N ote s an d O bs e rvati on s on Arti fi ci al Game s
Bi l l S e aman
In ' real ' gam es t he ' gam e' i s al ready oft en once rem oved as a s ym bol i c s et i . e. t he
pi eces i n a ches s s et are s ym bol i c of an anci ent s ys t em of t erri t ori es , l ands , peopl e,
power s t rat egi es and rel at i ve pos i t i ons wi t hi n a s oci al s t ruct ure. . . An ' Art i fi ci al Gam e'
i s a m et agam e. A Gam e of Gam es . An expl oded t erri t ory i n whi ch one m anoeuvres wi t h
s l i di ng rul es , open t o t he defi ni t i on of t hei r aut hor and t he i nt erpret at i on of t hei r
part i ci pant s . P l ay i n t hi s i ns t ance i s an open cat egory s pi nni ng off i n di fferent
di rect i ons . The boundari es of t hes e gam es have been bl urred, becom e pl as t i c, are
fl oat i ng. In i nt eract i ve works oft en t he s t rat egi es of gam es are em pl oyed but are not
form ul at ed i n an abs ol ut e capaci t y. There i s a us er l earni ng curve, a ' pl ace' of ent rance,
navi gat i on, exchange, an i nt erface and qual i t i es of us e. F i el ds of pot ent i al readi ngs are
overl ai d. The l evel of gam e abs t ract i on i s am pl i fi ed and m ul t i pl i ed, s om et i m es
cam oufl aged or conceal ed wi t hi n t he qual i t i es and pot ent i al s of part i ci pat i on.
Arti fi ci al G ames m ay becom e t rans parent at t hei r hi ghes t l evel of us e. The rul es of
s uch a ' gam e' m ay never be s pel l ed out . As vi ewers t ake an act i ve rol e i n t he
navi gat i on/ part i ci pat i on i n a work, t hey m ay l i t eral l y creat e gam e t ype rol es for
t hem s el ves becaus e t hat i s one way of anchori ng t hei r unders t andi ng of s uch an
experi ence. In vi ewi ng m y work THE EXQUIS ITE M EC HANIS M OF S HIVER S an
audi o/ vi s ual poet ry generat i ng m achi ne, s om e vi ewers at t em pt t o generat e a ' pl eas i ng'
s ent ence or t hei r ' favouri t e' s et of rel at i ons . Vi ewers t hat are accus t om ed t o i nt eract i ve
s ys t em s (hackers and t he l i ke) t ry t o fi nd t he l i m i t s of t he s ys t em , t he edge of t he
envi ronm ent , or qui ckl y pas s t hrough t he us er l earni ng curve and t ake an ext rem el y
percept i ve rol e i n t he perus al of t he s ys t em .
The defi ni t i on of ' Art i fi ci al ' i s i n ques t i on as we l i ve i ncreas i ngl y t el em at i c l i ves ,
where ' real ' feel i ngs and behavi ours are t ri ggered t hrough abs t ract ed i nvol vem ent s wi t h
art i fi ci al s t ruct ures , and i l l us i ons . Thus t he navi gat i on of t he ' s et ' of ' i l l us i oni s t i c'
experi ences becom es a real experi ence none t he l es s . In fact i t i s t he s t rengt h of s uch
art experi ences whi ch bri ng el ect roni c m edi a art i nt o a popul ar pos i t i on i n
cont em porary art pract i ce.
The defi ni t i on of Arti fi ci al G ames i s expl oded becaus e t he s et of readi ngs whi ch i s
engendered t hrough t he word G ames i s ext rem el y i ncl us i ve. The gam e i s t o defi ne
whi ch gam e i s of i m port ance t o t hi s defi ni t i on - i n t hi s cas e i t i s a gam e of
equi val ence. Al l of t he fi el ds carry equal wei ght . There i s no ul t i m at e gam e (al t hough
R us s i an R oul et t e has m any peopl e bet t i ng on i t ). C an we proj ect a vi rt ual R us s i an
R oul et t e? C ert ai nl y m any creat ors of Arti fi ci al G ames have s hot t hem s el ves i n t he
foot i n t he proces s of aut hori ng and creat i on.
