and real life, feeling a strong connection to the world around you is vital part of the human condition.
The five games I have selected encompass many of the concepts that help to make up the “human condition” and use the interactive art form in order to create in depth experiences that the player can learn from.
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Bibliography
Antonelli, Paola . "Why I Brought Pac-Man to MoMA." Lecture, TEDTalk, New York. 2013
Carlisle, Anne. "Art & Technology: Interactive Art ." Circa Art Magazine, 1995.
Costikyan, Greg. "I Have No Words & I Must Design: Towards a Critical Vocabulary for
Games." Tempere University Press, 2002.
"Experience." Merriam-Webster. Accessed May 03, 2017
Fox, Toby. UNDERTALE. Game. Sep. 2015.
Fummy. Witch’s House. Game. October 2012.
Gameloft, MECC. Oregon Trail. Game. December 1971.
Leddy, Tom. "Dewey's Aesthetics." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. September 29, 2006.
Accessed May 03, 2017. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-aesthetics/#HavExp.
Ocias, Alex. Loved. Game. June 2010.
Pope, Lucas. Papers, Please. Game. Aug. 2013.
Welch, Colin. "What is the "human condition"?" The Human Condition in Literature. Accessed
May 03, 2017. http://learn.lexiconic.net/humancondition.htm.
Wong, Chee-Onn, Keechul Jung, and Joonsung Yoon. "Interactive Art: The Art That
Communicates." Leonardo 42, no. 2 (2009): 180-81. doi:10.1162/leon.2009.42.2.180.
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In school, history is one of the main subjects taught to every child. This is because, as a society, we often look to the past for solutions as to move forward to the future. This makes history an important component of the human condition. Because of this, it is no surprise that history has found its way into video games. Games like Assasin’s Creed or Call of Duty take the player on an adventure by immersing the viewer within the specific time period. The first game I have selected is The Oregon Trail. This game centers around the player becoming a pioneer in the 1800’s, going west to try to find land for their family. It combined educational information with enjoyable gameplay to create an engaging simulation that soon became a cultural phenomena.(Gameloft 1971, Oregon Trail) This part of history has become popularized because of this game; many quote from the game like, “Your have died of dysentery”, have become synonymous with the actual historical events.This game is a great example of Interactive art. The interactions the player experiences in game allow the player to gain knowledge about this important time period, while also shaping their own view of their world today. (Gameloft 1971, Oregon Trail)
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Another major component of the human condition is the social aspect of society. Humans are one of the most social species on Earth; everyday is made up of social interactions between people. That being said, social issues like gender and sexual orientation, religion, healthcare, gun control, racism and climate change are at the forefront of debates and conversations. These and many other issues affect the general population. Thus, these social issues are one of the most common, shared experiences humans have.The second game i selected, called Papers, Please, is a thriller puzzle game that deals with another important social issue, immigration.Within the game, the player takes on the character of a border patrol officer of a dystopian country whose jon is to check the papers and passports of immigrants and returning citizens and then decide entry and who is detained for falsified information. Each day, new rules pertaining to who is and isn’t allowed into the country are given to the player, who must follow them to the letter. The rules sometimes, for example, restrict the immigration of outsiders of contain a list of suspects who are wanted. The player is also faced with the moral decisions, like letting in people without paperwork who have family waiting for them. If the player correctly processes the incoming people, they are rewarded with a raise. If the player makes a mistake or is caught allowing the “wrong” person in, they are punished with a salary cut. If they make too many mistakes, the game ends with the player’s arrest. There is also a time constraint built into the game; if the player takes too long some of the immigrants will try to jump the fence and end up getting shot. On top of this stressful job, the player’s in game family relies on the player’s salary to keep living. The player chooses how to spend their earned money on their family's necessities and wants.(Pope 2013, Papers, Please) This conflict between the duty of the player’s job, the duty to their family, and their duty to fellow humans is at the core of this game. The dynamic between the player and the immigrants is fascinating and adds to this internal, moral struggle, especially if the player becomes attached to the NPCs. This game is unique because it allows the player to experience the sense of conflict, while also allowing the dialogue to be had about immigration and its consequences. (Pope 2013, Papers, Please)
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