¿What is the meaning of Chat?
On communication and interaction in Twitch
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Livestreaming is gaining more and more importance nowadays. It is a current trend phenomenon that is changing the media industry and it is becoming relevant for different actors in the media and event market. More and more platforms like Youtube or Twitch are enabling their users to distribute content such as video, photography or performance globally in real time, with anything from their smartphones to their desktop PCs. For many people, for example, watching others play games live has replaced television as the preferred form of entertainment. This is because, through the element of interactivity, livestreams can convey a stronger sense of belonging and community if compared to classical media.
With this project we are leading the viewer through the gaming focused live-streaming platform Twitch. Our focus lies on the stream of communication happening in the chat that accompanies every livestream. In particular we are focusing on the phenomenon of adaptation of the users communication and interaction to the platform, becoming unique due to the users language shift such as the creation of neologisms, memes and emotes (emojis) that are specific to each individual livestream and can not be understood by anyone outside the community without prior knowledge. Depending on viewer count and chat restrictions, the chat can be extremely overwhelming for newcomers. An initial process of observation and learning to understand the intricacies is required before one can actively participate and engage. In Twitch, there are a plethora of new and modified vocabulary and habits prevalent on the platform, with special emoticons expressing a reaction to an event in the stream, unique slang and acronyms that have found their place by being constantly spammed by users. Another example is the copying and pasting of small paragraphs, timed by users to create a sort of digital chant in a sequential text-based manner.
At the center of this project lies our publication. It expresses the chaotic variation of content and communication on a very structured platform that is Twitch. It contains a multitude of visual experimentation combined with the more rigid structure of a glossary and explanations of concepts appearing on the platform.
The entire project is being presented as a web-based digital exhibition, on our three-dimensional neural map surrounding the publication in the middle. You will find different visualizations based on the three chosen entry points to the project: language, interaction and identity.
Have fun and enjoy your stay.
Nicola, Alicia, Ruben