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@ Kenny K. N. Chow 2013

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of thispublication may be made without written permission.

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First published 2013 byPATGRAVE MACMILLAN

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766 Anolyses of Designs

maior examples of digital art. These works usually make use of real-timecomputer graphics, full-body motion detection and image processingtechnologies to create hutnan-sized, immersive experience. The top-ics in discourse are undoubtedly diverse, but they are all embodiedwith the support of digital technology. Sometimes, even a website, a

mobile application, or a video game can be intended or regarded as

a piece of art. Examples include Han Hoogerbrugge's series of interac-tive Web comics Modern Living / Neuroticct series (1,998-2001) and ErikLoyer's interactive storytelling app kfuen & Lulloby (2OO9), both men-tioned in Chapter 5. Another equally atypical work is.Jason Rotrrer's

Passage (2OO7), wl-rich is presented in the form of a classical and pix-elated platform garne, but airns to deliver a poetic, poignant message

about life.Among the numerous works of digital art that have emerged in recent

decades, ttre corpus to be analyzed in this chapter highlights onlythose featuring animated phenomena and exemplifying the four prin-ciples of technological liveliness in terms of the four variables. Theyirrclude the interactive installation Text Roin, the itrteractive Web comicsModern Living / Neurotica serles, and tlte expressive art-game Passage.

Althor.rgh these different works run on very divergent computer-basedplatforms, animated phenomena are indispensable to their creative dis-

course processes. This cltapter looks into each of these phenomenaclosely.

Camille Uttertrack and Romy Achituv's Text Rain

Interactive installation is one of the malor formats emerging in digi-tal art. It usually involves the use of various sensors to detect users'

full-body motion and real-time rendering engines to generate dynam-ically composed, human-sized images. The coupling of motion inputwith sensory feedback not only makes the installed or proiected images

highly responsive but also lets the audience participate in making thework's meaning. The responsive and participatory nature of interactiveinstallation has caught the attention of many artists. Key precursors

such as Myron Krueger have inspired countless successors: WoltgangMuenctr and Scott Snibbe among others. Ever since Krueger's earlywork VIDEOPLACE was shown in 7969, various interactive installa-tions have been included in canonical international art festivals such

as Ars Electronica and SIGGRAPH Art Gallery. Quite a few of them were

acquired for the permanent collections of prestigious art museums andgalleries. Among the array of highly regarded salient works in the Hall

of Fame, Text Rttin is chosen to be includ.: ::-. :

been widely discussed and closell' exanlin.a :" :critics, such as Jay David Bolter and Dia:-.= '.: :

work, Windows antl Minttrs: Intarttctittrt l): i:i':of Transparency (Bolter & Gromala,2003 . I i- :. :

its influence here with respect to art theor::: ,:-.:section focuses on how this exceptiotlal ""'-:" -liveliness in terms of the four variables.

The work shows a human-sized prolec:: :'- :

ters falling like rain or snow. A particil'::--: . ::screen sees his or her immediate mirror illli:: ::and the falling letters shower on his or her lr-::body movement will cause the proiected :r:'.,falling letters - catch them or let thent go. .:- :l:::string of letters, which may form a ver\e tr':- j :

(Utterback, 2OO4, p.221).Hence, the audienc= ,

part in uncovering meanings made bv the :=r.l ::

Variety of liveliness

Text Rain presents participants rt'ith their :'";:" :image on the proiected screen. The itnage :: ''-ping horizontally the moving images caf'tL:::camera on the screen. When a participant :::r':the prolected image will lift his or her riqil: ' ':-installation works as if the participallt is 1--' * : :mirror. Hence, the participant can 'move' h:: -

I

the proiected image to catch, lift, and then 1=: ':all moving images on the screen, includitl: :'= :

mirror image, demonstrate both prin.ran'3I-.i i:-When the proiected image moves ill th. :'':

off and fall from the proiected bodv as ii :'-' :

of the installation would spontaneoush' t:'= lcal stance to perceive this seemingh' tlar''li: ::action and reaction between, for instan.e ::are clear and direct. Meanwhile, each rain;::: '

a poem, and sometimes a participant nlisi.t: r'::holcl on to a word or a phrase. Such actirr. :::-or bizarre posture so that an observer l: :::-:tional stance to read which word or phra>. :-= :

Here, the participant's action and tl.re cau::l: : - -

undivided attention. This is the prinrarr. 1'".= ::

'utotr $aJ ur sseurlalrl dreurpd aq] sI sIqI 'uouuaue pepnpuns,af,ualpne aql Merp aserqd lq8nec aq] pue uol]f,e s,luednrped aq] 'araH'Supa8re1 sI luedppred aq1 aserqd ro prom tlllqrlr ppar o] atruels Ieuoll-ualul aq] e{e} ol paldural sl ralrasqo ue leq} os arn}sod euezlq toluaruaaoru ldmqe ur sqnsar uolltre qcn5 'aserqd e ro prom e o] uo ploqpue qfluf, to;4oo1 ol ]uem lq8pl luedlrllred e satullaruos pue 'uraod e

ruoq Jauel e dlenpe s1 dorpuler qf,ea 'alIqMuEaI t 'lJarlp pue JeaIf, are

sdorpurer pue 'pueq s,auo 'eJue1su1 ro; 'uaa.trlaq uol]f,ear pue uollf,eaqJ 'uor]f,era1u1 prlsdqd Iernleu dy8upuaas slql aapcrad o] aJuels Ief,-rsdqd s,11auuaq Iarueq a4e1 dlsnoaueluods plnom uollel1elsul aq] Joralrasqo uy '.(1r,rer8 o] anp y1 su dpoq papalord aql uorJ IIBJ pue JJoaJunoq ]q3$r sJapal 'urer aq] ul saloru a8erut papaford aqt uaqM

'ssaullalrl drepuocas pue,fteu4rd qloq aleJlsuourap'a8eurr roJJIIrr

s,auo pue sragal 8u11py aql Sulpnllul 'uaarf,s aI{} uo sa8eurt Suporu gu

-ra^o aqJ 'srallal ,{ue 11eg tal uaq} pue 'UII 'qr1er o1 a8erul pepa[ord aqg

aloru o] se os dpoq raq Jo srq .aloru, uec ]uednrued aql 'acua11 'rorJltu

e ul JlasJar{/Jlasulq 1u 8up1oo1 sl }uedlcr}rud aq1 JI se s{JoM uol}ellelsulaql 'sprom raqlo ul 'pueq tq31r raq ro slq UII IIIM a8eun papa[ord aq]

'pueq Ual raq Jo srq sasrer tuedlclued E uaqM 'uaerf,s aql uo erauretr

a,,lq u dq aurl IBar ur parnldeo sa8eurl Sumou aq1 dlpluozr.roq 8u1d

-dtU dq parnpord ]reJ ul s1 a8eul aqJ 'uaarrs papa[ord aql uo a8eulrorrlru f,Ileuorqtrouoru u1vro rlaql q]l1vr sluedppred sluasard uruY lral

ssau1e^11;o dlagen

'uIuJ ]xel aq] dq apeu s8uluEaru Supaaorun ut lreda4e1 dlenpe ot pa]1,rur sr aluarpne aql 'arualf iZZ'd'p667 'peqra11g)qloJtulz ue,rg dq ruaod u uoJJ asJa^ e uuoJ deru qrlqr"r 'sra}}a1 ;o 3uglsE rIJleJ deru uue paqllarls y 'oB ruaql lal ro uaq] I{f,}ef, - sra11a1 3u1ge;

aq] qllm ltreralur o1 aSeru1 papalord aq] asnef, IIIM ]uatuelou dpoq,{uV '(Z'g arn81g aas) a8eurr raq ro slq uo ramoqs sra11a1 8u11e; aq} pue

