images

In the film, Rise of the Videogame, they mention that videogames created order in a time where people felt they could not control life’s circumstances, especially around the world. Homo Ludens also makes this point in the Nature and Significance of Play, “Inside the playground an absolute and peculiar order reigns. Here we come across another, very positive feature of play: it creates order, it is order” (Ludens 10).

I find this easy to understand: videogames create order. Only so many features and events happen or exist in a videogame. What is the significance of videogames in relation to images? Do images in videogames lose their impact or shock value because they are stylistically depicted?  read more »

Our discussion about "multi-stable" pictures in class today reminded me of this interesting and fun email I received over winter break. Maybe all of you have seen it before, but I practically live on the internet and I hadn't seen it, so maybe a few of you will find it new. Either way, I still think it's appropriate to consider.

The email (usually titled "Your Brain" or "Right Brain vs. Left Brain") includes this image below:

Dancing Girl: Which way is she spinning... to YOU?

Dancing Girl
And says:

"Do you see the dancer turning clockwise or counter-clockwise? If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa. Most of us would see the dancer turning counter-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it."

Then it lists characteristics that go with left and right brain functions, which supposedly apply to you if you are seeing the dancer turn clockwise or counter clockwise.  read more »