026.Benjamingetsupinthemorning.Hegoestothetoilet.Heleavestheseatup.Heshowersandfixesbreakfast.Hereadsthepaper.Hefindsajob-asaTestSubject-startingtomorrow.It'snotmuch,buttimesarehard.Hereadsabook,andthenanother.Hefixes
lunch,naps,readsagain.Hegoestobed.Hegetsup.Toilet,shower,breakfastagain.Hedoesnotmakehisbed.Hegoestowork.Hecomeshome,preparesanothermeal.HetalkstohisroommateBertabit.Hannahdropsby.Heflirtswithhersome.Hegoestobed,getsu
p,doesthewholethingalloveragain.027.Daysgoby.Notmuchchanges.Hiscookingimproves.Hemakesnewfriends-Ted,Gersholm,Asja.Theydropbysometimes;sometimeshevisits.Thereisthenewfurniture.Thatmakeshimabithappier,butnotmuch.Hegets
apromotiontoLabAssistant.It'sthenightshift,butthepayisbetter.ThenhemakesFieldResearcherandisbackworkingregularhours.AfterawhilehebecomesaScholar.Heissocreative,butithelpstohavefriendsifyouwanttogetahead.Heaspirestobei
ngaTheorist.Thepayisbetter.Andthehours.HedreamsofyachtsandbigscreenTVs.BenjaminisaSim,acharacterinagamecalledTheSims.Onecouldbeforgivenforimaginingthiswassomebody'slife.028.InTheSims,youcreatecharacterslikeBenjamin,bu
ildandfurnishhomesforthem,findthemjobsandfriends.Allinaworldwithoutasky.PerhapsagamelikeTheSimscouldbeaparodyofeverydaylifein'consumersociety'.Benjaminandhisfriendsdreamofthings.Thingsmakethemhappy.Theyfindanicesofaso
muchmorerelaxingthanacheapone.Asthegame'sdesignerWillWrightsays:"Ifyousitthereandbuildabigmansionthat'sallfullofstuff,withoutcheating,yourealizethatalltheseobjectsendupsuckingupallyourtime,whenalltheseobjectshadbeenpr
omisingtosaveyoutime.ÉAndit'sactuallykindofaparodyofconsumerism,inwhichatsomepointyourstufftakesoveryourlife."Othersdisagree.GamescholarGonzaloFrasca:"Certainly,thegamemaybemakingfunofsuburbanAmericans,butsinceitrewar
dstheplayereverytimeshebuysnewstuff,Idonotthinkthiscouldbeconsideredparody."InTheSims,characterscanhavelotsofdifferentjobs,butasFredricJamesonsays:"parodyfindsitselfwithoutavocation"029.PerhapsagamelikeTheSimscouldbea
nallegoryforeverydaylifeingamespace.Intheallegoricalmode,saysWalterBenjamin:"Anyperson,anyobject,anyrelationshipcanmeanabsolutelyanythingelse.Withthispossibilityadestructivebutjustverdictcanbepassedontheprofaneworld:i
tischaracterizedasaworldinwhichthedetailisofnogreatimportance."ForBenjamin,thefragmentingofthemodernworldbytechnique,theprofusionofcommoditiesthatwellupintheabsenceofacoherentwhole,findsitsexpressioninallegory,whichfr
agmentsthingsstillfurther,shatteringtheillusionofbourgeoisorder,revealingthemeansbywhichitismade."Whatresiststhemendacioustransfigurationofthecommodityworldisitsdistortionintoallegory."Andyetthispossibilitytooseemsexh
austed.ThefragmentingofthefragmentedseemsroutinetoaSim.Nootherworldseemspossible.030.PerhapsagamelikeTheSimsisnotjustanallegorybutalsoan'allegorithm.'Tobeagamerisaslightlydifferentpersonatobeingareaderoraviewer.LevMan
ovich:"Astheplayerproceedsthroughthegame,shegraduallydiscoverstherulesthatoperateintheuniverseconstructedbythisgame."AlexGalloway:"Toplaythegamemeanstoplaythecodeofthegame.Towinmeanstoknowthesystem.Andthustointerpreta
gamemeanstointerpretitsalgorithm(todiscoveritsparallelallegorithm)."Whatisdistinctiveaboutgamesisthattheyproduceforthegameranintuitiverelationtothealgorithm.Theintuitiveexperienceandtheorganizingalgorithmtogetherarean
allegorithmforafuturethatingamespaceisforeverpromisedbutnevercomestopass.Theallegorithmbywhichthegamerrelatestothealgorithmproducesaquiteparticularallegorybywhichgamerandalgorithmtogetherrelatetogamespace.Inagameanych
aracter,anyobject,anyrelationshipcanbegivenavalue,andthatvaluecanbediscovered.Withthispossibilityachallengingbutfairverdictcanbepassedontheprofaneworld:itischaracterizedasaworldinwhichanyvalueisarbitrary,yetitsvaluean
ditsrelationtoothervaluescanbediscoveredthroughtrialanderror.031.Analgorithm-forcurrentpurposes-isafinitesetofinstructionsforaccomplishingsometask,whichtransformsaninitialstartingconditionintoarecognizableendcondition
.GregCostikyan:"Algorithmicgamesareonesinwhichunderlyingcalculationsorrulesdeterminethegame'sresponsetotheplayer'sinput."TherecipesthatBenjaminandotherSimslearnfromthecookbooksontheirbookshelvesarealgorithms.Benjamin'
scareerasaTheoristisalsoanalgorithm.Thereisastartcondition:hemusthave8friends,4charismapoints,a7increativity,andsoon.Ithasendconditions,too.With10friends,5charismapointsand10forcreativity,theTheoristcareercanend,andan
otherbegin.Thegamerselectsonesequenceafteranother,andgraduallylearnswhattheydo-that'salgorithm.Thegamerdiscoversarelationshipbetweenappearancesandalgorithminthegamewhichisadoubleoftherelationbetweenappearancesandaputa