'uaaJls aq] uo papa[ord a8uurr rorlur a]elpaturul Jaq Jo slq saas uaaltrs

ar{} Jo }uoq ul Sugpuels }uedrcrlrud V 'lrous ro uleJ a>111 3uq1e; sral

-1a1 qs113ug palerurue ;o uolpa[ord pazls-ueunq u sMoqs {JoM aqJ'salqerrB^ rnoJ aql Jo sruJa] ul ssaulla^ll

lerrSolouqoat slsaJrueu >pou, leuopdatrxa slq] .troq uo sasnf,oJ uolpasslqt 'pealsul 'sacllcerd pue salroaq] ]re o] lradsar qll,t,r araq eluanuul su

alerqalar-ar ot puelur lou op I '(S0OZ 'eleruorg ry ra11og) lcuandsuotlJoLfi,lIN ary puo 'uV loJtSlO 'u36aq uolporaul :stottllN puo srwopurrl4 '4to*rIuuruas rlar{} q eluurorg auel6 puu raqog pr,req def se qcns 'sc111rc

pue slsuoaq] pe 1e1fp dq pauprexa dlasolc pue passnf,slp dlapyvr uaaq

seq ]I 'araq sndror eq] q papnllul aq o] uasol{f, sr ulDy ryaa 'awe7 1o

l% uossatdxg a,q1oat2

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dlrea s,raSanJ) ef,urs ra^[ 'sreq]o Buoue aqq3ue8y1o14 :srossarf,ns ssallunol parrdsul a-reqsrosrncard da; 's1sr1re dueru ;o uolluaue ar0elrlf,eJalur Jo aJnleu drolednrlred pue arJsuodaql Suqeur ul aledrcruud af,ualpne eql slal oqsa8erur palralord ro pallelsur aq] sa{eu i1uo rolndur uorlour ;o Suqdnor aq1 .sa8eu1 pazF-u-ueudp aleraua8 o1 saur8ua Burrapuar au4l-IE,sJasn lf,alep ol sJosuas snolJua Jo asn aql sar-6lp ul Sur8rarua sleuroJ roleu aq1 Jo auo q

ulDy #at s,^nllqJv druoy pu

euauouaqd asaql Jo qf,ea olur s{ool raldeqr-srp alrlpeJJ Jraql o] alqesuadsrpur are euaurou;)paseq-ralnduroc lua8raarp drea uo uru s{ro-$ lr'a8osso4 arueS-1re azrrssardxa aq] pue ,saq utsf,lruoJ qe^^ a^rlJeralq aql ,unty

ryaa uo{}e[e]$ndaql 'salqeuel JnoJ aql Jo sturat ul ssar4la{l-uud rnoy aqi Sufirldruaxa pue euauouaqd padpo slqSrlq8rq raldeqo srq] ul paz{pue aq <

]uaf,ar ur pa8raura a^Bq ]eq] ge plr8rp 1o slrorr s

a8essaur lueu8rod ,c11aod e Jelrlap ot su4e trl-xrd pue Ief,rsselJ e Jo urroJ aql uI paluasard s1

s,rarqoy uosef sr ryom prrddle dllenba ]aqloul-uau qloq '(1OOZ) /qo1n7 g uaqnv dde Burlag>lrrg pue (tOOZ-gOOt) sauas D)qortaN 1 Suyq1 ut-f,uralul Jo salras s,aSSnrqraSooH upH apnlJul s.se papre8ar Jo papualur aq uef, aure8 oapn e ,

e 'a11sqa,r,r e uala ,saurlleuos .l8olouqrat Jer6t

parpoqua IIe are daqt tnq ,asraarp dlpalqnopo-do1 aq1'acualradxa alrsrarurur,pazls-ueumqSurssarord a8eurr pue uorlralap uoltotu .ipna(ul]-lear Jo asn a{pru dlpnsn s{roM aseql -uE Iq

768 Analyses of Designs

On the other hand, participants and falling letters also contribute tothe secondary liveliness of the work. Since different letters fall cease-

lessly and randomly all over the screen at seemingly varying speed dueto motion parallax (a visual effect that things in the front are movingfaster than those in the back), they actually compete for the audience'seyeballs. An audience might be distracted by the falling letters over thewhole screen, iust like gazing into the rain in real life. Sometimes, partic-ipants become excited enough to dance and strike different poses in thevirtual rain. They move rhythmically and gracefully. Some even bringtheir own little props such as umbrellas or cloths in order to generatewavelike patterns from the falling letters.r These moving patterns arenot related to any obvious goals but just engross the audience in a trans-forming whole. These visuals correspond to the secondary livelinessof the work. With both the primary and secondary liveliness, theinstallation immerses its audience in the holistically lively virtual rain.

Pattern of engagement

Making use of real-time live video capturing and processing technolo-gies, Text Rain is able to detect and respond to users' full-body motioninput without an intermediary. Whilst a participant stands in front ofthe screen and moves his or her body, the proiected image irnmediatelynlirrors those movements, together with the reaction of animated lettersin real time. During this apparently direct interaction, nearly all motionqualities of motor input are continuously tracked by the system. For

instance, a pafticipant can tilt his or her hand slowly until the caughtletters finally start to slip and fall. Meanwhile, looking at the projectedimage, he or she is always free to lift his or her hand again to stop theletters from falling off his or her hand. With continuous motion-basedinput and simultaneous animated feedback, participants' motor andsensory experiences are coupled all the time. The coupling engagementallows one to move the body with impulsive desire and continuouslyevaluate the posture. A participant will become accustomed to'catching'or'fiddling'with the virtual rain very soon.

The interactive environment in Texf Rain is also able to sustain userengagement. In the moments of inactive use (say, when there is no par-ticipant, or when the participant just stands still) letters keep falling allthe same. Since the words from the poem are randomly selected andlet fall, the resulting raining pattern on the screen is constantly chang-ing. If the participant misses a particular falling verse of the poem,one can wisttully wait for it to reappear somewhere some other time.The participant's engagement is temporarily inclined to perception ofconstant changes. Once the verse shows up again, the participant will

trave a felt want to resume action to holJ l: .the coupling of action and perception agairl -:environment features both coupling and s,-r.:'.:.ment. Users facing the Text Rain etlvirontt--c:: ','

rain's autottomous and reactive behavior is i :-:action and perception, resulting in an itltir-.::= :

Level of understanding

As a poetic work of art, Text Rain is expresstr. ':

and metaphorical levels of understandins. ',\'',

and then sees his or her mirror image doirl: t:.=letters, one immediately blends ttre senst-rl:: .:anchored by the it.rteractive animated r-isu;.r :remembered sensorimotor experience in act':,.

Figure 8.1 Two levels of conceptual blendi :.idiate blend (above) results in an embodied c :.:and then the metaphorical blend (belorr r r-i: :'of receiving poetic messages via the bodr.

Elastic anchor

dpoq aql ura sa8essau rtlaod Surllatar Jo

lq8noql aarleur8erur ruln:r1red e sp1ar,{ (lrolaq) pualq lutlroqdulau aql uaql pue

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s,auo qll^r 'uaaJf,s aql uo slensrl paleurtup alllf,eJalul aql dq paJoqJue

sr qfrq&I 'aruaFadxa JolorulJosuas aql spualq .{1a1eparuur1 auo /sJa}}al

Surraruroqs eq] ur auBS aq1 3u1op a8eurl Joulur Jeq ro slq saas uaq] pue

sa^orrr luedlllued e uaqM 'Surpuelsrapun Jo sla^al lerpoqdelaru pue

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'drqsuolgelar aleurllul ue ut 8ut11nsar 'uotldaorad pue uotlredlpoq rraq] qllrnr alqpedruor sI Jolleqaq a^llJear pue sno(xouolne s,uler

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ur pa8e8ua auof,aq pue ll ploq o] uollre atunsar o] ]uem ]lal e a^uq

69I uorssatdxT a41oat3

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uorloru dpoq-1yny rsrasn o] puodsa-r pue tsi?p ,-r

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aleraua8 o] Japro ul sqloll ro sellarqun sp q_rns

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aq] ul sasod ]uaJeJJIp a{rr}s pup afupp ot qin..u:-:r1.red'sJrutlatUos 'JJtl Ieaj ut ulpJ aq1 olur buizeiaq] ra^o sragal 3ug1ey aq1 dq pelrertsrp aq tq;rurs,af,ualpne aq] roJ aladuo: dllenpe iaql .r1teq

a

Suurour ale ]uoq aq] ul s8ulql ]eq] lJaJJa Isnsllanp paads Surdrerr dlSururaas ]E uaarfs aql la-\!r i-aseaf, IIeJ sra]]al luaraJJrp aJurs 'Ilo.u aq] _jo ss

o] alnqrrluof, oslp sra]]al 3ur1pg pue stuedrtruej

170 Analyses of Desigrrs

Divine lightexperience

Figure 8.1 ((lontinued)

the integration diagram). In the blend, tl're outer-space representationlink between falling letters and falling raindrops is compressed into a

concept of virtual raindrops. The outer-space link between the mirrorimage and the participant is compressed into an inner-space identityrelation. As a result of the blend, seeing a projected image of oneselfcatching the imaged rain is equivalent to oneself being in the rain. The

elaboration of this immediate conceptual blend results in an imaginaryspace in which the participant can dance in the virtual rain wittroutgetting soaked.

