Topic Issue #2

objets de jeu, vie et l´art!

The Ludic Society Chapters represent

an international association of artists,
game practitioners and theorists who seek
to provoke a new artistic re/search
discipline, which is best addressed as
'ludics' (Ludistik).

The re/search methodologies proposed

are anticipative, all members are active
in game development, theory and arts.
They are defining their art works as play
investigations. The proposed and used
methodologies consist of a growing
series of art games in real world sites
and performative formats. Its objectives
are play objects, developed by the
individual members of the group as well
as papers by socialites. The mis en
scène of society affiliates and objets de
jeu et vie are keywords in this trajectory.

Ludic Society affiliates February 2006:

Mr. Ministeck, Ernst Strouhal, DJ Glow,
Mathias Fuchs, P.M. Ong, Maia Engeli,
Eward Castronova, Marina Grzinic,
Beat Suter, Doris C. Rusch, Julia
Tabakhova, maxOh_, Wolfgang Fiel,
F.E. Rakuschan, Gordan Savicic, René
Bauer, Cynthia Haynes, Mike Phillips.

Ludic Society Magazine #2

www.ludic-society.net
Editors: Jahrmann/ Moswitzer
Number 6: my life is my own. Vienna Zurich 2006
“The Prisoner”, Patrick McGoohan, 1967 Printed by Remaprint.
Translation (4-5/13/23) Aileen Derieg
Graphics: Max Moswitzer
ISBN 3-902389-01-X

The Ludic Society Magazine is published as a periodical with international submissions

of ludic society affiliates to jouissance=enjoyment and jeu=play.
GoApe Issue #2 Feb 06

Riding the ´patabike: Ich spiele Leben

Marguerite Charmante

Ich spiele mit der Zeit, ich hab genug davon.

Ich spiele mit der Macht, wer will das schon.
Ich spiele mit Musik, ich spiele jeden Ton, ich spiele Leben.
Hansi Lang (1984)

In a sloping spiral curve the historic ´pataphysical bike rule arrogates breaking the rules itself, a concept ex-
breaks into pieces. Instead of dumping it in the trash emplarily exercised in GTA San Andreas as a seminal
can of art history, it can be recycled and poetically life model. To the ´patabiker in GTA, the monowheel
circuit bent. As an absurd forerunner of the bi-cycle, appears as the most desirable vehicle to be driven.
the monowheel appears to represent in itself an icon Just as in standard real life it can be significantly more
for imaginary solutions. Number 6, the first para- easily obtained by cheats. If following the hereby
digmatic prisoner trapped on an informatic island, is opened potential pata-spiral of retorsion thinking,
himself a bachelor and identified by the vélocipède where each step grounds the power of the next one,
batch. The nouvelle société ludique investigates new the rules of pure observation of games, as common in
bachelor machines again, but now these are over- ludology and narratology, are broken in ludics like a
clocked into living machines. The mise en scène of stiff bike frame (Jarry's cadre) in a race.
these play objects in life defines the line of ludics as a
process of inquiry, as a game, a discipline based on Sometimes stiffness is desired, as in certain moments
arts real play and scholarship. in life or in the play with bachelor machines or in the
focus of ´pataphysics on the production of texts and GTA: Monocycle Mod, Blues The Squirrel, 2005
Riding the new monowheel with a firm grip but not other objects of attention, although very playful ones,
thwarted in artistic passion helps to overcome the if you think of the low-techly appealing pataphon. But
more célibataire, acts more self-sufficient, rotates like were risking their life forced by monetary and survival
frame of the bike, the stiff ´cadre´ of the bicycle, which if the passion of Jesus is considered as an uphill
a millwheel for music and makes the socialite even demands, but presented and mediated as proud
became the epiphenomenon of a simple model of a bicycle race, each passion ride must be taken with a
more attractive when playing with it. These are objets players, real gamers with nothing to lose, who enjoy
technical machine in time. Alfred Jarry (1898) was firm grip! The nouvelle ´pataphysicienne Rose Selavy
célibataires, sisters are doing it for themselves! the work and their exploitation and develop a
framing his mindset by the bike of the time. Now the takes white to play and win, du(cha)mps the atomic
competitive sport out of it by hanging in the wires of
jeune ´pataphysicienne rides a monowheel, orga- elements of the crashed ´patabike finally for a self-
In “the logics of the imaginative” Roger Caillois (1973) the bridge, as skywalkers without any safety net.
nises her affiliates hells' angel like in chapters and sufficiently rotating monowheel, and then stitches
suggests the mollusc as soft conception model, which Following Roger Caillois' game classifications again,
acts as penseuse maudite, as wicked severe thinker, glitches together on a ludic bread board. The ludic
is obviously an adequate frame of expérience for the the competition is one of the oldest and most
a bon mot which Deleuze originally had attributed to socialites of the known Ludic Society Chapter Vienna
hereby proposed proceedings of ludics (Ludistik). The fundamental types of play. Ilinx, getting ill by the bodily
Nietzsche (1965). This discourse-theoretical framing (Jahrmann/ Moswitzer/ Savicic), actually involved in a
mollusc mood styled smooth new objets célibataires experience, is the second fundamental one, and both
drives closer towards Nietzsche's vibrant dictum of a new series of objets célibataires, call their
trigger electronic and ´pataphysic poetic glitches, as a types can be applied to the real gamers on the
´gay science´ in playful formats as aphorisms processing drawings and later also
followup series of the ludic society gamebased search Brooklyn Bridge, to the le-parkour jumpers in the
and poetry, transfered to life in Real Gaming fully dressed and equipped printed
artifacts of “GoApe-Chindogus”. Here glitch designed banlieues, to the car burners in the streets of Paris,
and Real Playing. circuit boards, ´pataboards.
means that the processing drawings for the printed Rotterdam, North Germany and GTA San Andreas.
circuits boards are curved, twisted, twirled and
The afore mentioned nouvelle ´pata- “Playing for souls. No blood, no
spiraled, which is chique but abandoned in standard In their conception as live tools for performances in
physicienne, Soeur Ubu, highlights guts, no gore - emotionally full
circuit board design, exactly because of possible club contexts the above mentioned objets célibataires
a certain social life and mediated games.” (Christian Game Dev.
electronic errors, called glitches for short. The spiral can be compared to a playful Lebensmaschine= living
art sets as a game with a Real Association, 2005) Expérience
was not only the badge of Boris Vian, also on stage in machine in the sense of Christoph Schlingensief.
Gamer contrainte, a bondage. PCB boards as “objet de jeu, de
Projex Pere Ubu concerts and at Oulipo meetings, it When he presents the re-make of the historic theater-
The concept of restraint is pur- vie et d'art” stand for emotionally
is also the PC layout for the LS objects referred to. machine animatograph, he follows in its format works
loined from the group Oulipo, charged game (re)search. The
The nouvelle societé ludique is identified by the tin- of avantgarde artists such as Lázló Moholy Nagy, who
the legendary garage for the parenthetically Fibonacci spiraled
plated circuit monowheel batch. If put on stage, it constructed with his light-space-modulator what were
potentionalities (potentates) in layouts of most of their conducting
activates the Real Game and hands it over to each of at first glance useless multi-layered spaces as stages
literature, but as ouXpo in all paths become a design element, an
us - the Real Players! for play in reality. From the ludics point of view this
other fields of life as well. Some aesthetic merit, and cause potential
new animatograph intends to be a “graphical” glitch
ludic socialites appropriated the glitches, which are merely empowered
Nouveaux exercices de style, the new lessons in machine, which engraves texts into the scene play
practice of the ouvroir in society by flexible resistors, which can be played
freestyle gaming are provided by the play of the new and its surrounding realities. This black boxed deus
chapters for self-determined lust- like a guitar! The play (=on stage as band) is a
series of objets célibataires on stage as the climax of ex machina is an effort to liberate from the pure art
oriented ´gamish´ work. To elude the play in the living machine. Cul-de-sac, the dead
their use. Gaming that takes place in the banlieue as forms, as the art form of (stage-)play. For this purpose
illusionary and overcome the illusion of end street can be exited by destroying laptop-music,
a strategy to appropriate the architecture of urban life a real play machine needs to be created, which the
an all-life life-long playing society, the contrainte is not as neo-luddite in an lud/dic act, by literally smashing
is an example of this attitude. If style is an attitude ludic socialite can compare to other play objects. The
a limitation, but an intentionally chosen poetic rule of the laptop instead of the guitar as stage performance.
(Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys, 1961) then historic Animatograph from 1896 by Robert W. Paul
play in ´Ludistik´. Sticking to the mercurial thiev- The live demonstration of rolling the potentiometer
this can be claimed for the uninsured strolling workers was conceptionalized as a machine, projecting out of
ishness as a massively Real Player authenticator soldered with hot air on the self-etched circuit board
and painters at the construction of the Brooklyn the illusionary play-worlds into the real-world stage. At
obviously constitutes the first contrainte of the hereby allegorises the ride on the monowheel. The stage tool
Bridge (which was once considered as one of the the moment of their creation experimental machines
entered distincted level of LS Real Plays. The second is still a chindogu (useless object), but starts to work
technical wonders of the potency of engineers), who of this kind were useless art projects, a sort of visual

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 The End of Childhood
P.M. Ong

“I would agree with the experience that we are mean- attempts invariably end in the halls of Doom, which
while treated like game figures. Every morning at work provides a good philosophical model of the real world.
we can observe that the game rules change and we How do those children, who are actually allowed to
always have to be someone else. Sometimes Super- play, deal with it?
Mario, sometimes PacMan, sometimes a turtle, some-
times a frog, sometimes a lemming or a number. We As is well know, at only 150 - 200 years old, childhood
are constantly transforming ourselves and yet are no is a relatively recent invention in comparison with
longer ever liberated. The games of today have actu- “reason” or even “soul”. This period was established
ally long since become the realization of what Daniel to free the child from the battle for survival. Children
Paul Schreber describes in his “Memoirs of My Mental should be allowed to play during this time, which was
Illness”. There are closed systems that we cannot a cleared space: a lacuna and a laboratory before
understand, that we must always model improvisatio- learning to read and write. “Childhood” as a period of
nally, because we are suddenly in the middle of them, respite has now been sacrificed to the absolute
rooms in which new monsters repeatedly appear out MMPRG reality. There are discussions about starting
of nothingness, people that turn into corpses or even children in school at the age of 2 or 3. Parallel to this,

