Emergence in Second Life
Second Life is the ultimate game to demonstrate the concept of emergence. The game was developed with certain parameters. (This may not seem to be true upon first glance!) These include the basic constraints of the game such as land ownership and money. However, as I soon discovered, these parameters were few and far between. The game allows for a number of impossible feats such as instant teleportation, the ability to fly, and immortality. Even a plunge from the clouds left my avatar unscathed. Because the game allows so much, it is impossible to tell how it will evolve. With each additional possibility comes exponentially more game complexity. Because few games have more possibilities than Second Life, Second Life has emerged to be an enormously complex game.
Emergence applies to player identity. While I started out as an ordinary looking Joe, the games incredibly detailed character customization system allowed me to alter my avatar according to my desire. From a tall bald guy wearing a penguin shirt to a short fat white-haired dwarf to a giant behemoth of a man with hair growing out of every part of his face, character customization allowed me to gain control over the game. Most games offer a limited number of pre-determined avatars with limited customizable options. This gives the player a very limited say in how he or she will experience the game. With Second Life, however, there is an infinite number of avatars available to players. This adds unlimited complexity.
Emergence applies to the game environment. The game authors designed the basic set of rules for designing objects and implementing them into the environment. Once these rules got into the hand of players, however, there is no telling how far they may carry the complexity of the game. This is a perfect example of how a great deal of complexity emerges from a “’modest number of rules’ applied to a ‘limited collection of objects.’” Essentially, the authorship of the game was put in the hands of the players, who can direct the game in whatever direction they choose (so long as the direction is possible within the basic parameters of the game: for example, one cannot bulldoze someone else’s house to make room for a new development). It is the players, not the designers, who now control the direction of the game. The ability for players to create their own unique structures from anything they can find in the game world means that there is no telling what someone might build next. I stumbled upon creations ranging from alien spaceships, to waterslides, to sonic the Hedgehog slot machines. Second Life has emerged and will continue to emerge as an extremely complex game.
Emergence applies to player identity. While I started out as an ordinary looking Joe, the games incredibly detailed character customization system allowed me to alter my avatar according to my desire. From a tall bald guy wearing a penguin shirt to a short fat white-haired dwarf to a giant behemoth of a man with hair growing out of every part of his face, character customization allowed me to gain control over the game. Most games offer a limited number of pre-determined avatars with limited customizable options. This gives the player a very limited say in how he or she will experience the game. With Second Life, however, there is an infinite number of avatars available to players. This adds unlimited complexity.
Emergence applies to the game environment. The game authors designed the basic set of rules for designing objects and implementing them into the environment. Once these rules got into the hand of players, however, there is no telling how far they may carry the complexity of the game. This is a perfect example of how a great deal of complexity emerges from a “’modest number of rules’ applied to a ‘limited collection of objects.’” Essentially, the authorship of the game was put in the hands of the players, who can direct the game in whatever direction they choose (so long as the direction is possible within the basic parameters of the game: for example, one cannot bulldoze someone else’s house to make room for a new development). It is the players, not the designers, who now control the direction of the game. The ability for players to create their own unique structures from anything they can find in the game world means that there is no telling what someone might build next. I stumbled upon creations ranging from alien spaceships, to waterslides, to sonic the Hedgehog slot machines. Second Life has emerged and will continue to emerge as an extremely complex game.