Taylor, re-reading the initial text, I think it was intended as a wide set
of questions. The examples which referred to 'art' are for:
a) possible comparisons (e.g. between discussions about painting methods
and 'types' of VR).
b) I thought that many people use mediums such as painting, photography
etc., so it would be easier to relate.
~You state that 'the promise of Photography is to take photo's' what does
~this mean?
You are right, this might not be very transparant. The idea is that the
medium's name, e.g. photography, refers nothing else but taking photos. It
does not promise anything else, VR however, seem to promise two loosely
connected terms which, non the less, have many meanings and connotations.
Hope this provides some points to the issues you raised.
BTW, I think Jaron Lanier(?), the person who it is said coined the term VR,
is giving a talk at UCL(?).
Regards,
aharon
It was 08:42 04/11/98 -0000, when Taylor Nuttall emailed:
~Aharon, I suspect (like you?) that there is some inherent quality of VR
~that as artists we either intentionally or unintentionally exploit. If your
~questioning seeks to expose this it may be useful to explore the question
~by reviewing other media. But undeniably the opportunity for discovery lies
~in the medium of VR itself.
~
~You state that 'the promise of Photography is to take photo's' what does
~this mean? Our expectations of photography and it's effects have evolved
~over time - if we are to refer to it's cultural meaning rather than a
~technological meaning, which I assume as artists we are.
~
~Do you intend to frame your question in an art context or are you framing
~your questions in a wider domain?
~
~I'm not intending to cut your discussion short, just clarify to the
~context. Are we referring to VR as a technology or as a medium or both? Are
~these different discussions?
~
~I think the essential premise of asking 'what is VR' is a valid and timely
~one.
~
~A web based resource reviewing VR as a technology can be found at:
~http://www.isx.com/~jisdale/WhatIsVr.html
~<http://www.isx.com/~jisdale/WhatIsVR.html
~What Is Virtual Reality?
~A Web-Based Introduction
~Version 4 - Draft 1, September, 1998
~by Jerry Isdale
~
~Cheers
~
~Taylor
~
~-----Original Message-----
~From: aharon [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
~Sent: 01 November 1998 23:10
~To: [log in to unmask]
~Subject: Virtual and Reality
~
~
~At the end of the last meeting, (29/11/98) Simon suggested it could be
~useful in the next meeting to have a debate (or there about) regarding VR.
~Maybe talking a bit on the mailing list could assist in shaping such a
~debate??
~
~The terms Virtual and Reality convey a load of meanings, some of which are
~contradictory to each other.
~Are we talking about virtual as almost (real) like simulation, as with a
~certain virtue, as a 'non-real' (environment), are we simply talking about
~3D, or interactivity? Are we talking about reality as it might appear to a
~Western educated person, as reality might appear to a quantum physicist, as
~it might appear in abstract art, as it might seem for a Capitalist, as
~hyper-real, as an augmented phenomenon, as classical realism, or as a
~generated phenomena?
~These type of arguments are not VR specific, definitions of reality and
~arguments about ways of its virtualization are a kind of a civilized
~tradition. For example, wrecking statues of a conquered city, or abstract
~Vs figurative painting. The uniqueness of VR in the context of this long
~historical process is the medium's own promise which is embedded in its
~name. The promise of Photography is to take photos, Sculpture is to sculpt
~be it with materials, assembled objects, society, environments etc..
~Painting is to paint, Performance Art is some kind of performance, action
~or even a theatrical work - but these and others mediums do not promise a
~certain effect which defines them, VR does. VR promises a combination of
~two illusive terms which mean many things to many people.
~This is more than just a theoretical anecdote, because it might have some
~historical significance.
~a) The current collection of technologies, researches, developments and
~associations which come under the banner of Virtual Reality have some
~common goals which include dynamics of interactive interfaces, some
~measures of disbelief suspension and real time events and objects
~manipulation. If the VR community will argue amongst itself about what is
~'true' VR (i.e. true measures of virtuality and reality), there will be a
~fragmentation into opposing groups which might drive both developers and
~funds away. Moreover, a fragmentation might lead to un-cooperative
~situation among the various groups - which might weaken the propagation of
~the medium as a whole.
~b) The whole thing is transitional. VR will not retain its name and the
~current strands of VR will evolve into very different mediums.
~c) All of the above.
~
~Either of these VR futures might not occur, but the possibility they might
~and their relevance to current situation in VR - could point at some ideas
~for action. VR, whether it is 2D, 3D, Desktop, HMD, Environmental,
~Distributed, Animated, 3D-DigiTV, or what ever - should embrace its
~differences. The various perceptions regarding what is VR, should and could
~be embraced by both application and content developers. At the end of it,
~no one would be seriously willing to swear with their life that they know
~exactly what VR's shape, form and practice will be like in 30 years time.
~We each have different interests, wishes and dreams regarding what VR is,
~should and could be, and that in it self is very powerful. Powerful enough
~to take the medium into its next steps?..
~
~Regards,
~aharon
~
[log in to unmask]
~without meaning -
~ you can not be misunderstood
~http://www.yummybaby.force9.co.uk/
~
~
http://www.yummybaby.force9.co.uk/
without meaning -
you can not be misunderstood
[log in to unmask]
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