Author: Billy Beeson

Final Major Project: Virtual World Building

So begins our dissertation and final project.

I have recently had a lot of discourse with people and VR through the student VR Club (run by myself and Lauren Decher along with some others) I often find myself faced with heavy scepticism often not levied at the headset or the games and experiences, they mostly speak for themselves and provide a feeling greater than expected.

However with an industry-led by those that spout it as the 2nd coming of technology and the internet. With that, signalling the adoption and integration of that technology into society and everyday life. For those saying that they don’t want to work in VR or be forced into using a technology that in popular sci-fi media has a representation to enslave those who use it and give power to those who control it ie the matrix and SAO to name a couple. This scepticism is in no way unfounded and is a legitimate concern and a reality that would soon come to realisation if not for those willing to call out the bullshit. You need not look further than the smartphone, How its widespread adoption and thus connection to the internet is widely assumed to be a part of our lives now and without it, we may well face trouble participating in modern society. Connecting with friends, finding work and participating in the capital is almost entirely rooted in your ability to access the internet.

When these concerns are brought forward they seem to be met with little action taken after an incantational performance, creating a document stating what they intend to do as evidence of them taking these concerns into consideration instead of actually doing what is need and often is not in considered to be apart of the institutions best interest or perhaps just for the sake of chasing a fantasy with the hopes that it won’t turn dystopic.

Facebook has rebranded to Meta which has confused the howl discourse amongst outsiders looking in. implying their relevance in what the Metaverse is. It truly is a ripoff and if the metaverse was a product and not just a concept they would surely sue. They are literally in the name now trying to claim ownership on an idea that they have no exclusive right to. This is a huge risk to “Meta” as well as they now have preserved responsibility to the success and validity of the metaverse.

Those who see the monetary opportunity In this buzzword-filled bandwagon lunge at the opportunity to create products for this new niece in the market. subsequently leading to shallow creations that bode the quest “why VR” why make this for VR and not just as a Webpage or Video, Why not as a sculpture or as something physical.

I myself in my first year set out to design a bonsai game, that would allow you to watch you tree grow as you cut and trim branches hoping to bring this art and tradition to a new more modern forward thinking person. I could answer the question of why VR rather easily bonsai for my project. VR allowed for the control of time and the easy undoing of mistakes with the added benefit that your tree will never die. I hadn’t until later asked if should it be in VR. Had I stopped to think about the removal of real-world consequences and how that removal affects the bonsai process? Bonsai is multiple things, a tradition, an artform, a hobby and to some a religious practice. The lessons that come with those “consequences” like commitment over a long period of time as just one example, may not have been considered and those lesions lost.

I think it’s okay that have a commodified experience derived from tradition however it is important that it is made knowing that and isn’t trying to mascaraed as an authentic non-transformative experience as the porting to VR (even when done to the finest attention to detail) is fundamentally transformative.

I’d like to explore these ideas and themes this year with my work. In both my Writing and Final project. For my practice, I would like to take my initial Bonsai game idea and give it a satirical twist to poke fun at digital educational, mediation and workspaces that use VR as a way to seem relevant. As well as commentary on modern cultures’ focus on quick results and short-term gratification at the expense of long-term commitment. I may draw inspiration from unsettling horror media like “don’t hug me I’m scared and doki doki literature club as well as a more comedic satire like Virtual Virtual Reality, Portal and Stanley parable. with the aim of turning this educational meditation app into a narrative reflection on present-day digital experience.