French monowheel: Design of M. Gauthier. 1881

animals, endless hallways, and with Schreber [1] we children have been connected to the game for some
find ourselves wondering: “How do we know whether time already, to the competitive programs from
the moon is still shining outside?” Schreber’s influ- swimming to ballet. The period of respite is slowly
ences are fading, there are increasingly adapted being rescinded.
game worlds, which is regrettable, and yet we can live
out our phantasms today, knowing that we have a Playing has always been a way of differentiating one
space that can be defined and ultimately shaped, and self, of generating reality. How do children and ado-
this mental space, this space of possibilities cannot be lescents differentiate themselves now, if grown-ups
extinguished. Finally, the extension of virtuality is con- play too? Is “child’s play” a solution, or will children no
stantly changing us, and the question arises as to longer even want to play in the future?
whether we have not long found ourselves in other
worlds than Baudrillard, who must still recognize the Baudrillard summarized the concept of play as
concept of reality like Allegra Geller from eXistenZ. follows: “This is the basis of all pleasure. The game
The reality-virtuality difference has probably become does not liberate us from coercition (since we accept
a game from the rubbish bin, a cartridge that is un- the – much stricter – rules), but rather from freedom.
theremins playing with the promises of technologies. The Mechanical Bride (1951). So the one who eludes fortunately still running on several billion people.” We lose freedom when we only live it as reality.” [4]
The synthesizer, the vocoder or the very convincing the conception of the chess player Marcel Duchamp (René Bauer) The old game concept – which Baudrillard appends
supersecretary voder of the 1940s Bell Laboratories and his dark chocolate (German: Herrenschokolade) here – was always also a space of tabula rasa, the
were all such projectory objects of bachelors, which mill, is the self-proclaimed new mechanical bride, the The collapse of Real Communism was an (earth-) final utopia of our society, a space where one can al-
we would consider today as circuit bending machines. charming Skype mistress who rides ´pataboards just Quake, which also had an impact in the realm of ways start over, where everyone starts with the same
Especially the voder as a speech synthesizing object by social engineering for a new game, for a new life! games, the effects of which are still measurable. With conditions. The old game concept is ultimately an
incorporates the direct use of the typewriter as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the world became boundless ideal utopia of a just world, in which everyone has the
listening aid (Röller 2005) and live audio tool, which References: and could thus be (virtually) shaped. Since then we same opportunities.
replaces the often sexually connotated secretary. In Alfred Jarry. 1898. The passion of Jesus considered human beings have been living as constructs on a
an act of variantology, understood as relationship as an uphill bicycle race. Paris rolling Marble Madness ball. The game of two utopias But the absolute game goes on, colonizing more and
between norm and deviation, the ludic synthesizer will Roger Caillois. 1961. Man, Play, and Games. Illiniois turned into a monocausal system is connected by a more parts of the game concept: the XBox 2 frame-
be driven by a spiralcurved poetic objet célibataire. Ibid.: 1973. Der Krake. Logik des Imaginativen. München worldwide network of communication. It is an absolute work offers possibilities for buying additional gadgets.
The vocoder made its way onto the stage of fiction GTA, Grand Theft Auto. 2005. Monowheel Cheats. system, a game that demands everything from each It is only a small step from the color of a car to a better
technologies, especially with artists as George Clinton http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=526 of its players and where getting out is impossible. As motor, but for the game concept it signifies a radical
and Parliament, with Bootsy and Sun Ra, in short the Gilles Deleuze. 1965. Nietzsche. Aujourd´hui. Paris consolation, there are still the games in the game. shift, a monetarization. The children will learn quickly.
afrofuturist fiction strain in music. Christoph Schlingensief. 2006. Area7. Burg. Wien There you can do whatever you want.
Werner Nekes. 2004. Media Magica. Mühlheim And for the rest of the players? Do today’s games still
Another Real Player, the ordinary female switchboard A.Crimi, The supersecretary of the future: the vocoder This is the world we wake up in every day. The rules liberate us from the rules of reality? Or is it not the old
operator, nowadays plays with micro circuit connec- (from Life). In: From Memex to Hypertext, 1991. of this absolute game are: “work, consume, buy, die” rules, long familiar from reality, which permeate the
tions on stage. She demonstrates the continuation of Nils Röller, The Typewriter as LISTENING AID. In: S. [2]. It means keeping the body going, earning a living, games? The games of today are perfect replicas of
avant-garde techniques as cut-up, collage and auto- Zielinski, S. Wagnermaier. Variantology 1. Köln 2005 working and consuming. We no longer wake up as their reality; they are abstract philosophies of our
matic writing (William S. Borroughs). To envision this Michel Carrouges. 1976. Machines Célibataires. Paris bugs, as in Kafka’s Metamorphosis, more likely as society: whether being “chased” as a single player
live gig, please call up your mental images of Marshall McLuhan. 1951. The Mechanical Bride. N. Y. SuperMarios, LaraCrofts or as our own Sims [3]. We with Doom or with GTA, they all play with the same
Godard´s Alphaville (1964) or of the Anti-Pop Consor- Pere Ubu. http://www.ubuprojex.net (10.1.2006) are in a world of game figures, in which we have competitive mindset, thus continuing the Real World
tium´s Perpendicular/Vector clip (2002), where the Breadboard, early form of point-to-point construction already turned ourselves into our own role-plays with and, even more tragically, distorting it slightly. They
switchboard girl is incorporated as an icon. “The girls http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Breadboard (12.1. 2006) our self-imposed rules. The absolute game that some generate no anti-world, against reality emerges. The
who get the calls, the girls who get the rings, are those Reck/Szeemann.1999.Junggesellenmaschinen. Wien call reality is a massive role-play that projects a million games are thus a flight into a radicalized everyday
who are in the know (...when it comes to caring for Ralph Sonny Barger. 2004. Hell´s Angels. Hamburg co-players onto the skin of every one of us, and it is a life, waking up in the same nightmare. We live in a
their clothes).” Advertisement quoted by McLuhan, Thomas Pynchon. 1984. Is it OK to be a Luddite? N.Y. game of “every man/woman for themselves”. Escape system, in which avatars incessantly assert that we all
4
3

Two Table Conversations

From the Archives of the Collège de
Pataphysique: Lemma “Art and Play”
Ernst Strouhal

OuLiPo (L’Ouvroir de Littérature Potentielle) –

Laboratory for Potential Literature.
Beginning in 1960 programmatically devoted to a
rational aesthetic of the playful-combinatory
experiment. Gradual expansion of the fields of
activity to OuArtPo and Ou-x-Po, in other words to
all human activities. See: Raymond Queneau, writer,
Francois Le Lionnais, mathematician, diplomat,
chess champion and author.

It is a little known fact that two old friends met at the

opening of the exhibition “Through the Big End of the
Opera Glass”, to which Marcel Duchamp contributed been trying to find a solution for a week, and you
a memorable invitation card, on 7 December 1943: the know that I’m no novice.
Oulipian François Le Lionnais and Marcel Duchamp, MD: Yes, yes, I know, we’ve played together often
an Oulipian by anticipation. Theodor W. Adorno, just enough. Well, there was a little room left. But if a
turned 40, and Raymond Roussel (+ 10) were seated problem exists, then there is a solution. (hesitatingly)
at the next table. Robert Musil strolled through the Something like this: “There is no problem, because
gallery rehearsing an old diary entry about mathe- there is no solution.” Or wait: “There is no solution,
matical people. Ernst Strouhal (St. Geneviève/Vienna) because there is no problem”, that’s it, but I have
has transcribed the table conversations in the archive forgotten the context. I think it had to do with art. Art,
of the Collège, added brief transitions and slightly oh well. But (laughs) you like those kinds of
abridged the text. endgames, don’t you?
FL: Yes, one could wax poetic about that. Listen, this
Table 1: was published this year in Stockholm. (Lionnais
Marcel Duchamp (MD): I did what I had to do, but I reads): „Mechanical in operation yet effective only
hate openings. Exhibitions are simply dreadful. through the imagination; bounded in geometric
François Le Lionnais (FL): You especially took the space though boundless in its combinations; ever
trouble to come here, Marcel. developing yet sterile; thought that leads to nothing;
MD: Yes, I especially took the trouble to come here mathematics that produce no result; art without
... works; architecture without substance.“ One ought to
FL: ... well, you’ve apparently become reasonable? invent something like this for language itself. My idea
MD: Yes, I have become reasonable, I fit in. But I would be to find combinations that have not yet
hardly paint any more. occurred in the probability calculation of thousands
of years of linguistic history, combinations that would
Table 2: influence the vibrations of the entire network once
Theodor W. Adorno (TWA): The appropriate stance they were placed in even the most trivial position.
of art, I tell you, would be with closed eyes and MD: More of a Cartesian exercise that helps one to
gritted teeth. With closed eyes and gritted teeth. repeat as little as possible. I want to place painting at
Raymond Roussel (RR, closes his eyes): Eyes, the service of the mind once again (at the next table
gritted teeth. Disorderly mound of words and teeth. Adorno looks around when he hears the word “
play our whole lives long. It can be observed, how- consequences. Schreber integrated the most The dove, formed from magnificently white teeth, mind“ ). Indeed, creating retinal emotion, the retinal
ever, that the scope of the individual is becoming recent insights of his day into genetics, theory of was depicted in graceful and rapid flight; root of the shiver is only a partial idea next to other functions
more and more constrained, and playing is in- thinking etc. to construct a whole. tooth here a red feather on a dark hat, there a broad that painting has once had and could have. I wanted
creasingly something that one must be able to afford. [2] Wikipedia, The Designers Republic: purple mantle closed with gold fillings. to get away from the physical aspect of painting. I
[3] Weder, Mirjam, “Wir sind was wir kontrollieren”: was interested in ideas, not just visual products.
[1] Schreber, Daniel Paul, Denkwürdigkeiten eines [4] Baudrillard, Jean, Der unmögliche Tausch, Merve Table 1: FL: Before we met twenty years ago, I was
Nervenkranken, Ullstein 1982 (English translation: Verlag Berlin, 2000, p. 93/94. MD: The milieu (he lights a cigar), the milieu of acquainted with Tzara and Picabia , and I was a
Memoirs of My Mental Illness). chess-players is far more symathetic than that of Dadaist, when I began studying mathematics in
In this book Daniel Schreber, son of the inventor artists. These people are completely cloudy, Strasbourg, ...
of the Schrebergarten (allotment garden), Peter Maria Ong is an expert in corporate culture completely blind, wearing blinkers. Madmen of a MD (laughs): ... but you played more chess than art.
described his everyday life and mental world development in Munich and Zurich. He works for an certain quality, the way the artist is supposed to be, FL: True. But maybe there is not that much of a
during his stays in a mental hospital, developing international consultant firm that is especially active in and isn’t in general. difference. When I meet you in seventeen years and
his own mental system that partially rationalized the field of media analyses. At the moment he is FL: You’re telling me! But Marcel, what have you I tell you about Oulipo, you will be interested. Like in
delusional experiences. This resulted in a closed working on a commissioned internal study on the done now? Bourbaki and Poincaré, that I translated for you.
and stringent system of assumptions, rules and future of the production practices in game industries. MD: What do mean, what have I done? MD: Maybe, I will be polite, but I won’t become a
FL: The invitation card with the chess problem. I’ve member.
6
5
 a thousand times over, what is immanent is a complete also needs spirit, you have to turn yourself upside
surrender and passion. Mathematics is the brave down. (Roussel climbs onto the chair and stands on
luxury of pure rationality, one of the few that exists his head. The invitation card falls out of his pocket
today. (Musil takes a big gulp) onto the floor.)