The metaphorical understanding emerges as the participant noticesthat letters caught on his or her silhouette seem to form meaning-ful words or phrases. Ttre text, in the original version of the work, is

excerpted from Evan Zimroth's poem Tctlk, Yotr (1993), which impliesan imagined narrator 'conversing' with the reader in accordance withbodily actions such as 'turning around'. Whenever the participant reads

the line of letters held by the body silhouette and makes sense out ofit, he or she feels as if he or she is hearing someone whisper through

the body gesture. The experience nla\- t.'. .:,:=:receiving via the body gesture a celestial :--:)i'divine light' frame is invoked, includin: : i-.beam of light carrying an immateriai and .'. <:, );and triggering metaphorical blends tsee i::..:relation between the virtual rain and til. :.-.-

into a new concept of poetic rain, n-hich ;.::-sages. The action of outstretching arms all: -may be analogical to the action of enlbra'-l::sky. This particular blend is not predeter::--r:-=

possible elaborations as well. Hou'ever. a .'-'---work at the Boston CyberArts Festival si:::.'-:-falling letters with her face up (Figure S.l ; =:pretation that the work evokes a metaph,-:.::receiving celestial and spiritual messaSes r':a ::=ment. The animation of falling letters, ani ll= '.-

them, generate an imaginative integratioll 5:1-.1 :spiritual.

t,

FigureB.2 In Text Rain (1999), a ladv i.:. r-u

up. Image courtesy of the artists (Utterhr.\ ,: - .

Somethin8 kom the sk!

Elashc anchor

'(^ntrqtrV pue {leqrr}}n) s}sluP aql Jo3rpJ raq qllm srattal 8ur11e; sa.ttalar dpel u '(666il ulD>l

'lenlrrlds

aq] pue 1ecrs.,(qd aq] uaaMlaq uolleJ8alul aAIleuISeIuI ue aleraua8 /ulaq]

qll,M uollJeralut s,Ja1vrar^ aLIl pue 'sra]lal 3u111e1 Jo uollBurlue aq.L 'lualu-uorl^ua aq] pue ,(poq aql elr saSessau 1en1p1ds pue lel]salal Surltalarauoarxos Io aAIleJJeu Ief,rroqdeleu e saIo^a {JoM aq} }eq} uor}e}ard-relur aq] qll.ryl proffP saop (7'g arn81g) dn acel raq qll1vr sra11a1 3ur11e;

aq] 3ul^lalar dpel e Surmoqs IeAIlsaC sgyraqd3 uolsog aq] le )|Jo1vI

aq] lo oloqd Ireluaunfop e 'ra^a^toH 'lla.M se suolleroqela alqlssod

raqlo are araql pue 'paurturalapard ]ou sI pualq relnflued s1q1 "{>1s

arl] tuorl ,]qBII auhlp, Surlerqura Jo uol]lP aq] o] 1e:r3o1eue aq .,(eur

sdorpurer Ienul^ 8up1oq pue sture 8utqt1ar1s1no Jo uollfe aq1 'sa8es

-sau IeuorlpsJeluoJ saIJJer qllqM 'utet llaod 1o 1da:uoc .taau e olulpasserduof, sl ]q3ll aul^lp aq] pue uler IenuIA aq] uaaMlaq uorlelar

lerrSoleue aqJ '(I'8 arn8rg aas) spualq lerrroqdelaur 3ur:a33u] pue

'a^oqe tuor; u8rs Ienllrlds uala pue Ielraleturul ue 8ut.{uel 1q311 1o uleaq

alqls4 e Sunloaut auals e Sulpnpur 'pa1o,lut sI aluerJ ,lqBII aul^tp,aq1 '{1s aq} ruorJ a8essatu Iellsalaf e arn}sa8 ,{poq aqi e1n Sur.tlarar

o1 lerrSoleuu se palardratul aq deur aluauadxa aq1 'arnlsa8 dpoq aqr

Lfi rrorssatdxT drljnta)

q8norql Jadsrqm auoaruos Surreaq sr aii! j, :Jo lno asuas sa{eur pup aganoqlls .ipc,q :-'. "-

speei lrredr:r1red ar1) JJnauarlM .prrnolc : -. --ql!M JJuepJoJJe ul JJpeJt Jql qlr.\r .Sur::;.. _

satldrur qllqM '(tOOD noy'llDJ uraod s;-.--sr '>pom aq] Io uorsJa.r leur8rro aLI] ur 't\:- ;-Suruearu ruroJ o] ruaas auanor{lrs laq j -- : -

salrlou lrredr:r1red aq] se sa8:aua Surpur.r--

)nor-.llJM ureJ IpnlIA Jt.ll ul J)uep rreJ t.:i:.-ireut8erur ue ul sllnsal pualq 1en1daJU.,r f .r:.:,JtlJ'urer aqt uq3u1aq JlJSJuo o] luJJe.rrn:. ,

llasauo 1o a8erur pa1:alord e Suraas 'pri;l; r-r(1r1uapr areds-rauur ue olur passardurr,-. s. --roJJrru aq] uaamlaq 1ur1 ateds-ralno ari i !:,-e olur passaJdruoc sr sdorpure: 3ur1ye1 pii. !-.uolleluasardar areds-ra1no aL{} 'pualq tijt rj'

af,uer./adxa

lq8r1 aurnrg

dsalrno: a8eul 'dn

lnJ ut 7'g atniilT

172 Analyses ofDesigns

Degree of liveness

As an interactive video installation that proiects the participant's real-time moving images on the screen, Text Rctin is intended to be a

platform for live improvisation betr,veen the system and the participant.As some documentary videos on one of the creators' official web-sites have shown (please visit http://camilleutterback.com/projects/text-rain/), many participants enioyed taking part in the performance, withtheir own creative inputs. For example, someone brought in a real

umbrella to perform 'dancing in the rain'. Several others stood handin hand and made wave to bounce off the rain. They all activelyparticipated in creating anirnated phenomena in the performance facil-itated by the system. When it comes to liveness, the only stored visualcomponents are the typographic characters of the poem. The partic-ipant image captured and projected in real time interferes with themotion of the falling letters on the fly. In other words, the installa-tion demonstrates a very high degree of liveness, which means thatthe work opens up nearly endless contingencies for participants tointervene.

Han Hoogerbrugge's Modem Living / Neurotica series

Like many works of arl, Text Rain is exhibited publicly in an art gallery orsimilar setting. In contrast, another work to be discussed here emergedon a strikingly different platform. It was originally intended to be shownon the Web. Since 1997, the Dutch comic artist Han Hoogerbruggehas used the Internet to publish interactive animated comics on hiswebsite Hoogerbrugge.com. The first work of the project, Modem Living /Neurotica series (1998-2001), featuring nearly 100 short animated films,addresses small observations from the artist's personal life, which also

resonates with some users' lives, including workaholism, social impo-sitions, and the like (please visit http://ml.hoogerbrugge.com/). Apartfrom a few simply looped animated sequences, most of the animatedcomics are interactive. The collection can be seen as a documenta-tion of the artist's experiments with mouse-mediated interaction. Theyare inspirationally successful in remapping conventional mouse actionlike point-and-click to different intentions. For instance, in #43,'Itch',a mouse click makes the character (a self-portrait of the artist) 'itch'wherever the mouse pointer is located. Through various couplingsof motor action and animated feedback, the peculiar work mobilizesmotor-sensory connection and proiects an expanded illusion of life.