tivealgorithmingamespace-that'sallegorithm.(SeeFig.2)Butthereisalwaysagapbetweentheintuitivelyknowablealgorithmofthegameandthepassing,uneven,unfairsemblanceofanalgorithmintheeverydaylifeofgamespace-thisistheformthatal
legorynowtakes.032.Theimagesandstoriesthatpopulategamesaremostlycribbedfromsomeothermedia,fromnovels,filmsortelevision.Gamesmostlyjustrecycle,or'remediate',bitsofrepresentationfromothermedia.Bolter&Grusin:"remediation
isadefiningcharacteristicofthenewdigitalmedia."Andhencenotspecifictogames.Fromthepointofviewofrepresentation,thegameisalwaysinadequatetoeverydaylife.ASiminTheSimsisasimpleanimatedcharacter,withfewfacialfeaturesorexpre
ssions.InTheSims2theyseemalittlemorelifelike,buttheimprovementoftherepresentationinsomeparticularwaysonlyraisesthestandardsbywhichitappearstofallshortinothers.Fromthepointofviewofallegorithm,itallseemsmoretheotherwaya
round.Everydaylifeingamespaceseemsanimperfectversionofthegame.Thegamespaceofeverydaylifemaybemorecomplexandvariegated,butitseemsmuchlessconsistent,coherentandfair.Perhapsthiswasalwaystheatopianpromiseofthedigital-area
lofabsolute,impersonalequityandequanimity.Thegameopensacriticalgapbetweenwhatgamespacepromisesandwhatitdelivers.Whatistrueisnotreal;whatisrealisnottrue.Thisiswhatthedoublemovementofallegorithmandallegoryhavetoreport.T
hegameistrueinthatitsalgorithmisconsistent,butthisveryconsistencynegatesaworldthatisnot.033.ImaginethatBenjamin,ourcharacterinTheSims,makesittothepenultimatelevelandbecomesaTheorist.Perhapsthenyoubuyhimacomputerbecaus
eheseemsboredwithreading.Whatwouldhedowithit?PlayTheSims,ofcourse.BeingaTheorist,perhapshestartstothinkaboutit.Perhapshejotssomethinglikethisinhisnotebook:"Thegamerwhoselistlessgazefallsonthecontrollerinhishandisready
fortheallegorithm.Boredomisthebasisoftheallegorithmicinsightintotheworld.Boredomlayswastetotheappealofthegameasgame,andcallsattentiontotheambiguousrelationofgametogamespace.Allegorithmicperceptionisn-dimensional,itint
uitsbehindappearancesinteractionsofmanyvariables.Theallegorithmicmodeofapprehensionisalwaysbuiltonanevaluativerelationtotheworldofappearances.Moreandmorerelentlessly,theeverydaylifeofgamersiscomingtoweartheexpressiono
fgamespace.Atthesametime,gamespaceseekstodisguisetheungamelikecharacterofthings.Whatheightensthemendacioustransformationofgamespaceisitsappearanceinanundistortedforminthegame.Still,gamespacewantstolookitselfintheface.
Itcelebratesitsincarnationinthegamer."034.Inthegamer,Benjaminmightsay,isrebornthesortofidlerthatSocratespickedoutfromtheAthenianmarketplacetobehisinterlocutor."Only,thereisnolongeraSocrates,sothereisnoonetoaddressthei
dler.Andtheslavelaborthatguaranteedhimhisleisurehaslikewiseceasedtoexist."InTheSims,asingamespace,onewondersiftheidlerhasdisappearedalso.ThereisnoidletimeinTheSims,orinthegamespaceofwhichitisthemoreperfectdouble.Thequ
artzheartofthecomputeronwhichTheSimsrunsticksoverremorselessly.Allofitsmomentsareequivalent,andsotoo,inaway,areallmomentsinTheSims.Sleeping,napping,conversationorreadingalladvanceone'sscores.Benjaminhastogotobedtogetu
pagaintogotoworktoearntherighttosleep,anddream,again.035.Tobeagameristocometounderstandingthroughquantifiablefailure.ThebargraphsmeasuringBenjamin'sbeingtrendnegativeandrefusetobudge.YouaretoobusyelsewheretogetBenjami
ntothetoiletontime,andhepeeshimself.Heneedssleep,heneedslove,heneedsanewkitchen.Heturnstofaceyou,thegamer,andgestureswildly,asifcursinghisGod.Whenthingsweregoingwell,youforgottosavethegame,sothereisnobettertimetogobac
kto.Nothingforitbuttoworkwithwhatyouhave,orquitandstartagain.Thegameisaknowablealgorithmfromwhichyouknowyoucanescape;gamespaceisanunknownalgorithmfromwhichthereisnoescape.Thegameisjustlikethegamespaceofeverydaylife,ex
ceptthatthegamecanovercometheviolenceoftime.Thegametiesupthatonelooseendwithwhichgamespacestruggles-themortalflawofanirreversibletime.NowondertheSimturnsinvaintothegamerasaGod,foritisthegamerwhohasturnedtowardthegamea
samessianic,reversibletime.036.GamersarenotalwaysgoodGods.It'ssuchatemptationtosetupaSimtosuffer.Deprivethemofaknowledgeofcookingandprettysoontheysetfiretothemselves.Buildahousewithoutdoorsorwindowsandtheystarve.Watch
asthealgorithmworksitselfouttoitsterminalstate,thebargraphsslidingdowntonothing.Thisviolenceisnot'real'.Simsarenotpeople.Theyareimages.Theyareimagesinaworldwhichappearsasavastaccumulationofimages.Hencethepleasureindes
troyingimages,todemonstrateagainandagaintheirworthlessness.Theycanmeananythingandnothing.Theyhavenosavingpower.Buteventhoughtheimagesaremeaningless,thealgorithmstillfunctions.Itassigns,ifnotmeaning,ifnotveracity,ifnot