We bawl for feeling instead of intellect and forget that Table 1:

feeling without it is a thing as fat as a pug. With it we FL: Look at that, Marcel, Roussel is standing on his
have ruined our art of poetry to the extent that after head, that is improbable. First of all, he doesn’t
reading two German novels one after the other, one understand German, secondly he has been dead
must resolve an integral just to lose weight. And as far for ten years.
as art is concerned, I tell you, we are the first age that MD: Well, you can say what you like, François:
cannot love its poets. The goal has long since become things like that may be rare, but they happen, not
mathematical thinking. With its ambitions, it provisionally often, but they do occur. (There is a moment of
limits itself to the exclusively rational and scientific. silence. Suddenly Roussel shouts:)
But believe me, this reason is devouring everything in RR: King to e3! I say: King to e3!
its path, and as soon as it has seized feeling, it will (Everyone looks at Roussel. MD lowers his cigar in
Diagram “Opposition und Schwesterfelder”, Duchamp und Halberstadt, Paris/ Bruxelles 1932 become spirit. (TWA looks over from the next table) astonishment, FL smiles in disbelief, TWA
Taking this step is the task of poets. For this step they impatiently shrugs, RM mumbles on)
At the next table: FL: Every artistic activity is a game, yet not a need not learn any new method – psychology, for
TWA: ... so I say, the appropriate stance of art would senseless action, but rather as a system of playful pity’s sake, or anything like that – but only ambitions. Quotations from:
be with closed eyes and gritted teeth. The most exchange between author and reader. Both share Precision is the sense of possibility. Precision. (Musil Theodor W. Adorno: Voraussetzungen. In: Noten zur
important thing is asceticism, asceticism against the rules – their silence and their solitude. falls silent, but his lips continue to move) Literatur. Frankfurt/M. 1994
meaning, meaning expresses the art work through MD: Yes, a school of silence, it’s wonderful for that. Ibid.: Ästhetische Theorie. Frankfurt/M. 1975
asceticism against meaning. But this most recent All future effort will be to invent, in reaction to what is Table 1: Heiner Boehncke, Bernd Kuhne: Anstiftung zur
de-arting of art! going on now, silence, slowness and solitude. MD: Who was that? Poesie. Oulipo – Theorie und Praxis der Werkstatt
RR (is silent) FL: Perhaps a distinction should be made between FL: Oh, a philosopher from Austria, I think his name für potentielle Literatur. Bremen 1993
TWA: Do you see, in the concept of art, play is the inventing and discovering. Some rummage through is Wittgenstein. Pierre Cabanne: Dialogues with M. Duchamp. London 1971
moment through which it is elevated above the the literature that has already been written, and MD: Ah, philosophy, oh well. All this nonsense about N. Gogol: Die Nase. In: Meistererzählungen. Zürich 1959
immediacy of practice and its purposes. But art that others invent new techniques. One devotes himself the existence of God, atheism, determinism, those Helmut Heißenbüttel: Konkrete Poesie heute? – In:
seeks its salvation in play defects to sport. And to discovery, the other to invention. Both are pieces of a chess game called language, and Protokolle (1/1978)
sport, well, you don’t know me, and works of art as complement each other very well. they are only amusing as long as one is not too Marc Lapprand: Poètique de Oulipo. Amsterdam 1998
puzzles? You must admit, works that are wholly concerned about winning or losing this chess match. François Le Lionnais: Marcel Duchamp as a chess
comprehensible through observation and thought, Table 2: Everything is dubious, I doubt myself, I doubt player and one or two related matters. François Le
are none at all. That would be arbitrary, meaningless TWA: ... this most recent de-arting of art. It everything. I will remain a nominalist. Lionnais interviewed by Ralph Rumney. In: Studio
acrobatics, word acrobatics, image and sound surreptitiously makes use of the element of play at FL: And art? International (189/973), London 1975.
artistry, without spirit. the expense of all others. Play is indeed regressive MD: I’m afraid, François, I am an agnostic in art. I S.Mallarmé: Sämtliche Dichtungen. Heidelberg 1957
RR: Without spirit. Maybe writing a book about as well, disciplinary from the start, coercion to what don’t believe in it with all its mystical embellishments. Robert Musil: Der mathematische Mensch. In:
nothing, a book without external relationships. is eternally the same. Where art thoroughly plays, As a drug it is probably quite useful for a number of Tagebücher, Aphorismen, Essays und Reden. Ed.
there is nothing left of expression! people, very soothing, but as a religion it is not even Adolf Frisé. Hamburg 1955
Table 1: RR: I am sorry, monsieur, but first of all I don’t as good as God. Art is a mirage, a little trick. But it is Raymond Roussel: Locus Solus. Frankfurt 1983
FL: In any case, you are a conformist in play. It is understand German, and secondly I have been dead at this very point that the artist comes into play. S. Stauffer: Marcel Duchamp. Ready made. Zürich 1973
easy in science, if one is a Newton, Einstein or for ten years. FL: The same is true for poetry, but one should be Ibid.: Marcel Duchamp. Interviews und Statements.
Galileo. If one is an Einstein, one can contradict (TWA obliviously continues to speak) careful. Some say that what I mean is a linguistic Stuttgart 1992
Newton, if one is a Galileo then everyone, but machine, reducible to a program based on a Stefan Zweig: Schachnovelle. Fischer Taschenbuch
otherwise it is better to remain a conformist in play. Between the tables: mathematical algorithm. Yet I do not deny inspiration Verlag. Frankfurt/M. 1975
MD: It was the artistic aspect of game that interested Robert Musil (walks through the room with a glass of as a source of literary creativity at all. Every literary
me. Objectivly a game of chess looks very much like whiskey in his hand): Mathematics, and I should know, is work emerges from an inspiration, that is what the Dr. Ernst Strouhal lives and works in Vienna,
a pen-and-ink drawing, with the difference, however, the triumph of mental organization. That is the old author maintains in any case, which must somehow University of Applied Arts and Design. Publications on
that the chess player paints with black and white secured highway exposed to the weather and the comply with a whole series of form constraints and games and aesthetics. Selection: Duchamps Spiel
forms already prepared instead of inventing forms as danger of bandits replaced by sleeping car railways. methods that fit inside one another like Russian (1994), acht x acht (1996), Luftmenschen (1998, with
does the artist. The chess player experiences a Mathematics is the economy of thinking. However, it is dolls. I am not in line to use the good services of the M. Ehn), Kempelen - Zwei Maschinen (2004, with B.
combination of two aestetic pleasures: the abstrac- only when one does not look for external utilization, but data processing machines for this as well. Felderer), Arnold Schönberg - Dodekaphonie und
tion of the depiction and the sensual completion of within mathematics itself at the relationship of the Spielekonstruktionen (2004).
the depiction on the chess board. unused parts, only then does one see the other and Table 2:
FL: Aside from that, the images have the advantage true face of this science. It is not purposeful, but rather TWA: Did you hear that? Data processing!
of destroying themselves move for move, in the end uneconomical and passionate ... Administered world, or just as bad: jazz, mechanical
all the figures are placed on the board again. Some marching music, play, blind collectivity. More and
accuse modern mathematics of being nothing more Those are immeasurable fields that are only there for more, we are becoming automaton shepherds, I tell
than a game with signs. the mathematician: a tremendous web of nerves has you, but that, I must admit, is from Günther Anders.
MD: One automatically ends up disastrously close to assembled around the starting points of only a few Play is anything but freedom. It is the replica of
geometry and mathematics, but I had the idea that muscles. Somewhere inside, the mathematician is unfree labor, but the point is sensuousness and
life would be more interesting, more of a game, if the working and his windows do not look outside, but into rationality, do you hear me, eros and insight. A poet
laws of physics and chemistry could be extended. the neighboring spaces. Even if the effect is economy
7 8

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, Atari & The Collective, 2006

Catch me if you can! (part2)

Beat Suter

Graffiti in virtual reality?