Variety of liveliness

Within the archive of animated comics in J{'r';,'-'both primary and secondary liveliness are fEn'3sseen in many pieces in which the character l=r'lmouse pointer. For example, in #61, 'Dro"t-ni::i

pointer to play hide-and-seek with the chara"-l=r '

into the water on mouse-over and rises el>errl'mouse-over action seems to drive the characer :

'Obedience', keeping the pointer o\-er the .h3:lhim to his knees, and after a kon'torv he in.rn:lAll these action-and-reaction animated phen::rdynamic tension between the mouse pointer an

ever it iumps away or kneels don'n, the char:;:user's attention to a clear result. This intera-t1primary liveliness.

On the other hand, some other pieces sh r"1' '

displaying multiple reactive characters that dlstr'

animated objects all over the frame. In =6O \icharacters line up to form four ro'tts. \\-hen :l'the characters, they stand up and then bend d:'ing a wave like those spectators make in sP'rt1n

similar to the magnification effect in the dtr.:k -:

Guy', when a user runs the pointer across th.they swell up and vomit home appliances - r^'a:

toasters, and the like - in random order. Ther=

happenings and movements in the flsnlg rtli:over, the action-and-reaction relationships in lhThat is to say, one can reverse the pointer n.'t

the animation would more or less rerind "'-:tling its starting appearance. Hence, the or-erall ::

show any clear direction of progression but :'::gent nature echoes secondary liveliness. T:. :pieces presents not only the multifaceted nl ''::the holistic animacY of life.

Pattern of engagement

ln Modern Living / Neurotica series, most anillls::The system usually considers the position .': :h=

of a click in user input. For example. in --'.'tion of the pointer determines lthether the c:-::

punorSaJoJ aq] ul JalJerPql aq] JaqlaqM saululralap ralulod aq] Jo uol]-Isod aq] ',a^o'I [eura]1,'OL# ul 'aldluexa roC ']ndul rasn ul {rllf, e JoSrrnurl aq] pue ralurod aq] Jo uolllsod arll sraprsuoc dylensn uals.{s aq1'a^l]reralur are sarald paletulue lsotu 'sa4as DqomaN / Sutttl uJapoIN uI

luaura8e8ua Jo uralled

'aJlt ]o dceurtue rllslloq aq]osle lnq .,{epo1 1o {1ru:apou pa}areJl}lntu aql dluo tou s}uasard salardpaleturue aql Jo a^rLIJJu aql 'ssauIIa^II ftepuoras saoqf,a arnleu lua8-ratua slqJ 'sa8ueqr dlarnd lnq uotssarSo:d 1o uorltarlp rpalr ,{ue .r,roqs

]ou saop uorleruJoJsuer] IIpJa^o arl] 'aJuaH 'acuereadde Surlrels slr 3ur-runsal JalferBqf, aql qlrM purMal ssal Jo arolu plnoM uotle{ulue aq}pue atul] .,(ue luatua,rou :a1u1od alll asJa^ar ueJ auo 'des ol sl ]PqJ'alqplsun a;e sacard asaq] ul sdrqsuorlelar uorlreaJ-pue-uoule aqJ 'ralo-aro61 'Surlrerlsrp sr qf,lqM 'aluprJ aq] ul sluauraloru pue s8uluaddeqsnoauellntllls uauo ale araqJ 'rapro txopuer uI - a{II aq} pue 'sralseo1

'sraz(rp 'sau1q:eru Sulqselt - satuerldde auoq ]lulol pue dn 11a,us daql'sra]lereqf aq] Jo sareJ aq] ssorf,e ralulod aq] sunr rasn e uaq,tr ',dn9Ielralel^l, 's8# ul 'x so lo {Jop aq} uI llaJ]a uorlergtuSutu aq} o} relltulsz(e,r,r e u1 osle 's1ua,ra Surlrods uI a>letu srolelrads asoq] a{I aaen e 3u1

-urro; .,(lsnonulluof umop puaq uaq] pue dn puels ,(aq] 'sralcerel{J aq}

ssoJre saloru ralurod aql uaqM 'smor rnoJ uJoJ o] dn aurl slalJeJeqJ

Jo suazop ',uor8ryag MaN, '09# ul 'aIxeJJ aq] ra^o 11e sloalqo paleurlue.{ueru q}pvr raMall e }f,er}slp }eq} sra}lereql all}rear a1dr11nu 3u{e1ds1pdq ssaurla,rrl .{repuoras .raoqs sarard Jaq}o auos /puer{ Jaq}o eq} uO

'ssauIIa^Il dreturrdsMorls uouaruouaqd alrlfeJalul slqJ ']lnsar Jealf, e o] uollua]]e s,Jasn

aq] s]laJrp uollotu s,Jelferuqf aq] /umop slaaDl ro de.tre sdunl 1r raaa

-uar{14 'Ja}fprpql aq} pue ra}urod asnolu aq} uaam}aq uoISUa} rlrueu.{prealf, a]er]srrouap euauouaqd paleurlue uol]lear-pue-uot]f,e asaq] IIV'ure8e dn spuels dlalerpaurul aq .trol.t,ro{ e ra}Je pue 'saau1 slq o} {ultl

,3u1rq, uer peaq s,Ja]leJellf, aql JaAo ralurod aql Surdaal ',aJuatpaqg,'89# ul 'punoru dunl ot Ja]f,ereqr aq] a^pp o] sruaas uollJe talo-asnoule ',.,{durn{, 'tg# ul 'aJaqMasla saslr pue Jalo-asnoul uo Ja}PM aq} o}uls>1urs 1snI ra]rerelll aqJ 'ratrereqtr aq] q]1rlr >laas-pue-aptq .,(e1d o1 ralutodaq] alour uef Jasn e',3u1u,r,rorq,'19# Lr! 'alduexe rog :alurod asnotu

aql uroJJ ,de,tae 1a3, o] spua] Jalf,eJeqf aq] qtrlqM ut sa:atd dueru ut uaas

aq ueJ raruroJ aqJ 'a^ISe^Jad are ssautlaaq .{repuoras pue dreurrrd q}oq

'sauas osllttnaN / Sutltj uJapory ut sf rruoJ paleurue Jo a^Iqfre aq] ulqllMssaurla^Il;o dlarrun

EII ttolssstdxTaNlDat:)

'aJII Jo uorsnllr papuedxa ue s1:alo:d pu. j-sazrllqotu {JoM JerlnJad aq1 ,>1:eqpaal p.tE,;.s8urldnoc snorJel q8norql .palelol sl j:.j._,qr1r, (1sr1re aq] Jo grerlrod-y1as e) talJerEL;_. ;r',tltll 'tV# ur 'aluelsul JoC .suollualul ]ual::::uorlle esnour leuollua^uot Surddeua: ur inl!!.,(aq1'uorlreJalur palerparu-asnour qll-\i slu;uj:-eluaunJop e se uaas aq uef, uollfallol i:..palerulue ar{} Jo lsorx ,sacuanbas pe}eurruE :igedy'(/ruoc'a33nrqra3ooq.1ur77:d11q ]rsr-\ :sE;-odurr lercos 'urs11oqe1ro,vr Surpnlrur .sa-\ri s::osle qlrq,tr'a;r1 leuosrad s,tslue aql uorl su_:-'sru1g palerurue uoqs gg1 dlreau 3ur:n1ea1 .,_r

