Creating Art Vs. Constructing Games

STRUCTURE

The first and most prominant difference between "art" and "game" for myself is structure. When creating my game and then collaborating with a partner, the game always required structure. There had to be a beginning, an end, pre determined point systems and teams or players, and purpose. We had to have a set direction and desire to give the player to do and follow, and in the end, we had to have a result. 

For me, when creating "art", these are things I never even think about, let alone focus on. I usually rely on allowing myself to become distracted and stray away from my original plan for the piece. I enjoy beginning with a thought and ending up in a different place. I have realized and stated in the past about how I enjoy to cause confusion for the viewers and being able to create different reactions and thoughts. 

I think that game making and art making can be seen as very similar though. They are both processes in which the artist is trying to create a reaction, however, in certain situations the artist has more control on the outcome, not just the desire for it.

Game Proposal

Matching Senses

Players have to match two different phone "senses" to the same location.

Objective:
Players are divided into two groups of "senses". The game leader assigns each player locations to be kept secretive. The visual "sense" group is sent out to take photos of their assigned locations. When they return, the auditory "sense" is sent out to take audio recordings of the locations.
The the players present their captures and the challenge is to make the attempt to match the sound with the sight of a location.

Rules:
Each group of "senses" goes out into the field at different controlled times.
Photographs must be taken no more than 24 inches from an object or part of the location.

Oblique Strategies

Oblique Strategies
Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt

The intended objective of Oblique Strategies is to help artists, particularly musicians, break creative blocks. The original version created by Peter Schmidt, consisted of 55 7x9 cm cards held in a wooden box. Over the years different editions were released consisting of different quantities of cards and different aphorisms.  From my research, it seems that the rules for this game are quite lackadaisical. When a problem or dilemma occurs, a card is chosen or randomly selected from the shuffled deck. The card had a printed phrase or cryptic remark which was used to break the dilemma.

Some examples:

• Use an old idea.
• State the problem in words as clearly as possible.
• Only one element of each kind.
• What would your closest friend do?
• What to increase? What to reduce?
• Are there sections? Consider transitions.
• Try faking it!
• Honour thy error as a hidden intention.
• Ask your body.
• Work at a different speed.

 

Show & Tell - Dreaming Awake

Dreaming Awake (2011)

Single Channel Video

Duration:    2:59

 I highly enjoyed the process of filming this piece, probably because it was one of the most extensive works I have put together (shooting time and number of shots). 

It addresses my view of a dream being just another happening in the mind, although one that is somewhat scattered or fragmented. I believe that dreams like this, where it seems to be an ordinary happening with missing information, shows how our minds have become trained to "fill in" and complete things for us.