Letters Across a Digital Ocean: Simulating Meaning Through Video Games
Session Title
Education: Parents and Children
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty Mentor
Ginger Williams, Ph.D.
Abstract
As academic discussion of video games as a form of expression and art trail behind advancements in the industry and cultural affinity for the medium, basal understanding of the meanings that can be interpreted through video games have gone relatively untouched. In the face of impending climate crisis and looking at the response to the COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, it becomes more paramount than ever to understand how we interact with the digital media and art we consume. The purpose of this paper, then, is to question how video games can simulate meaningful interactions in a digital medium. Alongside research, the question will be answered through the creation of an interactable experience to deepen the understanding of the concepts discussed through both the player and creator’s point of view. The primary area of research is that of Human-computer Interaction, or HCI. While often used from a psychological or design standpoint, HCI allows for the most precise dissection of interaction between human feelings and digital experiences. So as to balance this approach, the study of fine arts gives a perspective of video games as interactive digital pieces of art. The historical relevance of video games into the narrative of art history also plays a part in tracing interactive works before video games that exemplify their ideals. Finally, computer science will be integrated into the creation portion of this paper, specifically in the act of simulating certain humanistic characteristics with digital tools. Video games, as an experiential medium, provide unique ways to give meaning through both aesthetic and interactive values. That being said, meaning is defined by player more than that of the creator, keeping in touch with post-modernist interpretations of artwork and the value of authorial intent.
Course Assignment
IDVS 490 - Williams
Type of Presentation
Oral presentation
Letters Across a Digital Ocean: Simulating Meaning Through Video Games
As academic discussion of video games as a form of expression and art trail behind advancements in the industry and cultural affinity for the medium, basal understanding of the meanings that can be interpreted through video games have gone relatively untouched. In the face of impending climate crisis and looking at the response to the COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, it becomes more paramount than ever to understand how we interact with the digital media and art we consume. The purpose of this paper, then, is to question how video games can simulate meaningful interactions in a digital medium. Alongside research, the question will be answered through the creation of an interactable experience to deepen the understanding of the concepts discussed through both the player and creator’s point of view. The primary area of research is that of Human-computer Interaction, or HCI. While often used from a psychological or design standpoint, HCI allows for the most precise dissection of interaction between human feelings and digital experiences. So as to balance this approach, the study of fine arts gives a perspective of video games as interactive digital pieces of art. The historical relevance of video games into the narrative of art history also plays a part in tracing interactive works before video games that exemplify their ideals. Finally, computer science will be integrated into the creation portion of this paper, specifically in the act of simulating certain humanistic characteristics with digital tools. Video games, as an experiential medium, provide unique ways to give meaning through both aesthetic and interactive values. That being said, meaning is defined by player more than that of the creator, keeping in touch with post-modernist interpretations of artwork and the value of authorial intent.
