Pictures from World of Goo. I thought it was interesting how they portrayed the internet. Might be a source of inspiration later on when I'm making the background.
Monday, September 28, 2009
More abstract pics
Pictures from World of Goo. I thought it was interesting how they portrayed the internet. Might be a source of inspiration later on when I'm making the background.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Response to comments
How do distinguish a between a troll and a legitimate member?
You can't, and that's the point. Trolls look like regular users and unless you get "attacked", by one you won't know.
It's meant to make the point that identity manipulation/hiding is so easy on the internet. Even if a troll is exposed, the troll could easily slip away and make a new identity.
Am I good with Actionscript?
Most of the scripting will be done in Actionscript 2.0, which I am... "ok" with. It's just that I tend to forget the syntax after a while.
All of the stuff I've mentioned I know is possible for me to do.
Stuff popping up randomly or clicking on stuff to increase your "score", is basically all that is happening on the site, and I know how to do that.
It's just a matter of if I have enough time to do all the stuff I want.
You can't, and that's the point. Trolls look like regular users and unless you get "attacked", by one you won't know.
It's meant to make the point that identity manipulation/hiding is so easy on the internet. Even if a troll is exposed, the troll could easily slip away and make a new identity.
Am I good with Actionscript?
Most of the scripting will be done in Actionscript 2.0, which I am... "ok" with. It's just that I tend to forget the syntax after a while.
All of the stuff I've mentioned I know is possible for me to do.
Stuff popping up randomly or clicking on stuff to increase your "score", is basically all that is happening on the site, and I know how to do that.
It's just a matter of if I have enough time to do all the stuff I want.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Actionscript test
http://www.swfme.com/view/1196972
Just testing some randomness in Flash.
Press the yellow button and 0-3 avatars will show up.
The point of this is to try and make the webpages feel more dynamic, by having a different number of avatars show up each time it is loaded.
Just testing some randomness in Flash.
Press the yellow button and 0-3 avatars will show up.
The point of this is to try and make the webpages feel more dynamic, by having a different number of avatars show up each time it is loaded.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Site influence?
Note: It would be better to read the previous blog first.
A possible inspiration for my site/concept is Forumwarz. Forumwarz is a browser based game where you take on the role of an Internet Troll and your aim is to be as obnoxious as possible.
Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forumwarz
I've only played this briefly for about 5-10mins but here's what I can recall.
The first task required you to troll an internet forum. Now, this internet forum was a fake, designed to simulate a real internet forum. Whenever you posted a troll message, fake participants would respond etc.
Various aspects of the internet within the game are simulated. There was even a fake "google" page, designed to look like the real thing, but it was in the game.
So how did this influence my concept?
Well, like Forumwarz, my site is an abstract representation of the internet. People (who aren't real) are represented as avatars and you can interact with them. It simulates the workings of the internet.
Also, the subject matter is Internet Trolls. However, unlike my concept, Forumwarz forces you to be the troll, rather than the other way around. But if I manage to get enough time I might also make it so that you can also browse the site from the perspective of a troll.
An idea:
Forumwarz is a game. You have a goal. But currently with my website, there isn't really a point browsing it.
So I was thinking of maybe incorporating an optional goal to engage the user a bit more.
There would be a "happiness bar" displayed near your avatar. Though optional, your 'goal' would be to fill up this meter.
As you visit various parts of the site and/or interact with other avatars, this meter will fill up. However, everytime you get attacked by a troll (or if you interact with a troll in disguise), a massive chunk would be taken out of your happiness.
Or if the user decides to browse the website from the perspective of a troll, he/she would then have to troll other avatars in order to gain happiness, and would have to constantly switch personas' to avoid be found.
It would interacting with avatars more meaningful.
Just a thought...
A possible inspiration for my site/concept is Forumwarz. Forumwarz is a browser based game where you take on the role of an Internet Troll and your aim is to be as obnoxious as possible.
Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forumwarz
I've only played this briefly for about 5-10mins but here's what I can recall.
The first task required you to troll an internet forum. Now, this internet forum was a fake, designed to simulate a real internet forum. Whenever you posted a troll message, fake participants would respond etc.
Various aspects of the internet within the game are simulated. There was even a fake "google" page, designed to look like the real thing, but it was in the game.
So how did this influence my concept?
Well, like Forumwarz, my site is an abstract representation of the internet. People (who aren't real) are represented as avatars and you can interact with them. It simulates the workings of the internet.
Also, the subject matter is Internet Trolls. However, unlike my concept, Forumwarz forces you to be the troll, rather than the other way around. But if I manage to get enough time I might also make it so that you can also browse the site from the perspective of a troll.
An idea:
Forumwarz is a game. You have a goal. But currently with my website, there isn't really a point browsing it.
So I was thinking of maybe incorporating an optional goal to engage the user a bit more.
There would be a "happiness bar" displayed near your avatar. Though optional, your 'goal' would be to fill up this meter.
