Here’s my latest Creations: Pain

Here’s my essay for this week: Module 6

After listening to Will Burn’s discussion with the class, I found that I agreed with many of his points and concepts. Here, at the start of a new virtual age, many people and businesses don’t know how to fully use the virtual world. Many attempts start out great, but end up fading out like a fad. While I cannot say with any certainty how this new virtual reality should be properly used, I can say what I would like to use it for myself.

I am a big time gamer. Always have been and likely always will. I have seen my life strongly affected by this, some in negative ways, others in very positive ways. It’s not hard to see in today’s culture. Just look at the children. They love to reenact their favorite stories and act like their favorite hero. And while this becomes less apparent as we grow older, it never goes away. And with Hollywood and Gaming’s endless supply of heroic tales, it is no surprise that we end up emulating these make believe worlds. The downside? Many of today’s “heroes” show no hesitation to kill, steal, and break any number of laws because they feel its “justified”. Just look at Grand Theft Auto V, or GTA5. Regardless of all the consequences of breaking laws, the game still encourages you to break them. Why? Because that is what this world is about, because that is what is “good” in this world. And when thousands of people spend hundreds of hours playing this game, more than a few negative effects will emerge.

Yet too many people see this and quickly come to the conclusion that all video games are bad and just a waste of time. This is just the same as saying all movies are bad after watching a horrible movie. There are plenty of amazing games that have very positive role models and gameplay. Games that encourage you to look beyond the pain of today and into the light of tomorrow. Games that, despite large amounts of combat, never diminish the value of a human life. Games that force you to think creatively and outside the box. Games that encourage you to give and create, not take and destroy. As a gamer, I wish there were more games like these.

And as a graphics designer and storyteller, I wish to create more games like these. I want to help change peoples’ definition of a good game from bloody and violent to uplifting and having a positive effect on the person’s life. Call it wishful thinking, but it has already been proven possible. More and more games with messages like these are showing up, receiving high praise, and establishing their place in gaming history.

Games like these are what I want to provide to the world.

 

And Finally, Here is my PreViz:

Greetings Everyone! Here is my PreViz for my Second Life Hero’s Journey. Here we have the previous Hero’s Journey location, specifically at Step 1: Ordinary Life. Seeing how bare and empty this step was, I decided that I wanted to help expand and elaborate this step.

Working together with my fellow student Joseph, we came up with the idea of a living room setting. This reflects what is “normal” in life, particularly to a potential college student. Although not actually within four walls and a roof, our small area representing step 1 strives to capture the feel of being in a living room, lazily enjoying pizza and a movie. With me are Matrix and Beatrix, our twin bunnies of the Hero’s Journey.

Here is a close up of the couch we will be using. A blanket is thrown over it as if to hide the stains and tears. A soft, fuzzy texture will be added to it later. On it we have one of Joseph’s creations: Papa Pirate Pete’s pizza box with a single slice remaining. Next to the box we have Beatrix. He represents a prospective student who is too lazy to make the first move, so here they remain in the ordinary life.

If one chooses to go forth with their adventure, they continue on to Step 2 and their journey begins. Behind me is the archway leading to that step. Beside me, though not visible, is Matrix, who stands before the archway. He represents a student who is about to step into the life of college.

But what about before the first step? That’s important too. Here I am standing on the docks, fresh off the boat. This is where people just entering the Hero’s Journey experience will find themselves. The docks lead upward to the first step. And the three signposts will give them basic instructions on how to move and interact with the Hero’s Journey. Below are the Graphics that will fill those signs, from first to last.

Continuing on we have the forest separating the docks from the rest of the Hero’s Journey. This is to hide what is up ahead from those just starting. After all, who would want to spoil the surprise?

 

There is still work to be done, but we have made great progress. This island was once bare, now wonders are beginning to take shape. Before too long, Our work will be finished and ready to be presented to the world as Peninsula College’s Hero’s Journey!