Game Academia’s “Art Problem”Christopher W. TottenGame Artist in Residence, American UniversityAuthor, An Architectural Approach to Level DesignFounder, Smithsonian American Art Museum Arcade

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?

GAME ACADEMIA’S

“ART PROBLEM”

“Art Games”

Hi dad…

DiGRA online conference proceeding topics

●Top keywords● Serious games (25 uses)● Learning (23 uses)● “Game design” (overwhelming number,

mainly referring to game interactivity)

DiGRA online conference proceeding topics

●Top keyword variations● Behavior and behavior modification (7

associated keywords)● Cognition (8 associated keywords)● Social-science topics (42 associated

keywords)

DiGRA online conference proceeding topics

●Art and aesthetic topics● Level design (4 uses, 2 keywords)● Sound design (4 uses, 3 keywords)● Game art (8 uses, 2 keywords)● Music (1 use, 1 keyword)

vs.Cyber Awareness Challenge by Carney, Inc.

“Visual arts”

Ideas for change…

How art is made

How games are made

I dunno…dragons?

Candice Drouet, Wes Anderson’s Influences, vimeo.com/204671247

*Financial and Leonardo DiCaprio-related results may vary

Lissitzky’s Revenge, made with paper cutouts. Shown at the Smithsonian’s Innovation in Art and the Baltimore Artscape festival.

Ever Yours, Vincent by Fredrica Orlati. “Mixed media” game created for an MFA thesis.

Natasha, A Game of Dance by Boris Willis. Shown at The Kennedy Center.

Bounden by Game Oven. IGF Nuovo Award and Game Developers Choice Innovation Award

finalist

Writers in the Schools (WITS) program wins NEA grant for using games to teach creative writing.

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To review:●New game studies material via fine arts knowledge

●Experiment with how assets are created with fine arts techniques/materials

●Games that incorporate fine arts performance/creation techniques into game design

●Finding funding areas related to the arts

“It is the best of what we can do with art all wrapped up into something that becomes greater than its parts. Within games we have illustration, sculpture, musical scoring, narrative, and poetry.” ~ Chris Melissinos, game developer and curator, The Art of Video Games

Game music cover bands playing at MAGFest

Christopher W. TottenChrisTotten3D.com@totter87