One can qui ckl y change channel s as a m edi a s pect at or, j um pi ng from gam e t o gam e (or
even out of t he gam e and t hen back i n) a current l y l i m i t ed l evel of m edi a i nt eract i on,
but t he m edi a envi ronm ent i s rapi dl y changi ng. S om e i nt eract i ve works bui l d t hi s form
of navi gat i on i nt o t he rul es , j um pi ng from real m t o real m . The s l i ppery fi el d of
Arti fi ci al G ames s l i des from popul ar cul t ure t o t he m os t obs cure s ci ent i fi c
vi s ual i s at i on of art i fi ci al worl ds - a gam e whi ch pi t s s i m ul at ed fact s agai ns t real
pot ent i al s pl ayed "for keeps " on a m agni fi cent i f not fri ght eni ng s cal e (A s ynt het i c
vi rus i s a vi rus none t he l es s ). The creat i on of a com put er engi neered s ynt het i c vi rus i s
bot h a pot ent i al l i fe s aver i f i t i s appl i ed i n an appropri at e m anner i e. a vacci ne i s
m anufact ured, but i s al s o a real pot ent i al danger i f a s t rai n i s generat ed whi ch has no
m echani s m for cont rol . Agai n we s ee t he bl ur bet ween t he "real " worl d and t he
pot ent i al s of t he s ynt het i c. . . t he Arti fi ci al G ame.
The archi t ect ures and s paces of Arti fi ci al G ames form a fas ci nat i ng range of foci - t he
fi el ds of pl ay [at pl ay]. Thes e real m s can range i n s i ze from t he vas t di s t ances of
i nt ernat i onal com m uni cat i on s pace, t o t he s pace of a s ynaps e (m i nd gam es ). M any
act ual gam es depend on boundari es , edges , defi ned fi el ds , real es t at e. Arti fi ci al G ames
navi gat e t he boundary, expl ode t he edges (or at l eas t redefi ne t hem ) and t end t o
expl ore art i fi ci al , i l l us i oni s t i c, el ect roni c, s ynt het i c, l i ngui s t i c (hyper t ext ual ) and/ or
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concept ual s pace. Il l us i oni s t i c s pace t akes on an i ncreas i ngl y pal pabl e rol e i n t erm s of
Arti fi ci al G ames . The econom i cs of arcade gam e vi rt ual real i t i es , and el ect roni c hom e
gam e uni t s , wi l l i n one s ens e (t raj ect ory) dri ve t he VR and i nt eract i ve i ndus t ri es . The
prol i ferat i on of t hes e s ys t em s , when abs t ract ed i nt o t he art i s t i c real m , wi l l provi de a
pot ent i al l y vas t vi ewi ng apparat us for pol y-l i near/ om ni -s pat i al el ect roni c art works .
One can onl y hope for a s ys t em t hat t rans l at es di gi t al i nform at i on generat ed on any
one of a dozen pl at form s i nt o a form at whi ch can be read by a S EGA or Ni nt endo gam e
s ys t em . Woul dn' t i t be great t o be abl e t o pl ay pol y-l i near Qui ckt i m e m ovi es on a
hom e gam e s ys t em . We are al l wat chi ng t he "form at " wars . . .
Gam es , bot h concept ual and phys i cal , pl ay an i nt ri gui ng rol e i n s exual act i vi t y. M ore
"real t hen real " a phras e us ed i n B l ad e Ru n n er t o s ugges t t he i nt i mat e pot ent i al s of
cyborges i n t erm s of s exual l y charged s i t uat i ons poi nt s at t hi s pot ent i al . Arti fi ci al
G ames capi t al i s e on t hi s fact . It i s eas y t o proj ect t he growt h of an i ndus t ry bas ed on
Art i fi ci al R eal i t y i n t erm s of s exual i t y. S uch gam es range from t he m os t s ubt l e us e of
l anguage, t o rol e pl ayi ng, t o pure force feedback i nt eract i ve pornography. C ert ai nl y a
s t i m ul at i ng range for Arti fi ci al G ame part i ci pant s . The rol e of l at e ni ght advert i s i ng
for phone s ex hi des t he fact t hat t echnol ogy i s m edi at i ng s exual act i vi t y on a hi gh
l evel and yet poi nt s a fi nger at t he pot ent i al of t el em at i c i nt erchange/ i nt ercours e.
