The re-emergence of virtual reality PDF
Preview The re-emergence of virtual reality
“In this field-d efining, lucidly written book, Leighton Evans draws an authentic, cutting-e dge picture of VR experientiality in contrast with other immersive media and opens our eyes to the changes in immersive opportunities afforded by contemporary consumer VR. He presents us with a thoroughly researched genealogy of VR, identifying the specific media-h istorical moment that has brought about its re- emergence and blending scholarly rigor with refreshing episodes of personal storytelling. The book compellingly embeds its subject matter in the history of digital media more generally, viewed through a sharp, critical lens that reminds us about the commercial dictates under which our hypermediated selves and our technological extensions operate.” — Astrid Ensslin, University of Alberta, Canada The Re- Emergence of Virtual Reality In this short book, Evans interrogates the implications of VR’s re- emergence into the media mainstream, critiquing the notion of a VR revolution by analysing the development and ownership of VR companies while also exploring the possibilities of immersion in VR and the importance of immersion in the interest and ownership of VR enterprises. He assesses how the ideologies and desires of both computer programmers and major Silicon Valley industries may influence how VR worlds are conceived and experienced by users while also exploring the mechanisms that create the immersive experience underpinning interest in the medium. Leighton Evans is Senior Lecturer in Media Theory at Swansea University, UK. He is the author of Locative Social Media: Place in the Digital Age (2015) and co- author of Location- Based Social Media: Space, Time and Identity (2017). Routledge Focus on Digital Culture Series editor: Andrew Hoskins University of Glasgow, UK The digital age has transformed media form and experience. This transforma- tion is best understood as a series of ongoing revolutions: a material revolu- tion in the physical basis, properties and capacities of media; an ecological revolution in the relationships of media form and content and their produc- ers and consumers; a cultural revolution in the economic, political and social organization and operation of society’s knowledge and informational experi- ences; and a personal revolution in the individual’s ability to produce and organize their own informational ecology. This series of short- form books enables timely interventions, critical think- ing and analysis of digital revolutions and their histories, and exploration of the entire ecology of digital life. The Re-Emergence of Virtual Reality Leighton Evans The Re- Emergence of Virtual Reality Leighton Evans First published 2019 by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 and by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2019 Taylor & Francis The right of Leighton Evans to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN: 978- 1- 138- 54225- 9 (hbk) ISBN: 978- 1- 351- 00932- 4 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by Apex CoVantage, LLC Vielen Dank für deine Geduld! Du bist die Beste. xx Contents List of Figures x Acknowledgements xi 1 Introduction 1 2 A (Brief) Cultural History of VR 16 3 The VR Business Model 33 4 Immersion, or the Unique Selling Point of VR 49 5 Barriers to Consumer VR 67 6 Content and the Cultural Impact of Early Consumer VR 80 7 Conclusions and a Possible Future of Consumer VR 91 Bibliography 97 Index 110
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