Methodology and Positioning

METHODOLOGY

With my experiments, I attempt to explore possible answers to the following research questions:

- What level of interactivity makes an artwork a game?

- At what level of involvement does a consumer become a co-creator?

- How does interaction change the immersiveness of a story?

- How does the story change with the input of different consumers?

- How does an interactive story change when played by different audiences?

It is important to note that these were not necessarily to be answered before the phase of theoretical research ended. Instead, the games themselves can be qualified as artistic research towards finding answers (all the while being based on my findings from theory). That way, the product becomes method of research itself, and the circle of creativity closes on a more scientific level as well. In addition to my observations of the gameplay and the test players' feedback, which help me better understand the parameters at play in interactive art, playing the games is also supposed to evoke the rise of the abovementioned questions in the audience.

If someone else had done it, it would not be the same

Interactivity itself can function as artistic research, and continuing to observe the ongoing development of the games through different groups of players will provide a lot more information on how game and player influence each other.

Game Nights

In Coburg, I met with the local role-playing organization; in Frankfurt and Essen I played and discussed games with the members of the university's game club, and at the fairs I talked to many others visitors as well as exhibitors and game developers.

At home, I organized game nights to playtest my experimental games with different audiences.

Afterwards, I conducted interviews with the players, designated amateur observers and professionals. Splitting the groups like that has given me many valuable insights and helped shape the games in the process of their becoming. In addition to the interviews, I had the players write feedback, which has influenced the development and final execution of the prototypes as well. Excerpts of the participants' and test player's feedback can be found on this website (in the games sections).

In the post-iArts future, I will continue to do so, and extend the variety of target groups further.

POSITIONING

Practical outcome

With this project, I intend to shed light on the grey area between invention and perception, the overlap of games and interactive art and the interesting zone in which creator and consumer become one.

For the games industry, my investigations might help understanding the current hype in storytelling games and hopefully provide food for thought for other designers and theorists. Maybe more experimental games like mine from different authors with different ideas will emerge and enrich the already beautifully diverse landscape of (artistic) games even more.

This project will not be finished with me graduating iARTS, but will ideally keep on running for many years to come. I will create more games together with more artists and gamers, hopefully eventually distributing them internationally. In my most optimistic vision, “REALITY PSI” will become point of contact for creatorconsumers of all kinds, ages, nationalities and skill sets.

Post-research questions up for discussion:

- Are the translators artists (in the creational sense) or just craftspeople?

- Does the medium get credit?

- How much work can you let the medium take over before it stops being art?

My perspective and vision

In my consideration:

Games are art.

Interactive art comes in many shapes.

Interacting with art can help us bring out different versions of ourselves and give voice to formerly silent inner personalities.

When art is interactive, the lines between creator and consumer become blurred.

When art is interactive, the purpose of it changes.

Interactive art does not need an audience.

Fiction is art.

Storytelling is an art form.

Creator and consumer can be the same person, or different versions of the same person.

I would like to make games.

I would like to make interactive art.

I would like to tell stories.

I would like to inspire other people to discover the creators in themselves.

I would like to open up the discussion around what art is and/or should be.

I would like to open up the minds of people to the concept of the creatorconsumer.

I hope that one day, games will not have to fight to be considered art.

I hope that one day, art will not have to fight to be able to be experimental with its audience and artists alike – not for the sake of artistic provocation, but simply to open up possibilities and find new ways to inspire hope, happiness and creativity.