necessity,thenatleastascoretorepresentations.InTheSimstheworldofgamespaceisredeemedbyprovidingforitsmyriadthingsthealgorithmthattheylacktoformconsistentrelations.037.TheSimwhosuffersturnstofaceitsgamer,lookingouttowar
danabsentsky,appealingdirectly,beyondtheframeofthegameitself.Thegamermaynotanswer,ormaynotbeabletoanswer.ThegamerasGodsuffersfromanapparentlysimilaralgorithmiclogicastheSim.TheSimscomeswiththeologicaloptions.Turnon'fr
eewill'andSimsstrayfromthepowersoftheirmaker.Turnitoffandtheiractionsarepredestined,butevenso,thegamer-godquicklyfindsthatthealgorithmisahigherpowerthatthepoweronecommands.ShouldthegamebegoingbadlyfortheSim,itturnstof
acethegamer;shouldthegamebegoingbadlyforthegamer,thereisnooneforthegamertoturnawayandface.TheSimwhoaddressesahelpless,hopelessorlostGodlivesouttheallegoryofgamespaceitself.AtleasttheSimhassomeonetoturnto.Whocanthegame
rturnto?Perhapsyoucanseenowthereasonforthepopularity,amongthosetroubledbygamespacebutlackingaconcepttoaccountforit,ofapersonalGodwhocanperformmiracles,whocanbreaktherulesofHisownalgorithm.038.Asagameryoucanhavenosense
ofworthandnofaithinsalvationotherthanthroughyourownefforts.Butthoseeffortsarefraught,andyouaresoonlostinthemazeofthegame.Thegamerachievesworththroughvictoriesofcharacter;butthatcharacterinevitablyfacesdefeatinturn.Orw
orse.Theonlythingworsethanbeingdefeatedisbeingundefeated.Forthenthereisnothingagainstwhichtosecuretheworthofthegamerotherthantofindanothergame.Onegameleadstothenext.It'sthesameforBenjamin.AfterTheoristcomesMadScientis
tandafterthat-nothing.Startover.Pickanewcareer.Getanexpansionpack.Trysomenewlives.StartasaPlaygroundMonitor,becomeaTeacher,aProfessor,gettenure,risetoDean,thefinally,MinisterofEducation.StartasaNobody,workingfortips.B
ecomeanInsider,aNameDropper,aSellOut,aPlayer,aCelebrity,thenfinally,aSuperstar.Butthesearejustarbitrarynamesforseriesoflevels.Anyqualitativedifferencebetweenlevelsisjustaneffectofanunderlyingquantity.Ahigherlevelisess
entiallymorethanalowerlevel.Andsothere'snowheretogobuttomore,andmore,untilthereisnomore,andthegamer,likethecharacter,isleftwithnothing.Thefruitofthedigitalistheexpulsionofqualityfromtheworld.That'sgamespace.Theconsola
tionofthegameisthatatleastthisexpulsionisabsolute.039.OriginalSimscanbeanymixoftwogendersandthreecolors.InTheSims2youstartwithpresettemplates(Caucasian,AfricanAmerican,Chinese,Persian-andElf)alterableviaalotofsub-slid
ers.Youchoosegender,age,color,hairstyleandcolor,eyecolor,weight,height,glasses,hats,accessories,clothes,andsoon,buttheseexternalattributesaremerelyaskin.Theydonotreallyaffectthegame.Theslidingvariablesofcharacter,howe
ver,doprograminadvancewhatcareersaSimcanexcelat,andwhichpasttimesrestorefaculties.InSims2,theymaybestraightorgay.Again,itmakesnodifference.Eitherwaytheiroffspringmixthe'genetic'characterqualitiesoftheirparents.Theexte
rnalrepresentationsareofnoaccount;theinternalvariablesdeterminepotential.The'skin'isarbitrary,adifferencewithoutadistinction,meredecoration.Underneathitliesacodewhichisall.TheSims2iscommittedbothtoageneticviewofintrin
sicnatureandaliberalviewoftheequality,andhenceindifference,ofextrinsicappearances.040.InTheSims,thingsproliferate.Orrather,theskinsofthings.Youcanhavemanydifferentkindsofsofa,orcoffeetable,orlampshade,butthemeterisrun
ning,sotospeak.Youhavetomakemoremoneytobuymorethings.ButsomegamerswhoplayTheSimstriflewiththegameratherthanplayit.Thesegamersarenotinterestedin'winning'thegame,theyareinterestedindetails,infurniture,ortellingstories,o
rcreatinginterestingworlds.Ifacheatissomeonewhoignoresthespaceofagametocutstraighttoitsobjective,thenthetriflerissomeonewhoignorestheobjectivetolingerwithinitsspace.BernardSuits:"Triflersrecognizerulesbutnotgoals,chea
tsrecognizegoalsbutnotrules."TheSimslendsitselftoplaythattransformsitfromaworldofnumberbacktoaworldofmeaning.Algorithmbecomesamorestableplatformthanthevicissitudesofgamespaceforcreatingasuburbanworldofprettythings.But
intriflingwiththegame,thegamerstrugglestoescapeboredomandproducedifference-andfindsthatthistoohaslimits.StevenPoole:"Youmustlearnthesequencestheprogrammershavebuiltintothegame-and,okay,therearehundredsofthem,butthatdo
esnotconstitutefreedom."Gamesredeemgamespacebyofferingaperfectunfreedom,aconsistentsetofconstraints.041.Allegoryisabouttherelationofsigntosign;allegorithmisabouttherelationofsigntonumber.Signsdon'topentorevealchainsof
othersigns,pointinginalldirections.Orrather,itisnolongerofanyimportancewhatsignsreveal.Theybillowandfloat,poolandgather,arbitraryanduseless.Thereisnowaytoredeemthem.Butsignsnowpointtosomethingelse.Theypointtonumber.An
dnumberinturnpointstothealgorithm,whichtransformsonenumberintoanother.Outofthebitrotofsigns,gamesmakeallegorithms.Thesignspointtonumbers,thenumberstoalgorithms,thealgorithmstoallegorithmsofeverydaylifeingamespace,wher