/ 3u!^t7 tuapory 'lcalord aql Jo {rom }srg arll .i; _

slrl uo sJltuoJ paleulrup a^llJelalur qsrlq:.-: _

aSSnrqraSooH ueH ]slup f,lruof, qrlnq alit _,uMoqs aq o] papualur dlleur8rro se^r ll .rurc j jE-:paSraua araq passnf,slp aq ol {JoM JaqtLrLiE -sero dralle8 ue ue ul .r(1cr1qnd palrqrqxa sr lir.y :.i. :

sauas D)gotnaN / 3u1,r17 tuapol{

o1 sluedrtrlred ro; sanua8urluoo ssalpua .,,--:;leq] sueau qrlqm 'ssaua,r11 ;o aarBap q;:;: .._.-elletsur aq] /sproM reqlo ul '{g aql uo sjr-_:aqt qll,tr saJaJralur arul] Iear ur paltalo.r.i :;:-rrlred aq1 'uraod aql Jo sralf,urprlr :rqdr::_.:Iensr^ patols ,{1uo aqt 'ssJUaArJ ol saruoJ tl -; :,-lrJeJ aJueurJo;rad aq1 ul euauouaqd paleu;r:;llaarlre 11e daql 'uter aq] JJo arurloq rri i.:ipueq pools sralllo lBJa^as

.,uler aqt ril iui: j.:IeaJ e ur le8norq auoatuos ,alduexa rol .j;:..qllm /alupruro;rad aq1 ur lred 3ur1e1 pa.ioti;: s-;-1xag/slcalord/ruolIleqra]]nallrruel// :dpq I : s r.. :-qaM IPTJUJO /Srolear3 arll Jo auo uo Surip-,,']uednrlred aq] pup ualsds aql uaa,ulaq ua.i.E.!*,.e aq ol papualur sI utD[ JrrJ ,uaa])s aLl: r_-1ear s,]rredlcrped aq] sloalord leq] uorlplltrs;.

774 Analyses of Designs

or the picture in the background is in focus. In #87, 'Vaudeville',many rdummy' versions of the character travel across the frame at var-ious speeds. A user can point and click on any dummy head to popit open, like in a classic carnival game. Whether a head pops opencertainly hinges on where and when the user clicks. In these interac-tive pieces, a mouse-over or click action usually sets off a correspondinganimated feedback. Strictly speaking, the input and output sections arealternating. Yet there are pieces involving more continuous input andsimultaneous feedback. For instance, in #97, 'Rash', when the mouserolls over the character's head, spines grow out of its head around thepointer. When the pointer moves away from its head, the spines recede.A user on one hand has to continue to move the pointer and on theother inevitably gazes in awe at the spines that go in and out of the face.One's motor action and sensory perception are coupled continuouslythroughout the game.

In case of no user action, most pieces iust come to a halt. Even thougha few pieces do show some changes, like #63, 'Perfect Day', in whichthe character keeps swinging along the background music, the audioand the visuals are ,ust in very simple loops. The environment doesnot exhibit really perceivable changes until the user resumes action andmoves the pointer. Hence, the enduring interaction of Modern Living /Neurotica serles largely hinges on coupling engagement, which forcesusers to take action in order to experience the pieces but loses theirattention during the moments of inactive use.

Level of understanding

As mentioned, many pieces in Modem Living /Neurotica serles remap con-ventional mouse actions to novel meanings. These new mappings areformed with the help of immediate conceptual blending. Furthermore,some pieces even provoke metaphorical understandings. To illustrate,I focus on an example. In #83, 'Possessed', the character sits behind atask table facing the user. It seems as if he is using a computer mouse.When the user rolls the mouse pointer over the task table, the charac-ter will move his mouse to follow. This interactive animated figure actsas an elastic anchor, capturing the sensation emerging from the sen-sorimotor experience. It follows that the immediate blend lets the userunderstand how to control the character in an intuitive way, just by slid-ing his or her mouse to a desired spot. The mechanism is like controllinga shadow puppet with moving rods. The analogy mapping between theelastic anchor of moving the character and the sensorimotor experienceof controlling a rod puppet is compressed, together with the analogy

link between the character and a rod puppet fr:Ioutput of the blend is a concept of r-irtual puppt

(see Figure 8.3). Hence, when one moves the p-- j

moves his hand.What makes 'Possessed' eccentric is the sr

appear on the character's face and the curiotls r:

user moves the pointer around. This effect rnar I

frame in the user's mind, suggesting a metaprh:

with an imaginative but familiar scenario - net

tracted by the many unexpected pop-ups and hthe mapping between the character and the u:et

rnouse, is compressed into an inner-space idtnt

Figure 8.3 Two levels of conceptual hleni' :=..:.Neurotica.series. The immediate blend ral'rr-. :..'- '

of moving a virtual puppet, and then the n.:::- .irnagined reflection of how hyperlinks distr:.1 -.: -:--

Elastic anchor

'spultll rno lleJlstp sItIIIrJddq Moq Jo uol]lallJr paulHEruI

up splu.{ (MoJrq) pualq tPrlloqdP}au aq} uar[] puP 'laddnd lEnuIA u Butaoru 1o

ldaruo:r palpoqus ue ul sllnsal (J^oqe) pualq Jlelpaullul JtlJ 's)u)s DtJun)N

/ trtrtr1 tu,)polN ur aleld 3ur>1e1 spualq lenldalro:r Jo sla^al ol,rJ E'g an|rT

elualiadxaJOIOU.llJOSUaS

rorllue )l]self

.{3o1eue uV 'uollelal d}r}uapr afeds-Jauul ue o}uI passard[Iof sI 'asnour

Jalnduor e Sursn qloq 'rasn aLI] plle ralrereLlr aII] uaaMlaq Surdderu aq]

'pualq aq] ul 'qurlraddq pue sdn-dod palradxaun dueur aq] dq paperl-srp 3rr1aq uauo sJaJrns ]au - olreuals relllureJ 1nq a.trlerrt8etul ue qll.tt

arard aq1 Jo pualq lerpoqdelaur u SurlsaSSns 'pu1tu s,tasn aq] uI auIErJ

,Sugrns qaM, aq] a{o^ul .,(eur 1la1;a slrlJ'punole ra}urod aq} saAoIU Jasn

aq] allqM sa{eu aq aslou snolrnl aq} pue aJeJ s,ra}JeJeql aq} uo readde

lEq] suorlrJedde a8uerls aq] sl JlrluaJfa ,passassod, saleur ]€tlM'puPq slq saAoIII

taddnd lenurl aql talulod aql sa^oul auo uaqm 'afuaH '(g'g arn8rl aas)

arard paleruruE aq] ur ]addnd IenuIA Jo ldaluotr e sl pualq aII] Jo lndlnoaLIJ 'saJeds ]ndur o.u] uror; laddnd poJ e pue JalJeJeLI) aq] tlaamlaq Jull

S/I ttolssatdxga^!lDat)

.{3o1eue aq} qll,ta raqla3o1 ,passarduo--r si t:::aluarradxa Jolorulrosuas aql pue raltereq: :;- :aql uaaMlaq 8urddeu.,{So1eue aqf .spol :i-_.,- _

3ur11or1uor a>[rl sr rusrueqJa{u aqJ .lods p;:ts:: ,

-plls ,(q lsn[ 'de.t,r aAt]rn]ur ue ul ra]JEler{_r rr-. . _ -rasn aql slal pualq alerpatlllur aql ]ei{] s,\,.: '_:-uas Jr.lI r-uo-r1 Sur8.ratua uorlpsuas arll:u:::.::slre arn8g paletulup alllteralur srqf ..\roll.;

_ --JereqJ aql /alqp]

{sB} aql ra,ro ralurod as:,-- _-'asnoru ralndruor e Sursn sl aq Jl se sluals -- -:e purqaq slls ralf,erer{J aq} ,,passassod, ts= --'a1er1sny1r o1 's8urpuelsrapun leci:oqde1;ru :- _

'aroruraqgrng'SurpuaJq lenldatuor alerpirli'r;. .

are sSurdderu ,ltau asaqJ 's8ulueaur Ia.\c,Lr ._ - i-uoc detuar sauas D)tJunaN / Bulall ruapr),f i u' i -

_- -

:

'asn aArlJPUr JO Sli-;-" _

rralll sesol 1nq sarard aql atruatradxa ot l::.:sarroJ qf,rqm ']uaura8e8ua Surldnor uo s::- -/ 8utlt7 urapolN Jo uor]f,pralur Surrnpua ;li: r-- -

pue uol]lp saurnsal rasn aq] 11un sal-ueq-r :'a: ._:

saop ]uaruuoJr^ua aqJ 'sdoo1 aldurrs .ir:-.^ :. -

orpne aql 'frsnlu punorSlteq aq1 3uo1e o.i..:_-rIJrqM ur ',deq ]feJrad, ,t9# a{ll ,saStreri: :-; :q8noqr ue^I ']lpq e ol aruo) 1sn[ sa:ard ]s.,rij -,

dlsnonurluot paldno: are uorldatrad .i.rcs.::, -'aJuJ aql Jo lno pue ur oB leql saurds aql tE r !,.i _

aq] uo pue ralurod aq] aloru o] anurjrr.r _ - !;'apafar saurds aq] 'ppaq slr ruor;.,{e.ue sa.\c-- -:-eq] punore peaq slt Jo ]no lro:3 saurds p.:* j.asnoru aLIl uar{.tr ',eSpd, ,16# uI ,a:ruelsu: :_:pue lndur snonurluof arour 8ur,r1o.rur sa:;i: :-,are suollJas 1nd1no pue lndur aq1 ,Sur1ea,is

_.,.__-.

Surpuodsarrol e JJo slas ,(11ensn uorlf p Itrll : _ ::-leralur aseq] uI 's{lrlf rasn eq} uaq_\\ prr. :-:-uado sdod peaq e raqlaqM 'atue8 le.rrure: : ;dod or peaq dununp drre uo IJrJt pue tur:. -;-JeA le atueq aq] ssorf,e Ia^erl Ja]leretll aql :_- s-

',a;1rnapne,1, 'lg# ul 'snJoJ ul sl puna j:\ - i:

176 Analyses of Designs

Elastic anchor

Figure 8.3 (Continued)

link is compressed between the elastic anchor of bizarre apparitions onthe character's face and the sensorimotor experience of unexpected pop-ups when browsing the Web. In this case, the character's head is alsoanalogical to the user's mind. The output of the metaphorical blendis a novel concept of how the Web materials affect our thoughts (see

Figure 8.3). The interactive comic acts like a mirror reflecting the men-tal status of the user. This example shows a typical way in which ModernLiving / Neurotica series resonates with our personal experiences.

Degree of liveness

Although Modem Living / Neurotica serles is intended and regarded as a

series of interactive Web comics, it also opens up possibilities of impro-visation between the user and the artist, with the support of interactivemultimedia technologies. An example best demonstrating this idea is#71,'El Mariachi'. The piece features five identical characters on stage,

each of which is holding a guitar in a different pose. A user can roll

the mouse to cast a spotlight on any particular dacter will start to play. Although all characters i

each of them makes a different sound. Hence, Ithe user is like playing a real-time sound synthelinstrumental tracks. The result is a live performruser on the fly. In this performance, the stor€l

short audio clips and a few animated drawings

Meanwhile, the spotlight effect is added to the r

Hence, this particular interactive piece from llseries can be called highly live. It allows users

clips coupled with the animated visuals in arr-v topening up almost unlimited possibilitis for caudiovisual performance with the five simple tricharacters.

Jason Rohrer's Passage

Art takes many forms; so does digital art. Int€r.interactive Web graphics, as exemplifred b1' Icring /Neurotica series, are two common approadrclthey occupy very different spaces in art practiart practitioners are also interested in other di1

as video games. Like their physical counterpafltpit players against each other within the 'magkrules, and conditions. Although as mentionedtives such as sandbox games, which do not impo

framework, do exist in practice, they still motivin order to entertain. On the contrary artists

self-expression. They may not be very keen on m

tive, but more interested in the meanings t}r,them. This is the reason why the following Gthis chapter. A very distinctive example isJason I

game Passage.

Rohrer is an independent game designer, n'hogames that have been very well received on tlboth the indie game and academic game stuof his notable works is Passage, an expressiee

reminder of mortality for gamers to meditate mhttp://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/passage/)- As Iator's statement, 'Passage is a game in which yo

very end, and you are powerless to stave off this

Web surfingexperience

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,

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aluauadxaSugrns qanl

178 Analyses ofDesigns

2OO7).ln other words, no player can win the game. The concept of 'win-ning' violates the basic premise of the game, making it more a work ofart than a game. He believes that computer codes could 'make us cryand feel and love' and intends to turn video games into artistic vehi-cles fbr exploring the meaning of life (Fagone, 2008). Hence, Passage is

imbued with evocative metaphors of 'life is a iourney', which is pre-

sented literally, visually as a long horizontal screen of a maze. A playerstarts the game with a character walking alone in a rflaze with manyobstacles. The character's position on the screen gradually shifts fromthe left edge to the right within the flve-minute game time. Simulta-neously, the character becomes increasingly older in appearance (going

bald and grey-haired, hunching its back, etc). Along the way, the playeraccumulates points. One may also collect treasure chests lbr additionalpoints, or walk with a companion for double points. However, once thecharacter bumps into his spouse, the couple walk hand in hand andbecome less agile in collecting treasures. Players have to make a trade-off. Lastly, the most poignant part is that no Inatter how many pointsone has got, the character has to die after reaching the right end in fiveminutes.

Variety of liveliness

Unlike most other maze games, Passage does not involve any computer-controlled adversaries who disturbingly challenge the player character.The only character other than the player character is his potentialspouse, who contributes only to a minimum extent of primary livelinessto the game. In the beginning, the lady iust stands still in the maze.

Once the player character walks close enough to her, she snaps to theplayer character and they start walking side by side. The couple shows

a magnetic type of action and reaction in the game. The dynamic ten-sion is clear and directional. Besides, when the player character, withor without his spouse, is exploring the maze, an observer may take theintentional stance, speculating whether the character is looking for trea-

sures nearby. In other words, ttre game characters always direct viewers'

attention toward some objects or certain parts of the maze, giving thegame its primary liveliness.

On the other hand, secondary liveliness is not prominent in Passage.

As mentioned, there is no non-player character (NPC) wandering inthe game environment, which is a main difference from other ordi-nary maze games. In fact, the only active element in Pas.sage is theplayer character (the spouse only snaps and attaches to him). Players'orviewers' attention is always focused on the protagonist, without much

distraction from other obiects. Although ttre ma:and unnoticeably to the left like a camera Pannl:the transformation is too subtle and also tt-: ci

secondary liveliness. In this sense, the Sam. .:focused attention whilst overlooking their Pen!:l

Pattern of engagement

As a mini maze game llke Pac-Man (198,0'. i 'ii:to control the motion of the main character :rnamely up, down, Ieft, and right. In the conlPutrarrow keys to move the character. This kind t't r:closely related to motion, because a control hnl.tis not moving with the character's motion in an'..

of finger motion like direction and force do n - t

on the resulting character movement, e\cePt Illiter changes direction. In the mobile version. h:are turned into four touchscreen buttons arrari:iaccordingly. This button arrangement allos's t!:=

'slide'across the screen, thus to'steer'the dir+:::ous'way, and the character keeps walking ani l'-

The player feels as if he or she is directins tr,by moving a flnger around. This fairlr- motic:r-r'achieved in the computer version if the touch::in laptop computers nowadays) is taken into c--nl

motor action can be coupled with percepti:rHence, Possage is able to manifest a couplins pa:

Since there are not many active elenlents :ithat the game cannot sustain a plaver's eng;:rinput. This is actually not the case. If the rl-:'.and the character stands still in the nlaze til=ative to the game view would incrementallv ilregular time intervals. That means even thou:h :position in the maze does not change, the scr-:to the game camera's panning movement. I:l tidering on the right side of the screen gets r-=a

those on the left side become hazl'. In si'tc:t :still shows endless transforrnations rvithout a:-" :

the constantly changing game environnleni. :h'

ally turns from a young guy to an older nlan r: c

If the player resumes control, the camera c.nt1ll1

ter again. Therefore, Passage engages its plavr:: :r

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l8O Analyses ofDesigns

of use, active or inactive. With both coupling and sustaining patterns ofengagement, the game environment contains temporal affordances thatclosely match players' scales of bodily action and perception, as well as

enduring agency in which one can perform continuous appraisal withrespect to his or her felt wants, easily resulting in a sense of intimacy.

