Hello Friend,
Welcome to Michael Highland's primary EGOPLEX, a centralized content portal to an internet based virtual self in both conscious and subconscious extensions. Please use little to no caution while exploring this site as the contents of the site may shift during flight. Remember, you are very unlikely to distrupt any concurrently operating self identity procedures. Any questions or comments can be addressed to the Central Pondering Unit.
Personal Online Presence 1.0
Each day, the Timeline grows by 5 pixels, affording me new space to record my most recent life events and work.
The Digital Diptych, my original portfolio site, features an interactive image viewer; visitors give meaningful names to randomly selected images of me and my work, and can view past diptych combinations.
In the spring of 2005 I began work on a film project entitled As Real as Your Life . The film has undergone a number iterations ending with, most recently, a 22 minute documentary short. DVDs are now availible for sale on the website.
My blog Gamerthink is an ongoing (though sometimes slowly) explorlation of issues related virtual worlds and game addiction.
Biography 2.0
Michael Highland is an artist and designer currently exploring he intersection of virtual and real worlds through interactive media. In 2008, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BSE in digital media design. While at Penn, he focused on film and fine arts, while building foundational knowledge in computer science and programming. Michael has had a life long relationship with video games, his 2006 film As Real as Your Life, explores his experiences as a self-proclaimed video game addict. The short film was screened to wide acclaim at the 2006 TED Conference, in Monterey, CA. The idea video games could be used to catylize postive change in individuals and society is still central to Michael's work. For most of 2007, he lived in Hong Kong, where he worked closely with Dr. Gino Yu of Hong Kong Polytechnic on designing next generation massively multiplayer virtual worlds. While in Hong Kong, Michael also began experimenting in web development. Upon returning to the US to finish his degree, he spent his final term at Penn designing, and building, an interactive web application for exploring fine art, called Flipslide. In late 2008, Michael helped form The Learning Sandbox, a company dedicated to bridging the gap between education and entertainment in video games. Today, Michael lives in Philadelphia, and works as an independent design consultant and strategist specializing in video game media.
Recent Projects 3.0
WinWin - 2009
WinWin is a new concept in philanthropy: greedy generosity. It's a simple game of chance where players can increase their odds (helping themselves) while giving to a good cause (helping everyone).
Looking for Grace - 2008
Over the past few months I've been working with high school friend Nathanial Halpern on a site for his new made for web drama entitled 'Looking for Grace'. I've read the script, it's going to be excellent, and free to boot. Sign up for updates on the site.
The Giferator - 2008
"Philly-based web/interactive magician, Michael Highland, presents a new soon-to-be guilty pleasure internet time-trap..."
Spiritual Experience through Video Games - 2008
A journal article i co-authored with my boss from Hong Kong, Dr. Gino Yu. The focus of the essay is on the ways in which video games lend themselves to taking on the role that myth and religion once played in our lives.
The Making of Being - 2007
While living in Hong Kong I met Tanya Kaps, a professional yoga instructor and filmmaker. Her current project, the Making of Being focuses the need for conscious evolution if the human race is going to keep from destroying itself.