esignslikewisearedevalued,arbitrary,butcanstillstandasallegoriesoftheonethingthatstillmakessense,forthelogicofthedigital.042.Allegorybecomesadoublerelation:ontheoneside,thereistherelationofgamertoalgorithminthegame,it
sallegorithm;ontheother,thereistherelationofallegorithmtoeverydaylifeingamespace.Inrelationtogamespace,thegameitselfworksasanescapefromtheagonyofeverydaylife,wherethestakesarerealanduncertain,totheunrealstakesofapureg
ame.Butthegamecanalsoworkasacritique,inturn,oftheunrealityofthestakesofgamespaceitself.WhenSimsdevoteesassignvaluestonon-existentfurniture,trulytheideaofeconomic'utility'haslostallmeaning.Thegamecanalsoworkasanatopia,
whereplayisfreefromwork,fromnecessity,fromseriousness,frommorality.KillyourSims,ifyouwantto.Playherehasnolawbutthealgorithm.Andyetthereisatensionbetweenthegameandgamespace.Therelationbetweenthemisatonceanaloganddigita
l,bothacontinuumandasharpbreak.Thegamerstrugglestomakeofthegameaseparateworld,forescape,forcritique,foratopianplay,andyetgamespaceinsinuatesitselfintothegame.043.Startover:BenjaminbeginsasaBetaTester,becomesaHacker,an
dfinallyaGameDesigner.AfterthatyouaresupposedtoleveluptoVentureCapitalistthenfinallyInformationOverlord.Butsomethinggoeswrongalongtheway.Benjamin'sgamedesigncompanygoesbroke.Thewholeindustryisconsolidating.SoBenjaming
oestoworkforamuchbiggergamecompany.Hestartswork.It'samildsortof'crunch'time-normalwhenthere'saprojectwithadeadline.Benjaminisworkingeighthours,sixdaysaweek.Theprojectisonschedule,soitsnotsobad.It'stemporary.Hecomplain
sabittoAsja.Thedeadlineforendingthecrunchcomesandgoes.Andanother.Thenthehoursgetlonger.Benjaminisworkingtwelvehours,sixdaysaweek.Benjamin'sbargraphsslideintothered.Thentherealcrunchtimebegins.Benjaminisworkingsevenday
saweek,"withtheoccasionalSaturdayeveningoffforgoodbehavior."044.Youcouldbeforgivenforthinkingthisisjustagame,butitissomebody'slife-asreportedinawidelycirculatedtextwrittenbyEASpouse.EA,orElectronicArts,isagamecompanyb
estknownforitsMaddensportsgames,butwhichalsowhichownsMaxis,whichmakesTheSims.EA'sslogan:ChallengeEverything-everythingexceptEA,ofcourse-orthegapbetweengameandgamespace.Inthegamespaceofcontemporarylabor,thingsarenotlik
ethemeasuredprogressionuptheranksofTheSims.InTheSims,BenjamincouldworkhiswayfromGameDesignertoInformationOverlordmuchthesamewayashehadworkedupthelevelsbelow.AtElectronicArts,thingsaredifferent.BeinganInformationOverlo
rdlikeEA'sLarryProbstrequiresanarmyofBenjaminswithnothingtoworkwithbuttheirskillsasgamedesignersandnowheretogothantoanotherfirmwhichmayormaynotcrunchitsworkersjustashard.Asthemilitaryentertainmentcomplexconsolidatesin
toahandfulofbigfirms,itsqueezesoutallbutafewnicheplayers.Gamespaceishereapoorimitationofitsowngame.045.Startoveragain:ThistimeBenjaminbeginsasaBucketRunner.HequicklyworkshimselfuptoColtanMiner.Coltan?Whatiscoltan?Quit
TheSimsforamoment.PopthecoveroffyourPlaystationoryourlaptoporcellphone.Youarelookingatstuffthathascomefromallovertheworld-broughttogetherbyagloballogistics.InthegutsofyourmachineyoumayspotsomecapacitorsmadebyKemet,orm
aybesemiconductorsfromIntel.Theseprobablycontaintantalum,amarvelousconductorofelectricity,alsoverygoodwithheat.Theywerequitepossiblymadewithcoltan(shortforcolumbite-tantalite)dugoutofthegroundintheCongo,wherethere'spl
entyofcoltan,fromwhichtantalumisrefined.TheOkapiFaunalReserveintheCongoishometogorillas,monkeysandelephantsaswellastheokapi,ararerelativeofthegiraffe.ThousandsofMbuti,orpygmies,alsolivethere.Theirlivelihoodiscompromis
edbythecoltanminers,whodigwhatonejournalistcalled"SUV-sizedholes"inthemud,outofwhichtheycanextractaboutakiloofcoltanaday.Akiloofcoltanwasworth$80duringthetechnologyboom.Therewasaworldshortageofthestuff,whichevendelaye
dthereleaseoftheSonyPlaystation2.046.TheCongoisarguablytheregioninwhichthe'greatgame'ofcolonialexploitationhasdonethemostharmandconferredtheleastbenefits.TheCongo'sfirstdemocraticleader,PatriceLumumba,wasoustedinaCIAs
ponsoredcoupthatbroughttopowerthenotoriousMobutuSeseSeku.WiththecollapseoftheMobuturegime,therewascivilwar,andlittleelse.Oneofthethingsthatkeptthecivilwargoingwasthecoltan.Coltanbothfueledthewar,andacceleratedthedestr
uctionofwildlifehabitats.Andsothemilitaryentertainmentcomplex,withpreciousbrandstoprotect,didn'twantprotestmovementssullyingtheirreputationsbycallingattentiontoallthegorillascoltankills,ortheguerrillasitfeeds.Themilit
aryentertainmentcomplexwouldliketobelieve,andwouldlikeyoutobelieve,thatgamespaceisnotaNietzschianstruggleofnakedforces,beyondgoodandevil,butaclean,welllighted,rule-governedgame.047."Kemetrequiresitssupplierstocertifyt