As you visit various parts of the site and/or interact with other avatars, this meter will fill up. However, everytime you get attacked by a troll (or if you interact with a troll in disguise), a massive chunk would be taken out of your happiness.
Or if the user decides to browse the website from the perspective of a troll, he/she would then have to troll other avatars in order to gain happiness, and would have to constantly switch personas' to avoid be found.
It would interacting with avatars more meaningful.
Just a thought...
Project Concept
My concept deals with identity on the internet and how anonymity (lack of identity) on the internet can lead to internet trolls.
Why do internet trolls troll? It’s because they can get away with it. They can be anonymous, and the internet is prefect for masking one's true identity.
Sure, there are things like social networking sites, personalized pages and avatars to help you establish an online identity, but unlike reality, having an identity is not compulsory. You can just remain anonymous and not create online identity at all,
You are not stuck with a single identity either. You can establish many different identities online, and switch personas whenever you feel like it. You can establish an identity how you see fit. But when one has multiple personas, can they truly be called identities?
An identity is “the state or fact of remaining the same one”. But since you have more than one identity, how does one identify who you truly are? They can’t. Really, having multiple identities equals having no identity.
The ease of manipulating identities’ online and anonymous nature of the internet are things a troll can take advantage of. The point of this website is to show people that, and perhaps evoke a reaction to internet trolls.
The basic concept of the site is this:
The site is like an abstract representation of the internet. The user can navigate through the site by clicking on various objects on the screen. As the user goes through the site, he/she will see abstract icons (or avatars) floating around. These are abstract representations of other people browsing the “web”. The user will be able to interact with the avatars by clicking on them.
However, as the user moves around the site, there is a chance where they might get "attacked" by an internet troll (image of a troll would pop up in your face along with some obnoxious sounds). The trolls take on the appearance of an normal avatar and hide amongst the sea of anonymous avatars, so users will not know who is a troll and who isn't, making the point that how internet identity can successfully mask one's true identity.
It might not seem like a big deal the first time it happens. But as the user progresses though the site, more and more trolls will pop up to the point where it is too obnoxious to continue browsing the site.
Most of this will be done in Flash using Actionscript.
Mockup;
As the user goes deeper into the site, more avatars will be present, and so will the amount of trolls.
Also, just like the internet, the site isn't really structured. The user can go anywhere he/she wants.
Note that on the first, page is where the user will be able to select his/her avatar.
Why do internet trolls troll? It’s because they can get away with it. They can be anonymous, and the internet is prefect for masking one's true identity.
Sure, there are things like social networking sites, personalized pages and avatars to help you establish an online identity, but unlike reality, having an identity is not compulsory. You can just remain anonymous and not create online identity at all,
You are not stuck with a single identity either. You can establish many different identities online, and switch personas whenever you feel like it. You can establish an identity how you see fit. But when one has multiple personas, can they truly be called identities?
An identity is “the state or fact of remaining the same one”. But since you have more than one identity, how does one identify who you truly are? They can’t. Really, having multiple identities equals having no identity.
The ease of manipulating identities’ online and anonymous nature of the internet are things a troll can take advantage of. The point of this website is to show people that, and perhaps evoke a reaction to internet trolls.
The basic concept of the site is this:
The site is like an abstract representation of the internet. The user can navigate through the site by clicking on various objects on the screen. As the user goes through the site, he/she will see abstract icons (or avatars) floating around. These are abstract representations of other people browsing the “web”. The user will be able to interact with the avatars by clicking on them.
However, as the user moves around the site, there is a chance where they might get "attacked" by an internet troll (image of a troll would pop up in your face along with some obnoxious sounds). The trolls take on the appearance of an normal avatar and hide amongst the sea of anonymous avatars, so users will not know who is a troll and who isn't, making the point that how internet identity can successfully mask one's true identity.
It might not seem like a big deal the first time it happens. But as the user progresses though the site, more and more trolls will pop up to the point where it is too obnoxious to continue browsing the site.
Most of this will be done in Flash using Actionscript.
Mockup;
This is how a typical page of the site would look like. As stated before, it will be very abstract. The object on the left is an abstract representation of a game world while the object on the right is a representation of a forum. Basically, place on the internet where you can find trolls. These can be clicked on and will lead to other pages of the site.
The top bar displays your avatar that you have chosen as you enter the website. It is meant to make the user feel that it is the avatar exploring the site, and remind them that it is your online identity that other people see, and not your real identity.
A possible interaction with avatars; you can try to discover someone's identity by rolling over and clicking on them:
http://www.swfme.com/view/1115512
A mockup done in Flash to showing the floating avatars would look like. Note that the movement of the avatars will be much more meaningful (floating around points of interest) rather than just randomly scrolling across the screen as shown here:
Other sketches;
As the user goes deeper into the site, more avatars will be present, and so will the amount of trolls.
Also, just like the internet, the site isn't really structured. The user can go anywhere he/she wants.
Note that on the first, page is where the user will be able to select his/her avatar.
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