Before I learn that there was two type of narrative in games, I have never actually thought of it. I just knew that I love some games and hate the others. No reasons why. Now I know that…

Embedded Narrative: pre-generated narrative content that exist prior to a player’s interaction with the game and

Emergent Narrative: arises from the set of rules governing interaction with the game system.

(Salen and Zimmerman, Rules of Play)

A combine of both should create a better game because users are able to make their own decision yet at the same time follows some guidelines that were made by the developer. For example in an adventure game, it does go from one level to another, from a city to a jungle to an ocean. Nevertheless, we are able to determine what type of weapons we would use to fight our enemies and what type of vehicles we would use in each scenes or levels. By using different weapons and vehicles a different narrative will be created.

In a way, our maturity and experience in playing games does make us evolve from playing games with embedded narrative (which is quite easy), to a game with an emergent narrative (a craze for 10 year olds) to something that combines both. The reason of playing those games also contributes to the type of games that we chose. We will chose an easy game to relax, a moderate one to impress our mates (difficult ones will sometimes make us look bad) and the hard cores to show who’s the boss. Thus, men are more engaged into games, simply because they love challenges and women have lots of other important things to do than just to play games.

Digi LifeLogger

Digi is one of the telco providers in Malaysia. Their latest invention is the LifeLogger, a type of photoblog similar to Flickr but developed by a telco provider. Therefore, this type of product extension does uplift the ability of the network as well as increasing the brand equity. Owners of digital camera embedded cellular phones can now share their experience and information in a multimedia format when they subscribe to Digi. Digi enables them to directly upload pictures from the mobile phone.

They are actually creating a network community of a mobile phone users who could share their interest of taking photos with friends and family from all over the world. The company believes that more and more mobile phone users will opt for phones with mobile camera because of the modern lifestyle pressure from the environment. Users can uploads pictures to the web even when their on holidays and out of reach of the computers and internet. They don’t even need a separate digital camera.

The second version of the LifeLogger.com offers a unlimited data storage and more than 5,000 Digi customers have register to the service. LifeLogger is at the moment receiving approximately 30,000 photos in MMS format. Users could also join the forum in LifeBlogger to communicate and discuss among them.

My Thoughts
The convergence of the use of mobile phones with camera and photoblog website has in away assist us to be in touch with friends and love ones although we are half way around the globe from them. Apart from personal use, this type of technology can also be applied professionally where those for example in construction sites can take a picture of projects and send them straight to the company’s website to be viewed by others.

Nevertheless, this privilege should not be misuse for example in taking nude photos in beaches and also photos that may tarnish a person’s credibility or reputation and publish it in a public space such as the internet. All pictures taken should be with permission and not violate anyone’s privacy.

Some links to mobile phone privacy readings:

Going wireless: behavior and practice of new mobile phone users by L Palen, M Salzman, E Youngs

Privacy - Camera Phones - M/Cyclopedia of New Media

Sneaky Cameras by Chris Mc Leod

Privacy fears on phone cameras by Larissa Dubecki

Smart Card was first patented in 1974 and issued a few years later. On the contrary, smart card has not been fully utilized. Some chose to use barcodes rather than chips. But this does depends on the longevity of the use because of its cost.

Malaysian government has also initiated a project where the traditional identity card will be replace by Smart Cards and the nation wide deployment has started since last year. The smart identity card is named MyKad.
MyKad enable users to use it as an identity card as well as a driver’s licence. It also functions as a reload able Touch ‘n Go card that can be used to pay for toll, parking, bus fare and theme park tickets. It behaves like a bank card that facilitates daily transactions and also contains basic medical information if users faced any emergency.

In a way, smart card has merged the usage of different media from an identification card to a bank card that can support banking transaction. A purse that was once full of cards now has only one that can play many roles. That is why it is called a Smart Card and not just a card.

In my Communication and New Media class, I’ll be doing a presentation on instant messenger. It will cover the history, the future, features of the MSN Messenger and the Yahoo! Messenger and also discussion of some issues regarding advertising used in instant messenger and also surveillance within the workplace.

The invention of instant messenger has assist human to narrow the geographical gap and enable us to communicate at real-time across boundries without having to travel. Projects can be done even if the members are in different continents.

