Performing the force : essays on immersion into science fiction, fantasy and horror environments / edited by Kurt Lancaster and Tom Mikotowicz.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Lancaster, Kurt, 1967-

Mikotowicz, Thomas J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Interactive multimedia.

Virtual reality.

Physical Description:

vii, 207 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, [2001]

Summary:

With the technology of the new millennium continuing to advance, there has been an increased interest in participatory forms of science fiction, fantasy, and horror entertainment such as role-playing and computer games, websites, and virtual reality settings. People seem to have a desire to go beyond the ordinary and well into the fantastic. This work is a compilation of new essays (all but one never before published) written by experts in both electronic and non-electronic game genres, covering computer games, web pages, Internet role-playing, interactive movies, table-top games, live-action role-playing, ghost hunts, action figures and amusement park rides. They cover a variety of viewpoints as to how and why people become so engrossed with virtual reality-type activities.

Contents:

Introduction: Popular Entertainment and the Desire for Transcendence: Immersion into Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Performances / Kurt Lancaster, Tom Mikotowicz 1

Part I The Desire for the Fantastic: Escape or Self-Elucidation?

The Quest: Dreams and Desires in Fantasy and Science Fiction / Heather Jean Fitch 9

Part II Performing the Myth of Science Fiction's Popular Culture Icons

The Mythology of the Stanley Kubrick Image / Christine Witmer 23

The Performance of George Pal / Snezhana Kushnir 28

George Lucas: His Roles and His Myths / Steve Bebout 33

The Myth of George Lucas Surrounding The Phantom Menace / Robert Delaney 38

Star Wars: The Magic of the Anti-Myth / Daniel Mackay 44

Man and Myth: Social Implications of Chris Carter and The X-Files / Jennifer Anderson 55

Alex Proyas: A Consistent Image / Claudia Debs 61

A Robert Jordan Book Signing / Jesse Snedden 68

Part III Performing in Computer Games

The Performance of War Games / Benjamin N. Fox 73

Playing Video Games as a Performance / Christopher Shade 77

The Re-performance of Star Wars in Computer Games / Kellee Santiago 84

Virtual Simulated Environments: Performing in "The Ages of Myst and Riven" / Tom Mikotowicz 89

Part IV At the Interface: Webpages as Sites of Immersion

Interface Design as Performance: A Link Between Fantasy and Reality / Tracy N. Schmetterer 99

Godzilla Attacks the World Wide Web / Rebecca Feldman 106

Mulder and Scully Together at Last: The Feminine Demonstration of Scully in Fan Art on the Web / Stephanie Dalquist 110

Immersion Through an Interface in The Blair Witch Project / Kurt Lancaster 117

Part V Interactive Movies

"Let's Do the Time Warp Again": The Survival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show / Lauren Kerchner 127

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A No-Tech Virtual-Reality Film Experience / Michael Urdaneta 135

Part VI Marketing and Playing with Action Figures

Action Figures: Props of Performance / Vera Zago 143

Action Figures: Another Style of Performance / Heather Jewels 148

The Action of Star Wars Comes Home / David Rodriguez 152

Part VII Performing in Role-Playing Games

The Performance of William Gibson's Tropes in Cyberpunk 2020 / J. T. Dorr-Bremme 159

Ultima Online: A Performance, or an Evolution Toward a Second Society? / Geoffrey Arend 166

Vampire: The Masquerade

A Countercultural Performance / Rachel Werkman 172

Part VIII Environmental Fantasies

Participation in Another Dimension / Alison Vasan 181

The Dudleytown Witch Project: A Personal Account / Christopher Kam 187.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 197-200) and index.

ISBN:

0786408952

OCLC:

45610158