( link: http://awards.sf.akqa.com/creative/2007/halo3/iris/shell.html )
Iris was an ARG (alternate reality game) designed to promote Halo 3 pre-launch of the game.
With any giant media launch come hype, and as if the Halo franchise hadn't enough steam behind it, Iris had planned on topping the bar. As another alternate way of, perhaps subliminally, promoting the game, Iris took followers from the digital world, to the street, back online, and to the street again with countless mysteries to solve, hidden messages, and a massively confusing "storyline".
Halo 2 had, previously, used a familiar technique with their infamous "ilovebees.com" site (where the xbox.com url switched to ilovebees.com in the original theatrical trailer), so running an ARG was nothing new to Bungie. With the fact the conclusion of the trilogy was Halo 3, though, they decided to go far beyond what almost any ARG had previously done. With months of preperation, Iris finally took form and was released to the public, bit by bit. I remember attempting to follow the events as they progressed, becomming massively confused and springing to fan site to look for clues. Needless to say, I was aleady interested in the Halo series as well, but this ARG had spiked an almost personal need to try to figure out this mystery.
And as saying, I continued to fail.
The site above lists all the steps of this "game" and how they were carried out. It's interesting to see the complexity behind organizing such a complex "social experiment" such as this. The success of this project continued onward promoting the game's storyline, pushing the hype, and depthening the plot of this epic sequal to one of the most anticipated trilogies ever created.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Art 211W - Entry 3
http://stimulant.io/wp/index.php/2009/01/from-the-labs-xray-integrates-apple-iphone-and-microsoft-surface/
Woah! An Apple and Microsoft product working together!
This video/article discusses a homebrew application for the iPhone that interacts with the Microsoft Surface "table computer". The basis for creating such an application was the inspiration from the “SecondLight” technology shown at last year’s Professional Developers Conference. This was an expansion of their original Surface technology to allow a second, “hidden” image to be viewable by simply placing tracing paper over top.
For the owners of the first generation device, though, another alternative was required. Enter XRay. This project takes advantage of a secondary display that can be placed over top of the device, and then having screen images “sent” to it to reflect whatever was underneath.
The possibilities for technology like this are completely endless. The “hidden image” concept can be taken to a completely different level. Imagine seeing an image and being able to see an expanded description by simply holding your phone over it. Another fun concept would be the digital map idea we completed last week. Having a slur of names on a Surface, only being able to hold another device on top to see details for each individual.
These “hidden” displays are a completely new way to provide information, and should be seen more and more often as time progresses.
Woah! An Apple and Microsoft product working together!
This video/article discusses a homebrew application for the iPhone that interacts with the Microsoft Surface "table computer". The basis for creating such an application was the inspiration from the “SecondLight” technology shown at last year’s Professional Developers Conference. This was an expansion of their original Surface technology to allow a second, “hidden” image to be viewable by simply placing tracing paper over top.
For the owners of the first generation device, though, another alternative was required. Enter XRay. This project takes advantage of a secondary display that can be placed over top of the device, and then having screen images “sent” to it to reflect whatever was underneath.
The possibilities for technology like this are completely endless. The “hidden image” concept can be taken to a completely different level. Imagine seeing an image and being able to see an expanded description by simply holding your phone over it. Another fun concept would be the digital map idea we completed last week. Having a slur of names on a Surface, only being able to hold another device on top to see details for each individual.
These “hidden” displays are a completely new way to provide information, and should be seen more and more often as time progresses.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Art 211 - Entry 2
Internet memes have been a constant part of anyone’s life, be it knowing or unknowing. With the birth of one of the first memes, the “hamster dance”, it was common practice to send links of the sites hosing these to everyone you knew. Much like chain letters were common with the traditional snail-mail, meme’s are constantly spread, instantaneously, over emails, IM’s, or posts on blogs and social networking sites.