The question now, has the invention of the instant messenger created a more efficient workplace community or has it created a community where work comes second to personal communication?. Before, the owners of businesses spend millions of dollars just to have security camera placed in the workplace. This is to see wether the workers are actually present, working, using the phone for personal use, etc.

Now they even need a software to check every single keystroke of the computer to make sure that the workers are doing their job, using the internet for work and not for leisure. The instant messenger provider on the other hand, is creating more and more software that enable the user of instant messaging to go online undetected. Therefore, every single surveillance step taken by the workplace owners, is sabotage back by software developers especially the instant messenger provider. This will never end, just like worms and virus in computer networks.

Although it was invented for a good reason but unethical users who could not differentiate the use wether for personal or for work has given this problem to the workplace. Who is to blame? Let us think about it.

Although it is not the latest Nokia, I’m satisfied because of its looks and capability. It’s Bluetooth enable, with Mp3 player and able to capture pictures and short videos. I wanted to own this for quite sometime now. I couldn’t buy a new one because Nokia does not produce it anymore. As if it was that long since it was produce (maybe between 1 to 2 years - not that long eh…).

A girl in uni wanted to sell hers for $269. I saw a few at the Cash Converter in Prahran for $249. Since I won the bid in eBay, I paid only $195.50 including postage. What a bargain?! Although the gap is not that big in Aussie dollars, but if you convert it into my Malaysian currency the difference is quite huge, nearly RM 150.

I send my first MMS today. It was a video message to my fiancé back home. He’ll receive it on his new Nokia 6600. Never thought it was that easy before. Maybe I’m a little bit behind, But at least I’m adopting it. Although my phone came with a USB cable, but since my notebook has irDA port, I transferred some song to my new phone through infrared connection. It really fascinate me. I’m going to explore some more.

Turkle highlighted that the computer offers us both new models of mind and a new medium on which to project our ideas and fantasy. We have a routine cyberspace life where we exchange idea and assume personae of our own creation. The virtual and the real life seem to be merging.

Hence, the creation of computer programmes like Multi-User Domains (MUDs) has made it more practical for us to live this multiple lives. It does not only create individual with their own life but also cyber communities. In MUDs, one’s body is represented by one’s own textual description. The description is often a fantasy of the author. A character which he/she presumes will be able to attract others to them by putting aside their real physical appearance or life background. There are also characters made just to tap into other peoples’ lives without them realizing it.

Identity is not just one block of attribute of a person but at present, there are a few more. Some may spend too much time in the virtual world where this can give a negative impact to their social life in the real world especially with a partner, family and friends.

In the use of MUDs, language or words in written can be very powerful. Text can be used to control others and to send our ideology through. We can also encounter others who can create their virtual identity similar to our own real identity. This characters can sometimes be bots and not real. Thus, it is very hard to differentiate between real identity and created identity because everything seems to be real.

The computer is no longer just a giant calculator but it is a link of peoples’ ideas and a generator of new ideas. It creates new cultures and new identity ideas to individual. A person’s intellect is not the only thing that a computer could project but it can also extend an individual’s physical presence. Group activities such as business conference as well as individual pleasure fulfilling activities such as netsex are now mediated by real-time audio video links. Programmes like MUDs generate experiences, relationships, identities and living spaces. Human are now intertwined with technology and each other through technology.

As a conclusion, we need to analyse whether it is ethical or acceptable in building different identities on-line? Although, once before it was just for entertainment but these activities today has been carried more seriously where if a person would try to merge the virtual and real life together, conflicts of identities and a feeling of being deceived will occur. On the other hand, computers have helped us to express ourselves better by putting aside our physical attributes and our life background.

Source: Sherry Turkle, 1999 [1996]. ‘Identity in the Age of the Internet’, in The Media Reader: Continuity and Transformation, Hugh Mackay and Tim O’Sullivan (eds), Sage: London, pp. 287-304

Below are some reviews of video games based on a movie:

1. Spider-man The Movie
2. The Sum of All Fears
3. James Bond
4. Jurrasic Park III

To get a collection of reviews of the games derived from movies, just go to:
actionadventure

In Silverstone and Haddon’s article, they have listed three interrelated dimensions involved in design which are creating the artefact, constructing the user, and lastly, catching the consumer.