Arti fi ci al G ames pl ayed i n t he s ervi ce of war experi ence, al s o pres ent a bl urri ng and
i nt erm i ngl i ng of t he fi el ds (from t he bat t l e fi el d t o t he fi el d of t he com put er s creen, t o
di rect s t i m ul us of t he fi el d of vi s i on i n t he l at es t i ncarnat i ons of VR / VE (Vi rt ual
R eal i t y/ Vi rt ual Envi ronm ent s ). [One wonders what rel at i ons t hi s Arti fi ci al G ame
pl ays i n t erm s of s exual dri ve]. M i l i t ary appl i cat i ons abs t ract warfare and di s t ance t he
s ol di er from t hei r di rect act i ons . At t he s am e t i m e s i m ul at i ons refl ect t he col d
preci s i on of war wi t h an al arm i ng accuracy. If we exam i ne our cul t ural real i t y - t he
econom i cs of bat t l e t ype chi l dren' s gam es [and we know whi ch com pani es are m aki ng
t he m os t m oney]. It i s onl y a hop, s ki p and a j um p from t hi s "Art i fi ci al " chi l dhood t o
t he bat t l efi el d.
P l ayi ng fi el ds - fi el ds of readi ngs / m eani ngs / l evel s of abs t ract i on, t he real m s and
m et hods of navi gat i on, al l cont ri but e t o t he daze rel at ed t o t he i nt erm i ngl i ng bet ween
real i t i es and art i fi ci al s i t uat i ons , i n t erm s of our day t o day l i vi ng. The fi el ds of
t rans m i s s i on are one area for exam i nat i on. B roadcas t gam es pres ent s an i nt eres t i ng
m ode of arm chai r experi ence. Are broadcas t s "Art i fi ci al Gam es "? Net works pres ent
m as s s pect acl e from a di s t ance, a l evel of abs t ract i on once rem oved. Navi gat i ng t he
l evel s of abs t ract i on i n an i ns t ant t he vi ewer can be s t i m ul at ed and m oved. In
i nt eract i ve Arti fi ci al G ames t he l evel of part i ci pat i on i s enhanced and t hus t he qual i t y
of part i ci pat i on i s s hi ft ed i nt o a hei ght ened phys i cal / concept ual real m . Anyone who
has fl own a vi rt ual j et can at t es t t o t hi s . I fl ew i n s uch an apparat us at l as t years
S IGGR AP H and found i t t o be an ext rem el y m ovi ng experi ence.
One can proj ect t he m ergi ng of art i fi ci al real i t i es , behavi oural act orl es s ci nem a, and
vi rt ual envi ronm ent s i nt o a s eam l es s pol y-l i near ' s et ' of pos s i bi l i t i es for t he pl ayer or
part i ci pant i n Arti fi ci al G ames . S uch a vi ewi ng archi t ect ure, once com put i ng power i s
geom et ri cal l y i m proved and pos s i bl y m ade port abl e, wi l l provi de a wi de s cope of
experi ence from m i l i t ary pl ay t o t he vi rt ual ent rance i nt o popul ar m ovi es , and on t o
experi m ent al t heat re and dance. Al t hough one can al s o proj ect t he pot ent i al negat i ve
ps ychi c m ani fes t at i ons exhi bi t ed by peopl e who "popul at e" s uch worl ds i n an
unbal anced m anner i . e. never com i ng out . In t he ol d days (pre-el ect roni c m edi a
paradi gm s hi ft ) t hes e peopl e m i ght have been cal l ed bookworm s . If we t hi nk of M arcel
Ducham p s hi ft i ng hi s art act i vi t y t o a l i fe of ches s , m i ght s om e of t he art i s t s of
t om orrow, ent er and l i ve i n a percept ual end gam e. . . as yet a gl eam i n a cont em porary
art i s t ' s / program m er' s eye/ m i nd.
