Virtual reality and Immediacy

Immediacy lets the user of a medium feel as if they are in control or connecting with the medium that they are using. They may not actually be involved in the medium but they are involved in a virtual reality. A virtual reality in which they can control and have an affect on what happens in their virtual reality.

'The viewer should forget that she is in fact wearing a computer interface... Virtual reality should come as close to our daily visual experience' (Bolter: 2000 pg,23) This is to get the user under the impression that the virtual reality is their reality and to further more question their beliefs to the point were they are unsure if it is their actual reality or not.

In other words the user in a virtual reality should not acknowledge that they are in a virtual reality. The virtual reality should show no differences from real life experiences. Bolter claims that its the 'transparent interface' (Bolter: 2000) pg,23) that makes the virtual reality so life like and almost indistinguishable to real life. A virtual reality can also be engaged when a person is watching a film in active participation. The film is so real to the viewer that they are entranced in the film and the viewer expresses the same emotions as the characters or actors in the film. 'The desire for immediacy is apparent in the increasing popularity of the digital composition of film and in Hollywood's interest in replacing stunt men' (Bolter: 2000 pg,24) This can also be the case with reading a book, watching a television series or playing a video game. To achieve this interactivity the medium they provide them with a faceless interface to try and deceive the user into a virtual reality.

'A virtual reality is immersive, which means that its a medium whose purpose is to disappear' (Bolter 2000 pg,22) When in a virtual reality we interact with all sorts of different types of technology. When reading a book or watching a film the viewer is in a virtual reality when interacting and connecting with the character in the book or film. A larger interactivity of virtual reality would be in video games where you the user are connected with the environment you are virtually in. You can experience a world beyond your imagination 'You can visit the world of the dinosaur, then become a tyrannosaurus' (Bolster 2000:pg,24)

Immediacy is consistently growing in all sectors of new media and will continue to grow as virtual reality's become more and more consistent to our every day lives.

Bibliography:

Bolter. D and Gruson. R 2000 Remediation: Understanding New Media