They also discussed about domestication in relation with design where an object and technology is placed in a space of exchanged values and in a market place that involves competition. It also involves the adaptation made by the consumer on a particular technology to its surroundings.

At first when an object is design, it only involves on the use of the object and how it can change the processes involved in the users’ lifestyle. To complement the needs of synchronising the object with the surroundings in other words domestication, the objects design is incorporated with aesthetic values to create a sense of style especially that can portray a future-like innovation.

When an object is created, not all users have the ability to adapt to change automatically without any assistance. Therefore, to enable them to fit with the design, users need to be shaped by the used of textual information such as manuals. This will construct a new user lifestyle who can understand new innovations at the same time complement the innovation of new technological objects.

With the awareness of the development of technological advances, users may want to have more new product that can further satisfy their needs. Therefore, to attract consumers to follow the development, innovators should understand the consumption trends of the users. New design should be able to suits their taste and preference and be introduced in the market place by highlighting the benefits and advantages that the consumers will receive.

In Kahney’s article, we can see that Mac has used the elements that have been discussed in the Silverstone and Haddon’s article in the development of their design. They focused more on the aesthetic value of a design and this has somehow created a new community of enthusiast who are inspired to create more innovative designs.

The domestication process in turning an object that can help us in daily routines such as the computer by designing them into a fancy object has created the interest of new users to buy the products.

On the other hand, Kahney focuses on how Mac design has inspired users not only to buy their product but also to invent and being innovative with their ideas. Some of the inventors does not even have a formal education on the area but still able to take control of designs by using powerful 3D softwares. This has in a way change users lifestyle from needing a background in multimedia to be able to be innovative to just those who are interested in them. Younger generations are now more literate of the information technology since most of the processes are simplified. Toy trucks have been replaced by PS2s and teenagers are now working the jobs of previously thirty year olds.

Refference
Extract from Silverstone, Roger and Leslie Haddon, 1996. ‘Design and the Domestication of Information and Communication Technologies: Technical Change and Everyday Life’ in Communication by Design: the Politics of Information and Communication Technologies, Robin Mansell and Roger Silverstone (eds.), Oxford: Oxford UP, pp. 44-54

Leander Kahney, 2004, The Cult of Mac, San Francisco: No Starch Press, pp. 150- 171

In the report, Plant has taken a very interesting way of writing to attract readers to read her report. The comparison of situation in different countries that were involved in the study made us realize that the mobile phone gives both similar and different impacts in different cultures.

Plant has introduced us to the different terms or names that are given to the mobile phone itself which carry the meanings such as extension of the hand, carrying, air telephone, hand machine and even ‘big brother’. The technology alters the way individuals conduct their lives as it changes the nature of communication which affects identities and relationship.

In some parts of the world where the use of mobile phone has spread across the respective countries, we can even see kids and teenagers using the mobile phone. It is no longer a luxury item but it has changed to be a need in daily life. In others, mobile phone remains as the symbol of status that only entrepreneurs, party officials, politicians, and others can hold. This has changed rapidly for the past three years where more and more people are using the mobile phones.

Today, some phrases that have never been used before the existence of the mobile phone have been introduced in daily life vocabulary. The society is now rich with new sounds from monotone to polyphonic and now even real tones. In some cases, these tones are irritating when used in certain occasion for example in class, ceremonies, restaurant, etc.

The demand of response by the sound of the mobile phones spread tensions to those who listen to it since they are unable to answer the call. Social skill is needed to balance the answering of a call and maintaining the flow of face-to-face conversation. It is either move to absent themselves (flight), stay put but cut themselves from the environment (suspension) or stay engaged with both parties (persistence). Those who felt abandoned by the mobile users may ignore the conversation, displace attention, criticise or just find something else to do.

Since the mobile phone users have been inconsiderate towards others, there are restrictions in using the mobile in some spaces such as the hospital and the court. Thus, there is actually an unconscious awareness among users where they will restrict themselves in using the mobile in certain exclusive places although there is no restriction of use.

Plant also highlighted the significant gender difference in the use and the display of mobile phones. Women are said to be much quieter and considerate than men. I do not totally agree with this because it depends on the way a person communicate and not the gender that determines the loudness of the conversation. Whereas, in the display of hand phones, men tends to use them as a symbol of status to attract women and also to compete with their peers. Logically, women do not display them because they put it in their handbags rather than men who placed their phones in the pocket. It is comfortable to take them out when seated.

