Key research themes
1. How do artistic modifications of digital games through software code reflect on digital game aesthetics and preservation challenges?
This research area investigates the practice of artists modifying the underlying software code of commercial digital games to create new artistic experiences. It explores how these modifications challenge traditional notions of game aesthetics, interactivity, and the materiality of digital art. Furthermore, it addresses the technological obsolescence of such works and the role of emulation as a strategy to preserve and experience these artworks in contemporary contexts.
2. What role does immersive digital storytelling play in shaping user experience and interactivity in pervasive and virtual game environments?
This theme focuses on how digital games and interactive artworks employ immersive and pervasive technologies to create narrative-driven experiences that transcend traditional screen-based interactions. It examines the physical and digital merging to engage users actively, the transformation of urban or virtual spaces into interactive story-worlds, and the methodological use of motion sensing, location awareness, and mixed reality to enhance narrative immersion.
3. How are digital media technologies and digital creativity influencing the development and dissemination of cultural and artistic expressions in digital games and related industries?
This research theme explores the intersection of digital media technologies, cultural industries, and creative practices, focusing on how digital games as part of the broader creative industries generate new forms of cultural production and economic value. The theme encompasses the analysis of digital media complexity, innovation in digital artistic practices, collaborative digital culture, and the socio-economic impacts of digital game production.