Virtual artifact

A virtual artifact (VA) is an immaterial object that exists in the human mind or in a digital environment, for example the Internet, intranet, virtual reality, cyberspace, etc.

The term "virtual artifact" has been used in a variety of ways in scientific and public discourse. Previously it has referred to objects of different nature (e.g. images, user interfaces, models, prototypes, computer animation, virtual books) that exist in digital environments. The concept behind the term is rapidly developing and expanding as new phenomena emerge in the virtual domain.

Imaginary worlds, characters, items, etc. have been described in stories and tales since the dawn of humanity. In the philosophic discourse, utopias have existed where extensive systems and their components have been depicted in detail. Imaginary artifacts have been described and created in terms of language and visual presentation. The development of the visual presentation techniques (e.g. linear perspective, cinematography) enabled more sophisticated methods to describe these artifacts, events and entities in painting, photography and film. Moreover, virtual artifacts were (and still are) commonly found in environments that require a strong imaginary aspect in order to be experienced, such as radio shows, novels, tabletop role-playing games, etc.

The development of computing enabled the creation of interactive virtual environments that were based on digital technologies and new methods of presentation. In digital environments, virtual artifacts became independent entities that could exist and interact outside the human mind. Even previously unknown, complex forms and imaginary artifacts (e.g. fractals) could be created and represented in these environments.

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Wikipedia