Presentation

In the following, I will talk about how the controversial video game Postal is linked with the ethics.

Postal is considered to be full of violence and stereotyping. 

It was banned in many countries. The purpose of the game is to accomplish the daily tasks that required every day and the player can use any method and tactic they want to. It can be civilly or chaotically. They can kill any people they want, or they can just do the task with causing any trouble. 

The game was first banned in New Zealand by the Office of Film and Literature Classification. In a statement, the OFLC said, "The game is designed, and has the capacity, to allow the player to test how much violence and humiliation he or she can inflict on human beings.

“And it was banned in Australia due to the absence of an 18+ rating. Even in Sweden, it is illegal to distribute it.

The developer claim that the player can control what they want to see in the game. It is free for them to play the game violently or genteelly. It is not necessary to kill any person.

Critics state that the game encourage people to do abnormal action. In the game, player will be usually attacked by the others. Rude people will spit insult on player if he bumps into them. And also, weapons such as guns and even rocket launcher can be easily found.

Also, player needs to use cunning tactics to survive in the game. Player can take drugs, smoking and even pee on the others. Some task will take player into a situation that he needs to decide whether give up the task or to do violent thing. In the game, some characters such as the policeman brandish weapons and fire to the innocent people.

In my opinion, the game has some positive effects.

As we can do what we want in the game like attacking the others, it is good for people to release their stress. As people can attack others and destroy anything they want in the game, they may not do the same thing in real life. This can help to lower the incentive to do the same things in real life. As different people have their own method to relax, playing video game is also a good method.

Also, as he player do the abnormal behavior in the game, they may know and be reminded what the consequence will caused. If they know the consequence, they will control themselves to not do the same thing in the real life.

But in fact, as I have played this game, I think it is really a bad video game. The abnormal behavior that can be done in the game is not good to anyone.

Also, the game is really encouraging the player to cause trouble. Although it is not necessary to do so, but it is very hard to clean the stage if no weapon is being used. If you want to accomplish the entire task, you better to cause trouble. Otherwise it will waste a lot of time.

Asia.gamespot.com

(http://asia.gamespot.com/news/6114067.html)


PS. It is sorry about that there is only words. Decoration will be added later!

Ernest W. Adam

I agree with most of the point of Adam's view. He thinks that art has content. It is absolutely correct that the artist usually make art to tell other people something. Some sculpture may represent freedom. Art has aesthetic. Many things that considered to be beautiful are also considered as art works. Art contain idea. The artist makes art to express their thought. Such as some drawings and paintings. Art is not formulaic. We cannot make art by computer with a formula. 


And according to Adam, games should do more than just provide fun. Computer games need an aesthetic. Games must challenge the players but not only give out the message. Games should be critics, but does not need any review.

Video Game!

l   According to the film, what are some pros and cons of playing videogames for individuals and societies?

l   According the film, is there any evidence that digital games can encourage aggressive values and anti-social actions in the real world? Do you agree?

l   Should governments have the right to ban certain games? Why or why not?

An example of sex education game

From the film, one of the biggest pros is world videogames player can earn money and become as famous as a superstar. There are TV programmes that recorded the competition of videogame. I watched one which was sponsored by EA Sport. In the program, the competitors were like some professional sport players and were supported by many people. It was like a singer standing on the stage.

For the society, the effects may vary from the game types. Some games in the film are related to sex education, medical, and even the training of army. These games may bring the knowledge about the theme to the player.

The government should have the right to ban certain games because the government should protect the people in some extent. Government is the leader of a country. It should use its power to prevent its citizens from inappropriate things

Technologised bodies in art

Stelarc Exoskeleton

When I see this "Exoskeleton", it makes me think about the "Doctor Octopus" in the comic of "Spiderman".

In the comic or the film Spiderman, the Doctor Octopus also has a exoskeleton which are installed on his back and his vertebral column.

It has four "arms" and made of metal. This mechanical appendages is powerful and smart. They can help the host to move fluently and can move anything. It is quite similar to the eoskeleton of the Stelarc's one but like a alpha version. The eoskeleton's movement is not smooth enough and not respond fast.

