I have been playing about with a resurrected version of Z33ga. Not resurrected by me, but by my daughter’s significant other, Brennan. Not sure if he wants his name bandied about. He has been a total mensche about getting me running after I asked him to just take a glance at the github source code for the program. He is an astonishing tech dude with a little free time so he just took on the project. It’s not open for prime time yet, but my goal is to exercise due diligence and get this on my own server and see how much I can share without things breaking the bank for server access.
I recommend as always that you click on the play button then hover over the lower right hand corner of the image box and go to full screen. Much better that way.
Also, please read Simon’s post first. Why? The post and the multimodal z33ga are supposed to work together. In fact, I have always envisioned each z33ga as first intended for an audience of one and then afterwards for others, but only if they read the post first. Ideally, folks would come to their own translation via the remix aspect of zeega.
I first started doing z33gas as a method of close reading by translation. By recodifying text into image and music I was able to really do the original work much greater justice. Besides…I am a slow wit not a quick wit (don’t go the rest of the way there, pardner) and this tool is perfect for getting me part of the way into a text. My first reading of Simon’s post was basically, “WTF?” By using z33ga, I got my camel’s nose under the tent.
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Hmm I have been reading unflattening and am beginning to wonder whether dichotomy between text and image is perhaps exaggerated.
Thanks for unpacking post.
I particularly liked the Johnny Cash addition which is an excellent illustration of what underpins the piece.
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In zeega text is just another object. I am fascinated by how text can carry the weight of meaning as both a symbol and an image.
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Yes.
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Love the Zeega, love the music 🙂
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Felt like I was coming home. I had really missed it.
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I feel for u. Why r u calling it z33ga? Do i need to read Simon’s post? Was getting kinda comfy here 😉
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It’s a new zeega and I thought perhaps it would be worthwhile to give it a new name at least in my mind 😉
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Knot crossing lines.
http://tachesdesens.blogspot.fr/2015/08/knot-crossing-lines.html
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Love seeing Zeega — Z33ga — as reflection points again …
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Terry here I had somewhat healed from my anguish over missing Zeega and now you reopen the wound! Oh such sweet pain. First of all, I was also drawn to the tightrope imagery in Simon’s post. Your close-read Zeegas are always somewhat visceral for me and this one is no different in that regard. I was struck in Nick’s google hangout when he said that his work is smarter than he is. I feel like that way quite often with what I create and I wonder if you feel a similar sense of the creation taking on a life of its own as you watch. I am excited at the possibility that you and your son-in-law who shall not be mentioned might be able to resurrect Zeega. I would even pay $5 a month for the chance to be able to use it again. I love how you took Simon’s spare writing and made something multimodal that accesses so many “senses.”
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I am working on making z33ga (I do it that way to differentiate it from the original even though they have released it as open source code) available to as many as possible. I credit zeega (the original) with transforming my understanding of what “text” can mean. They are visceral for me, too. Sometimes when I add a piece to the whole of the z33ga I get an embodied touch, a sense of rightness or sometimes wrongness. I try to honor that feeling first and foremost as I make. I felt this especially with the font heavy, slide heavy, space heavy slide in the middle with the tightrope running though it. When I see it I have to move text to the background and then back to read the text. It might be easy to miss, but that had a big, fat click for me.
Glad to be reminded of Nick’s Hangout. I plan on carrying on with my z33gas of Unflattening. I absolutely agree about the work being smarter than I am. I must rely on you and every reader to bring themselves to the experience at hand. I think that’s why the feel of music is probably more important than the lyrics. It is the stock that you need for the vegetables.
I think I have proven to myself and to you that all writing is essentially spare. It is a little universe to be sure, but until it reaches another little universe then it is all kinda of ‘experience flattened’. Z33gas help to embiggen them, to unflatten them like a yeast does the dough. They also help the original to stop making sense and start being. IMHO.
Thanks for the offer to pay and all the kind, unflattening I get from our shared sense of wonder that the whole card castle is still standing. Now quick. Turn on the big fan and let’s see if…..
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I am really excited about this (how awesome of zeega to release the source code and that you know someone who can revive it)
Love all ur reflections… I have order Unflattening but it’s taking FOREVER to reach Cairo. Ur all talking about it and Nick has been chatting w me and I want it!
But meanwhile i will look back on the zeegas – will they be spoilers?
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I don’t think they will spoil the Unflattening experience. 😉 I plan on creating more of them now that I have my zeega back.
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I’m entranced by your comments, Terry and Susan. I remain an outsider to Zeegas and only saw some of yours for the first time not that long ago. You say they are visceral for you, and I’m thinking about it. It was a shock for me to realise that text/language did not have the power, but how silly of me. Your zeega (this version) is like a curious nightmare to me – yes, visceral, and something I’m a little afraid to unpack. How wonderful. Sometimes I feel accosted by the force of the music and gifs. This is good, yes?
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Had never thought of zeega as dark and accosting ;). I agree it is a confusing product. Mine are tied to text. I use them to understand and to slow my reading down. My next step is have them stand alone and have them ‘mean’ in more traditional ways. A zeega like a canva. I want to make my own music for them and my own gifs and my own pix and my own text. I want to create them out of only pix and gifs. I even want silent zeegas. They are fun, adaptable, and oddly engaging, perhaps a bit harrowing. I have learned so much about the digital world by using them and I am dedicated to getting the tool into everybody’s hands. Right now I am continuing to do my appreciation of Nick Sousanis’ graphic dissertation by using zeega. I am so happy you came to visit. Don’t be a stranger ever.