Does virtual tagging equal real tagging?
Or is it just an aesthetic fluke?

since graffiti and hiphop have an abundant influence france, africa, australia or mexico indicate that graffiti
on videogames and film these days, it is hard to find is a valuable cultural expression with narrative and
the right starting point where graffiti and videogames iconic value and may have been around as long as
had their initial and prolific encounter. to find it we may human language.
have to move back to the eighties and need to take a
closer look at the art of the cracker intro, best descri- the history of the so called demoscene goes back to
bed as part demo, part graffiti. intros are the anima- the early 80s. there were no gigahertz-computers or
tions which appear at the start-up of a cracked video powerful 3D graphics cards. the commodore 64 had
game. these short artsy projects are designed to just appeared in the stores. and it all started with
showcase the cracker’s talent much in a way as the pirated copies of games. since the pirates or hackers
graffiti pieces are meant to show talent and fame of a wanted everyone to know who had cracked the
writer. “intro makers want to be seen, and want to software, they added short intros to the cracked
belong to something”, explains Linus Walleij, member games. this turned out to be a difficult task. there was
of the legendary Swedish C64-demo crew triad. and not much room left for an intro and the computer did
“just like graffiti writers, intro makers live under the not feature very elaborate graphics capabilities. but
impression of being a part of something much bigger there was this urge to show off one´s own skills. An
that has been around for ages.” [1] and indeed, intro had to look great. And the intros did look good,
signatures, inscriptions and graffiti have been around most of them featured better graphics than the pirated
for a very long time. and they may be part of some- programmes they were feeding on. What the crackers
“Die Konsole ist müde”, Simon Brühlmann, 2005 thing bigger; the cave paintings of our ancestors in were doing was art.

10
by now the wilder years have gone. today we don’t writers are playing catch with the representatives of real-time rendering. this means the visual and auditive citizens who are about to terminate his assignments.
have to to look for pirated copies of games to see the law, the police, use main traffic arteries as carriers design is re-created right on the spot for the viewer. does this mean writers now can stay home and do
intros. intros have become demos. they are free of of their art, they are feeding on speed, on movement much like a graffiti which would write itself on the wall their art in a videogame rather than roaming through
charge. they can be downloaded from the internet. by trains, cars, pedestrians. when you look at the wall. or from the perspective of the train yards at night? the answer is no, the “getting
they can be found on digital fairs, in galleries and a passerby like a graffiti that all of a sudden appears up” game by graffiti artist mark ecko doesn’t allow you
sometimes even in museums. they are free art for catch me, if you can. in front of you when your train leaves the tunnel. to develop a own style, and since it is a single player
everyone. and they can be quite impressive art works. they are a rebellion of signs in the urban semiotic game it does’t allow you to spread your fame. the
over the years the demoscene has kept up with the landscape.[2] now i am gone, now, i am here! they are lately, we have seen a shift from abstract use of graffiti game features styles of 60 known graffiti artists but
pace of the technological development of computers. playing with visibility and invisibility, they are a filter, to as a programme to the concrete use of graffiti as a doesn’t allow any alterations or new styles.
today there are demos for any operating system and see a city differently with. they are layers on top of gameplay enhancement. in grand theft auto san
any hardware, there are demos for consoles, for the other layers (of text and symbols and pictures). They andreas at some point the player gets an aerosol can then, you don’t need to buy a playstation game to
gameboy, even for mobile phones. since it is about are defacing walls and houses and trains and buses, and the assignment to roam through town and cover experience the graffiti groove, you might as well try a
the technical challenge there is no place the demo- deconstructing urban structures - and at the same up as many tags by a rival gang as possible. this multiuser flash application like playdo graffiti [6]. there
scene would not go. time they try to aestheticize themselves.[3] a graffiti becomes a difficult task when the player enters the you can practise your style in different rooms and
has to show a certain kind of quality, mastery, other- home-turf of the rival gang. and the police does not even experience real-time battle for territory and style
graffiti makers are writers. their material: the letters of wise it gets defaced by the next crew. only an ela- like the tagging either. since graffiti is real-gaming at with your fellow taggers. a first hand experience of
their artist-name. they go out in public spaces, deface borate style amasses enough reputation to be left its best, a bit of real-gaming becomes part of this immediate defacement and hostility might prepare
a wall or bomb a train with their spray-colors. there is alone and admired by the other crews. A signature is videogame. and you may have guessed it: a typical you for the real stuff out in the urban jungle.
no place they would not consider for tagging. their not enough, an iconic evolution, a distinct and inde- gta-highlight of the tagging-assignment is the option
territory is the urban landscape with all its glorious pendent design is needed for lettering, icons, back- to abuse an aresol can and use it as a weapon; you
and lost corners. they have tagged and made pieces grounds and additional elements like characters.[4] can spray paint in people’s faces and render them [1] Interview with Linus Walleji (TRIAD) by Cory
suspended from bridges and high buildings with the defenseless. oh yes - and you get four more weapons Arcangel (BEIGE):
means of mountaineering gear, they have tagged right It is somewhat the same with the intros. they put a if you successfully finish the graffiti mission. http://rhizome.org/print.rhiz?3248 (08.09.2005).
next to high-speed train-lines and in freeway under- signature on a videogame which can be more ela- [2] Suter, Beat: Graffiti - Rebellion der Zeichen.
passes. they have tagged while in constant danger of borate than the game. the intro shows skills of in december 2004 four teens from greensburgh Frankfurt a. M.: R.G. Fischer Verlag 1988.
getting caught by armed security and police. their mastery in programming and in graphics art. the game (pennsylvania) had been charged with “institutional [3] Suter, Beat and Sigi von Koeding: Swiss Graffiti -
names on the walls mean fame. the names however is hacked but not destroyed. intros are a viral addition vandalism, criminal conspiracy, criminal mischief and Graffiti aus der Schweiz. Moers: Edition Aragon 1998.
are coded and do not just lead to their homes. to the game much as graffiti are to the urban land- desecration of venerated objects”. they were claiming [4] Brozman, Dschen, Suter: Anarchie und Aerosol.
scape. intros show a good understanding of aes- to have received the inspiration from gta san andreas. Wettingen: Beluga Verlag 1995.
the intro makers are writers too, only they need to rip thetics, they show a different approach to design and the teens spray painted the initials “GKU” (standing [5] Castleman, Craig: Getting Up: Subway Graffiti in
the videogame and write their own code into the form a new style much as graffiti do. the distribution of for Gang Kids United) on more than a dozen New York. Cambridge (MA) and London: MIT
programme. the 80ies scene mostly reworked the the work however is different. since a single disc had buildings. even if this was just an excuse it shows how Press 1982.
logos and preferred to work with letters and words. to be altered the work was only distributed in the intertwined real-gaming and virtual gaming can [6] Playdo Graffiti: http://graffiti.playdo.com/
quite often the shapes of the logos and letterings crackers community and much unlike the heavily become since the kids knew exactly that their (08.09.2005).
come very close to graffiti letterings. and where the discussed graffiti didn’t find any response in the statement was a winner in their game with the
graffiti’s purpose is to be transported through the city mainstream public. represenatives of the law and it was able to extend Beat Suter; lecturer for Game Design, Interaction
via traffic stream the logos and letterings of the intros the whole matter into a new sphere where the law Design and Creative Writing at the Arts Academy in
themselves hover and move at a certain speed across what is left of the intros today? are the demos just an people are unsure about effects and consequences. Zürich; Publisher of the digitale literature series
the screen. aestheticist version of the intros? what are demos “Edition Cyberfiction”; Member of the NetArt group
about? a demo is not a hack anymore, since there is the game “getting up” (using the title of c. castleman’s AND OR; Publications on digital literature, essays on
catch me, if you can. no game or software altered. demos start from the famous book on graffiti from 1982 [5]) by atari (2005) Game-Art, Games, electronic writing; ludophobic with
Graffiti are hacking reality, intros are hacks of virtual scratch, they are own independent programmes or features a graffiti writer as the main protagonist of the special interest in sports games, fictional and virtu-
reality. But since writing graffiti in an urban envi- videos which take on a technological and an artistical game. trane has to throw his graffiti onto the craziest real games. Biographical information and a complete
ronment is a well used form of real gaming, intros are challenge of creating great visuals and sound effects spots in town in order to get enough fame. and he too bibliography can be found on the net at:
a form of real gaming with virtual games. graffiti with as little data as possible. this can only be done by has to face security guards, police and vigilant http://www.cyberfiction.ch/besuter/.

Pageturner by Black Maiden first seen at tUM 2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Rockstar Games, 2004 Gen, Zürich-Oerlikon, 1985 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Rockstar Games, 2004

11 12

Parcour (notes on a game video loop)