Level of understanding

Although Passage only involves two characters and a passage, there is a

wealth of metaphors provoking multiple levels of understanding. At firstglance the work looks like a primitive maze game with the player char-acter wandering and searching around. Yet the presentation of Passage

differs from an ordinary maze game in at least two ways. First, the screen

is intentionally made to be exceedingly wide such that only a horizon-tal slice of the maze can be seen. Second, in the early stage of the game,

the far right end of the frame seems to shrink and blur. Those visionswill become clearer and clearer only when the character moves forward.These nuances render an immediate conceptual blend in Passrz.ge morecompressed than those in other maze games or platform games. In Pas-

.sage, when a player presses an arrow key on the keyboard, the screen

scrolls and reveals more walkway ahead of the character, and also infront of the player. Compared with a f,xed overview of the maze in suchmaze games as Pac-Man, this incremental unfolding is more reminiscentof our sensorimotor experience of exploring an unfamiliar walkway inwhich the further you move, the more you see. This action-perceptioncoupling in the game environment acts as an elastic anchor to theimmediate blend. The identity link between the player and the char-acter is compressed into an avatar relation in the blend, an embodiedextension of the player in the virtual space. The representation linkbetween pixel graphics of the maze and an unfamiliar walkway is com-pressed into a virtual passage. The output of the blend is a new conceptof exploring an imaginative maze, as illustrated in Figure 8.4.

As mentioned, Passage is imbued with metaphors related to the con-ventional saying 'life is a journey'. First, the game presents the view in a

long horizontal slice, and the character gets older and older as the game

time goes by. When the character walks from left to right in the maze(and also on the screen), it becomes obvious that space is a metaphor fortime. It then follows that the journey on the wide screen is a metaphorfor the character's lifespan. In the end, the character approaches theright edge and then leaves only a gravestone, a conventional symbol ofdeath. The five-minute journey represents the character's short life. Sec-

ond, in the course of his journey/life, he may meet a lady. One could

approach her to establistr a life-lons colllrtr:'alone. The two options correspond tLr t',1 :-:-.

lifestyles. In a relationship, the character i: -::-.::passageways aggressively and collect treai'i::r ithe couple can only go througt't the rrlsill)::.,tion echoes with the colnmon frartle of llllr- :.:author's intended imaginative perspectisr : -

commitments limits possibilities. These r'-r--: ::secondary blend of the gan-re with a stor\' --': :i:Figure 8.4, the analogy link betrveen tlte 5::.=-marriage, and another between a narrl-ir :-'::-or business opportunity, are compressed l:--:

the new blend, together with the represetll;:: .

Figure 8.4 Two levels of conceptual blendi :,. :

ate blend (above) results in an enlbodied; '::-.:passage, and then thc metaphorical bl!'nJ :. :

how marriage and farnily coillmitlrellt lirl::' :'

Elastic anchor

lav?:.'

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raq e^Bal ]sn[ ro 'drqsuotueduroJ Suol-a]ll e qsllqPlsa o1 raq qleordde

IBI uossailxE ar11oet2

plnor auo 'dpe1 e laau deu eq 'aJrl,.iau.ir..- :.-las 'aJrJ uor{s s,Ja}lereqf aq} sluasa:dar .i:i.i-:;o 1oqur.{s Ieuol}ua^uoJ e 'auolsa.re:S e .i1u _ ';,aq1 saqreordde ralcereqt aql 'pua aq1 ui j.Jroqdelau-r e sl uaaJfs apIM aq] uo iau]nuri :;.- -iro1 roqdelaru e sr areds ]eq] snor^qo saluo,r{ t.azeu aq] ur ]rl3rJ o] ual uIoJJ s{le.\t ra},rplE;-- ;

atuB8 aq] sE Japlo puB raplo sla8 ralJpleqr rL-- rie ul -trell aq] sluasard arue8 aq] '1s-irg ',-iau;n - . :-uoJ aql o] palelal sJoqdelau qll^l panquii s. ,.

'y'g arn8rg ur palerlsnllr se 'azelu :..,:-i]daluoJ l,rau e sl pualq aql Jo ]ndtno aqf 'r:eisr-(uof, sr .(e.u4pm JerlrueJun ue pue ezetu arir : -{url uol}E}uasardar aqJ 'aJeds Ienlrr-\ aqi u. -parpoqua ue /pualq aq] ur uorlelal .rele-\E ;. :-reqJ Jql pue -ra,{e1d aq} uJJMtJq :1rrr1 .i1i:u:- .

aq] ol Ioqlue frlsele ue sp slJe luauruc,l'tl j:uorldarrad-uol]le srql 'aas nod aJoru al{t ';..,_;ur de,r,r>11ea,r JerlrrueJun ue Suuoldxa Jo atut;:iluaJsrulural aroru sl 3urp1o;un Ipluaual-rul !:'q:qf,ns ur azeu aql Jo ,ral^Ja^o paxu p qil.\l p;:.:'_ur osle pue'la1:e:eqJ eq] Jo peaqe.ie.rrl;,.. ;.uaarls aq] 'preoqdal aq] uo da>1 ,no::e uE Si:>i-sDd uI 'saureS tuJoJleld Jo satues azeu laq]: --atouJ aBDSSDI ur pualq Ienldaf,uoJ alprparuLL: 'jr'preMJoJ senoru Jalf,eJeqf aql uaq.\ .i1uo :a.;r.-:suorsl^ asoqJ 'rnlq pue {urrqs o} suaas }LLE-_ ;

'aure8 aq1 Jo a8els {1rea aq} ur 'puota5 'ual! .:.,- "

-uozlroll e dluo ]eq] qlns apt.n ilSurpaa-r\: +:. :uaalJs Jr.ll '1s.rr3 'sxe,u oM] ]seal ]p ul a[rei ;-.:aBDSSD1 Jo uolteluaserd aql ]a 'punore 5ur.i:::.-reqr radeld aql qll/vt aue8 azeur a-\rl[ur]J E :\.lsru }V 'Surpuelsrapun Jo sla^al a1d111nru SuN : ..,

e sr araql 'a8essed e pue sJalferEqJ o.\lt sa-\l:..,..-

;'dreurrlur Jo asuas e ur Sur11nsar ^ipsea sti^E.!1 :

qlr,rir lesrerdde snonurluof rrrroJJad upJ aur 1t.:sp llJ^1 se 'uorldJJrJd pue uorl:e .ilrpoq 1r :; i::]pq] seJUeproJJe IeJodue] suleluor Juaulu.lL\ j:Jo sura]]ed Sururelsns pue Surldnor LIloq q1i.,,,. :

Giveup (phyer, sNe,nkhe opponunityl

Mary {deL s@use}

182 Analyses of Designs

Figure 8.4 (Continued)

In the blend, the message: 'Till death do us part!' is invoked. Whilst theintegration diagram here only depicts one possible imaginative blend,the work also provokes other metaphorical understandings such as theadventurous and treasure-hunting lifestyle of the celibate. The analysishere only emphasizes one possible interpretation of the game.

Degree of liveness

Compared with rudimentary action games like Pong or Pac-Man, Passage

has relatively more stored visual assets (e.g., character graphics, mazeterrains, audio, etc.). The pixel graphics of the characters and thosefew treasure chests were pre-rendered and stored. The structure of themaze together with its modular components were defined in advance,whilst the full rendering, especially the shrunk andhazy effect, is likelyto be generated on each instantiation, because the final view dependson how a player navigates in the maze. Furthermore, the compositingof characters, items, and the maze onto the screen display is definitelyexecuted on the fly during game play. In other words, the only stored

visual materials are still images of some modularla moderately high degree of liveness' Althoughthat usually have myriad divergent outcotnslosing, there are still a few contingencies in dthe character may die anywhere in the maze- (

treasures and score high, but be alone till death-

ner and walk straight back to the start point tover. Every game in Passage is a moderatel,v liwthe player and the system. When the charrtethe player is a performer. When the player obca

ing environment and the aging character, he orof the audience too.