Ducham p was a cham pi on at Arti fi ci al G ames i ncl udi ng s uch works as 3 S tan d ard
S top p ages - a gam e of l engt h, Mon te Carl o B on d - a work whi ch at t em pt s t o break
t he bank or t o defi ne a s ys t em whi ch beat s t he s ys t em , as wel l as hi s num erous gam es
of nam i ng, not t o m ent i on hi s C hes s gam e as a repl acem ent of art or t he beaut i ful
not es for t he Large Gl as s - an el aborat e "s et " of "pl ays ". The abs t ract i on of gam es al s o
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i s evi dent i n M an R ay' s works , not t o m ent i on t he bul k of dadai s t s and s urreal i s t s at
one t i m e or anot her as wel l as m any works by F l uxus art i s t s . Arti fi ci al G ames pl ay a
l arge rol e i n experi m ent al m us i c com pos i t i on and al s o i n cont em porary dance and
perform ance art .
If we break down t he defi ni t i on of Gam e (i n Engl i s h) we fi nd s om e i nt eres t i ng
l i ngui s t i c rel at i ons hi ps . Foul (an i nt ernal breaki ng of t he rul es ) of a gam e s houl d not
[but coul d] be confus ed wi t h Fow l . Arti fi ci al G ames m i ght be read as "Art i fi ci al
F owl s ". If VR , Vi deodi s c, and com put er gam es are popul at ed by i l l us i oni s t i c ani m al s ,
are we expl ori ng art i fi ci al ani m al nat ure, t he nat ure of t he gam e. . . or abs t ract qual i t i es
of ext endi ng and bendi ng t he rul es of part i ci pat i on/ refl ect i on? The nam e of t he gam e i s
changi ng as fas t as t he t echnol ogy t hat dri ves i t . Is t hi s a l ame excus e for pl ayi ng
wi t h nam i ng or j us t anot her facet of t he gam e, acces s i ng fl oat i ng l evel s t hrough
qual i t i es of nam i ng. The ar t i f i ci al nam e, i s a nam e j us t t he s am e. M agri t t e i s wel l
aware of t hi s ki nd of gam e i n rel at i on t o a num ber of hi s works i ncl udi ng t he pai nt i ng
THIS IS NOT A P IP E. An art i fi ci al gam e of nam es defi nes a part i cul ar range. A
s l i ppage i n t he s et , a s t ret chi ng of t he rul es - t he os ci l l at i ng nam e m ay be fi xed as a
gam e can be fi xed. . . t he out com e dri ven by an out s i de force or a nam e can s ugges t a
fi el d of pos s i bl e readi ngs . When abs t ract pol y-val ent words are us ed i n a cont i nuous l y
changi ng cont ext , t he vi ewer t akes an act i ve rol e i n t hei r i nt erpret at i on. A l i ngui s t i c
gam e i s as good as any (m any). A fl i p of t he coi nage i s a chance defi ner. S uch
s urreal i s t gam es as E xq u i s i te Corp s e pres ent a m echani s m for t he expl orat i on of
cont ext - pl acem ent and di s pl acem ent . Arti fi ci al G ames m ay pres ent a s i t uat i on where
a vi ewer navi gat es t he pl eas ure of nons ens e, a gam e whos e goal i s t o defeat i t s el f.
P uns t hri ve on t hi s form of puni s hm ent (t hi s i s us ed here i n m em ory of J i m P om eroy
a puns t er of enorm ous proport i ons ), Where t he breaki ng of rul es i l l um i nat es t hei r
l arger funct i on, found el s ewhere i n us age. . . Where del i ght i s t aken i n how l anguage
can be us ed and how i t can m al funct i on as wel l as how chance i nt ers ect i ons can creat e
a hum orous beaut y of j uxt apos i t i on and m i s al i gnm ent .
An Arti fi ci al G ame can be a di ver s i on [s ee t he defi ni t i on of gam e]. It m ay funct i on
as an abs t ract i on t hat l eads no where, for no reas on, t hat m ay even caus e real i nj uri es
t hrough t he proces s of navi gat i on. S uch a gam e m ay bri ng t o l i ght a cont es t pl ayed
accordi ng t o rul es , whi ch i s deci ded by s ki l l , s t rengt h or l uck. The s ki l l s of
navi gat i on and t he l earni ng curve i nvol ved i n t he acqui s i t i on of profi ci ency of
us e/ expl orat i on of an Arti fi ci al G ame coul d be cons i dered as rel at i ve/ rel evant t o t hi s
defi ni t i on.
