With game systems like Wii which force the gamer to actively participate (let's say, bowling for example), when this much physical effort is needed to play a game, what is it that prevents the gamer from going out and actually participating in real-life situations (i.e. actually going bowling)?

Although,one does exert more physical effort when one plays games such as Bowling on Wii, the truth is that the effort is not equivalent to the effort that would be put forth is the activity were being done in actual life. The respond being that its seems that what these types of games have that stop people from experiencing life outdoors is the same types of factors that stop gamers of regular video games.As to what that is I am not quite sure other than it seems to stem from being able to live out some kind of fantasy that they would other wise not be able to obtain. It may seem that in the case of more "realistic" games such as bowling, this fantasy could be obtained however, the games are still video games and so certain qualities such as high scores are more easily obtained in the games then in real life, since the Wii stick is not as heavy as a regular bowling ball. There might also be a kind of comfort that is gained from being able to perform in a more private setting.

How do we aesthetically appreciate computer graphics in regards to games?

Trading card games, such as Magic: the Gathering, often commission artists to create original artwork for their cards. Would these pieces, commissioned specifically to appear on a trading card, be considered works of art? Would the cards on which the artwork appears be considered works of art, themselves? Or the trading card game taken as a whole?




This is a very interesting question, since it leads to something more general being asked about the creations of artist. The general question being : if an artist is asked to create something as an artist, then is that which the artist creates always art?
As to the the answer of the more general question and to this particular example, it seems that if the artist were to create the piece with the intention of it being view as art, then it seems that these pieces could be considered art. Although, it may be that the only part of the card that could be considered art would be the actual image itself, not that the whole card or the game, since the primary intentions of the cards or the game would be to be played and not to be held in recognition for aesthetic appreciation.
The artist is commissioned, since he or she is an artist, in the hopes that they will create art. If the artist then takes on the task with the fullest of intentions to be the creation of art, and since one is still working in a medium which is established as art, then it seems that image could be called art.

If an artist is asked to create something as an artist, then is that which the artist creates always art?