#ctec503proposal

This video about designing puzzles was very informative, teaching us that the process for puzzle creation initially stems from a mechanic, leading to a rule which creates consequences and hence, a puzzle is born. We’ll try to create mechanics and puzzles in our game the same way.

This video was exactly what I was thinking about initially for my research into the mechanics of movement in video games. It’s key to our project that movement is satisfying and rewarding in order to create the best results we’re looking to see.

BRIEF

Overview

Exploration of external influences and manipulators that affect emotion and choice in a subject. Responding to user reaction/feedback, we can help them understand common ways they are influenced or manipulated on both a conscious and subconscious level.

Objective

To design and craft an interactive experience which explores emotional manipulation through movement.

This experience may be, but is not limited to, a dynamic video or game, which interacts with the user’s emotions and/or reactions.

With this experience, we will attempt to draw emotions from the audience through movement in order to highlight and teach about emotional reactions, Influence, and Manipulation.

Criteria for success

Success lies in the ability to draw out emotion from our end users, making it introspectively apparent to themselves as they experience our exhibition.

If the user understands what we are trying to convey, that will be considered a success.

Target Audience

The target audience of our project are mature young adults possibly between the ages 16 to 27. A younger audience may not exhibit a relevant reaction to the subject matter. People who are open-minded are more likely to fit our description, where they can also explore their own emotions. Subjects who acknowledge the grey area of our studies, who don’t consider the world as black and white, will be ideal candidates.

To me, this brief is a way we can incorporate everyone's ideas so we can explore them in the future.This brief is saying how we are going to explore a rigid set of rules and how they can be developed using different methods. By using vague settings and ideas we are leaving the group with more room to move in the project while still giving us guidelines so we don't go off course. When we start prototyping we have a lot to do, this brief is a way to help us rain in our ideas, we could have come up with a thousand whys and hows but only chose to have the few we have. Interaction, emotional manipulation, learning are the three words we are held by in this brief, besides that we have given our self-freedom to explore peoples interests and skills bringing to find the best way to do the final.

Our Manifesto

25/8/17

In our modern age, the changing dynamic of technology as a means for communication, has meant we are now connected, yet equally disconnected from each other on an interpersonal level. Through exploration, we hope to understand how the introduction of technology and its social mediums has impacted the quality, context, intention and language of human interactions through digital platforms. Human interactions in how we communicate, the attention we give to others, and how we allow ourselves to be seen through social media.

“If you think about it, our attention is the only thing we truly own in our lives . . . Unfortunately, with today’s technology, our attention is being pulled in more directions than ever before, which makes this optioning of our own attention more difficult — and more important — than ever before.” [1]

This being an extremely prevalent issue in society yet also relatable to us on a personal level, we aim to highlight this movement by engaging audiences through an interactive novelty experience. We envision achieving this by integrating different disciplines and practices. Marrying digital and physical mediums could take the form of:

A tangible or performative installation. Implementing physical computing with the use of Arduino, mechatronics and resources available from the 3D labs.

Interactive projection, incorporating practices such as motion capture, distortion of projections, developing on our programming skills.

By making it live and interactive, as opposed to a static display, we are promoting active feedback. Inverting the role of the audience from observer to participator. This takes on the principle stated in the Chinese proverb, “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand”.

While we see this as an opportunity to explore and learn about a range of platforms to use, a transdisciplinary approach allows us to draw on the strengths of the individual mediums, adding versatility to the overall scope of the final project. This reflects the nature of communication and conversation, which is expressed through multiple ways. Therefore, we believe an effective commentary cannot be presented through a singular medium.

“The medium is the message. This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium—that is, of any extension of ourselves—result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by any new technology.”  [2]

Our primary intention was for our project to prompt conversations beyond the Studio. And what more suitable and relevant topic to discuss than conversations itself? Conversations, and on a broader level, interpersonal interactions and relationships, is something I personally feel passionate about. Even as Millennial, a digital ‘native’, I have witnessed the dramatic progression of technology and its increasing convergence with our day-to-day life and interactions. [3] This has been something that I have embraced because of its ease, yet also resented because of how it’s affecting how we communicate, and essentially connect with others. As relational beings, the quality and state of our communication has massive agency over our wellbeing, identity, value as individuals and members of a wider community.

“Communication is the collaborative process of using messages to create and participate in social reality… social realities emerge through social interaction. Therefore, communication enables us to actualize possibility and achieve change and growth, both for ourselves and for communities.” [3]

Reasons for Group Formation:

For this project, I really wanted to work with some new people, partially for networking purposes, but primarily to learn how to collaborate with different types of people.

