When I Grow Up, I want to be Carmen Sandiego!

This week in lecture we spoke first about HTML (the fun fun world of hypertext—I’m not offending it! I give credit to those who have the ability to find the one / that’s throwing them off.) and then more about Gaming and ARGs.

Now, I’ve never been a huge gamer, but I did enjoy a little super Nintendo growing up. And as I got older I LOVED playing Sims. When my parents bought me the Sims Deluxe Edition I was the happiest kid alive. I don’t really know why everyone loved the Sims so much, I mean they don’t even talk properly. But dressing them up, and deciding their hairstyle & who they’re going to date. As a preteen this was the most exciting thing.  When I come to think of it, I played games even before that. I remember I had an Arthur computer game & my favourite Carmen Sandiego. Wow, I never realized I was such a gamer growing up. I guess I grew up in the “virtual world”

Anywho, Laurie said how gaming is a part of life. It acts as many different things including ice breakers—I definitely bonded with my mums co-workers daughter over the Sims. It allows for this virtual world, where nothing really matters because if you fail, you can just restart. I mean, having a Sim until their old with grandchildren would be pretty amazing, but I know personally I got bored of the Jones family and would create the Cooks down the road.

Virtual reality lets you experience things and do things that you wouldn’t normally do in the outside world. As a preteen I would never imagine talking to the cute boy down the road, but OH HO OH, on the Sims, I could befriend him in seconds. I mean, that’s rather a silly example, but I think it gets the point across. Virtual reality is kind of amazing. It let’s one get outside of their comfort zone a little bit.

Besides this, is has an entire fantasy exploration aspect. Carmen Sandiego always got me hooked because I felt like a secret agent whenever I played. Carmen wears a red suit and a mysterious hat that covers one eye. She was just so cool. I’ll post a picture of Carmen below. She was an inspiration. But, I didn’t just get entertainment out of these games, but I got knowledge as well. Carmen Sandiego allowed me to see the world (virtually of course). I remember doing something along the lines of putting a Greek god’s statue back together to get the next clue, but it had to be the right one etc. etc. It taught me a little geography and history & I think there was a few math equations if I remember correctly. Wow, I wonder if I cam find the CDs, I’d like to play the games all over again. Getting lost in a virtual world is so exciting. It can be distracting, don’t get me wrong, but venturing into the lives of Carmen Sandiego is a lot more educational then facebook or angry birds… (FUN FACT: I’ve never actually played angry birds. I have no idea what the app/game? Does)

Here stands Carmen in all her luscious ginger glory:

 Another thing, we didn’t specifically talk about in this weeks lecture, but something I want to briefly discuss is interactive art. We did go over interactivity and how important and entertaining it is, so I guess what I have to say fits nicely into this. I think interactive art is possibly the most magical thing yet. I love art. I truly am a fan. But, its modern contemporary art that catches my eye. I love things that are hand made & I love things that are made for our hands. In other words, when you can physically play with art, or interact with it in someway it is a whole lot more interesting. I don’t have a specific example that we haven’t already discussed in class, but something that is online and well, not exactly the most amazing art, but very addictive is this. This website is so pretty. It really is. I have written so many different things, screen capped it & sent it to so many people. There’s something special about that. When you can take something created by someone else & make it your own. I think my point is that interaction in this world is possibly the most important factor of life. And people tend to believe virtual inventions have prevented this interactivity with the “real world” but I beg to differ, I think technology has only enhanced humans ability to share.

Here is my awful attempt at writing I heart Digital Media, Eve on Silk:

*Please note that none of the above images are mine. I do not claim the rights to any of them. They are simply images  I found online, or made online and believed worked well as examples.