I recently joined the list. I am working on a description/requirement
spec for a Virtual Environment platform as my major. I am limiting
myself to "non-immersive non-action personal computing
artlike-applications". I am especially targeting three areas:
1. required technology, identifying objects, relationships, events
and signals.
2. communication and usability issues
3. exploring the medium's possible artistic expressiveness
I am trying to distance myself from what appears to be the
main focus of the field today, that is "adrenaline pumping total action
photorealistic immersive first person perspective" VR. I believe
that an explorative slow pace reflective environment where design
choices are based on communication, usability and artistic
expressiveness issues is better for personal computing VEs.
FLAMEBAIT: VR is mostly cool hype, but without substance. Acceptable
3D displays, for personal use, is not around the corner.
Immersive technology will never be acceptable in the average
personal computing setting, it wouldn't be much different from
drugs. 2D is better than 3D for orientation. VR/3D/photorealism
is only a small subset of a larger set of expressions/canvases, I
think it is far too limiting for efficient communication. Think about
this: good art doesn't simulate reality, it creates a "(sur)reality"
that is more real (in some way) than the real reality.
Ola.