Category Archives: Student Blogs

How it is not Print

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on How it is not Print

@KatieGullans

Shy boy is an example of electronic literature because it wouldn’t be the same experience reading it in print. It has a simplicity, yet it has something more than words on paper. The music gives a lonely, sad feeling to it. It helps you understand him. The way the words and sentences are put out also has meaning. The part where the word vanish disappears is especially effective. The boy wants to vanish and you vanish with him. The grey bars seem to give a rainy day feeling. There is no color. There’s only shades. It seems to fit because colors would stand out. Since it’s about a shy boy, he would want to hide and so grey, black, and white are the most appropriate colors to use. As you read this piece, you feel like you are with him and you understand what he’s going through. Someone else might have had the same experiences in school too and felt like there was a dark cloud over their heads. Maybe the grey blocks are like dark clouds over the shy boy.

This is definitely electronic literature because it was created on the computer and is meant to be read on the computer. Katherine Hayles quotes, “Electronic text cannot be accessed until it is formed by properly executed code.” This piece wouldn’t have been able to created without that code. The special effects that go with the story are very fitting.

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SHY BOY

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on SHY BOY

Shy Boy is full of digital art, and inspiration. This isn’t only literature it’s another way to express how one is feeling. I have chosen to observe Shy boy because this poem speaks more than a shy boy. It expresses life of most children. This poem has colors, animations and the capabilities to only be watched on a computer that is compatible with the codes. (Hayles 1) The colors, animations make the poem seem so much more than the words being spitted out letter by letter. It intensifies the meaning by a lot. Because this digital art work requires a computer to be able to read, it uses HTML codes. A huge digital art work producing way of art. Shy boy is a classical way of presenting a digital art work. Without these HTML codes those who consume this poem wouldn’t have gotten the full expression that this shy boy poem is really pleading out to them. It would have been boring, lousy and most likely wouldn’t catch anyone’s attention. When I first started to watch this poem I was impressed how it had its very own website, it was plain so the reader could get the full effect from the fading’s, colors and animations from what the producer wanted the consumer to get. #DTCV #SHYBOY #ANIMATION #EXPRESSION

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Shy Boy: Electronic Literature

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on Shy Boy: Electronic Literature

RachaelS_dtc

Shy Boy is poem created on a computer that has visual effects as well as words. This piece is an example of electronic literature. Katherine Hayles, the author of “Electronic Literature: What is it?” explains why this piece would not be considered print. Electronic literature is “a first-generation digital object created on a computer and (usually) meant to be read on a computer” (Hayles). This does not include pieces, such as word documents, were the work can be read in print. Shy Boy was created to be read on a computer because the words move and disappear. The movement of the words allows the reader to come closer to the overall meaning of the poem. The poem tells of the feelings of a shy boy. He wants to fade into the background and vanish. During Shy Boy, the word ‘vanish’ actually disappears, adding emphasis on the boy’s emotions. Shy Boy cannot be told the same way in a print version. The reader would not have the same experience with Shy Boy in just print, which is the author’s intention. This electronic literature piece was create by the author for the purpose of experiencing it on the computer. Electronic literature “challenges us to re-think our assumptions of what literature can do and be” (Hayles). Literature is no longer just print. Authors can have moving words, sound and moving images to better convey their message to the reader.

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Blog 6: Electronic Literature

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on Blog 6: Electronic Literature

@kylemcgee77

“Unlike a print book, electronic text literally cannot be accessed without running code” (Halyes). With this quote in mind, I feel that “Shy Boy” by Thomas Swiss is an accurate example a work that is “born digital.” There are many reasons why authors create digitally born works. In terms of “Shy Boy,” the reason is to evoke specific emotions. Swiss uses text animation such as fading and bold facing to set the immediate tone of the piece. The music that is used in the piece also affects the mood. Electronic literature like “Shy Boy” tends to break the mold of traditional still text such as a printed book or newspaper. By using text animation and sounds, electronic literature keeps the reader’s attention and connects with the reader more efficiently. The text in “Shy Boy” continues on with or without the reader and creates excitement. In a printed piece of literature, the plain text doesn’t ever movie or produce sound. It may provoke inner thought in emotion, but only if the reader continues to pay attention to the text. The reader’s mind can wander off at anytime and lose the connection. Electronic literature uses many tricks to keep your attention. For a piece of work to be labeled as “digitally born,” the work is created digitally. It cannot be reproduced in a physical form. That is another reason why “Shy Boy” is a great example. Electronic literature may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I feel that it really allows the reader to connect to the piece of work.

#dtcv

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Blog Week 6, “Shy Boy”

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on Blog Week 6, “Shy Boy”

@starlingpreston

Hayles describes “digital born,” as a “first generation digital object created on a computer and usually meant to be read on a computer” (1). The poem, “Shy Boy”, was created using a computer and can only be fully viewed using computer “capabilities” (Hayles 1). “Shy Boy” uses motion, fading colors, and animation to create certain feelings and experiences for the reader. One would not be able to experience the fading of the words, if the poem was a print document. However, by using the animation capability of the computer, the reader is able to experience fading words and associate it with the feeling the shy boy is experiencing, his need to vanish. Furthermore, the motion of the text is not something the reader would be able to experience with a print version. The motion creates an urgency to keep up with the story. The print version would allow the readers to move at their own pace throughout the poem. “Shy Boy,” is a digital born medium that takes advantage of the technological capabilities of computers, while creating interactions between the medium and text. However, as Hayles describes “Shy Boy,” still encompasses the “traditional modes of understanding language,” while being digital (3). Furthermore, the digital work requires code that print work does not need. By using HTML and other programs offered by computers to create work, “Shy Boy,” is truly a digital born piece. Furthermore, it cannot be accessed without “running the code” (Hayles 3).