Traditionally, memes are simple inside jokes spread from one person to another via word of mouth or story telling. Internet memes, however, can become as unexpected as ever. The classic example would be “Rickrolling” someone. This classic “made you look” concept has been taken to a new level, with someone sending a hyperlink with a title such as,
“HOT NEW AMAZING GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE FOR HALO 3 RECON!!!111”
Clicking that above link will take you to a YouTube video of Rick Astley’s song, “Never Gonna Give You Up”. Congratulations, you’ve be rickrolled. This meme, among others, was started through an online message board, namely a site called 4chan. As others will, I’m sure, correct me on this, rickrolling is the most common form of a publicly-known meme. While others have been spread willingly, such as the “Star Wars Kid”, and the newer “Don’t tase me, Bro!”, the most common way of introducing a meme is by tricking someone into it, such as above. These inside jokes could only be spread through digital mediums, and thanks to the popularity of social networking and video hosting, they will continue to be spread across the vast tubes of the internet for over nine thousand years to come.
Oh, and by the way, you just lost the game.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Art 211 - Entry 1
User Interface: Criticism and Complaints
(Viewing URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_lY0yVYjoI&fmt=22 )
Seen here is an interface currently in design for the game "In The Groove". Being a work in progress, many people have commented on it's "fresh new look" from the original, dull, red theme. However, with change also comes massive amounts of criticism of both constructing, and non-constructive.
During the last few months of development, videos and still images of this new theme have been posted on various forums where other players and interface-designers can comment on the work done. While the overall reaction has been positive, there have been many complaints about "moving away from the original", "overuse of bevel", and, of course, the traditional "OMG THIS SUCKS LEARN 2 PHOTOSHOP". While at times these can seem belittling of the work that has been done, all types of complaints about the current design (sans the last one) can be used to improve the overall final project.
Criticism involving the "originality" of the project has both it's positives and flaws. While the goal of the project was to create an entirely new new interface, the design was becoming so outlandish and unfitting that the general "feel" of the game just didn't seem to fit everything the game originally had, so elements were redesigned to have more of the classic style the original had. The other, almost completely obvious, flaw with beveling seen in the video involved a complete redesign of most elements seen. Now, the over-beveled elements feature a slick, gray style that blends well with the other style seen in the"gameplay" screen, without having the overuse of horrible sharp edges.
About "LEARNING 2 PHOTOSHOP", I think that's been covered already.
Overall, the constant user feedback by posting public viewable content has led the project to become the best it can. Without this, it would have been in the same state, receiving the same criticism upon release. Unfortunately, were that to happen, the design changes would be impossible to implement, and the final product would be far, far from spectacular.
(Viewing URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_lY0yVYjoI&fmt=22 )
Seen here is an interface currently in design for the game "In The Groove". Being a work in progress, many people have commented on it's "fresh new look" from the original, dull, red theme. However, with change also comes massive amounts of criticism of both constructing, and non-constructive.
During the last few months of development, videos and still images of this new theme have been posted on various forums where other players and interface-designers can comment on the work done. While the overall reaction has been positive, there have been many complaints about "moving away from the original", "overuse of bevel", and, of course, the traditional "OMG THIS SUCKS LEARN 2 PHOTOSHOP". While at times these can seem belittling of the work that has been done, all types of complaints about the current design (sans the last one) can be used to improve the overall final project.
Criticism involving the "originality" of the project has both it's positives and flaws. While the goal of the project was to create an entirely new new interface, the design was becoming so outlandish and unfitting that the general "feel" of the game just didn't seem to fit everything the game originally had, so elements were redesigned to have more of the classic style the original had. The other, almost completely obvious, flaw with beveling seen in the video involved a complete redesign of most elements seen. Now, the over-beveled elements feature a slick, gray style that blends well with the other style seen in the"gameplay" screen, without having the overuse of horrible sharp edges.
About "LEARNING 2 PHOTOSHOP", I think that's been covered already.
Overall, the constant user feedback by posting public viewable content has led the project to become the best it can. Without this, it would have been in the same state, receiving the same criticism upon release. Unfortunately, were that to happen, the design changes would be impossible to implement, and the final product would be far, far from spectacular.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
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