F. E. Rakuschan

The game-video discussed hereby was part of the The video loop Parcour by Margarete Jahrmann / Max
ludic society traces installation first installed at the Moswitzer is part of the installation Ludic-Society- ludic society traces
postmedia condition show at Neue Galerie Graz in Traces, presented in the exhibition Postmediale Jahrmann/ Moswitzer/ Savicic 2005/06
December 2005 and at Centro Conde Duque Madrid Kondition. It is simultaneously a trace of an investi-
in February 2006. gation in progress between art and science, which
deals with the game worlds and its implications. Inside the postmedial exhibition space, a museum circuit boards aesthetic contains elements of a
Whether we think of business warriors, top athletes or show-case, an antique vitrine from the Hofmobilien bourgeois bohemian artisanship. As bijoux they are
gamers as ego-shooter monsters – the author of a A subcultural scene arose in France almost at the Depot Vienna, provokes disapprobation! The vitrine self-sufficient, yet they are also sound-playing
commentary on the riots in the banlieues hit the nail same time as the rebellion of the neo-avant-garde evokes the reception situation of a cultural-historical performance hammers, in other words nouvelles
on the head when he said that an almost meditative against the imperative of functionalism, which appro- museum. It disturbs the clear thinking lines and con- machines célibataires, new bachelor machines. In the
immersion in aggression has long corresponded to priates the city as a game course in a way com- nections between an architecturally guided parcours vitrine arrangement they are accompanied by some
the general demands of today´s modern society. What parable with the artistic practices of dérive and dé- through former media-art-works, which allege to naked circuit boards without any functional technical
matters is how one asserts oneself in the postfordist tournement, as known from situationisme. The artists emancipate from the dark cave of intermediality. As elements, but with an ISBN number and barcode,
marketplaces. The architecture of the 60s and 70s is Jahrmann/ Moswitzer selected sequences from the objet trouvé its impudent voluptuous shape contra- demonstrating their objectiveness as a new format for
not to blame that those who have lost out in society in documentaries on the websites of Le Parkour, which dicts the line of projections in dark rooms. The text publications. They appear as system immanent
the course of subsequent waves of modernization were to show by the artistic means of “pixelation” the museum's vitrine needs a spotlight! Its high glossy explanation, similar to a Perl poetry work, at the same
express their frustration, as all the statements from interplay of games and subcultural practices. These glass top unpleasantly mirrors its surroundings, time readable when executed as technical object but
the world of experts agree. In addition to the effects of sequences are counterpointed with TV images from becomes a looking glass for objects and the ob- also working when just lying in a vitrine and not
a decrease in social solidarity and corresponding news reports on the current unrest in the Parisian servers of apparently technical objects which have activated: as language and as parole!
social policies, a problem of urban planning is also to suburbs. Displayed with the syntax of video clips, the come together in its abdomen. The baroque legs of
blame. Yet no reproach can be made to the urban work is also a reflection on identity and difference, on the presentation shelf are an instability factor, a Banlieues, the suburbs in France and elsewhere are
planners themselves, because the infrastructure that the social construction of reality between different rocaille link to the retorsion spirals shown inside, the not built for living but for playing, either with cars or
they had figured into their concept – which is always fields of visualization. crafty self-etched circuit boards made of beautiful bikes or with your own body as a game character. The
also a factor of living quality – has meanwhile simply stylish black, specially ordered circuit board material artificial freedom of interpretation allows the artist as
ceased to exist. The urban zoning that corresponded With the establishment of new technologies, the and decorative, electricity- and signal- conducting ludic socialite to add some props (adding properties,
to the linear repetitive tacts of fordist production lost “artificial” in real life has increased in live relevance. copper. The presentation set-up couples the LCD props for short, to characters is a common practice in
its significance in the processes of spatial and tem- “Second nature”, so to speak, the social organization screen for the game videoclip with the museum object massively multi-player games) to the analog video do-
poral flexibilization. The logic of the service society in as a second-order virtualization, has sprouted a third vitrine. Its readymade character is a glitch, a pro- cumentaries of the le-parkours jumpers in banlieues:
a post-geographic era generates multi dimensional, nature comprising electronic cybernetic spaces. It is voked distortion of conservatorial decisions of not yet
globally networked, often only temporary zones of the digital code-sphere, in which the global industriali- framed media and art positions. 1) a game status bar, indicating the play level
intensity. And the idiosyncratic style exercises of an zation of codes takes place in the bio and media 2) the massive re-pixelation of analog material, to give
explicitly postmodern architecture, as they emerged in spheres. The separation into illusion and reality has The baroque museum vitrine with rotating rocaille the look of a c64 game to the parcour real life clip.
the 1980s, stand for a lack of ideas about how the long since ceased to be anchored in a subject/object mussel legs historicises contemporary game worlds.
new models should be represented. Whereas the schemata of epistemology. In the display case the ludic society magazine is Craziness, obsession, and individual style are
computer has a fixed place in the development of exhibited as ludic society fanzine next to the useless indispensable features, both of the covered parcour
architecture, the impacts of an “international Disney- This text was first published in: Ed. Charlotte Pöchacker, gameplay interface objects GoApe chindogus. All the scene and of the producing artists, who are con-
world” live on in the 3D worlds of computer games. Graz 2005. Artimage. 7th biennial on media and architecture. objects are placed on red velvet. The ´patastyled structors and collectors of the displayed ludic traces.
13
14
15

Ministeck interpretation of the LS parcour video-loop, Mr. Ministeck, 2006

Just what is it that makes it so different,

so appealing?
Mister Ministeck

"I feel so immortal when I do puzzles!"

(Sophia Petrillo)

The view of people on the "lost" media seems very engines didn't deliver any useful results - for families
similar to the point of view the surrealists had when whose children had moved from the house and who
they were visiting second-hand markets for items. wanted to get rid of their toys. Once I drove 300 km to
Their way of explaining their choice for a certain buy three huge boxes of Ministeck. I was very lucky.
object was blaming the subconcious. Which leads us Every weekend I checked the second hand markets
back to Ministeck. It's not about working with the with the hope of finding more of those old Ministeck-
reality, ie. the plastic pixels, but it's about dreaming. images. But if once I had the luck and found some of
It's a bio-drug. Not the material itself of course, but the the images, before I could start making my own
state of mind it puts you in. Serious scientific research images I had to tear them apart and sort the colours.
has proven that monotony and repetition are highly My way of joining the future-conservatism and mixed-
addictive. And that's the point which makes it really media hype was the start of "miniNT" in 1999 - a call
attractive if you really want to work with it for a longer for entries. (The name referred to the latest release of
period of time. Sitting at home, doing work which Microsoft's Window which was called NT as "New
doesn't disturb your mind too much after you have Technology") " 'Everyone is an artist' the Fluxus
designed the image to do and keeps the thoughts pioneer Joseph Beuys used to say. SO: be creative!
floating endlessly in your mind. Send us any picture that pops up in your head! Use
So, who of you can remember what an Advanced graph paper or the computer or both, but consider the
Intelligent Tape is? Working in that medium meant size! MAXIMUM: 32 x 32 pixels or squares on graph
also a lot of time searching for it as it was hard to find. paper. We will transfer your sketch to Ministeck AND
So I browsed the classifieds in papers - the search to a folder-icon for the computer. Ministeck? It is a
18
sensational new technology fresh from the eighties! Ministeck wasn't produced for a while at that time,
It's plastic passion, yeah! There'll be a travelling which made it even more attractive for me. It seemed
exhibition with the pictures and free download of the like a lost technology, which was very Zeitgeist. For
folder-icons on the homepage gallery. Don't leave example the issue of Emigre by dutch design-studio
everything to the course of time: pull up your sleeves Experimmental Jetset which was called "Lost Formats
and get giddy with the help of Ministeck!" [1] Preservation Society" and listed mediums which were
about to vanish or had already passed. [2]
The term "real game" leads me to the topic:
Is ministeck, or puzzles and mosaics in general, really A major revolution was going on at these time: in the
a game? A game is considered to provide fun and an creative field it got more and more impossible to work
end which is not pre-defined. The result is clearly without a computer. The enthusiasm of the masses for
defined - at least the way I do it. Of course you could "everything goes with a computer" was reflected by a
just put one pixel after the other on the grid - like the few with a nostalgic view on what seemed to get lost
old masters of painting did - and with the method of forever. And the wish to create something new with
trial and error and tons of hope you will surely receive the outdated material and giving it the nimbus of a
an image which you had in mind, good luck! posh and glamourous technology, for example like
Obviously that is not my way of doing it, because I'm Vinylvideo which stored video images on vinyl
not immortal. records. [3] The vinyl record in general seemed to be
the number one accessoir for every mixed media-
In the days of the goldrush of the internet industry, installation of the early 90ies.
when I made an internship at now dotcom-death
Pixelpark, I realized that I did the same work I did at [1] Images of the "mini NT live" performance at
the computer also in my childhood, with Ministeck: http://www.misterministeck.com/miniNT/live Games, Rap, Rock and Reeboks
Arranging pixels on a grid. In the computer it's the grid [2] Emigre 57, Winter 2001 Mathias Fuchs
of the bitmap file, which then, in the "real world", is [3] www.vinylvideo.com
represented by the grid and the plastic bricks of If you have got the right sneakers you know who you am: Not really. It appears to me that the problem is
Ministeck. I was inspired by the musician Pinknoise Mister Ministeck Norbert Bayer is known for his are. “I am what I am.” such: If I find out, that I am Gordon Freeman, I have
who uses sounds similar to or sampled from C64 notorious pixelextravaganza and exhibiting worldwide (Mike Skinner in an advert for Reebok) to cope with pretty unpleasant situations, e.g.
games. So why not start working with images taken since 1999. Research on the 4th dimension in Marcel
from C64 games? Their colour-depth matches very Duchamp's work. URL: www.misterministeck.com If you make music, you don’t know who you are. “You are going to have to murder a lot of hostile
well with the palette of Ministeck. Modern Mosaics: www.modernmosaics.net beings in order to save the day.”
“I am he
As you are he That’s not fun anymore, if I really am Gordon. It’s
As you are me frightening, it is tedious, it is dirty, all the blood sucks
And we are all together.” and it is painful as hell. If, on the other hand, I find out,
(John Lennon in “I am the Walrus”) that I am Mathias Fuchs, controlling some Gordon
Freeman, I do not know any longer, why I spend my
If you play the game right, you know that you don’t time murdering hostile beings. There are better ways
want to know who you are. Let’s look at this: to save the day. I guess it is best not to know, who I
am. Consciously avoiding to identify with me or him,
“The basic plot of Half-Life 2 is pretty simple in allows me to float amongst viewpoints, positions and
concept, much as the first game was. You are once actions. Half-believing in being a lunatic is semi-
again Gordon Freeman.” reasonable.
(Half-Life 2 by Valve Corporation)
“You apparently lose control of your body and
Am I Gordon Freeman? Pardon me, who said so? Do viciously stab an apparently random old guy in a café
I know who I am? Maybe. Do I want to know who I toilet. As he regains control and realises what has