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Brandon Phillips, Authoring Project 1

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on Brandon Phillips, Authoring Project 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEkZBp6XbuA&feature=youtu.be

Production Statement

The game environment that I chose to film was from the game Far Cry 3; released December 4th, 2012. I chose to film this game environment because the environment described in few words is chaos in paradise. I thought it would be interesting to show the audience footage that captured the hectic, violent, and tense full situations the character of the game must face. The music track that I decided would compliment and contrast with the footage best is the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” covered by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. I chose this song because I think the Hawaiian style music fits with the setting of the game, and how the message of the lyrics contrasts with the game footage. I think the contrasting lyrics show how the characters of Far Cry 3 have become desensitized to violence thus making them think they’re life in the game is beautiful.

I made my video by using PC recording software to record some of my gameplay footage of Far Cry 3. I wanted to film a variety of action scenes and landscape so I used some of the missions in the game to recreate these scenes. I then used windows movie maker to piece all of the clips together and add the music track. I learned many things from this project. One of them being able to coordinate how the scenes were made. In a way I had to choreograph my character’s movements on paper before playing each scene so that each scene flows and doesn’t seem improvised. Another thing I learned was being able to effectively create a message utilizing visual and audio. It was necessary that I chose the right music and the right scenes to capture the purpose of my Far Cry 3 footage.

Far Cry 3

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McGee-Project1 – DTC 101 Production Statement

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on McGee-Project1 – DTC 101 Production Statement

McGee-Project1 – DTC 101

@kylemcgee77

The idea for this project came from my friend and me messing around with our Mortal Kombat characters. We would be listening to music while we played the game and make our characters jump to the music. I thought it would be fun idea. To record the game play, I routed the RCA cable from the Nintendo 64 through an RCA splitter and then into a camcorder. Then I turned on some techno music and my friend and I moved our characters to the music to resemble dancing. I then took the good footage and uploaded it to Windows Movie Maker and added the music. The point I am making is that music can drastically affect the vibe you get from a video game. If you’ve played Mortal Kombat, you know that dancing is the polar opposite of the point of the game. A normally dark and violent game can be turned into a humorous dance party by simply adding the right music and moving your character to the beat. Through the process of creating this video, the subjects of “fair use” and “copyright” were on my mind. I would be questioning myself if what I was producing was copyright infringement or fair use.  I learned that my video was indeed fair use because it does not have an “affect on the value of copyrighted work” (copyright). I used footage from Mortal Kombat for reasons of tribute because it is one of my favorite games. I also learned a lot about Windows Movie Maker.

#Authoring Project 1

#dtcv

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Mann Project 1

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on Mann Project 1

Project Statement

Since I do not own this game I watched about three hours of posted game play and walk through on YouTube. I watched both single player and multiple players and for what I wanted to show I went with single player. The biggest challenge for me was the recording and editing process. I eventually found a free video capture application called bandicam that would let you record up to ten minutes of video at a time. After picking the videos that I wanted I recorded about 45 minutes of game play. My next challenge was picking the parts I wanted to show that would go good with the song that I wanted to play with it. I used Movie Studio Platinum 12.0 that came with my laptop. I know it was only to be up to two minutes long but I could not bring myself to end the song before its time so I made the video the same length of the song.

The song is called Now We Are Free from The Gladiator movie soundtrack. Halo is about genetically modified soldiers that are called Spartans and because of these modifications they are unable to have regular human interactions but Master Chief develops a connection with his AI and becomes a love story. Since this song represents the lost love of Maximus and his journey to join them in the afterlife it felt like it was fitting to represent their relationship. A verse translated states:

Even alone/afraid
Under my face I will be waiting
Run with me now soldier of Rome

Master Chief is running to not only save himself but also his love, Cortana his Ai

I really enjoyed making this and when it started to come together I started to get excited and did not want to stop until I was done. I have never done anything like this before so this was all done by trial and error.

My video

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Authoring Activity 1

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on Authoring Activity 1

Paper: Authoring Activity 1

Powerpoint: Smartphones & Remediation

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Blog Post 6: Electronic Literature

Posted on February 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on Blog Post 6: Electronic Literature

@DTC_AlexTDTran

Of the three electronic literature pieces that I viewed, I would have to say that Ad Verbum would be the one I choose to evaluate. First of all, Ad Verbum is a piece of interactive fiction (Par. 10) that relies on word play and other strategies in order  to beat. This work is classified as interactive fiction because of it’s high reliance on it’s game element in order to progress the story. This work is not one that relies on art but rather narrative (Par. 10). This piece is a prime example of digital born work. Hayles claims that ““Unlike a print book, electronic text literally cannot be accessed without running the code. Critics and scholars of digital art and literature should therefore properly consider the source code to be part of the work, a position underscored by authors who embed in the code information or interpretive comments crucial to understanding the work.” In this case, Ad Verbum would not be able to run without the use of code and if it could be used with code, it could not be fully utilized i.e. one would not be able to  experience this work fully without being digital, “a first-generation digital object created on a computer and meant to be read on a computer”. Ad Verbum itself was created on a computer and must be experienced as such. This piece of interactive fiction is a digital-born work because of it’s reliance on the digital aspect of it’s nature.

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