But it is fantastic that if we have more "arms" that help us to move, or to do work. Put apart the drawbacks, the mechanical appendages of Doctor Octopus can help him to move without the movement of his own arms and legs, can help him to lift up car, and even can help him to move along the wall of a building.

If it is poosible in real world, it is good for the environmental potection as we do not need transportation anymore. We will not need afraid of earthquake since we can protect ourselves by the powerful mechanical appendages. Also, if the mechanical appendages are accurate enough, wit may install some programe in them. For example, the knowledge of driving aeroplane, how to play piano, etc. can be easily perform without any training. But the fun that we get from driving an aeroplane or playing the piano will be lost. Moreover, people may not train their hands or legs but start to "buy" and "change" the exoskeleton.

We know that if a machine is too smart, it will be dangerous. It is because we may unable to fully control it. We may have seen the consequence in movies. This also cause some ethics problems that to be discussed for long period of time. 

"fantastic" identity on the internet

•How many online identities do you have? What are they like?

•In what ways are they different to your “in person” identities?

•What are some benefits of expressing one’s identity online?

•What are some risks?

It is estimated that over 10 identities I have and I had, including the account of Facebook, Youtube, ICQ, different forum and different email service. 
As those identities are "put in different places(websites)", I may show different attitude when "using" different identities. For example, when I use Facebook, I pretend to just "read the others sharing but I don't do sharing. Due to curiousity, I read the others photos or notes, I seldom share my things because of privacy. But in real life, I like share digital photos and even printed photos with my friends.

By these identities, I can become another person. I can read the others things without paying any payment secretly. I can hide myself up. 
And people may download what they want from the internet. This make the users of the internet world become selfish. They just want to get but not want to give.

Hong Kong Bus Uncle \_/

'Hong Kong Bus Uncle'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsYRQkmVifg


How many viewers are estimated to have watched the youtube video?

How would you rate the video?

Is it of high quality in technical terms? Is it interesting aesthetically eg camera angles,
use of light, the narrative, and so on?

Does it raise interesting socio-cultural issues? 

Do you think it deserved the attention that it received from the internet community? 

There are 1,061,196 views for the video of 'Hong Kong Bus Uncle', according to the counting machine on the official site. Its content is great and interesting. But the resolution of the video and sound quality are low.
The video was recorded only by a mobile phone. The resolution is not high. But this make it good to put on the internet as the file size would be small and easy to share. The camera angle is like we are peeping, and we know this is not a formal but is a video recorded by a passerby. So the sound quality and the resolution are not as high as a movie. Also, the start of the video is in the middle of the argument and the stage is on a bus show that this video is not prepared before the time.
Bus uncle in the movie mentioned he had pressure and everyone had pressure. This may suggest that the rhythm of living of Hong Kong people are fast and thus they have pressure. Bus uncle had pressure so that he blamed on the boy who disturb him. On the other hand, although they solved the problem apparently, but they were not. This might suggest that Hong Kong People have different faces, one appearant and one is actual.
It absolutely deserved the attention from the public. When the video was announced, the topic 'bus uncle' became the news headline. People not only discussed about the attitude of the two characters, but also the camera man. All of them became the characters appeared on magazines. A lot of discussion topics also raised. For example, should we talk on mobile phone on bus? Should we blame the others on bus? Should we just watch the 'show', but do not help them to calm down?
I think video sharing sites enhance our creative culture. As we can share our "talent" easily on this site, we will have more interest to do what we cannot do as we can prepare well and modify before the uploading. Jerry C may afraid of playing guitar in front of people with his edited Canon in D. In order to share his creative musical skill, he put his video on the internet. And finally he got attention from the public. The internet increase the incentive of creating what the user want to.