19 20

happened, it becomes up to you to get him out of his “You don’t wanna fuck with C
immediate fix.” (Fahrenheit by Quantic Dream, 2005) You don’t wanna fuck with me
Good fun, day saved, nobody got hurt! I can avoid the All my niggas know we live for weed and money
pain of having stabbed somebody randomly in a café Platinum and vogues on the walls of my company
toilet by being a poor version of the stabber. And Cuz TRU niggas live like motherfuckin’ G
whereas Reebok advertiser Mike Skinner states:
I make money off the words that I speak
“I never quite fitted into any scene. So I made my own. I flip a cassette like I used to flip a quarter key
It’s better to be yourself than a poor version of The rap game is like standin’ on a block
someone else”, Every tape I sell is like a motherfuckin’ dime rock
the real gamer shouts out loudly and proudly: Give me the money so you can keep the bitches
“I can fit into any conceivable scene. They don’t play no game C-Murder bout his riches.”
I am the gloriously poor version of whomever (C-Murder in “The Rap Game”)
I want to be. Halleluja!”
The “rap game” is not a videogame. Both share a
The half-belief of half-living beings from the game conflict in identity of the players, but the mode of
world differs not only from the world of corporate deception differs radically. There are 3 possible
pseudo-identities, but also from the complete modes of deception:
confusion of the game called Rock. (Not to be mixed
up with Rockstar Games ;-)) 1 - The rapper is a player, who wants to be player and
pawn at the same time.
Rock Music made us familiar with creative identity 2 - The gamer is a player who prefers to not know
challenges, where we were supposed to be them, and whether he is player or pawn
they want to be us. 3 - The consumer of life-style commodities is a pawn
who thinks that he might be the player.
Bob Dylan complained:
“I am trying so hard to be what I am, Of these three deceptions, the last one is the most
but everybody wants me to be just like them.” pathetic one.

Tragic for Mr. Dylan, but a completely symmetrical

problem, because everybody (the record industry) Mathias Fuchs
wanted us (the audience) to be like them (the rock Artist, musican, media critic. He is Programme Leader 'the microchips as a regular spice
heroes) as well. David Bowie wanted to be like the for MSc Creative Games at Salford University and
for todays kitchen'
“Common People” yet the common people dressed, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for MA
maxOh_
hair-dressed and behaved as if they were him. Creative Technology at Salford University in Manchester.
Studies in computer science and electronic music 'daKa', the microcontroller enriched with USB served – 1 stripe of tin-solder
”I want to be like common people, triggered his interest into electronic arts, especially out of an etching-pot: For today's recipe we would like – some capacitors and a not too less of resistors
I want to do what common people do. computer mediated sound generation and manipulation. to expose a new dish from the cutting edge of the – lastly, a little bit of courage and willpower
I want to be like you.” He currently works on games engines as creative fusion kitchen of maxOh_ located in Zürich. Micro
tools for performers. controller cooking recipes are a great source for Just like my mom, I cook with feeling, so my mea-
Rock musicians have an identity problem which is technical cooking. If you are looking for a different surements are all by approximations. So cook this
two-directional, they want to be like the common taste, here you will find that special flavour. Nowadays recipe according to your own feelings or preferences!
people and they think that the common people want to you can find microchips in a lot of dishes, but mostly
be like them. Sometimes they are flattered by that, they are covered by other ingredients and get lost A serving tip: Your beloved will be delighted if you
sometimes they are frightened by it, as Eminem under a diversity of competing savours. Its pure taste include some additional nice shapes to the layout of
seems to be. Uncertain of him being anything other is hidden through the industrial chain of production. To the PCB (as the ludic societie´s nouvelles machines
than his listeners he states in an interview on 30th experience the whole spectrum of this dish you must célibataires are proving!) You will be surprised by the
June 2000 with Free Press pop music critic Brian apply the crafty technique of etching. This will give tastiness and digestibility of the 17 free programmable
McCollum: you the perfect kick for a real home made interface pins as well as how your petty cash will stay in shape.
”Sometimes I feel like I’m living my life for everyone board like at grandma's. Stop this waffling, let's cook! Finally I hope you enjoy this recipe and maybe you
else.” In his No. 1 song “The Real Slim Shady, he can surprise your husband, wife or your friends with
phrases the issue: All you need to enter into this world of sensorics and the technical taste of this dish.
connections is the following:
“And there’s a million of us just like me References:
Who cuss like me – 1 pinch of Atmega8 http://interaction.design/projects/daka
Who just don’t give a fuck like me – 1 Etching-pot(preferably with Sodium Persulphate) http://objets-celibataires.konsum.net
Who dress like me – 1 UV exposed 1-Layer Print(take a fresh one, the
Walk, talk and act like me.” older they are the more soft are the edges of the max0h_ is an internationally exhibting artist, shows as
(Eminem in “The Real Slim Shady”) conductor paths ) in DADA Festwochen/Zürich, CART Kunst 04/Zürich,
C-Murder picks up Eminem's observation and twists it – 1 connector USB Type B ICC/Toko (in collaboration with doubleNegative), Daejeon/
slightly, when he concludes that the "niggas live like – a handful of drivers (you can use the flavour OSX Korea (also collaboration with doubleNegative), Ars
motherfuckin' G". or even the cheaper XP, Linux will make it salty) Electronica Campus/ Linz.

21 22
 Hyperventilation
by F.E.Rakuschan

The story so far: breathe deep; a tempo; out of breath. cesses of communication; in both cases in autopoietic
When no stone is left on top of another, or the playing execution. Mental systems undoubtedly have mole-
pieces in the virtualization of the societal no longer cular components, thus fulfilling the laws of physics,
have a fixed place, then we are challenged to rethink whereby their spatial existence is determined.
the offers of art-culture. However, they are not defined as autopoietic by
physical characteristics. Rather, autopoiesis depends
At the same time, however, we will not delve into much more on the organization of the unit and on the
50 Marks - 7 Litres of Milk, Germany 1920
models of thinking that recommend themselves to us way it is realized. Autopoiesis is not merely another
as pleasant, cooperative theories and suggest cer- term for existence and life in the simplistic under-
tainties. Instead we will focus on a theory concept that standing of them as self-preservation. If preservation
primarily pursues an interest in the normalization of is indeed an issue, then it is a matter of the “essential
the improbable, but not without first surrendering once variables” (Ashby 1962). Since contradictions have
familiar conventions. Even though it is evident that the the characteristic of enabling, but not forcing the
selection of successful references via codes is estab- elimination of deviations, they foster and strengthen
lished in consciousness and communication as a the systems’ immune system. Instabilities, disorder
value judgment – and therefore inevitable in dealing and turbulences are thus equivalent to the saying,
with everyday life – we will purposely dispense with “rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated”, 20 billion Marks - 7 Litres of Milk, Germany 1923
value judgments. We move to a deeper level, so to thus affording us an understanding of occasional
speak, where we are interested in the functional as- debates about “the end of art”.
pects of the underlying circumstance that surpluses of
meaning must be selectively used, in order to be able All dimensions of meaning, whether the dimension of
to prove themselves across all discontinuities as a facts, society or time, hold a potential of disintegration
generalization. Every social order produces norms, is at any point, whereby generalization is assigned the
indeed dependent on doing so. In keeping with the function of stopping continuously possible disinte-
chosen theory concept, however, we reject the idea of gration at some point, depending on the needs of the
the norm with its proximity to value judgment and use of meaning. As the highly differentiated art system
replace it with a reformulation. Through a specification and the currently diversified art landscape show,
of the reference problem, the norm proves to be a generalization has halted across all discontinuities at
“risk of generalization immanent to meaning” and thus the “multiplication of contradictions”. This may not be
moves into focus as a more productive factor. Psycho- considered rationally productive, but it is functionally gamegold exchange rate ,World of Warcraft, Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game (MMORPG), Blizzard, 2004
logical research functionally relates the concept of productive if we think of the reproduction of instabili-
generalization to system/ environment conditions and ties for the benefit of the immune system that a REAL
is thus understood here as an instrument for coping system must react to itself and its environment. Edward Castronova
with the complexity gap between environment and
system. In terms of system theory, generalization also “I stood naked in front of my full length mirrors for a Instructions: imagine a world that is not real. Design it, made by the body in response to the ever-more
has “the function specific to meaning of bridging the long time yesterday. I was all made up with my hair then implement the design. Finally, enter your authentic signals that will pummel ceaselessly from
majority of the dimensions of meaning and main- done. What did I see. My breasts are beginning to sag creation, and erase from your memory all traces of the the ever-more enshrouding virtuality of the human
taining their accessibility at every special moment of a bit. ... My waist isn’t bad. My ass is what it should first instruction. Goodbye, God be w’ye, God be with sensory environment. When the virtual paradigm of all
meaning” (Luhmann 1987: 137). Here it becomes be, the best there is.” you. We will never see you again! things human beautiful walks across the virtual room
clear that a contradiction, a paradox also has (America’s sex goddess Marilyn Monroe in a tape re- and sits down next to you, you him, you her, and
meaning: “It is only through the inclusion of all contra- cording addressed to her psychiatrist) Humans have eternally transacted ephemeral objects offers to do something in return for a few of those
dictions that the world of meaning can achieve the and endowed them with value, and yet when objects virtual doubloons, when the perfect heshe moves
character of self-referential closure, and only thus is it appear inside software and communications systems close and reveals imagery superior perfect unble-
a correlate of the self-referentially closed communi- References labelled “games” we reject them as worthless. “Play mished, blood will flow and the real body will speak its
cation system of society” (Luhmann 1987: 138). Ashby, W. Ross (1962): “Principles of Self-Organizing money.” Yet there is no difference between the ser- undeniable words. The purported reality of a virtual
Systems”, in: Heinz von Foerster/George W. Zopf vices of an Etruscan Priestess or influence with the gold piece will be a moot point, no, less than moot,
In this way, a system can correct or readjust its (Ed.), Principles of Self-Organization, New York. Emporer of China, both of which could be acquired by irrelevant and forgotten, an argument to a yawn. The
relation to reality. Contradictions are specific forms of Luhmann, Niklas (1987): Soziale System. Grundriß paying for them, and a contemporary real cheese- gold piece is real, because my body is real and my
self-reference and destabilize a system. Yet it is einer allgemeinen Theorie, Frankfurt/M. burger or virtual doubloon. The string of letters throbbing heart is real and this gold piece brings
precisely in this way that they become promoters that “www.exxon.com” are virtual and only exist in a virtual heshe back to me again and again and again and I
keep the system running. For in their autopoietic world, but if you believe they have no value in the have never seen nor never will again someone so
context, most mental and social systems reproduce F.E. Rakuschan, media epistemologist, lecturer at the economy, please acquire them and give them to me ideal and I am starting to love himher.
the instabilities that they need to a high degree, in University of Applied Arts Vienna/ Department Digital for free. The economy is a human relationship, where
order to be able to react to themselves and their Arts. Since 1989 collaborations with a variety of an object is what we say it is, and an object’s value is Edward Castronova, Associate Professor of Tele-
environment. Whereas the unity formation of the artists, lives as independent writer in Vienna. created, for better or worse, by our collective judge- communications at Indiana University. Co-founder of
contradiction – in other words the contradictory in the Recent publications: Collateral damage included. ments. But the skeptic of all things virtual, the one Terra Nova weblog about synthetic worlds. He argues
impossibility of its composite existence – runs opera- Network/ World/Society, in: Stefan Bidner, Thomas who insists on Reality, will soon confront greater for special egal treatment of synthetic worlds. Latest
tively through consciousness, it takes place in social Feuerstein (Eds.), Plus ultra. Beyond Modernity?, challenges than the genuine and exponentially grow- publication: Synthetic Worlds: The Business and
systems through their working units, i.e. through pro- Revolver, Frankfurt/M. 2005. ing productive value of killing dragons, challenges Culture of Online Games. Chicago 2005.
23 24