hattheircoltanoredoesnotoriginatefromCongoorborderingcountries."Motorolasaysmuchthesame:"Webelievewehavedoneasmuchasanyreasonablecompanycoulddobymandatingcompliancefromoursuppliersonthisimportantissue."OutiMikkonen,co
mmunicationsmanagerforenvironmentalaffairsatNokiaisalittlemoresanguine:"Allyoucandoisask,andiftheysayno,webelieveit."ThebadpublicityaroundCongocoltanisgoodnewsfortheAustraliancompanySonsofGwalia,whichprovidesmuchofthe
worldsupply.ThedestructionofAustralianhabitatsseemssomehowlesspicturesque.Nogorillasorgiraffesareinvolved.Thisisthewayitsplayedingamespace.It'sallseparatecaves,withdimreportsofeachother.Byallmeans,savethegorillasandok
api,butitdoesn'tchangetheequation.048.Thelinethatconnectsgamespacetogamealsodividesonefromtheother.There'snogettingawayfromthematerialsthatmakeitpossibletoownaPlaystationconsoleoracomputerwithIntelInside.There'snogett
ingawayfromthelaborthatmakesitpossibletorunTheSimsonyourmachine.Benjamin:"Thereisnodocumentofculturewhichisnotatthesametimeadocumentofbarbarism."Benjamin(theSim):"Thereisnorealmofthepuredigitwhichdoesnotbetraythehandm
arkedwithmuckandblood,somewhere."Andyetthewholepointofagameisitsseparation,thelinedividingitfromgamespaceandenclosingitinaselfcontained,algorithmicworldofitsown.ToBenjamin-theBenjaminwhoisaSim-everythingoutsideTheSims
isjustmetaphysics.Thedoublerelationofallegoryandallegorithmisanintimatelinealternatelyconnectingandseparatinggamefromgamespace.049.TheSimsisaverypeculiarkindofgame,inwhicheverydaylifeisthesubjectofplay,butwhereplayisn
othingbutwork.Andyetthere'sadifferencebetweenplayingameandgamespace,whichpermitstheformertoofferanallegoryforthelatter,anallegorywhichmayfunctionasescapeandcritiqueofgamespace,perhapsevenasanalmostutopianalternative.I
nthegame,unlikeingamespace,thecontestbetweengamerandgameisovernothing.Therearenopreciousminerals.Thereisnolaborcontractindispute.Thedifferencebetweenplayanditsothermayhavecollapsed,butthereisstilladifferencebetweenpla
ywithintheboundsofanalgorithmthatworksimpersonally,thesameforeverybody,andagamespacethatappearsasnothingbutanagonforthewilltopower-whetherofguerrilla'sgraspingtheirgunstocks,orLarryProbstgraspinghisstockoptions.Ifitis
achoiceonlybetweenTheSimsasarealgameandgamespaceasagameofthereal,thegamerchoosetostayinTheCave(tm)andplaygames.Thecontradictionisthatfortheretobeagamethatisfairandrationalthereisstillagamespacewhichisneither.050.Thega
meiswhatgamespaceisn't,particularlyforthoseforwhomitisthedominantculturalform.EASpousewrites:"Webothhavebeensteepedinessentiallygameculturefromanearlyage,andwewatchedthat'culture'gainlegitimacyaswegottothepointofthink
ingaboutourfuturecareers."Thegamespaceofmakinggamesascommoditiescannotliveuptothegamesthemselves.OnEASpouse'swebsite,someforlorngamerhaswritten,andperhapsagaininvain:"Onthesimesbustenoutpleasedonotmakeameterfortheitem
syoubuy.Samewithwallsoraninythingeles.Sobottomlinenometterinanyofthesimesgameseveragainplease.Thankyouifyoudoit."But,sadly,themeterisalwaysrunning.Itisintegraltogamespace,ifnotnecessarilytowhatmakesgamespacepossible.B
eyondthecritiqueofactuallyexistinggamespace,gamescanpointalsotoanalmostutopianpromise,inwhichgamesaresomethingelseagain.Butwhilethegameopenstowardnewworlds,gamespaceforeclosesanythingbutitsownrelentlessagon.026.Benjam
ingetsupinthemorning.Hegoestothetoilet.Heleavestheseatup.Heshowersandfixesbreakfast.Hereadsthepaper.Hefindsajob-asaTestSubject-startingtomorrow.It'snotmuch,buttimesarehard.Hereadsabook,andthenanother.Hefixeslunch,naps
,readsagain.Hegoestobed.Hegetsup.Toilet,shower,breakfastagain.Hedoesnotmakehisbed.Hegoestowork.Hecomeshome,preparesanothermeal.HetalkstohisroommateBertabit.Hannahdropsby.Heflirtswithhersome.Hegoestobed,getsup,doesthew
holethingalloveragain.027.Daysgoby.Notmuchchanges.Hiscookingimproves.Hemakesnewfriends-Ted,Gersholm,Asja.Theydropbysometimes;sometimeshevisits.Thereisthenewfurniture.Thatmakeshimabithappier,butnotmuch.Hegetsapromotion
toLabAssistant.It'sthenightshift,butthepayisbetter.ThenhemakesFieldResearcherandisbackworkingregularhours.AfterawhilehebecomesaScholar.Heissocreative,butithelpstohavefriendsifyouwanttogetahead.HeaspirestobeingaTheoris
t.Thepayisbetter.Andthehours.HedreamsofyachtsandbigscreenTVs.BenjaminisaSim,acharacterinagamecalledTheSims.Onecouldbeforgivenforimaginingthiswassomebody'slife.028.InTheSims,youcreatecharacterslikeBenjamin,buildandfurn
ishhomesforthem,findthemjobsandfriends.Allinaworldwithoutasky.PerhapsagamelikeTheSimscouldbeaparodyofeverydaylifein'consumersociety'.Benjaminandhisfriendsdreamofthings.Thingsmakethemhappy.Theyfindanicesofasomuchmorere
