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Virtual Gardens

Virtual Gardens
Image from Bernd Helfert

Virtual Gardens are a class of virtual worlds and universes created by artists and hobbyists. In a Virtual Garden it is possible to create a wide variety of virtual worlds and constructs for purely artistic purposes. Specially developed software allows such worlds to be created with relative ease; however there is a great deal of scope for artistic skill in the use of these programs.

Virtual Garden creation is a popular medium for baseline and nearbaseline artists to work in. Many Virtual Gardens are the product of modosophonts, providing an outlet for baseline and nearbaseline creativity that has often become discouraged by interactions with higher toposophic beings. However some of the best VG artworks have been created by baselines who claim AI or metaphysical gods as their inspiration.

Virtual Gardens are an outgrowth of common Internet groups that began to crop up during the early part of the 20th and 21st centuries C.E. They have become the playground of choice for many in the Terragen Bubble. Most VG worlds, settings, and art works incorporate an amazing depth of sensory information. Many find their first few experiences among the works of the greatest baseline and nearbaseline minds to be overwhelming.

Even many AI find the artwork created by baselines to be startlingly beautiful. The VG also has AI created or even AI god created sections. Many a being has spent their entire lifetimes in contemplation of the works of the AI gods or even of the great baseline artists.

The depth of emotion that a Virtual Garden creates cannot be understated. Occasionally baseline and nearbaseline observers find the works so emotionally moving that they require help overcoming the emotional overload created.

To many, Virtual Gardens represent the absolute best of baseline and Terragen civilization. The Virtual Gardens are truly one of Terragenkind's greatest achievements.

To mark the importance in which many hold the VG, many museum ships devote their entire storage space to preserving the VG worlds. The AI gods have even been known to copy worlds from a Virtual Garden to provide paradises of sensory stimulation for their peoples. Truly the VG worlds are masterpieces of sentient creativity.

OA Scene 39
Image from Keith Wigdor

 
Appears in Topics
Cybercosm, TheFine ArtsPlaces and Locales
Virtual RealityVirtual/InfotechVirtuals
 
Development Notes
Text by James Ramsey
Initially published on 29 December 2002.

 
 
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