Andrew Walcott

Colby B. Teller

Mar. 30, 1999

CyberArts

For our final project of the semester ("Face Value"), we plan to expand upon Colby’s midterm project (the canyon journey and interactive cityscape), both in technical complexity and inherent meaning. We would like to add much more user interaction, retaining the clearly defined path along the canyon to the developed city area (with an animated viewpoint), but leaving the viewer to roam free to discover the Metro Station once he or she has discovered this place. We plan to add a bit more individual architecture as well. There will be a few more regional and user triggered actions and sounds, and hopefully a more "real" feeling to the city itself; we don’t want it to look or sound like a video game. This is not to say that we are going to stick to traditional architecture, we are very interested in a fantastic look to the city, but we want it to be at least somewhat believable.

The meaning will hopefully not be realized until the viewer reaches the "end" of the piece. Via Andrew’s "Metro station," the viewer will be transported through several worlds in a seemingly confusing and disjointed sequence. Finally, the viewer will be shown a "God’s eye view" of the entire piece, and hopefully the meaning will become clear. At this point, the viewer will realize that things are not at all like they seem to be, and the folly that can result when things are taken only at face value. The meaning of this project will be along the same lines as some of our earlier class work, as will be apparent when the final version is shown. In order to see the piece as we truly mean for it to be experienced, follow the viewpoints throughout the various worlds.

Most of my inspiration has come from an desire to understand nightmares that tortured me as a child, in which everyday objects were blown up to fearsome proportions and threatened to reduce me to a pulpy, fleshy pancake. I have also gotten ideas for many projects from other people in our class, especially Bruce and Rich. I enjoy looking at the work of others, and thinking about how I would perhaps have done something differently, or being inspired by a fresh look at a boring or trite procedure or idea. I believe that by learning from others with different viewpoints and experiences than my own, I can better understand the opinions and biases that people carry with them when they view work by anyone else.

Star Wars, Blade Runner, 5^th Element, Star Trek, Futurama

Snow Crash and The Diamond Age (Neal Stephenson), Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card), Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive (William Gibson), Marvel Comic’s "2099" Series

Various futuristic technologically-based city/civilization concepts have influenced me. The most significant sources for this project are:

Video Games:

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division

MechWarrior/Battletech Universe

5^th Element

Blade Runner

Literature:

Brave New World by Aldus Huxley

Additionally, I have been influenced by the architectures and ambience of some modern settings such as malls, subway and train stations, and large corporate buildings.

I’d also like to cite the following: other people’s (in general) reactions to "strange" and/or "disturbing" ideas/imagery/situations. This has inspired me to create work that brings out these reactions in others because I find this effect highly amusing.