Summary

Not all works of digital art rely on animated pher

discourse, but quite a number of them entail va

elements in their presentations, which can be t

physical materials. This chapter introduces for r

tive works that foreground the phenomena of I

Their initial stages of presentation are diver-,lation in physical space, through a Web puHito a mini computer game. Both their forms and

Nevertheless, they unanimously span a wide tE

technological liveliness. The corresponding vC

Table 8.1 as follows.

Table 8.1 The four variable values of selected worls t

Artworks Variety ofliveliness

Patternof lldtengagement un r-

Text Rain Primary(catching,holding)

SecondarY(raining,waving,dancing)

Coupling Immr(body (d.ilmovement sirtEand mirrored \{craimage (t,.(motion) fr.dSustaining(continuouslvraining)

(srr]1alpsrols dluo)J^II dlq8IH

(Jruerl]r[8rl aur^rp rrl])

IPltloqdr?]3r\(uIPr IPnUI^

aq] ur SuDuep)alPlpatUtUl

(3ututu.tilsnonurluor.;

Sururelsn5

(uoIlouIaBeut

paJoJl[u pue

luatUaAoludpoq)

Suttdno:)

(Sunuep'3une.n

'3urr-rter.;trrepuora5

(Supyoq'3urqr1e:)

dreurr.l utDl{ lxal

ssau!la^!l;o dlagren $Iro,l,t.uv

1re ley8rp Jo sIrom patlalas Jo sanlel alqetre^ rnoJ JqI t'8 aMDJ

's^tollo] se l'8 alqeJ

ur pazueruruns are senlel Sutpuodsarrof, aLIJ 'ssauIIaAII IellSolouq)a]Jo salqeue^ aq] ul ulerra] apl^\ e ueds ,{lsnoulueun daq} 'ssalaq}ra.ta11'd1tear3,{re,t s8utueaur pue suJoJ JIaq} q}og 'atue8 ra}nduroJ IuIu e o}

']auralul aq] uo uorletrlqnd qaM e q8norqt 'aceds lertsdr{d uI uoI}PI

-lelsul ue urorl Sursuer 'asraatp aJe uolleluasard ;o sa8els 1er11u1 rtaql'ssaurla^rl lerrSolouqra] Jo pueurouaqd eq1 punor8arol ]eLIl s{roM a^l}-Jrrrlsrp aarq] uorssnfslp roJ saJnporlul raldeql sIqJ 'slerralPur lerlsdqdua^a Jo 'spunos 'slensl^ aq uP) qtrlqM 'suo1]eluasard rlaqr uI slualllala

frueudp Jo sIrIJoJ snolre^ Ilelua uaq] Jo Jaqunu e allnb ]nq 'asrnof,slp

a^rleaJf rralll ul euaurouaqd paletulue uo dlar pe 1e1r3rp;o s>lJo^{ lle ]oN

^f,rururun5

'oo] aJuarpne aq] Jo

raqtuaur e saruofaq aqs ro aq 'Ja])Bleqtr Sur8e aql pue ]uauuorhua 8uI

-3ueqr dlrpeals aq] sa^lasqo ra.'(e1d aqt uaI{M 'rauJoJrad e st ra,(e1d aqt

'punore Surrapue.r,r st Jalrereqr aq] uaqM 'Iualsds aql pue radeld aql

uaaMlaq uorlesurordul anrl dlalerapotu e sI agossorl uI aueS draag 'raao

sr aue8 aql III] tIeM o] lulod Uels aql o] lceq lqSlerts {le^t pue rau

-yed e utol deru sraq]O 'q]eap III] auole aq ]nq 'qBIq aroJs pue sarnsear]

dueur 1ra11oc duu au6 'azeul aq] ut araq.udue alp deul Jalf,ereql aq]

'aldruexa roJ 'atue8 aql ul satlua8urluof .t,ral e IIIIs are aJaq] 'Sulsolpue Sutuutm uaamlaq saruo)]no ]ua8ra^Ip pelrdur arreq (11ensn leqlsau-re8 dreulpro a{Ilun q8noqlly 'ssaualll 1o aar8ap q31q .{lalerapour e

sueaur 11 'scqqderB laxrd relnpour atuos lo sa8erul IIlls are slellalelu lBnsI

t8I uorssatdxg )nllDar)

parols .{1uo aq} 'sproM raq}o ul '.ie1d :ru:: : -dlalrugap sr deldsrp ueatJs aq] olrro aze LL r-.-Surlrsoduror aq] 'alorurarlunl 'azeru aql -. >;spuadap ,trara Ieug arll asneleq 'uorierlr.rE-!-..,(1a>1r1 sr '1;a11a . zeq pue )unrqs aql .illEir:'::'arueape ur pauuap aJaM sluauoduo: :e J:.;._.arll Jo arnlJnrls aql 'parols pue palapital-;-:asoql pue sralrpreqr aqt lo scrqde:S I:\.; :azeru 'scrqderB ralcereqt ''3'a) stasse IEn!L\ :ialiossorl'uu1,r1-n4 rc 8uo4 a>p1 sarue8 uort-rE..;..

'arue8 aql ;o uorlela-rd:alur alqrss-": :srs.{leue aqJ 'a}Eqrlat aql 1o a1{lsaJII Suitu:,;-;aq] se qlns s8urpuelsrapun lel.roqdetatu i:--'pualq a.uleur8euu alqrssod auo slldap .iii.i_ :

aq] tsllqM 'pa{o^ur s1 ,;1red sn op q}eap lril r:

ssJua^ll SutpuelsraPun

;o aar8a6 Jo Ia^a'Iluarua8e8uc

JO urcllPd

issnodE 'riletd) tujen

ll{unuoddo aq),u'asnods 1e^eld) dn-a^tC

784 Analyses of Designs

Table 8.1 (Continued)

Artworks Variety ofliveliness

Pattern of Level of Degree ofengagement understanding liveness

Modem PrimaryLiving / (iumping,Neurotica hide-and-seek,series etc.)

Secondary(simultaneousup and down,swell up andvomit, etc.)

Passage Primary(striding)

Notes

1. For a look at how participants 'creatively' play with the 'letters' rain,please see the video documentation on one of the creator's website: http://camilleutterback.com/proiects/text-rain/

Implications

In the previous three chapters, we have conductarray of digital media artifacts which belong to ilincluding user interface, video game, and digitlmonly separate groups of artifacts generally co

in terms of both the creator's motivation and d

tion, but the works included in the corpus rcrliveliness. As the analyses in previous chapters

erties of these artifacts with respect to the fot

exemplify the principles of technological livefi

immerse their users in a virtual environmerrt r

secondary liveliness; they entail coupling and/o

engagement that match users'bodily motion Iin a sense of intimacy; they anchor sensation fublends yielding embodied concepts of virtual sp

ration of metaphorical blends; they Senerate qreal time, supporting users to explore diverse pr

In short, they all rely on animated phenomen

immersive, familiar, embodied, evocative, and dence. This study is not intended to be an exhr!media artifacts, and inevitably there are nrirr.T

that demonstrate comparable values in those forof controlling the corpus size, they are not inclthe best representatives of their kinds are cowthat technological liveliness is pervasive in gand communication, entertainment, and cre-icorpus in this book epitomizes its perv-asimess

On the other hand, there are many other Qdo not exemplify every qualitative variabl'e- 0

Alternating(click andthen pop up)

Coupling(roll over andspines comeout)

Coupling(sliding fingerovertouchpad tosteer)

Sustaining(maze viewcontinues topan; avatarcontinues toage)

Immediate(puppeteer thecharacter)

Metaphorical(the Websurfing frame)

Immediate(navigablevirtual maze)

Metaphorical(the marriageframe)

Highly live(animateddrawings andaudio clips)

Moderatelylive(animatedsprites, somecontingenciesbutconvergentoutcome)

t 8-5