Vincent, if you were to explain Moves to video game guy Randy Smith, knowing his concerns from this article (http://www.next-gen.biz/blogs/the-zen-of-emergence), how would you explain them?
Paul
Y'know, that question is poorly done. It manages to be both opaque and to lead the witness. (I clearly missed my calling as a litigator.) Let me try again:
His concern is emergence. What do you say about emergence that would interest him, in language he's primed to understand?
Paul
Hey Paul,
Just wanted to say thanks for calling that article to my attention, 'cause I'm currently designing a (computer) game that focuses on that exact concept, so the article has given me plenty to think about and is helping me better visualize what exactly I need to do.
-Marshall
Hey Marshall,
Do you have connections to any video game guys, or are you developing in isolation? Because I know a video game guy you'd totally click with on a number of topics, including occultism. Actually, he's the one who linked me to this article on emergence. Shoot me an email if you want an introduction.
Paul
Yeah, ok -- but what about the original question? :-) I'm not even sure what you mean by "Moves".
If you're interested in exploring emergent behavior in computer systems, Steven Levy's book Artificial Life is one of the best primers I've found.
And of course Chris Crawford's On Game Design -- but thanks to this article I just found this:
http://www.storytron.com/players-how-to-play.php
which appears to be Crawford's Holy Grail realized -- computer opponents that you talk to in "real" language and who intelligently make decisions about YOUR behavior just as they make decisions about each others.
Ummm -- but is any of that the point of the original question?