Imaginary Worlds Symposium

Here is a great resource for research into the design and construction of imaginary worlds, available on the Imaginary Worlds Symposium website

Imaging Gameplay – The Design and Construction of Spatial Worlds
Bernadette Flynn (Griffith University, Queensland)
read paper here

Composing Space: Cinema and Computer Gaming – The Macro-Mise en Scene and Spatial Composition.
Mike Jones (The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney)
read paper here

Representing Traumatic Space
Dirk de Bruyn (Deakin University, Victoria)
read paper here

Space Time Play - Interactive Narratives

I've been researching how narratives are incorporated into interactive media design. Here are some quotes taken from the book, "Space Time Play"


"...Most existing embedded narratives take the form of detective or conspiracy stories since these genres help to motivate the player's active examination of clues and exploration of spaces and provide a rationale for his efforts to reconstruct the narrative of past events." p.59/ author Henry Jenkins

"In the case of embedded narratives, the gamespace becomes a memory palace whose contents must be deciphered as the player tries to reconstruct the plot. And in the case of emergent narratives, gamespaces are designed to be rich with narrative potential, thereby enabling the story-constructing activity of players." p.60/ author Don Carson

Indie/Experimental Video Games

I've been searching around for various examples of Experimental Video Games. Having never been much of a gamer, this world is quite new and fresh to me. I am curious about what users like to see happen in their interactive experiences, what activities are satisfying. Here are some links to blog posts I have recently made on other sites.

Night Journey
Flow
Toribash
Crayon Physics Deluxe
Flipside
Katamari (of course! I even played this projected in a screening setting at Machine Gallery a few years ago)
Eternal Darkness

Introduction

This blog chronicles our CTAN-593 Directed Study Research within the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts at the University of Southern California for Spring 2008. Our research will focus on exploring alternative techniques and uses of the XSI 3D program as it relates to our animation and conceptual interests.

Amanda will focus on creating 3D elements that are appropriate for an interactive environment, and on research into fine art uses of interactive media.

Melissa will focus on creating 3D elements that utilize 2D and multi-media textures, and on research into alternative art direction, design, and styles within 3D space.