Virtual Festivus

Feng in Q3
Wired online is carrying a nice little article on Boston’s Cyberarts Festival. For me, the above image in their online gallery showing creator/artist Feng Mengbo inside Quake 3 is the most interesting, but I suppose that has more to do with my familiarity with the game than with what’s being done (I should give Feng my Squidgun model, the Rocket Launcher is so 90’s – besides being copyright id Software). From his site, it appears this is more documentation than interaction unfortunately. A shame.

For cool interactivity, Imaging Places is probably the highlight as it’s starting to move into new territory. From Wired:

Imaging Place reflects that real-and-virtual connection, by allowing viewers to navigate a map image, projected against a wall in a darkened room. The viewer of the Lowell piece, for example, mouse-clicks on certain parts of a satellite photo of the Lowell area, and zooms in to see videos of oral histories and bits of wisdom as told by local people.

This reminds me of my previous entry regarding augmented reality being used at historical sites. If only Feng was pulling that one off. I’m just waiting for someone to stream 3D data based on GPS position. Maybe then Feng’s visuals will mash-up with the interactivity currently limited to 2D imaging. And then… well, then we can fight over a virtual doll and create our own virtual holiday.