Gamevolution

Robertson, Margaret. "The Creation Simulation." Seed Magazine. Seed Media Group, September 2008. Web. 18 Feb. 2010.

In the article The Creation Simulation Margaret Robertson writes about how a video game named Spore to show we might one day be able to genetically create organisms, as well as use this game to teach scientific thought. She first starts off the article by introducing Will Wright, the creator of the “Sims” games. He came up with the idea of Spore, a game where a human player starts off with a small single cell organism that evolves into a complex organism throughout the life of the game. Robertson then points out how Wright wanted to make the game as scientifically accurate as possible and had game designers research scientific principle. However, they had to compromise in order to create a game that would appeal to the masses. While scientist who played the game noted that the game broke more scientific laws then it obeyed, Robertson points out that the game can teach fundamental principles such as survival of the fittest. Another aspect of the game as she points out is that they will be able to see how individual players react. For instance in a study she says that female players are more likely to create a peaceful character while males create a more violent character. The ability for a game to tell us about social effects is a new way to look at how we as humans think. Robertson closes by leaving the idea of how we as humans might one day be a true creator in nature and not just on a computer screen.

After reading this article I found that Robertson is trying to get us to think about how a simple video game can help teach not only evolution but about how human nature as a whole. It is important to understand the concept of evolution so that future generations understand how it has effected human development. It also might make teaching such a complex subject more elementary for students. Robertson also pointed to how a game can make us understand human nature. Human nature in itself is as complex evolution in that every individual will react differently to certain situations. Understanding this complex subject would allow us to advance in fields such as psychology and anthropology. Lastly Robertson closes with the idea that we might one day play the role of a true creator. Genetically engineered animals such as sheep have occurred and it is not out of the realm of possibility that one day we might create life as readily as in the game Spore.