1.  What is the subject of your proposed virtual world?

A quasar, and other objects as necessary to demonstrate scale,
brightness, speed of consumption, etc.

2. What mood, feelings, and/or emotions will you try to evoke
in a viewer experiencing this world?

A sense of scale.

3. How can visual form be given to abstract forces or energy
principles?

Realistically or representationally... Gravity and scale are forces that
don't need arrows, but the Cave is particularly suited to depicting
them.

4. What are some basic natural forms, and how does the character of
their form relate to natural forces?

The spiral, which is a product of gravity directly (accretion disks) and
indirectly (vortices). It also occurs in animal shells, it's mechanically
effective (drills), and it manifests at most scales of existence. This
is the natural form I'm dealing with, even if it's not emphasized in my
cave piece.

5. What is the role for movement in your concept design?

A galaxy spins quickly; particles moving rapidly enough to turn to
plasma causes the shape and luminance of quasars, though since this is
occuring on a cosmic level in reasonably regular fashion it does not
need specific indicators.

6. What are some examples of linked forms in nature: forms from
different realms (atmospheric, liquid, plant, organic, earth, energy)
which have analogous character?

The spiral. Snail shell, drill bit, ram horn, whirlpool, tornado,
galaxy.

7. If we are to convey the sensation of flying or swimming, how can
the arrangement of forms in relation to the viewer's point of view,
create a dynamic sense of place, an invitation to explore, a quality
of engagement, comfort, awe, or another emotional or physical quality.

In Cave Painting, since navigation is willy-nilly and engagement is
purely visual, I believe it horrifically difficult to provoke a
significant emotional response other than amusement.

The tool is really too crude to construct a space which is itself
provocative; building something like a cathedral would require about as
much time as building a real cathedral.

I think work can be done with scale - the limitations of the tools make
it difficult, particularly the imprecise and futzy moving about and
scaling, but that is where I see potential.

8. Does your world fit within the "real" space of the Cave (8x8x8 ft)
or does it extend beyond the walls?

It does extend beyond the walls at all times, if just barely. I am a
little curious as to why you ask this question.

9. What did you choose to depict with 2D imagery? Why?

A quasar from various angles. It gives a good idea of the structure of
the phenomenon.

10. What did you choose to depict with 3D painted form? Why?

A quasar, a solar system (for size comparison), a tiny sun (for
brightness comparison), and the average quasar lunch (for amusement
value). These things seemed to make the greatest use of the advantages
peculiar to the Cave.

11. Did you have any trouble logging in?

No.

12. Did you have any trouble running CavePainting?

Crashed when saving the first time, though saving worked.

13. Did you learn how to change colors? Change brush stroke types?

Yes.

14. What discussion question do you have from the Cave paper?

What?

15. In this assignment, what worked, what didn't work, and how would
you change it? (briefly)

I would like for this assignment to have a well-defined premise.