Presentation (Video game) : Zoo tycoon

Introduction to Zoo Tycoon
Type: business simulation game
Developer: Blue Fang Games
Releasing day: 2001
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studio

Detailed Description of Zoo Tycoon
It is a tycoon game in which players are required to design, build and manage a zoo. There are three modes in Zoo Tycoon, including tutorial mode, scenario mode and freeform. Player needs to ensure the animals and tourists in the zoo stay happy. What is so attractive is the realistic scene in the game. Also, there are over 40 kinds of animals for players to choose, such as, chimpanzees, camels, tigers, giraffes and so on.

Evaluation : Whether Zoo Tycoon harms or benefits individuals and society at large?

Benefits to individual
1. Stimulate creativity and imagination
According to Rainier Van Autrijve, a critics  online, She said that Zoo Tycoon can stimulate people's creativity and imagination. "Zoo Tycoon has something for everyone, stimulating creativity and imagination as players respond to the needs of the animals and guests."("GameSpy: Zoo Tycoon Sells BI.Rainier Van Autrijve, Retrieved 2007-11-21.) Since players are required to operate a zoo, they need to design the zoo and respond to the needs of the character in order to gain steady income. The game also challenges the players to make sure every tourist stays happy in the zoo. Players need to think the strategy to maintain the normal operation of the zoo and they need to design and decorate the zoo. Therefore, in the process of playing, players' creativity and imagination may be inspired.

2. Train people's decision making skill
Also, it can train people's decision making skill. Players will be the entrepreneur of the zoo, therefore all decisions will be made by the player. For example, players need to think how to build a suitable habitat for the animals.
3. Develop problem solving skill In addition, Zoo Tycoon can help developing people's problem solving skill.  According to, Will Wright, a video game designer, Video games can be a learning platform for individuals, game and education can be interrelated.(Game Revolution, CBC Documentary, 2007) Players can learn and develop their brain when they need to solve complex questions in the game. Zoo Tycoon requires the players to solve different kinds of problem by themselves. For example, in the scenario mode, players need to complete a series objectives. They need to think of the method to achieve those objectives.

Benefits to society
Apart from the above-mentioned benefits to individuals, zoo Tycoon also benefits the society.
1. Boosts the society's economy
It boosts the society's economy. 4 million units have been sold since it released in 2001. Because of the success of Zoo Tycoon, the developer Blue Fang Games has achieved 80% growth in the revenue in the following 2 years. Also, Zoo Tycoon is one of the top 15 best selling  PC games in US. ("GameSpy: Zoo Tycoon Sells BI.Rainier Van Autrijve, Retrieved 2007-11-21.) Thus, Zoo Tycoon creates income for the society in a certain extent.


2. Stimulates the PC game industry

Zoo tycoon also stimulates the PC game industry as some other games were developed afterwards, such as Zoo Tycoon 2.

3. Contributed to community

Zoo Tycoon also contributed to the community. It is because Microsoft Game Studio has donated part of the revenue (25000USD) of Zoo Tycoon to WWF which is a environmental organization. 

Harms to individual
Although Zoo Tycoon seems beneficial to society and individual, there are still concerns about the game.
1. Violence
Zoo Tycoon is advised to play under the guidance of parents as it may encourage violence in certain extent. Players are allowed to do whatever they like in the game without any restriction. They can even do something which is illegal. For example, players can release the animals, and therefore allow the animals to attack and harass the tourists. If the players are not mature enough, they may be easily affected by the game.

Conclusion
All in all, Zoo Tycoon is beneficial to both society and individual at large. Although Zoo Tycoon may have disadvantage, a study in 2009 revealed that video game violence and serious aggressive behavior in real life are not interrelated. ("The Public health risks of media violence: A meta-analytic review." Journal of Pediatrics, 154, 759-763, Ferguson. C. J., & Kilburn, J. (200)) As long as we play the game with a mature mind or under proper guidance of parents, such simulated games can be meaningful and educational.

Reference
1. "GameSpy: Zoo Tycoon Sells BIG". Retrieved 2007-11-21. (http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/zoo-tycoon/529739p1.html)
2. http://zootycoon.com/default.htm
3."The Public health risks of media violence: A meta-analytic review." Journal of Pediatrics, 154, 759-763, Ferguson. C. J., & Kilburn, J. (200)

Stelarc : Third Ear

Stelarc is a performing artist whose works put emphasis on extending capability of human. In 2007, he attached the third ear in his forearm. 

"The body now performs beyond the boundaries of its skin and beyond the local space that it occupies. " The third ear is so interesting that it breaks our conventional mind in which we are always accustomed to an idea that human has 2 legs, 2 eyes, 2 ears only. Never does a person think that a third ear can be attached in the body. However, Stelarc's work proves that our body can perform beyond the original skin. The ear cannot be functioned, but it proves that nothing is impossible. Human can even have their third ear.



Also, it is interesting because it shows the mobility of organ. Our organs can be placed in wherever we want, just like the third ear attached in the forearm. As what Stelarc said : "THE EAR ON ARM project suggests an alternate anatomical architecture - the engineering of a new organ for the body: an available, accessible and mobile organ for other bodies in other places, enabling people to locate and listen in to another body elsewhere." This project suggests a new perspective in anatomical surgery, organ is available, accessible and mobile in other places beyond the original space.

Reference:
1. Stelarc: http://stelarc.org/?catID=20242

"Mission to earth"

1) Using "Mission to Earth" as an example, note what is new or different about digital cinema compared to traditional filmmaking? Consider the story, the structure and the appearance of the film.

The Story

• emphasizes the feeling of the main character.

The Structure

• Different frames display different things in order to present the split of identity which Inga experiences. Seldom do we see multiple layers in traditional filmmaking.
• There is no dialogue in the film while traditional filmmaking always contains dialogues.
• Repeating some scenes.

The Appearance

• Multiple frames. "Mission to earth" displays different things in each frame.
• Pastel colors.

What other art forms(eg. early film, digital art, painting, websites etc) does this film remind you of? Explain each similarity. 

This film reminds me a painting of Piet Mondrain which is "Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow". In this painting, the artist just uses horizontal line, vertical line and primary color. 

The similarity is definitely the multiple layouts in Mission to earth and the rectangular and square pattern in "Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow".

Mark Napier’s ‘Shredder’

This work is typical of much digital art because it is an artwork that places importance on the following aspects :

1) Formal instructions

Instructions are provided in Shredder. "Type a URL into the textbox above and hit enter, or choose from one of these favorites." Users are asked to follow the instructions so that they can use Shredder correctly.

2) The concept rather than the art object

The Shredder 1.0 deconstruct the website literally by splitting the texts and images, and therefore the website becomes abstract. Actually, what construct the website are numerous html codes. Mark Napier aims at revealing the jumble of the text, images of the websites.  He also wants to present the web in a totally different way. 

3) the event and audience participation

The Shredder 1.0 requires the users to select or enter a website to shred. The users will therefore become a collaborator of the art work.

4) an interest in random events and/or chance

Although users are allowed to select a website to shred, the result of shred is random. Users are not able to control the result. The order of the text, url will be displayed randomly.

5) borrowing or appropriation

The Shredder requires the users to enter a website. Therefore it is obvious that the text, images in Shredder  are borrowed from other websites.