laxingthanacheapone.Asthegame'sdesignerWillWrightsays:"Ifyousitthereandbuildabigmansionthat'sallfullofstuff,withoutcheating,yourealizethatalltheseobjectsendupsuckingupallyourtime,whenalltheseobjectshadbeenpromisingtos
aveyoutime.ÉAndit'sactuallykindofaparodyofconsumerism,inwhichatsomepointyourstufftakesoveryourlife."Othersdisagree.GamescholarGonzaloFrasca:"Certainly,thegamemaybemakingfunofsuburbanAmericans,butsinceitrewardstheplaye
reverytimeshebuysnewstuff,Idonotthinkthiscouldbeconsideredparody."InTheSims,characterscanhavelotsofdifferentjobs,butasFredricJamesonsays:"parodyfindsitselfwithoutavocation"029.PerhapsagamelikeTheSimscouldbeanallegoryf
oreverydaylifeingamespace.Intheallegoricalmode,saysWalterBenjamin:"Anyperson,anyobject,anyrelationshipcanmeanabsolutelyanythingelse.Withthispossibilityadestructivebutjustverdictcanbepassedontheprofaneworld:itischaract
erizedasaworldinwhichthedetailisofnogreatimportance."ForBenjamin,thefragmentingofthemodernworldbytechnique,theprofusionofcommoditiesthatwellupintheabsenceofacoherentwhole,findsitsexpressioninallegory,whichfragmentsthi
ngsstillfurther,shatteringtheillusionofbourgeoisorder,revealingthemeansbywhichitismade."Whatresiststhemendacioustransfigurationofthecommodityworldisitsdistortionintoallegory."Andyetthispossibilitytooseemsexhausted.The
fragmentingofthefragmentedseemsroutinetoaSim.Nootherworldseemspossible.030.PerhapsagamelikeTheSimsisnotjustanallegorybutalsoan'allegorithm.'Tobeagamerisaslightlydifferentpersonatobeingareaderoraviewer.LevManovich:"Ast
heplayerproceedsthroughthegame,shegraduallydiscoverstherulesthatoperateintheuniverseconstructedbythisgame."AlexGalloway:"Toplaythegamemeanstoplaythecodeofthegame.Towinmeanstoknowthesystem.Andthustointerpretagamemeanst
ointerpretitsalgorithm(todiscoveritsparallelallegorithm)."Whatisdistinctiveaboutgamesisthattheyproduceforthegameranintuitiverelationtothealgorithm.Theintuitiveexperienceandtheorganizingalgorithmtogetherareanallegorith
mforafuturethatingamespaceisforeverpromisedbutnevercomestopass.Theallegorithmbywhichthegamerrelatestothealgorithmproducesaquiteparticularallegorybywhichgamerandalgorithmtogetherrelatetogamespace.Inagameanycharacter,an
yobject,anyrelationshipcanbegivenavalue,andthatvaluecanbediscovered.Withthispossibilityachallengingbutfairverdictcanbepassedontheprofaneworld:itischaracterizedasaworldinwhichanyvalueisarbitrary,yetitsvalueanditsrelati
ontoothervaluescanbediscoveredthroughtrialanderror.031.Analgorithm-forcurrentpurposes-isafinitesetofinstructionsforaccomplishingsometask,whichtransformsaninitialstartingconditionintoarecognizableendcondition.GregCosti
kyan:"Algorithmicgamesareonesinwhichunderlyingcalculationsorrulesdeterminethegame'sresponsetotheplayer'sinput."TherecipesthatBenjaminandotherSimslearnfromthecookbooksontheirbookshelvesarealgorithms.Benjamin'scareerasa
Theoristisalsoanalgorithm.Thereisastartcondition:hemusthave8friends,4charismapoints,a7increativity,andsoon.Ithasendconditions,too.With10friends,5charismapointsand10forcreativity,theTheoristcareercanend,andanotherbegin
.Thegamerselectsonesequenceafteranother,andgraduallylearnswhattheydo-that'salgorithm.Thegamerdiscoversarelationshipbetweenappearancesandalgorithminthegamewhichisadoubleoftherelationbetweenappearancesandaputativealgori
thmingamespace-that'sallegorithm.(SeeFig.2)Butthereisalwaysagapbetweentheintuitivelyknowablealgorithmofthegameandthepassing,uneven,unfairsemblanceofanalgorithmintheeverydaylifeofgamespace-thisistheformthatallegorynowt
akes.032.Theimagesandstoriesthatpopulategamesaremostlycribbedfromsomeothermedia,fromnovels,filmsortelevision.Gamesmostlyjustrecycle,or'remediate',bitsofrepresentationfromothermedia.Bolter&Grusin:"remediationisadefinin
gcharacteristicofthenewdigitalmedia."Andhencenotspecifictogames.Fromthepointofviewofrepresentation,thegameisalwaysinadequatetoeverydaylife.ASiminTheSimsisasimpleanimatedcharacter,withfewfacialfeaturesorexpressions.InT
heSims2theyseemalittlemorelifelike,buttheimprovementoftherepresentationinsomeparticularwaysonlyraisesthestandardsbywhichitappearstofallshortinothers.Fromthepointofviewofallegorithm,itallseemsmoretheotherwayaround.Ever
ydaylifeingamespaceseemsanimperfectversionofthegame.Thegamespaceofeverydaylifemaybemorecomplexandvariegated,butitseemsmuchlessconsistent,coherentandfair.Perhapsthiswasalwaystheatopianpromiseofthedigital-arealofabsolut
e,impersonalequityandequanimity.Thegameopensacriticalgapbetweenwhatgamespacepromisesandwhatitdelivers.Whatistrueisnotreal;whatisrealisnottrue.Thisiswhatthedoublemovementofallegorithmandallegoryhavetoreport.Thegameistr
