  Utopian images in XR-games are often ambiguous. How can ambiguity be
consciously designed in virtual worlds? What are the design principles for game
designers? Ambiguity arises from discontinuity and decontextualization, from
the deliberate omission of facts, and from the skillful superimposition of
contradictory codes. An ontology of interactive media explains the elusive
visual poetry and image perception. The five basic elements of media are
presented. The model shows the key correlations of user, content, and
technology in image perception. An overview of utopian representation as a
cross-media phenomenon places game design in an interdisciplinary context. Six
selected computer-generated illustrations show how the above design criteria
can be successfully applied to the design of virtual worlds. The ambiguous
utopia of an image exists only in a brief, irretrievable moment of our own
perception. But this moment is valuable for designing real visions for a better
future.