I decided to form a group with Alex, Samy, Daniel and Sheena because of our complementing ideas on movement, as well as the type of outcome we wanted to create. Furthermore, having heard from other people and seeing for myself in person, I knew that each member had a good work ethic as well as a range of different skill sets and knowledge for group diversity.

Individual Contribution:

During the formation of the brief, I actively contributed in group discussions fluidly adjusting between facilitator, contributor and active listener where appropriate. I also conducted outside research to strengthen our brief and worked on the design of our visual manifesto.

In the next 8 weeks, I can bring to the table related outside experiences and expertise. For example, in terms of theatre, my understanding of verbal and nonverbal forms of communication, subtext and relationships from what I’ve learnt as an actor. As well as applying principles from Epic Theatre regarding the activation of engagement and critical thinking within the audience as participator rather than observer.  

Furthermore, applying and developing what I learnt last semester in programming for the digital component. And drawing upon my experience in hard technologies and art and design for the physical component and final presentation.

References:

[1] Manson, M. (April 2017), Smartphones are the New Cigarettes, Retrieved from https://markmanson.net/Smartphones

[2] Mcluhan, M. (1964), Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/mcluhan.mediummessage.pdf

[3] Edwards, A., Edwards, C., Wahl, S.T., Myers, S.A. (2013) The Communication Age: Connecting and Engaging, California, United States of America: Sage Publications.

Index of Relevant Blogs:

Group Formation: Once Called BoyWonder

Day 1: Developing the Brief

Day 2: Team Barcelona FTW!

Day 3: Productive Conversations

"Our proposal is to evaluate the effectiveness of screen-based interactive multimedia artwork as a method of communication of emotional content. Through iterative processes we will build a multi-sensory interactive work to stimulate the senses to evoke emotional response within the participant(s). The criteria of engagement, enjoyment, retention of experience and level of distraction will be evaluated using various qualitative means.”

Group Formation:

I was quite sad and angry by the way our group was formed. I had initially wanted to work with a couple of other BCT students, however, due to miscommunication, I was one of the leftovers without a group. Talking to my peers who were also without a group, we started to brainstorm ideas, combine our interests and finally decided to work as a team. We named ourselves as “The Rejects” - to humour the way our group was formed.

Since we all had different ideas for the Project and different interests, it was quite difficult to come to a conclusion about what and how to integrate the ideas to create a final outcome that we all agree upon.

Shades wanted to explore motion tracking and ways to break surveillance. Karen wished to researching the effect of film and video on people in general. Matt wanted to at the effect that competition has on people and their motivation. Simon thought about looking at visualising sound waves in the form of sound or music. Kelvin wanted to raise awareness for kinaesthetic learning as not only a tool for early development but also in later years.   Me - I wanted to explore the emotions felt by viewers through looking at a moving art instillation.

Through looking at the diversity of ideas in our group, I was appalled by how quickly we were able to integrate our concepts and agree on a single Project idea. This process made me realise the fact that “informational diversity stirs constructive debate around the task at hand.” [1]

“Diversity among employees can create better performance when it comes to out-of-the-ordinary creative tasks such as product development or cracking new markets.” [1]

I believe that our diversity will be really beneficial for our Group and for the success of our Project, mainly because our diverse experiences, knowledge, values, goals and thinking will allow us to disagree with each other, therefore, allowing (forcing) us to think of better  and innovative ideas and solutions.

“Groups of diverse problem solvers can outperform groups of high-ability problem solvers” ~ Lu Hong and Scott Page [2]

Our group has been quite active so far and we have all contributed to the finalised version of the Brief. Personally, I am very happy with our progress and the overall Project idea. I think that through this idea and the Proposal, I will be able to explore and learn many new medias and methods. However, one of my concerns is the commitment of every member towards our group. I have not worked with any of the team members previously, and being unaware of their dedication or enthusiasm for the Project, I’m quite worried that we’ll face even more challenges than a normal group should. Nevertheless, I’m sure that once we finalise our Project idea, we will all be able to dedicate our time towards the completion of the project.

“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” [2]

My Contribution:

I feel like I was quite an active member of our group. I contributed my best towards the group discussions, the brief formation, the project idea etc. I was also (actively) listening to other member’s ideas and considering their point of views regarding the development of the Project, but I also spoke up when I disagreed with someone’s opinion. I have also researched towards the brief formation and plan on further researching about “Affective Computing” to explore the (precedents) history of our idea and gain the necessary background knowledge for the beginning of the Project.

I believe that I have a variety of skill-set that can be of use to the Group. My artistic and design background can be quite helpful when developing the visual / aesthetics, and my basic knowledge of sound can also be helpful towards the multi-sensory part of the project.  I am also able to brainstorm ideas, collaborate, communicate with others (with respect), delegate tasks and conduct useful researches etc. Apart from these abilities, I also have professional skills including leadership, diligence, motivation, dedication, enthusiasm, ability to work under pressure, problem-solving, multi-tasking and working creatively.

