Re: [-empyre-] games experimentation

["Kipper" <kipper@escapefromwoomera.org>]

I wasn't implying that LAN gamers lack agency or need protection - just
lacking money! Hiring large scale space is expensive, and seeing as the
public purse seems to hugely subsidise other sporting/cultural events (the
Grand Prix or the Sydney Olympics for example) it seems to me only fair that
this sort of event is seen as a public cultural good worthy of  material
support.
So are you implying Melanie that a rave in a museum wouldn't work well as a
cultural encounter ;) ?

Seriously though, i think in the context of an exhibition on gaming it's a
great idea to set the stage for a reasonable standard of play - so people
have the opportunity to see games played with some element of grace, rather
than seeing a room full of museum-goers awkwardly poking at a bunch of
computers.  As for most video games the kind of experience intended by the
designer isn't that of being approached by an absolute stranger and fiddled
with for five minutes,  it makes sense that if punters can spectate some
"good" play they'll understand more about the games themselves. (BTW: I'm
not saying,that there's only *one* way to use skateboard, for example. But a
non-skateboarder is unlikely to unlock the secrets of the art of the
skateboard in the space of a 5 minute encounter.)

BTW: EFW isn't actually installed - the 2004 exhibition just has the EFW
website.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Melanie Swalwell" <Melanie.Swalwell@vuw.ac.nz>
To: <kipper@escapefromwoomera.org>; "soft_skinned_space"
<empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au>
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 5:58 PM
Subject: RE: [-empyre-] games experimentation


Hi Kipper,

- no, don't think so and I think that's a little harsh - the gamers are
neither naive nor lacking in agency here/needing our protection.  Quite the
contrary.  And I don't think it will be like you say.  It could work really
well, as an encounter.  I mean, you could make the same virtual tourism
argument about other works too, and it could be on the money some of the
time, but it doesn't mean others don't go further than that.

Speaking of which, what about the EFW demo installed in the museum space?  &
the other game works in the show?  How is the response?  What are the
difficulties?

Melanie

-----Original Message-----
From: Kipper [mailto:kipper@escapefromwoomera.org]
Sent: Fri 6/18/2004 6:42 PM
To: soft_skinned_space
Cc:
Subject: RE: [-empyre-] games experimentation
So essentially this is a museum exhibit that's an excercise in real-
time anthropology? Like if you staged a rave in the museum space an
invited people to come along to watch people from that subculture dance
to pop music?

I think it's very commendable and sporting for the museum to give
gamers a venue, but what's the stated purpose in terms of museology?