Comments on: The Tamagotchi effect http://www.starchamber.com/2003/12/the-tamagotchi-effect.html Ned Gulley's Blog. Resident buzzwords: synthetic biology, ambient displays, swarm robotics, wise crowds. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:51:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Ned http://www.starchamber.com/2003/12/the-tamagotchi-effect.html#comment-408 Ned Tue, 30 Dec 2003 04:49:09 +0000 http://starchamber.com/?p=749#comment-408 I think pretty soon we'll stop worrying so much about whether things are "real" or not. If you can get attached to a pet store turtle (like I was back in third grade), it's easy to see the appeal of Sims characters. I think pretty soon we’ll stop worrying so much about whether things are “real” or not. If you can get attached to a pet store turtle (like I was back in third grade), it’s easy to see the appeal of Sims characters.

]]> By: the New Poe http://www.starchamber.com/2003/12/the-tamagotchi-effect.html#comment-407 the New Poe Fri, 26 Dec 2003 12:19:46 +0000 http://starchamber.com/?p=749#comment-407 I have discovered a similarly strange fascination for artificially intelligent devices, especially cyber-pets and personalities such as can be found in the Creatures games developed by Cyberlife, Pokemon by Nintendo, and any of the Sim games from Maxis and Electronic Arts. Why? I know that with the push of a button I can eliminate or alter these electronically created beings of binary data. In the material reality of our existence, they are not. Yet, I cannot prevent myself from becoming emotionally attached to them and caring for them. Like a little godling in training, I continue to let them fill the screen and live out their two-dimensional lives. Is this a way for the parental instinct within us to be expressed? What do we get from these simulations on both the psychological and physiological levels that prevents us from pulling the plug and simply ending the whole wretched game? R:-) I have discovered a similarly strange fascination for artificially intelligent devices, especially cyber-pets and personalities such as can be found in the Creatures games developed by Cyberlife, Pokemon by Nintendo, and any of the Sim games from Maxis and Electronic Arts. Why?

I know that with the push of a button I can eliminate or alter these electronically created beings of binary data. In the material reality of our existence, they are not. Yet, I cannot prevent myself from becoming emotionally attached to them and caring for them. Like a little godling in training, I continue to let them fill the screen and live out their two-dimensional lives.

Is this a way for the parental instinct within us to be expressed? What do we get from these simulations on both the psychological and physiological levels that prevents us from pulling the plug and simply ending the whole wretched game?

R:-)

]]> By: Snowboard Girl http://www.starchamber.com/2003/12/the-tamagotchi-effect.html#comment-406 Snowboard Girl Fri, 12 Dec 2003 23:57:16 +0000 http://starchamber.com/?p=749#comment-406 I want one of those dogs for work. I have had in on my amazon list for ages, but no one feels the urge to buy me a $2000 dog for my office. Wah. I want one of those dogs for work. I have had in on my amazon list for ages, but no one feels the urge to buy me a $2000 dog for my office. Wah.

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