Chapter 7. Towards a Critical Aesthetic
KEY TOPICS
A Theory of Virtual Worlds
The Story of Story
The Critical Aesthetic in Use
Virtual worlds are works of art. I refer to their creators as “designers,” but that's a misnomer; really they're artists[1]. Although there is some debate over the distinction between art and design, it's generally true that “design” has to convey a given package of information or utility whereas “art” is an end in itself. You tell a designer what you want; you ask an artist what they've got. What virtual world designers do is more Art than Design.
It's like the difference between Science and Engineering: Scientists seek truth, whereas engineers seek solutions. If you ask an engineer to change a construct because you don't ...
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