In producing this project, I was inspired by Ulmer’s “Meetings in Wonderland.” I wanted to convey an alternate universe, and ultimately decided on setting the encounter in a different time than the character is familiar with and from. I was influenced by the Imaginary Year by the author’s use of writing a dialogue of an interaction in a particular setting that helps convey a character attribute. I was also heavily influenced by Dreamaphage and the creator’s ability to make the viewer feel like they were in that scene or discourse. I tried to do this by including sound effects and vintage postcards and maps of the setting.

 

I also tried to incorporate some of the technical ideas from in the white darkness. I liked the idea of having different links throughout the site. I did this using the vintage map in my project. I placed links to other pages using points on the map.

 

I liked that Accounts of the Glass Sky used multi-media. I tried to use a variety of media sources in my project, using Soundcloud, Youtube, and images.

 

I expressed different community values in the interactions that Ariel had with the public. I expressed the importance of community festivals and entertainment through in the Downtown scene. In the School setting, I expressed the importance of the Pledge of Allegiance in the education system. The surf culture is also a crucial and valued component of Santa Cruz life. It is assumed and encouraged that everyone surfs and expresses that culture in their day to day life, including how they dress. Another cultural value I focused on was that of the importance of local pride. Locals dislike tourists and non-Santa Cruz locals, and can detect when someone is not a native of the town. I expressed this is in the “Mountains” portion and in the Downtown scene. There is also the value of retaining and embracing the past. The town of Santa Cruz is very adamant about and opposed to commercial corporations intruding on the local businesses. Throughout the town, out-dated technology is found. There is a nostalgia and love for the past, as the community rejects newer ideas, technology, and change.