Lewter, Bradley

We have an opportunity not only to interact with 3D content but also to
immerse ourselves in it via Virtual Reality (VR). This work is deeply inspired by
my experience as a Ukrainian witnessing the recent turmoil in my homeland. I
wanted people around the globe to experience the horrors that are unfolding.
The Voice of the People, explores narrative storytelling through VR. Ultimately,
the viewer will be able to put on a VR headset and become deeply immersed in
the story. With this technology, the user intimately experiences the war and
devastation created by Russian occupation first hand. The end of World War II is
a critical time in my country’s history. Included in the 3D environment are video
segments of those affected by the current Russian occupation; historical themes
underscore the narrative and help the viewer understand the recurring
aggression by Russia that is part of Ukraine’s history.

Historically, Surrealism is defined as a literary and artistic movement which developed from Dadaism in the early twentieth century. Many artistic and literary historians assess that the lifespan of Surrealism did not persist beyond the 1960’s – that in fact, after notable surrealist such as René Magritte, Man Ray, Max Ernst and Salvador Dali challenged the limited cultural assumption of rationalism, the pursuit to explore and visualize the subconscious faded from artistic ambition. However, the purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative notion that suggests that digital interactive mediums – such as contemporary games and virtual technologies – have revitalized Surrealism, enabling game developers to build upon the initial philosophies made popular by the avant-garde movement.

Recently, many researchers have been interested in how videogames can
influence the attitude and behavior of children. It has also been questioned if videogames
can be a useful teaching tool in the classroom. There are many games that have been
created to teach traditional school subjects such as Math and English. But what about
creating games to teach about current environmental issues? The goal of my thesis
project is to create an educational advocacy game for smartphone devices that will
educate children about the effects of overfishing on marine life and how it can negatively
affect coastal communities in the Caribbean.