ueinthatitsalgorithmisconsistent,butthisveryconsistencynegatesaworldthatisnot.033.ImaginethatBenjamin,ourcharacterinTheSims,makesittothepenultimatelevelandbecomesaTheorist.Perhapsthenyoubuyhimacomputerbecauseheseemsbo
redwithreading.Whatwouldhedowithit?PlayTheSims,ofcourse.BeingaTheorist,perhapshestartstothinkaboutit.Perhapshejotssomethinglikethisinhisnotebook:"Thegamerwhoselistlessgazefallsonthecontrollerinhishandisreadyforthealle
gorithm.Boredomisthebasisoftheallegorithmicinsightintotheworld.Boredomlayswastetotheappealofthegameasgame,andcallsattentiontotheambiguousrelationofgametogamespace.Allegorithmicperceptionisn-dimensional,itintuitsbehind
appearancesinteractionsofmanyvariables.Theallegorithmicmodeofapprehensionisalwaysbuiltonanevaluativerelationtotheworldofappearances.Moreandmorerelentlessly,theeverydaylifeofgamersiscomingtoweartheexpressionofgamespace
.Atthesametime,gamespaceseekstodisguisetheungamelikecharacterofthings.Whatheightensthemendacioustransformationofgamespaceisitsappearanceinanundistortedforminthegame.Still,gamespacewantstolookitselfintheface.Itcelebrat
esitsincarnationinthegamer."034.Inthegamer,Benjaminmightsay,isrebornthesortofidlerthatSocratespickedoutfromtheAthenianmarketplacetobehisinterlocutor."Only,thereisnolongeraSocrates,sothereisnoonetoaddresstheidler.Andth
eslavelaborthatguaranteedhimhisleisurehaslikewiseceasedtoexist."InTheSims,asingamespace,onewondersiftheidlerhasdisappearedalso.ThereisnoidletimeinTheSims,orinthegamespaceofwhichitisthemoreperfectdouble.Thequartzhearto
fthecomputeronwhichTheSimsrunsticksoverremorselessly.Allofitsmomentsareequivalent,andsotoo,inaway,areallmomentsinTheSims.Sleeping,napping,conversationorreadingalladvanceone'sscores.Benjaminhastogotobedtogetupagaintogo
toworktoearntherighttosleep,anddream,again.035.Tobeagameristocometounderstandingthroughquantifiablefailure.ThebargraphsmeasuringBenjamin'sbeingtrendnegativeandrefusetobudge.YouaretoobusyelsewheretogetBenjamintothetoil
etontime,andhepeeshimself.Heneedssleep,heneedslove,heneedsanewkitchen.Heturnstofaceyou,thegamer,andgestureswildly,asifcursinghisGod.Whenthingsweregoingwell,youforgottosavethegame,sothereisnobettertimetogobackto.Nothin
gforitbuttoworkwithwhatyouhave,orquitandstartagain.Thegameisaknowablealgorithmfromwhichyouknowyoucanescape;gamespaceisanunknownalgorithmfromwhichthereisnoescape.Thegameisjustlikethegamespaceofeverydaylife,exceptthatth
egamecanovercometheviolenceoftime.Thegametiesupthatonelooseendwithwhichgamespacestruggles-themortalflawofanirreversibletime.NowondertheSimturnsinvaintothegamerasaGod,foritisthegamerwhohasturnedtowardthegameasamessiani
c,reversibletime.036.GamersarenotalwaysgoodGods.It'ssuchatemptationtosetupaSimtosuffer.Deprivethemofaknowledgeofcookingandprettysoontheysetfiretothemselves.Buildahousewithoutdoorsorwindowsandtheystarve.Watchasthealgor
ithmworksitselfouttoitsterminalstate,thebargraphsslidingdowntonothing.Thisviolenceisnot'real'.Simsarenotpeople.Theyareimages.Theyareimagesinaworldwhichappearsasavastaccumulationofimages.Hencethepleasureindestroyingima
ges,todemonstrateagainandagaintheirworthlessness.Theycanmeananythingandnothing.Theyhavenosavingpower.Buteventhoughtheimagesaremeaningless,thealgorithmstillfunctions.Itassigns,ifnotmeaning,ifnotveracity,ifnotnecessity,
thenatleastascoretorepresentations.InTheSimstheworldofgamespaceisredeemedbyprovidingforitsmyriadthingsthealgorithmthattheylacktoformconsistentrelations.037.TheSimwhosuffersturnstofaceitsgamer,lookingouttowardanabsents
ky,appealingdirectly,beyondtheframeofthegameitself.Thegamermaynotanswer,ormaynotbeabletoanswer.ThegamerasGodsuffersfromanapparentlysimilaralgorithmiclogicastheSim.TheSimscomeswiththeologicaloptions.Turnon'freewill'and
Simsstrayfromthepowersoftheirmaker.Turnitoffandtheiractionsarepredestined,butevenso,thegamer-godquicklyfindsthatthealgorithmisahigherpowerthatthepoweronecommands.ShouldthegamebegoingbadlyfortheSim,itturnstofacethegame
r;shouldthegamebegoingbadlyforthegamer,thereisnooneforthegamertoturnawayandface.TheSimwhoaddressesahelpless,hopelessorlostGodlivesouttheallegoryofgamespaceitself.AtleasttheSimhassomeonetoturnto.Whocanthegamerturnto?Pe
rhapsyoucanseenowthereasonforthepopularity,amongthosetroubledbygamespacebutlackingaconcepttoaccountforit,ofapersonalGodwhocanperformmiracles,whocanbreaktherulesofHisownalgorithm.038.Asagameryoucanhavenosenseofworthand
nofaithinsalvationotherthanthroughyourownefforts.Butthoseeffortsarefraught,andyouaresoonlostinthemazeofthegame.Thegamerachievesworththroughvictoriesofcharacter;butthatcharacterinevitablyfacesdefeatinturn.Orworse.Theon
lythingworsethanbeingdefeatedisbeingundefeated.Forthenthereisnothingagainstwhichtosecuretheworthofthegamerotherthantofindanothergame.Onegameleadstothenext.It'sthesameforBenjamin.AfterTheoristcomesMadScientistandaftert
