Media

Readings

Ellen Dissanayake

• "What is art for?"
• Core of Art is "Making Special"

Week 1 Required Readings

• Avant-garde Videogames: Introductory and Radical Formal Chapters
• Avant-garde Videogames: Radical Political Chapter
• Avant-garde Videogames: Complicit Formal and Complicit Political Chapters and Conclusion

Additional Readings

• Force of Art: Introduction and Ars Technica: From Futurism to Internet to Transgenic Art by Krzysztof Ziarek
• Return of the Real by Hal Foster
  • Read Introduction, Chapter 1 "Who's Afraid of the Neo-Avant-garde," and Chapter 5 "The Return of the Real"
• Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice
  • Preface; Chapter 1: "A Sudden Explosive Event"; Chapter 2: Art and Artifice; Chapter 5: Rift and Prophecy
• Gaming: Essays On Algorithmic Culture by Alexander Galloway

Lectures

Formal Art Criticism

Art Game Lists

• Some Art Games
• More Art Games

Formal Art Games

• Catacombs of Solaris by Ian MacLarty
  • Continually reconstructs space using screenshots.
• Multibowl by Bennet Foddy
  • A "videogame collage" of exciting moments from over 300 historical games across various platforms.
• Gecko Ridemption by Theo Triantafyllidis (More work by the artist)
  • Explores movement mechanics with a sloppy, unresolved feel – both frustrating and compelling.
• Non-Euclidean Worlds Engine (Github repository)
  • Constructs gamespace according to non-Euclidean rules. Rendering engine for Windows, written in C++ OpenGL.
• Untitled Game (Videos: 1, 2) by Jodi
  • Focuses on flow by challenging traditional game objectives.
  • Utilizes non-Euclidean space and dynamic space simulation.
  • Separates visual and physical representations of walls.
  • Abstracts Quake enemies into colorful cubes.
  • Displays real-time game code.
• Trauma Tube by Kent Sheely
  • Explores the artistic collaboration between player and viewer, transcending traditional game boundaries.
• Standard Bits (Video)
  • Each room redefines the player's relationship to navigating space.
  • Playable at the Emporium Barcade in Wicker Park.
• Rom Check Fail by Messof
• Sexy Hiking (Video) by jazzuo
  • Features awkward game mechanics.
  • Comparable to GIRP and QWOP.

Political Art Games

Executable Games

• Super Columbine Massacre RPG!
• Unmanned
• September 12th
• Cow Clicker
• JFK Reloaded

Alternate Reality Games (ARGs)

• The Beast
• World Without Oil
• ARGs are inherently political...

Reality Games

• Seed Bombing
• BorderXing
• Toywar
• Reality Games differ from ARGs... their magic circle plays beyond normative social patterns and laws

Griefer Art Events

• GoonSwarm Alliance
• Patriotic Nigras

Code Intervention

• SimCopter hack by one of the Yes Men.

Other Notable Political Game Figures

• Jane McGonigal
• Yes Men