I’ve just been introduced to the world of creating interactive digital worlds in the Digital Spaces class. Immediately I knew that I wanted to know the figure I was controlling in the space. I decided the best way to get myself into the game sans Tron special effects, I would need to put those amphibian breathing, heart-beating, eye-darting autonomous bodily functions in there too. What’s interesting about creating in Unity (and maybe other game physics engines – I don’t know, this is my first experience) is that you can use code to build interesting intelligent systems. Any Game of Life reproductive generational code or flocking algorithm can be applied to to objects, textures, physics modules, etc… What if we can instruct our immersive worlds and games to intelligently deal with us. Not only can they make us more cognizant of our own internal core functions, they can guide these functions and knowingly manipulate them to a preprogrammed optimal state.
First I had to get some bio readings into the game environment
It occurred to me that there were 5 ways to take this interaction. Imagine a five point scale with arrows at either end. In the middle is the neutral point, or zero. This is were there is no interaction with the autonomous systems. The program only displays a readout matter-of-factly. The environment isn’t even aware of you. From there we’ll journey to the positive side. The next increment is altruistic – it sees what affects you and guides you towards a positive experience – low stress, entertaining. Further on the extreme side is smothering - it may even stifle you from exploring or engaging on the level you initial intended. If we look to the negative side we first encounter teasing – It sees your state and toys with the manipulation – you’re frightened and it makes you more frightened; you’re sad and it tries its darndest to give you a real case of the blues. At the superlative of this path is what I’m calling psychoses inducing – negative feedback loop where negative biological response prompts the AI system to go further to no end.
