Simulacra
Even before the advent of The Sims, there were games purporting to simulate the complexities of a person's life. This one, for example, was first designed in 1860 – and there are other more venerable and ancient traditional games. For the idea of a person's life, lived vicariously and without real risk, has always captivated us. Hence, novels. Hence, movies. Hence, every kind of 'reality' show which places our chosen proxies at risk and in danger.
Here you will find one of the more recent incarnations. Having watched my virtual house fill with virtual files (or flies) and my virtual friends get slightly unhappy at my virtually perpetual virtual penury, I can say with some authority that if you like living the life of a virtual British bum (no, not what some of you are thinking), you will find this little gem intriguing. The demo is free; the upgrade is US$19.95.
But back to the idea of life-simulation. 'Simulism' is the slightly unwieldy word which handles the concept of life in simulation. Two divergent trees result: one path is through solipsism – the first-person personal approach; the other is through immersion - the Second Life option beloved of online gamers.
My intent was originally to explore the history of life-simulation from the perspective of one who has experimented with a lot of games of this kind. Upon further consideration, this isn't feasible; the fault is not so much in the medium, which is ubiquitous and varied, but in myself – I have had bouts of gaming obsession in my youth, followed by long periods of complete disinterest – and I have no desire to repeat that kind of cycle again.
Instead, let's explore just one line of thought: what does it mean for us as humans that we are getting so much better at simulating ourselves? Do we bring these skills, this arcane knowledge, to our real-life interactions? Do we play our own roles so well that we cannot distinguish self from persona? Or is self but the sum of personae? Yes, perhaps we are all sum people, easily divided in our duplicity.
"Kansas, I've a feeling we're not in toto any more!" said Dorothy.
Here you will find one of the more recent incarnations. Having watched my virtual house fill with virtual files (or flies) and my virtual friends get slightly unhappy at my virtually perpetual virtual penury, I can say with some authority that if you like living the life of a virtual British bum (no, not what some of you are thinking), you will find this little gem intriguing. The demo is free; the upgrade is US$19.95.
But back to the idea of life-simulation. 'Simulism' is the slightly unwieldy word which handles the concept of life in simulation. Two divergent trees result: one path is through solipsism – the first-person personal approach; the other is through immersion - the Second Life option beloved of online gamers.
My intent was originally to explore the history of life-simulation from the perspective of one who has experimented with a lot of games of this kind. Upon further consideration, this isn't feasible; the fault is not so much in the medium, which is ubiquitous and varied, but in myself – I have had bouts of gaming obsession in my youth, followed by long periods of complete disinterest – and I have no desire to repeat that kind of cycle again.
Instead, let's explore just one line of thought: what does it mean for us as humans that we are getting so much better at simulating ourselves? Do we bring these skills, this arcane knowledge, to our real-life interactions? Do we play our own roles so well that we cannot distinguish self from persona? Or is self but the sum of personae? Yes, perhaps we are all sum people, easily divided in our duplicity.
"Kansas, I've a feeling we're not in toto any more!" said Dorothy.
Labels: Life, Philosophy, Simulation, Wizardry
etched with acid at 7:34:00 pm
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