Marc Arthur

Technology and access to modes of alternative realities have improved exponentially over the last century. As more people are extolling the virtues of games in their daily lives they become a product of these realities rather than a critical participant. Through the form of an interactive performance Meagan and I will explore how various cultural and psychological modes of consumer life have been implicated by the popular game "Sim City". Our performance will expose the violent cycles of capitalism in this popular cultural phenomena.

In the nave there will be a tall podium or block on which the player of the game will control the characters. Surrounding the podium, in chalk or duct tape, we will draw a "Sim City" including a house with rooms and appliances etc., as well as some streets, other houses and work places. There are two kinds of characters in the game: those controlled by the player and those not controlled by the player. Characters controlled by the player include: Father, Mother, Sister and Brother. Uncontrolled characters include: A robber, the neighbor and a Natural disaster character. All characters will dress up in typical "Sim City" costumes. It may be appropriate for the player to dress as a mouse. The player will be provided a set of actions similar to those in "Sim City" and communicate with the controllable characters through verbal communication. For example, on the player’s sheet of actions it may say "wash the dishes". The player could point at a character and tell them to wash the dishes. A person on a ladder known as the score keeper will move up and down the ladder with a bright red square according to the emotions of the characters in the game. The player's goal is to keep the score up. Uncontrolled characters may enter the game and do what they want. These uncontrolled characters are like the computer in the virtual "Sim City". As well, the people playing the characters will be "programmed' before game play to do certain things natural to their characters such as the famous blabber language that the characters in the virtual "Sim City" speak.

Research for the game will include studying the game "Sim City" as well as the performance work of John Cage. This performance will most likely work similar to John Cages "Variations" piece.