Gaming Reality: Compressing Possibilities in a Box
23/09/2001
Will Wright, The Sims and SimCity
The Art, Technology, and Culture Colloquium
Mon, 24 Sept, 7:30-9pm: UC Berkeley, 160 Kroeber Hall
All ATC Lectures are free and open to the public.
Wright, one of the most successful designers of interactive entertainment in the world, released the game SimCity in 1989. SimCity has since won 24 domestic and international awards. The Sims, which puts players in charge of the lives of a neighborhood of simulated people, was released in early 2000; over 4 million copies have been sold. The newest version will allow the community of players to plan and go out on dates with other simulated players.
The Sims and SimCity are examples of the expanding genre of games and environments that depend on the interactions between their players. These "possibility landscapes" have potential as a new artform but pose new challenges to web designers and net artists. Wright will describe his experience and how techniques and principles from artifact and non-linear design can influence new art forms.
www.thesims.com
For the full 2001-2002 series schedule, please see teh website.
