Exploration in Digital Literature

"an ocean of static"

In the screenshot at the right, we see a visual representation of the "static," or the lack of identifiable sound that we can detect when working in an extremely dense and unknown medium like the ocean. As previously discussed, sound offers detailed information that aids in developing  understanding of our surroundings when sight is not an available option. However, when some signal, after a significant amount of time, comes through, it makes the sound we perceive all the more meaningful, providing rich detail about a space that we previously knew nothing about. In addition, the visual image of static shown here is coupled with the sound of static, which plays in the background, again connecting our visual understanding of the work to noise. Here, we can can again connect sound to a reader's exploration of Carpenter's work, but also to humankind's exploration of the ocean itself. 

It is also interesting to note that the static sound, which can be listened to at the right, is toggled on as soon as a user enters the work, establishing the use of sound as a method of communication between the author and reader from the start. 

Toggling sound on and off is part of Etheric Ocean's mechanics. For more information on the importance of a story's mechanics to its message, click here for Christina's description. 

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