hat-nothing.Startover.Pickanewcareer.Getanexpansionpack.Trysomenewlives.StartasaPlaygroundMonitor,becomeaTeacher,aProfessor,gettenure,risetoDean,thefinally,MinisterofEducation.StartasaNobody,workingfortips.BecomeanIns
ider,aNameDropper,aSellOut,aPlayer,aCelebrity,thenfinally,aSuperstar.Butthesearejustarbitrarynamesforseriesoflevels.Anyqualitativedifferencebetweenlevelsisjustaneffectofanunderlyingquantity.Ahigherlevelisessentiallymo
rethanalowerlevel.Andsothere'snowheretogobuttomore,andmore,untilthereisnomore,andthegamer,likethecharacter,isleftwithnothing.Thefruitofthedigitalistheexpulsionofqualityfromtheworld.That'sgamespace.Theconsolationoftheg
ameisthatatleastthisexpulsionisabsolute.039.OriginalSimscanbeanymixoftwogendersandthreecolors.InTheSims2youstartwithpresettemplates(Caucasian,AfricanAmerican,Chinese,Persian-andElf)alterableviaalotofsub-sliders.Youcho
osegender,age,color,hairstyleandcolor,eyecolor,weight,height,glasses,hats,accessories,clothes,andsoon,buttheseexternalattributesaremerelyaskin.Theydonotreallyaffectthegame.Theslidingvariablesofcharacter,however,doprog
raminadvancewhatcareersaSimcanexcelat,andwhichpasttimesrestorefaculties.InSims2,theymaybestraightorgay.Again,itmakesnodifference.Eitherwaytheiroffspringmixthe'genetic'characterqualitiesoftheirparents.Theexternalrepres
entationsareofnoaccount;theinternalvariablesdeterminepotential.The'skin'isarbitrary,adifferencewithoutadistinction,meredecoration.Underneathitliesacodewhichisall.TheSims2iscommittedbothtoageneticviewofintrinsicnaturea
ndaliberalviewoftheequality,andhenceindifference,ofextrinsicappearances.040.InTheSims,thingsproliferate.Orrather,theskinsofthings.Youcanhavemanydifferentkindsofsofa,orcoffeetable,orlampshade,butthemeterisrunning,sotos
peak.Youhavetomakemoremoneytobuymorethings.ButsomegamerswhoplayTheSimstriflewiththegameratherthanplayit.Thesegamersarenotinterestedin'winning'thegame,theyareinterestedindetails,infurniture,ortellingstories,orcreatingi
nterestingworlds.Ifacheatissomeonewhoignoresthespaceofagametocutstraighttoitsobjective,thenthetriflerissomeonewhoignorestheobjectivetolingerwithinitsspace.BernardSuits:"Triflersrecognizerulesbutnotgoals,cheatsrecogniz
egoalsbutnotrules."TheSimslendsitselftoplaythattransformsitfromaworldofnumberbacktoaworldofmeaning.Algorithmbecomesamorestableplatformthanthevicissitudesofgamespaceforcreatingasuburbanworldofprettythings.Butintrifling
withthegame,thegamerstrugglestoescapeboredomandproducedifference-andfindsthatthistoohaslimits.StevenPoole:"Youmustlearnthesequencestheprogrammershavebuiltintothegame-and,okay,therearehundredsofthem,butthatdoesnotconst
itutefreedom."Gamesredeemgamespacebyofferingaperfectunfreedom,aconsistentsetofconstraints.041.Allegoryisabouttherelationofsigntosign;allegorithmisabouttherelationofsigntonumber.Signsdon'topentorevealchainsofothersigns
,pointinginalldirections.Orrather,itisnolongerofanyimportancewhatsignsreveal.Theybillowandfloat,poolandgather,arbitraryanduseless.Thereisnowaytoredeemthem.Butsignsnowpointtosomethingelse.Theypointtonumber.Andnumberint
urnpointstothealgorithm,whichtransformsonenumberintoanother.Outofthebitrotofsigns,gamesmakeallegorithms.Thesignspointtonumbers,thenumberstoalgorithms,thealgorithmstoallegorithmsofeverydaylifeingamespace,wheresignslike
wisearedevalued,arbitrary,butcanstillstandasallegoriesoftheonethingthatstillmakessense,forthelogicofthedigital.042.Allegorybecomesadoublerelation:ontheoneside,thereistherelationofgamertoalgorithminthegame,itsallegorit
hm;ontheother,thereistherelationofallegorithmtoeverydaylifeingamespace.Inrelationtogamespace,thegameitselfworksasanescapefromtheagonyofeverydaylife,wherethestakesarerealanduncertain,totheunrealstakesofapuregame.Butthe
gamecanalsoworkasacritique,inturn,oftheunrealityofthestakesofgamespaceitself.WhenSimsdevoteesassignvaluestonon-existentfurniture,trulytheideaofeconomic'utility'haslostallmeaning.Thegamecanalsoworkasanatopia,whereplayi
sfreefromwork,fromnecessity,fromseriousness,frommorality.KillyourSims,ifyouwantto.Playherehasnolawbutthealgorithm.Andyetthereisatensionbetweenthegameandgamespace.Therelationbetweenthemisatonceanaloganddigital,bothacon
tinuumandasharpbreak.Thegamerstrugglestomakeofthegameaseparateworld,forescape,forcritique,foratopianplay,andyetgamespaceinsinuatesitselfintothegame.043.Startover:BenjaminbeginsasaBetaTester,becomesaHacker,andfinallyaG
ameDesigner.AfterthatyouaresupposedtoleveluptoVentureCapitalistthenfinallyInformationOverlord.Butsomethinggoeswrongalongtheway.Benjamin'sgamedesigncompanygoesbroke.Thewholeindustryisconsolidating.SoBenjamingoestoworkf