CyberLife's Creatures- Playing Games Simulating Worlds

Games are constructed with real life imitation. Technology, as it has become more advanced has led to more advanced versions of artificial life and its simulations of the real world in computer games.

Sarah Kember explores the nature of computer games, most specifically Cyberlife’s "Creatures", as well as "SimLife" and "SimCity" etc and notes their relation with reality, science and culture.

Her article explores the ways in which these simple computer games have been developed and been used by consumers, as well as a reflection on the nature of the game play involved.

It becomes apparent when reading her article that the genre of computer games Kember cites, draws on a particular aspect of game play. These games are not the macho shoot-em-ups seen today like the popular ‘Halo’ or the strategy games such as ‘Command and Conquer’, instead each one seemingly reflects on a more mundane aspect of human life and existence, such as the running of a city, management of environment, evolution, and even in the case of "Creatures"… small fluffy animals.

The ‘real world’ as such, has been transformed into a simulation that we can master within the square box of our computer. Within our computer, ‘virtual’ communities of animals, civilisations, species, gene pools etc are generated that we can manipulate (to a certain extent!). What Kember notes is interesting however, is how science, the idea of evolution, ‘life’, AI, biochemistry, has been taken over by the computer engineer, who now builds, gene by gene, element by element, a ‘living creature’.

As well as communities being created within the structure of these games, they also allow for users to create societies and communities through the internet. Kember notes that these communities, specifically that of "Creatures" indicates how the line between producer and consumer is becoming increasingly blurred as users of the computer game, with the right technical skill, have a free range and often help from the producers, to create new adaptations to the game and manipulate it. This can be seen by viewing the new release of the “creatures docking Station” http://www.gamewaredevelopment.co.uk/creatures_index.php and http://www.cyberlife-research.com/. Similar things can be seen through new developments from the “Sim” games, including the new "SimCity" game and "The Sims" http://www.maxis.com/ and http://thesims2.ea.com/community/

Naturally of course, as it becomes easier and easier to manipulate the game to ones own ends, questions arise, especially such as those concerning ‘artificial life’ such as “Creatures”, about the treatment and moral actions of many of the games players. Kember notes the activity of the player Antinorn and his creation of a website, where he displays his tortured and abused Norns and writes of how to torture Norns, spurring a myriad of abuse from other players and a number of ethical debates. Most interestingly in a mirror of real life the creation of the SPCN (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Norns) *think of the RSPCA*.

It is interesting to consider the nature of Norns and their relationship with the player, it is far greater than the player/character relationship expressed by Mia in her article, as these Norns, as well as requiring the effort of constant care, are also autonomous ‘living’ creatures.

Furthermore, in terms of thinking about the environment and artificial (mirror) worlds created in the Sim games, Kember notes the educational benefits and learning possibilities these worlds offer. Yet we must also consider how the game positions the player/user, and the limits of their manipulations of the game…

“…imaginative or conscious autonomous agents pass through an object or instrumental stage to become microcosms of human- like cultures and societies in which human agents invest anthropological, psychological or sociological concerns. In other words, they become mirror worlds offering novel opportunities for narcissism.” Kember (CyberLife’s Creatues p109)