News about American company get the license of BusUncle.com

"Mission to Earth"

1. In the "Mission to Earth", the story is like cut into pieces because of the few seconds pause which are comparative long between every transitions. The film pieces are like put together with the voice over in the editing. The music and sound of the film are not directly recorded during the shooting. Also, the screen is divided into parts and there is a background and decoration behind the screens. In traditional film, the shot should occupy the whole screen and so there should be only one screen playing in common. Pause is not common in traditional film.

2. It remind me other art forms like painting and website. In the film, there are abstract images appear in the screen and also the background. They look like a 'moving painting' rather than a movie clip. Also, we can see some CG appear in the film. On the other hand, the composition of the screen look like we use web browser to watch video on Youtube in computer.. The diminished screens make me feel they are not a film but only video clips that playing together.

Digital photographic - Analog photographic

1) What are some photographic effects that can be achieved using digital or analog ( darkroom, film, lights etc ) technology?

A lot of photographic effects can be achieved by using both digital and analog technology.
First, the colour temperature can be changed easily by adjusting the option of white balance in digital camera or by photo editing software, such as 'sun light', flash light' etc. In analog technology, this can be done by adding a colour filter on the lens to absorb the unwanted colour.
Second, some special effect, such as 'fish eye' and 'tilt-shift' easily by changing the capturing mode of the camera. In analog technology, these can be done by changing the lens.
Third, The tone of colour can be easily changed by changing the digital camera to 'Sepia' and 'Black and White'. In analog technology, this can be done by using filter and using different film.

2) What are some photographic techniques that can only be done using digital technology?
Some nonexistent object can only be 'captured' by digital techniques. They can only be 'made' by digital method by computer.

3) What is the difference between analog photography and digital photography?
Many differences between analog photography and digital photography we can find.
Analog photography is recorded by film, but digital photography is recorded in a memory card.

Mid Autumn Festival

Before:

After:

Internet...

free for sharing

Real-Time

So, Wiki is our choice!

Proprietary ...

        Nowadays internet is the predominant channel of information delivery. People use internet to share their knowledge and information all over the world. On the internet, the concept of "free for sharing" is very important that will burst the development of everything and bring positive competition. So, I believe that open is important to the growth of the digital world, as everyone can easily access to the materials without getting  permission or anything to pay for it. On the other hand, proprietary will make all the things closed. Only a few people is permitted to access to the materials. This will be a big obstacle to the development of digital world.

       For the proprietary, everything is under strictly control. For example, the information that show on the encyclopedia will be observed and control by the owner. If, there is a case, some bad thing such as a new kind of virus is come from a developed country, she may announce that the virus is come from developing country. This may alternate the information due to power. On the other hand, if we want to get or change the information with proprietary, we need to pay money often. People who do not have money may lose the chance and incentive to work with the thing under c.

       For the open source, people can try what they want on it. It is important to the development of such as technology. If people can share what they know and what they invent, the rate of the improvement must increase.Free of charge is also lead to more people willing to access with the open source. Since money is not needed, people who do not have any budget can access to the open source. Although some people may say that the quality will be lower if no proprietary by the official company, but as an encyclopedia, different kinds of information is also as valuable as the accuracy.

Evaluating the effect of new technologies

Charlie Chaplin - Modern Times

        The benefits of the new technologies shown in Modern Times are mainly base on the organizing concern. For example, the automatic machinery move the product steadily and non-stop.This can help to speed up and keep the production speed. The job distribution can be set orderly. For the feeding machine, it can help people to eat without any movement of hands. This is good that if the factory need to produce products in a short time and do not have enough time and workers to have meals. The CCTV can observe the workers real time. This can ensure the working quality and quantity of the worker and make sure the factory go on well.

        The main character (worker) suffer a lot. They need to do the same task again and again. This is extremely boring for everyone. They cannot take a break in the toilet. This put a huge pressure on the worker.

        Computer and the internet help us to get information without going outdoor. Anything from the newspaper, TV, radio, can be gotten from the internet. Computer can also help us to do a lot of work such as the documentary work, research,etc.

First Entry =]

Good evening. This year is the second years I have studied Visual Studies. Here, you may find something related to digital media. Thanks for your reading!