The public display of mobile phones also reflects the symbol of fashion, style and social message that is sent to others. The use of mobile as an accessory differs from country to country. Users are competing to give personal touches where they acquire the latest, coolest models and to customise them in the latest and coolest ways.

Mobile phones are also being used negatively to bully by teenagers. Those without one can be excluded from social networks. Eavesdropping seems to be happening everywhere and speculations are made to fill the gaps of missing sides. Contradict messages are being passed by third parties. The presences of third parties are also exploited by stage-phoning especially to impress girls. Some users have display confusion when a private call is taken in public.

Users are learning to manage their emotional responses. They are now bi-psyche and able to do other things at the same time their on the mobile. New gestures and voice tones are practiced to control their communication through the mobile. Mobile has help in sustaining and managing relationships especially long distance. Besides a call, texting are also used widely to express feelings. Through this, communication without knowing real identities is introduced.

Mobile has induced the sense of speed and connectivity in social life and facilitates the emergence of a new private world. No more lost arrangement and women feel more secure with the ability to communicate wherever they are. Mobile is also a medium to manage privacy for some and a centre of management for others. It has taken the place of other time killing medium. It is a need and no longer a symbol of status.

Refference
Sadie Plant, 2002. On the Mobile: The Effects of Mobile Telephones on Social and Individual Life [Report for Motorola], pp. 19-87. Accessed at http://www.motorola.com/mot/doc/0/234_MotDoc.pdf on 08 Mar, 2005

Marvin describes that the invention of telegraph was the starting point of diverting the focus of media used from print to electrical. Thus, computer was developed from the original idea of a telegraph. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century lies an important part of modern media history where five main media in the twentieth century were invented. His study attempts to place the beginning of Anglo-American electronic media history from the twentieth century to the late nineteenth century.

In his article, Marvin highlighted that the process of media development started long before it is introduced. It is not only the act of buying the media such as television and radio that introduces electronic media communication but also the early debates the electronic media itself. Marvin tries to include the technical development of the devices and also the debates on social change as an important part of the history of electronic media communication.

The idea of analysing the history of electronic media in the late nineteenth century is to see some issues in social history that may be overlooked. Before the existing of any media, the negotiation of power, authority, representation and knowledge will take place especially by old groups. Therefore, old practices are revised and group habits are reformed. The resolutions of conflicts are very important to reduce social risk.

Some other social issues were also discussed in the development of electronic media involving the expanding culture variety, geographic perimeters and the changes in social structure. There were cultural and class assumptions on the form of communication among particular groups which highlighted the hopes and fears that new media will loosen or tighten existing social bonds. Among their fears are how new media is carried out in public areas, how the world could be known and how other groups than one’s own imagined it to be.

Marvin included that technicians also played a big part in cultural productions besides technical production. It started with their dreams and their efforts that today’s societies are able to benefit from the technologies that we have now.

Milne focuses on the use of visiting card which was introduced in the early eighteenth century where the caller’s name is inscribed on a playing card. The idea is to notify those with whom one wished to make contact. In the development, the card has evolved from simple plain ones into those customized with photos, logos and designs according to taste, interest, hobbies and others. The visiting cards represent a technology of telepresence. It is used to stand in for the corporeal presence of their author. It also functioned as avatars of presence and identity to mediate social relations according to the varying degrees of intimacy.
Nevertheless, wrong interpretations of signs may cause communication break down. The conflict of wether to call or to answer with a card can also occur. Visiting cards also produced division of class for only middle and upper class participate in the use of it.

As a conclusion, technologies are not only digital, computer or mobile phones like what we may define today but it is any form of invention hat will assist in a process which in this context is the communication process. In the development history of media, the social issues plays an important part to determine the future pathways of each media and human practice are change in the development and with the use of media.

Refference
Extract from Marvin, Carolyn, 1989. When Old Technologies Were New: Thinking About Electric Communication in the Late Nineteeth Century, Oxford UP: Oxford, pp. 3-8

Esther Milne, 2004 .” Magic Bits of Paste-board”: Texting in the Nineteenth Century’, M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 7(1): 1-6. Accessed at http://www.media-culture.org.au/0401/02-milne.html on 16 Feb 2004