To ' pl ay t he gam e' fi gurat i vel y m eans t o obs erve t he rul es or behave honourabl y. An
i nt eres t i ng i nvers i on of t hi s not i on appl i es t o Arti fi ci al G ames i n t hat t he
vi ewer/ part i ci pant m ay t ake on qui t e vi ol ent rol es whi ch are t he ant hes i s of t hos e
s he/ he navi gat es i n "real " l i fe. S uch act i vi t i es can provi de rel i ef from m undane
exi s t ence. The focus of m uch cont em porary cri t i cal t hought [worry] focus es on how
Arti fi ci al G ames wi l l change s oci et y.
B et t i ng on t he Arti fi ci al G ame or "gam i ng", m eans bet t i ng on t he fut ure of a gi ven
t echnol ogy [Is t hi s l i ke a real pl ayer of s port s bet t i ng on t he pot ent i al of a bodi l y
i nj ury?] M uch work goes i nt o t he creat i on of Arti fi ci al G ames . R eal econom i c s t akes
m i ngl e on an i nt ri ns i c fel t l evel wi t h t hos e s t akes at pl ay on a l ower i l l us i oni s t i c
l evel . Econom i cs dri ve m any an Art i fi ci al Gam e - t he s t ock m arket i s j us t one.
C om put ers t radi ng i n i nform at i on am ongs t t hem s el ves defi nes a s ub-real m . The agent s
are act i ve j us t as i n es pi onage. One m i ght be act i ve i n bot h fi el ds s i m ul t aneous l y.
Language m ay be us ed t o ' m ake poi nt s ' . P l ay can al s o be fat al . A gam e m ay bri dge a
s et of fi el ds - t ri gger a s ym bol s et of s i gni fi ers and s hi ft ers whi ch have devas t at i ng
ram i fi cat i ons .
The l ogi s t i cs of t es t i ng t he vari abl es at pl ay i n pol y-l i near works reaches an
i m pos s i bl e degree when t he s eri es of pot ent i al com bi nat i ons , t raj ect ori es and al t ernat e
behavi ours , becom e t oo vas t t o accurat el y refl ect upon/ m oni t or. Thi s al s o s ugges t s
t hat Arti fi ci al G ames are bei ng creat ed, t he ram i fi cat i ons of whi ch can not be
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unders t ood at t he t i m e of t hei r creat i on. Thi s i s t rue of t he pot ent i al s of m any
t echnol ogi cal advances .
When one exam i nes t he rel at i ons hi p bet ween t he l i fe of t he creat or/ generat or of t he
gam e vers us t he l i fe of t he s pect at or rel at i ve t o t he Arti fi ci al G ame, vari abl e foci
com e i nt o t he pi ct ure i ncl udi ng i nt ens i t y of pl ay, phys i cal i t y of t he gam e, and
bi ol ogi cal s t i m ul at i on. One exci t i ng at t ri but e i n hi ght l evel pol y-l i ner experi ences
al l ows t he creat or of s uch vari abl e envi ronm ent s t o funct i on as a
vi ewer/ pl ayer/ part i ci pant as wel l as ori gi nat or, i n t hat t he pot ent i al experi ence i n s om e
s peci fi c works al ways pres ent an expandi ng s et of com pl ex occurrences . In THE
EXQUIS ITE M EC HANIS M OF S HIVER S t he us er of t he s ys t em coul d s pend t hei r
ent i re l i fe experi enci ng t he vari abl es . Thi s al s o s ugges t s a probl em for cri t i cs / t heori s t s
of s uch work - how can one t al k about an work of i nfi ni t e s cal e and durat i on.
Arti fi ci al G ames m ay i ncl ude t he navi gat i on of an i l l us i oni s t i c m aze or l abyri nt h. It
m ay have a very defi ni t e s t ruct ure or m ay funct i on wi t h a fl oat i ng s t ruct ure/ non
s t ruct ure. One s et of obs ervat i ons are m ade by fol l owi ng t he rul es whi l e
anot her s et i s engendered by breaki ng t he rul es .