Need for Speed II - The ludic chapters programm

and other search tales
ludic-society@konsum.net

In ludics (Ludistik) life itself serves as optimum game, The topic of Real Players, also considered as con-
especially in its bodily qualities. Ludics constitutes as dividualities, as conceptual entities for arts and other
discipline to abandon platonic ideas and to neglect purposes is linked to the etymological coincidence of
abstract bodyless thinking, as it was introduced over the related terms ludus (=game), ludics (Ludistik) and
time as supreme discipline for philosophical thinking. luddism, (Maschinensturm). The forcibly desperate
Friedrich Nietzsches dictum of the „gaya scienza“ was run of weavers on the new punchcard driven weaving
already introduced as leading orientation for the ludics machines (Joseph-Marie Jacquard, 1752-1834) at the
re/search programm in the ludic society magazine beginning of the industrial revolution in the 19th
issue#1, 2005. For the penseur maudit, the wicked century in England, was led by an individual called
thinker, life play and illinx becomes the main interest. General Ludd, as the newspapers were reporting, but:
“The origin of 'Ludd' is unknown. There is no basis for
“Need for Speed 2” allegorates as titel of a well known the story put out by The Nottingham Review on 20
racing game the doubletwist of the ludic search December 1811, that an apprentice named Ned Ludd
program. On one side the release number “2” can be once smashed a master´sm machine near Leicester
ludicly interpreted as an metaphor for the second and hence gave his name to the action. It is more
nature of games as life models per se. 2ndly “2” likely that the local Nottingham speech had an
stands for a reference to the epiphenomenon of expression similar to the one in Cornwall, where sent
(racing) games implemented after videogames in real all of a lud meant struck all of a heap, or smashed.”
life. The interesting point is the formal backlash on the (Revolution and the quintessential naysayers to
way of how these games are performed in the area of odious and intrusive technology.
computergames. The french le-parkour jumpers move http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/Luddite-History.htm)
like Super Mario over walls, and change their physical General Ludd could be considered as first Real
abilites and experiences by these activities. Real Player. In fact his identity was never clarified. His
Players as for example the motorcycle speedrunners, appearance as activist fictional con-dividuality could
filming their mad life-risking highspeed race over real be compared to the progression of a game character,
highways with a camera in first person “Real Player” which can be used by anybody for certain purposes.
perspective. It shows the street as if “I”, the viewer A character is not necessarily defined by its faciality
were driving, shows the handlebars, but never the but by its possibilites of actions. So another face-less
face of the driver, reproducing exactly those images figure, El Sub Commandante Marcos, the masked
known from game consoles. So the exchange goes in south american Zappatist leader, who can never be
both directions, into the bodily action and into its killed or arrested because he is wearing the black
aesthetic representation. racing mask (shure accompanied by a revolution-
One of the best known unknown drivers is named styled uniform cap) could join this chorus line of Real
Ghostrider. He is such an impersonator of racing Players, investigated in ludics. That´s why he is an
games on highways in combination with an unknown activist for indigenes as well as a DJ in a Berlin club.
identity, consisting assumably of a complete player
team. So this epiphenomenon could be named as Whereas General Ludd (and luddites, workers, who
con-dividuality, or even better as Real Player. attacked machines, the bugbear of capitalism based
The re/search focuses of the different Ludic Society on machine industrialization in 19th century England)
chapters do not contribute directly to games studies, was still the project of a blurred play, the ludically
but elaborate experience based research by a variety proven real life model El Subcommandante Marcos
of experimental games, first person methodologies, masked his facial identity and thus became the mask
and various differing concepts of ergodic search, of a social player that anyone could use – the cultural
consisting of ergon and hodos, work and path terrorist, DJ and real life player.
(Aarseth 1997), so to speak real epistemic plays. The "Everyone is El Sub!"
goal is to show an empathy with experimental
anticipative research on conceptual art plays, live
action roleplaying games, computer games in at least References
a bidirectional way, both as source and target. Its Need for Speed Underground 2. 2004. Electronic Arts
topics are playful social practices out of games in real Ghostrider Goes Underground. http://www.ghostrider-
space and extended gaming zones (Alberto Lacovoni germany.de (12.1.2006)
2004). It stresses the conceptual disjunction of game Alberto Lacovoni. 2004. Extended Game Zones. Köln
and play and its transgression into newly developed Espen J. Aarseth. 1997. Ergodic Literature. Balitmore
game structures for real life. Real Players incorporate Alberto Lacovoni. 2004. Game Zone. Birkhauser
a crucial role in the reconstruction of the rules of play M. Jahrmann. 1997. El Sub Commandante Marcos.
as a vibrant element of todays ludic "Umwelt". In: T. Feuerstein (Hg.) 2002. Biophily. Triton Wien

26
 The Artist as Mad Scientist: “Create a non-sense tale and play! The artist is the
mad scientist and she creates a counter-environment to reflect the reality.”
Francesco Monico, head of media design department
studies Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Milan.

The Dollhouse Shooter Level

by Maia Engeli

We can play with toys and create stories while we somewhat detached from the outside world. The origi-
play.We can play games and reach a goal while we do nal instructional and stimulating character of the doll-
so.We can play with computers and experience how house becomes more a documentary one, which may
they process our input. And we can merge the three easily transform into something museum-like.” (Mit
and have even more fun. That is the formula for the der Einbringung dieser Puppen entstand etwas
ultimate ludic experience... for example when com- qualitativ Neues. Die Puppen treten als die Besitzer
bining a shooter game and a dollhouse. und Nutzer dieses Hausstandes auf und schließen ihn
damit, als Welt im kleinen, quasi von der Außenwelt
Dollhouses and shooter games provoke opposing an. Die ursprünglich lehrhafte und anregende, bei-
associations: The cute world of the dollhouse versus spielgebende Haltung des Puppenhauses bekommt
the brutal realm of the shooter game. In a workshop at deutlicher dokumentierenden Charakter, der ohne
the Graz University of Technology combined the two Schwierigkeit in Museale übergleiten kann.) [Müller-
and collaboratively designed a dollhouse level for the Krummbach 1992]. In other words, she suggests that
shooter game Unreal Tournament. The result draws the introduction of the representations of humans –
its strength from combining contrasting worlds and it the representations of conscious beings – alters the
is not only played from the usual first-person perspec- possible relationship between viewer and house;
tive but can also be enjoyed from the third-person while the house was first regarded as a spatial tool it
view that we know from dollhouses. becomes a virtual parallel world. By staging scenes
with dolls in the house it is also transformed from a
Dollhouses, especially the ones from the 17th-19th collection of information to a collection of compre-
century, are intriguing miniature worlds. They origi- hensive events.
nally came into existence as beautifully crafted mini-
aturisations of noble households in Germany and The Shooter game worlds, contrary to dollhouses, are not
Netherlands as well as other Middle and Northern representations of a larger reality, they are the primary
European countries. Only in the 19th century did they reality for the game. There are a few examples of
start to become used as toys, their original function game worlds based on real world settings, but none of
was the idealistic representation of the estate of their them without considerable adaptation for the game.
owner for instructional purposes or as cabinets filled The game world first of all has to correspond to the
with precious miniatures. The earliest dollhouse was nature of the game and afford the basic user inter-
without dolls; the first dolls were introduced around actions, allow the development of strategies, be
1611. Müller-Krummbach observes: “With the intro- supportive of the goal of the game, provide a high
duction of the dolls something qualitatively new came enough level of challenge, and offer an interesting
into existence. The dolls acted as owners and users visual landscape. In the earlier games the worlds
of the household and thus turned it into a small world were built in ways to show dramatic settings while