I plan on using my prior experiences, variety of knowledge, skill-set and work ethics to be as useful to my Group as possible. I know that my time management skills needs work, however, I believe that through delegating and working together, I will be able to learn the importance of using time wisely. I also plan on gaining more knowledge throughout this Project to contribute to my skill-set and future experiences. I will try to work as best as I can with the other team members as I think that collaboration is a necessary tool in today’s work industry, and by working with new peers, I think that I will be able to learn to appreciate others’ ideas and delegate tasks evenly.

References: [1] https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/diversity-work-group-performance [2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/ekaterinawalter/2014/01/14/reaping-the-benefits-of-diversity-for-modern-business-innovation/

“Mental Oasis 

How light affects mood and how mood affects environments. 

Team Vision

“Create an Immersive translation of an individual’s state of mind as an introspective experience”

To keep it broad we want to use a person’s mental state, to change or influence an environment. Or how their environment could influence them in reverse. We feel that this could...

a.Empower the need to feel like you make a change, assist in the feeling of being invisible to show you the power of your influence. Through that encouraging your sense of awareness. 

b. To help you feel like a child again and reintroduce a sense of wonderment and innocence. Less worry and a keen interest in curiosity. 

c. To show how your thoughts and feelings affect the environment around us and vice-versa. How your outlook and perspective can influence your experience, of not only this project but the world around you. 

Leaning towards the idea of making the unnoticeable noticeable. Much like the concept of Komorebi “the sunshine filtering through the leaves of a tree (or trees)” This idea was grasped from a generative sunlight project I have linked below. We might use an EEG (electrophysiological monitoring method) which measures your neurological patterns to loosely identify the patterns of trivial emotions (happy/ sad). From there we want to develop an environment based off that information. I think the originality is developing itself, though it has be done before I think the use of shadows as perhaps our representation and our use of perhaps reading brainwaves in cooperation could form something quite unique.

http://www.creativeapplications.net/processing/komorebi-platform-for-generative-sunlight-and-shadow/

Integrating tools using photography, coding, EEG, neurology, hardware, sound/audio, graphics, design and art. Is just an example of some of the tools I predict we will need to integrate to carry out and experiment with our idea.

How did we form a team-When forming a team we were pretty much hashed together, thank goodness. None of us have worked together before, meaning it    offers new perspectives and ideas. We found we all have a variety of skill sets a, Caleb with his study behind the EEG already and programming skills, generally making things work, Liam has programming skills as well as great awareness for technology. Kale is our handyman, also with skills in design, photoshop and photography. Tim works well with audio and music as well as illustration and graphics which none of the rest of us have many skills in. 

This is my fantastic team:

Hiren Patel

Sushmita Devi

Melissa Gordon

Hooryah Asif

We united because of the experience we share in the struggles of student food and budgeting. Brief: Create an original product/service for students in order to assist their budgeting and food planning decisions.

This is something I would like to tackle, I am personally affected by the struggles of Uni life [1]. I would like to live in a world where I don’t need to struggle to meet my basic needs. Food and nutrition is also difficult to manage, I would like to be able to eat healthily without too much effort. I have other things to do!

I will be able to contribute to this team with my Creative Thinking skills, I am a proficient problem solver. I also have good skills in programming, so if our solution will involve technology, that will be a major contribution of mine. I am a reasonable speaker so this is another strength I can bring to the table.

I like my team, I am surprised that I had not met them before this project! They all have positive outlooks, have good work ethics and different strengths. We have already been working together to identify our aim and we have been looking at what currently exists and why it is not sufficient for students. I cannot wait to start working on a solution!

Turns out lots of people liked my idea, and potential team members for Studio II were everywhere. I knew that the project required someone to code, someone to do the physical installation stuff, and perhaps two other people to help with creating assets, researching precedents and relevant detail, and generally helping out wherever needed.

After some deliberation and faux ‘interviews’ the project ended up with a team of four, Oscar Randle (@oscar-randle-bct), Andrew Lee (@dinomightofficial), James Pane (@panejamesbct) and myself of course.

Our group roles aren’t overly specialised. Essentially, I’ll handle the majority of coding and the bulk of any electronic work required, Oscar and James are interested in creating assets for the project but are also open to work on whatever needs to be done, and Andrew is interested in researching resistance in the controls as well as creating a great installation for presentation later on in the year.

A­­­­n idea proposal, to find a group. This is not a final idea, not at all and if we join in a group you do not have to stay. What this is, is for someone to get an idea, if this is something they would like to work with to develop into an idea by and join me in a group. If you think this idea to go well with yours or you feel this could be for you, talk to me on Thursday to discuss.