Crazy ridiculous OMA

I've had a love/hate relationship with my feelings about OMA projects for a few years now. On one hand, I love how directly they are able to move from functional premise to architectural form. I've also been a big fan of overcoming flat cities to utilise an "every-direction" model of urbanity.

On the other hand, I hate - with a passion - big box architecture that apparently creates every possible opportunity without recognising any downfalls (along the lines of International Style). You've got to be able to see what you're losing whenever you gain something.

If you want to skip to the visual orgy of architecture which made my jaw drop, check out the last minute of this clip.

aLife of politics

I just read some articles from this google cluster, about the growing uses for virtual worlds in business... And political concern that virtual worlds could be used for illegal activity (even terrorism).

An article in the Washington Post was the most entertaining - and really, that's what I read the news for. It was about a congressional subcommittee meeting to help the US congress learn about virtual worlds. Anyway, here's a great quote:

"Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) probably got the best quips out, joking that some people already think Congress is a virtual world, and that Markey was throwing the event merely to learn how to get to the next level in World of Warcraft."

Experiment 1: Losing the Places we Love

Here's my first film piece. If I weren't already 23, I'd say mum should keep it for my 21st.

It's a review of my research on machinima to date, and a statement about my "distinctive theory on architecture". Really, if you read some previous posts on my blog you should get what it's on about. That is, machinima culture and nostalgia.

The first part is a machinima composition of my own, appropriating/juxtaposing audio from Tales of the Past III and graphics from Heroes of Might and Magic III. The second part is an adaptation of machinima.com's Inside the World of Warcraft episode, addressing the machinima community's reaction to the actual Tales of the Past III "movie". Male Restroom Etiquitte became the main framework for addressing nostalgia in a humorous way, and I've threaded sections of it throughout my work too. Red vs Blue also helped me get a handle on the humorous aspect of "serious" machinima, and I used some audio from the Going Global episode.

I read a very revealing comment about Tales of the Past III, drawing attention to its striking resemblance to Lord of the Rings. None of the key elements of these clips are new to the world; TotP III just shows how serious people can get about games. Seriously.

Augmentasia

I just found this clip on virtual reality & augmented reality. I'm a little bit torn about it; I think the parts I like are the parts where the technology is used to bring known things to life in a new way (like Mario cart in the street, or turning your house into a big aquarium).

I think the parts I don't like are when you can see that the "actors" aren't really interacting with much more than a moving sculpture: They're just being big dags, running around in public wearing all black and acting weird.

Also, I've heard good dance routines described as having shades - both light and dark. To apply the same kind of thinking, this felt a little too much like a continual stream of action, rather than a story about, or window into, anything in particular.

Something new

omg this is great. Did I mention my new love for Red vs Blue?

Anyway, on to the message of the story. RE: losing the places you love; When you're just plain tired of those same old places going round and round your head, that's when you start to have some fun and make something new. I'm sure I won't be the only one in this studio who knows that when you're bored, and make something just for the hell of it... Well, that's what ends up being the best project of the semester.

I, for one, can't wait to play Grifball.

Oh, those silly people from that country Europe

Did I mention I'm American as well as Australian? Anyway, this one's just for laughs. And if you can't laugh at yourself, then what's the point?

The places I love

Ok so this is going to make me look very geeky.... But I just can't stop myself from loving Heroes of Might and Magic III. Yes, just version 3. I love the long periods of thought in between each go, the time to figure out exactly which strategy is best, the pixel art creatures, the short list of games you can play, the small range of randomness in each new game. It's a finished package.

It's probably 10 years old at least. I have to force myself to stop playing it at times!