28

–No need to cry –

Thoughts about the unique emotional
potential of computer games
Doris C. Rusch

Computer games can provide their players with strong (where the events are audio-visually represented and
emotional experiences. But since it is rather rare that the communication between game and player takes
they make their players cry (crying out of frustration place), and the level of the game as system (which
does not count), they are considered superficial and contains the rules and determines the game-play),
shallow compared to films…by people who obviously whereas films only have the first two levels at their
do not play, of course. Crying and similar emotional disposal (with restrictions on the level of interface.)
responses to vicarious moments seem to be the ulti- The unique emotional potential of computer games
mate barometer for the maturity of an entertainment lies in the level of the game as system that distin-
medium. Even Hollywood Director Steven Spielberg guishes it from all traditional media. The reason for
claims: “The medium will come of age, when some- this is that a mediated event can only then evoke an
body confesses that they cried at level 17” [1]. Ad- emotional experience from the recipient if accepted as
mittedly much can be learnt from a comparison with real. “The law of apparent reality (Frijda 1988) states
film in regard to the range and depth of emotional that emotions are evoked exclusively by events that
experiences. But maturity of the new medium will not are appraised as real and that their intensity cor-
be reached when it finally provides the same emo- responds to the degree to which this is the case.” [4]
tional experiences film allows for, but when it has
developed its own unique ways of engaging its users. Games have a huge advantage here: Due to the third
operational level, they are already half real. “video
According to Tan, emotion is defined “as a change in games are real in that they are made of real rules that
action readiness as a result of the subject’s appraisal players actually interact with; that winning or losing a
of the situation or event.“ [2]. The fiction film evokes game is a real event.” [5] The other half of a video
emotional responses by appealing to certain source game consists of its fictional world, the narrative
being very considerate about the processor power with elastically moving textures and a bunch of red concerns of the audience like security, love, freedom, universe. The key to the realization of a game’s emo-
necessary to render them. Traditional examples dis- cockroaches; 4) the ‘Aquarium’, a space filled with etc. which are endangered in the course of the tional potential is the interplay between the fictional
play medieval looking worlds with thick solid walls, water and sea creatures; 5) the ‘Labyrinth’, where one narrative. The wish to restore the desirable states that world and the game as a system. If the narrative is
dramatic lighting, cleverly placed hiding spaces, and can get lost in different ways; 6) the ‘Chill-out Room’, result from the fulfillment of the source concerns acted out via the game-play, assumed feelings of a
heavy gates that open when triggered to do so. As with a lounge-like landscape and spherical sounds; 7) promotes action readiness. In the narrative process character can be made tangible for the player. This
computing power and algorithmic cleverness increa- the ‘Psycho Room’, mesmerizing, disturbing, with the source concerns are concretized by surface con- allows for a degree of identification traditional story-
sed, new approaches could be taken, like futuristic effects beyond its boundaries; 8) the ‘Cloths Room’ cerns. The most important surface concern realized telling media would have trouble to achieve. The
looking outdoor worlds with endless landscapes, with cloths flying around triggered by the players; 9) by films is the creation and resolution of tension [3]. medial characteristics of games not only enable the
complex architectonic structures, organic forms, and the ‘Fairy Room, a dreamlike space with half trans- This is basically also true for the majority of computer transfer of the avatar’s feelings to the player. Their
a large palette of possible behaviors built into the parent panels that always get into the player’s way; games. It is important to note, though, that the emo- meaning making potential could also be used to
surroundings. But in any case, the design of the world and 10) the ‘Politically Correct Staircase for Older tional experience of gaming is not only a result of convey abstract concepts and critical ideas by crea-
has to be ideal for the gameplay. Dolls, with escalators and elevators. endangering and restoring desirable states on the ting complex symbolic languages (represented on the
level of narrative, but also and foremost on the level level of interface) that are reinforced by the game-
The dollhouse shooter level is not a digital repro- Cartoon characters are introduced as players in the of game-play. Games appeal to source concerns play. Considering this, one can only imagine what a
duction of a dollhouse; it is media-adequate interpre- dollhouse to further alienate the shooter game. The unique to the interactive form: agency, the feeling of wonderfully provocative vehicle the computer game
tation and translation of the key characteristics of game can then be played from different perspectives. sensorimotor competency and the need to prove could be for a new generation of intellectuals, artists
dollhouses into the game world. In this world for In addition to the first-person experience, there is also oneself. In computer games the action tendencies and all kinds of people who search for innovative
example miniaturization, the main characteristic of the characteristic third-person view of dollhouses and, evoked by the wish to restore or establish a desirable forms of expression. There really is no need to cry!
dollhouses, cannot be easily achieved, because there in spectator mode, a kind of second-person view. The state (i.e. to safe a comrade, to regain freedom, to
is no scale, a miniature table would look exactly the spectator view is interesting for people that are non- overcome an obstacle, to eliminate an opponent) are
same as a normal size table. Therefore it was not the players; it allows choosing position and direction of actual, not virtual. In a game, hoping that everything [1] http://theplayethic.typepad.com/play_journal/2005/
primary quality of miniaturization, but the consequent gaze and getting immersed in the absurd happenings will turn out fine in the end won’t get you far – it might 12/ the_gamer_as_ar.html (10.01.2006)
quality of cuteness, that became a major focus in the without the need for active interaction with the game. even get you killed. The player has to work for the [2] [3] [4] Tan, Ed S. (1996): Emotion and the Structure
design attitude. Geometrically the shooter dollhouse Habitual first person players are usually intrigued by “happily ever after”. Therefore one could argue that of Narrative Film. Film as an Emotion Machine.
resembles exactly a physical one: A house with a the dollhouse, not because it is a geometrically elabo- the emotional experience computer games enable are Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, p.46
number of rooms and a cut-open front facade. The rate level, but because of its irritating deconstruction more “real” than those of fiction films, which allow only [5] Juul, Jesper (2005): half-real. Video Games
themes of the rooms though do not represent a usual of the shooter theme. http://iam.tugraz.at/dollhouse one actual realization of an action tendency: to keep between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds.
household, but spaces from contemporary life styles. awake, present and watching.
The 10 rooms are: 1) the ‘Playground’, a room with Maia Engeli works in the area of telematic Doris C. Rusch is a Post Doc Fellow at the Institute for
bright pink light in which walls and floor could not be architectures and teaches level editing for first-person From this it probably has become clear that the main Design and Assessment of Technology, TU Vienna,
distinguished which made the space irritating for shooter games; she is Assistant Professor at the difference between computer games and films is that conducting a research project about the emotional
gameplay; 2) the ‘Harlequin Room’, a room with a School of Interactive Arts and Technology at Simon games possess three operational levels – the level of design of dramatic computer games in coopertation
black and white checkerboard texture and jumping Fraser University, BC, Canada. Puclications: Bits and narrative (including pre-scripted moments and the with the Department of Digital Aesthetics &
cubes, that were quite harmful; 3) the ‘Elastic Room’ Spaces. 2001. Digital Stories. 2000. narrative arising during play), the level of interface Communication (IT University Copenhagen).
30
29
 Superfem
Stärke: 50%
Körperliche Fitness: 60%
Geistige Ökologie: 90%
Super Mario
Stärke: 50%
Körperliche Fitness: 90%
Geistige Ökologie: 50%

P.M. Ong
Gamepunk Stärke: 50%
Stärke: 80% Körperliche Fitness: 70%
Körperliche Fitness: 30% Geistige Ökologie: 85%
Geistige Ökologie: 50%

Hund
Stärke: 80%
Körperliche Fitness: 20%
Geistige Ökologie: 15%

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Peter Weibel, Christa Steinle Margarete Jahrmann, artist, writer, performer, objets
and Elisabeth Fiedler. Neue Galerie Graz and Centro célibataires conceptions, professor gamearts/ mediapoiesis
Conde Duque, MediaLab Madrid for their openness at University for Arts and Design Zurich. www.climax.at
towards gaya scienza, nouvelle ´pataphysique, crazy Max Moswitzer, gamepunk, artist, objets célibataires
ideas and the ludic society concept, by supporting and circuit designs, graphical concepts, lecturer for game
funding the 2nd issue of the ludic society magazine. design and art, Vienna and Zurich. www.konsum.net
Gordan Savicic, circuit bend performer cul_de_sac,
We would also like to express our deep respect and nouvelles machines célibataires development, artist,
special thanks to all the contributors for this issue and member of the artistgroup www.insertcoin.biz and the
thank especially all the new members of the ludic band handydandy, http://thehandydandy.yugo.at.
society and all active ludic socialites.
Unlimited thanks and respect also to Aileen Derieg for Claude Shannon playing in the laybyrinth.
her profound and timely translations, to her and the The maze-solving mouse Theseus, 1950
LS sympathizer Ramon Cahenzli for proofreading.
Special greetings also to the Ludic Society Chapter
Zurich (LSCZ), in particular to P.M Ong for exchange
and feedback on the Real Player topic as actual
search focus of the ludic society and to the Ludic
-0 re
A
06 ai
2-

Society Chapter Vienna (LSCV) for becoming a real

20 at
01 ib
12 cél

cul-de-sac Gamepunk band as well as to the Ludic

00 jet

Society Spain Chapter (LSSC) for offering the

8-
ob

possibility of a permanent “ouvroir” for nouvelles

machines célibataires. Last but not least the LS British
Chapters (LSBC) in Manchester and Plymouth should
also be mentioned as an extremly valueable ressource
in exchanging ideas and plays.

GoApe, lud/dic socialites!

32

ich gehe in die stadt,

Next Issue Dez 06
ich hab genug davon,
und mein herz ist so satt,
wer will das schon.
hinein in die maschinen
den ganzen lohn,
ich spiele leben.
ich fliege durch den raum,
ich hab genug davon.
allein und ohne traum.
wer will das schon.
hinaus aus der pupille
mit dem ganzen lohn,
Issue # 1 (2005)
'Jeu is the french term for play, jouissance, enjoyment, but the translation ich spiele leben.
does not carry the sexually orgasmic connotation that the French holds, hansi lang (1984)
in addition to the idea of taking pleasure in something: Joy in Jeu!'

The goal is to provide a playful theoretical starting point of a methodology

around the act of play as a state of transformation. Finally games as
laboratory situations quit the experimental system into real games by real
players. The main argument is the nascence of an experience-based
emotionally charged reflexion by playing through game systems, to all
intents and purposes the eludere of illusion in the ludic society.

Issue # 2 (2006)
te 800
o
jb

Issue # 3 (soon)
éc 1-
il 02
ab 21
at 600
er 20-
A-
i

Sex is as important as eating or drinking and we ought to allow the one appetite
to be satisfied with as little restraint or false modesty as the other.
Marquis De Sade
ISBN 3-902389-01-X