Salford Uni Students Go Digital
Salford Uni Students Go Digital
SALFORD UNIVERSITY STUDENTS GET A SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEW WORK IN FORTNITE CREATIVE
Students from Salford University were amongst the first people in the country to try out a new digital commission entitled ‘Your Progress Will Be Saved’, made in Fortnite Creative as part of a series of online and digital artworks to be rolled out over the next 12 months. Your Progress Will Be Saved has been created by the artist avatar LaTurbo Avedon, and a selection of Salford University students were given a sneak preview ahead of its public launch earlier this month.
LaTurbo Avedon’s Your Progress Will Be Saved is the first commission to be produced for Virtual Factory, which is a series of digital projects from leading international artists, working with gaming, virtual and augmented reality, film and other digital practices, who have been asked to respond to the architecture and ambition of The Factory.
Virtual Factory is part of our series of pre-Factory events showcasing the kind of work that will be premiered when The Factory opens its doors.
By Tim Bassett (Salford University)
I was able to join game design and development students from Salford University to test the immersive virtual environment of Your Progress Will Be Saved pre-launch. This has not only allowed them to utilise their academic skills, but has also provided knowledge and inspiration as MIF enters a new creative gaming arena. The use of online exhibits, especially on gaming platforms is very niche and is an area that over time has the space to grow and develop into a very expansive market.
LaTurbo Avedon’s commission features an imagined version of The Factory built in Fortnite Creative that allows players to explore the building’s architecture and digital exhibits in a format that will be familiar too gamers and many others who are familiar with the Fortnite format. Having previously played Fortnite myself, I was confident when accessing the online exhibit and quickly became immersed in its expansive digital landscape.
Now more than ever games like Minecraft have been recognised as legitimate canvasses, games where freedom becomes a mechanic and players are able to express their artistry through gameplay Ignacio Mascaros
Although I have previously used the Fortnite platform, I have never experienced something quite like ‘Your Progress Will Be Saved’. It gave me a new perspective on how art can be produced and also shows that the exploration of art really is infinite, with various in game decisions leading to new locations and dictating what each player will see when they enter the VF. The exhibit’s map is huge in scale and very detailed with lots to see and explore. From discussing the game with my peers, it is clear to see the experience is entirely different for every player.
Ignacio Mascaros (20) who studies Video Game Design and Production at the University of Salford believes that gaming platforms are fast becoming one of the main mediums for creative expression, “A few years ago I would have considered it overlooked, but now more than ever games like Minecraft have been recognised as legitimate canvasses, games where freedom becomes a mechanic and players are able to express their artistry through gameplay”. And this is something that ‘Your Progress Will Be Saved’ does well, displaying The Factory in a “truly beautiful and interesting way, well beyond good enough to be displayed in physical galleries for the general public to view”.
MIF’s latest commission is truly a representation of their dedication to innovation, and for many the VF will provide them with a new way to explore and create art. ‘Your Progress Will Be Saved’ can be played and experienced in different ways, either through Fortnite itself, or on the Virtual Factory website, or via Twitch. Further commissions will be released over the next year.