Creativity and New Media

Using the new media of the virtual game called Sims 3 and my creativity, I managed to a create an avatar (Sim) that share the same characteristics of me and build a house to live in. In this virtual world I would play myself by doing daily routines of eating, sleeping, communicating with others, and completing life goals just by a click of a button. I enjoy this game so much because I could escape reality and live another life or virtual life. Screenshots of my Sims 3 virtual world are below. Hope you enjoy =)

Creativity

New media can be referred to on demand access content on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community formation around the media content. Most technologies defined as new media are digital. New media are online newspapers, eBooks, mp3 files, Youtube videos, fractals, flickr, and etc. New media fosters creativity by the widespread of digitization means that books, ideas, music, videos, photos, etc are accessible to all and can be created by anyone. The more free input in new media allows new ideas and  can develop into the creation of new technologies. Creativity flows through new media by the frequent competition in the advancement of the next best thing. Mash- Ups are examples of creativity in new media because the combination of digital bits of different things can create something new and innovative. For an example, in the article "Disney Tolerates a Rap Parody pf Its Critter. But Why?" by Brooks Barnes states that Walt Disney allows people to use their famous animated cartoons as mash-up to rap music and may other things. There is a video of Winne the Pooh cartoon characters dancing with the mash-up to the rap song of Soulja Boy Crank Dat on Youtube. This shows the creativity of people using modern day songs and old cartoons to make a mash up video of pure comedy.

Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

A virtual world is an online community that takes the form of a computer based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects. Virtual worlds are representation of reality but it is much simpler than the real world. Virtual worlds bridge community and creativity. Different ways virtual worlds can be used is by training programs, multiplayer online gaming, Nintendo Wii, medical procedures, and etc. Virtual reality environments have been used for training stimulator for flight and military battlefield. Another result of virtual worlds is multiplayer online gaming such as Second Life and World of Warcraft. For an example, in the article "In Room 100, It's Sid and Nancy All Over Again" by Saki Knafo it describes how a man used Second Life to make a virtual world replica of the famous Chelsea hotel in NYC. In which Sid the Sex Pistols bassist killed his girlfriend Nancy. Another example, in the article "Naughty Auties battle autism with virtual interaction" by Nicole Saidi describes a virtual world center for those who have autism to meet and interact with people in a virtual tropical getaway. The Nintendo Wii has motion capture and intuitive interaction concepts similar to virtual reality technologies of the past. Also, doctors can interact with virtual systems to practice procedures or to do tiny surgical procedures on a larger scale. The pros of virtual reality are more personal, great social interaction and communication with people who share similar interests with people in a wider geographic location. The cons of virtual worlds are it is an inescapable aspect of social life with dangers of deception that can lead to low self esteem, feeling of worthlessness and insignificance. Virtual worlds foster creativity by technology developing from old media to new media. Newspapers turn into online newspapers, books into eBooks, music into mp3 files, video into Youtube, and etc all are examples of creativity in virtual worlds. What I think the future of virtual worlds will look like is actual other world experiences. If you have the money you would be able to creative and live in your alternative world in your spare time. It will be fun and relaxing as well you could do anything you every dreamed of.