It i s i nt eres t i ng t o wat ch C hi l dren m ake up ad hoc rul es whi l e at pl ay. I bel i eve i t i s
oft en a chi l d l i ke wonder whi ch i s dri vi ng t he fi el d of Arti fi ci al G ames . We are now
at t he m om ent of fi rs t s t eps . One can proj ect a t i m e when s uch s ys t em s wi l l run on
t hei r own, bui l di ng t hei r own param et ers wi t h an i nt el l i gence we can now onl y s ee as
an hori zon. It wi l l be i nt eres t i ng t o wat ch as Art i fi ci al Int el l i gence pl ays a l arger rol e
i n Arti fi ci al G ames . S m art Gam es wi l l cert ai nl y t ake t hei r pl ace bes i de com put er
ches s . It i s al s o i nt eres t i ng t o wat ch t he s hi ft i ng gam e of AI. At one t i m e a gam e of
ches s s eem ed l i ke an i m pos s i bi l i t y. Now i t i s a m at t er of cours e.
In t he fol l owi ng s ect i ons I wi l l t al k about THE EXQUIS ITE M EC HANIS M OF
S HIVER S . One s ect i on wi l l t al k about t he pi ece i n rel at i on t o t he t echni cal param et ers
of t he work. The l as t s ect i on wi l l exam i ne s om e of t he i nt ent i ons of t he work, wri t t en
i n a m ore poet i c s t yl e.
THE EXQ UIS ITE MEC HAN IS M O F S HIVERS - In th e re al m of th e
Arti fi ci al Game - A 'S ET' of Parame te rs .
THE EXQUIS ITE M EC HANIS M OF S HIVER S i s an i nt eract i ve vi deodi s c i ns t al l at i on
whi ch com bi nes poet i c t ext fragm ent s , m odul ar m us i c s egm ent s and i m age s equences .
The work i ncorporat es a vi deodi s c and com put er t o faci l i t at e t he com bi nat i on and recom bi nat i on of a s et of s peci fi c word/ i m age/ s ound m odul es . Each m odul e i s pres ent ed
as a word (or words ) s uperi m pos ed over a rel at ed vi s ual i m age, accom pani ed by a
m us i cal fragm ent . A l i near vi deo, 28 m i nut es i n durat i on, edi t ed t o an audi o
recordi ng cons i s t i ng of 33 s hort m us i cal ' m ovem ent s ' , form s t he foundat i on of t he
work. Each of t he 33 s ect i ons pres ent s a s ent ence com pri s ed of 10 s ent ence fragm ent s .
The i ns t al l at i on funct i ons i n t he fol l owi ng m anner. The vi ewer s el ect s "Words " from a
poet i c t ext on a M aci nt os h m enu generat ed wi t h HyperC ard 2. 1 and t he Voyager P res s
Vi deoS t ack. Thi s s el ect i on proces s i s faci l i t at ed by s crol l i ng t hrough 10 l i s t s of word
vari abl es . Thes e words funct i on as m odul ar l i ngui s t i c s ent ence fragm ent s i n a
preconcei ved s ent ence t em pl at e whi ch when s el ect ed, t ri gger corres pondi ng i m ages and
s ound hous ed on a vi deodi s c. The com put er faci l i t at es t he i ns t ant aneous s ubs t i t ut i on
of word/ i m age/ s ound s egm ent s wi t hi n t he s ent ence t em pl at e s t ruct ure as deri ved
t hrough vi ewer choi ce. The vi ewer experi ences t he act i ve navi gat i on of a s eri es of
changi ng poet i c audi o/ vi s ual s ent ences . The work expl ores pl ural i s t i c m eani ng
t hrough t he pres ent at i on of m at eri al i n cont i nuous l y changi ng al t ernat e cont ext s .
Hum our, vi s ual puns , word/ i m age/ s ound pl ay, m odul ar m us i cal com pos i t i on, ' canned
chance' , as wel l as s ens e/ nons ens e rel at i ons are al l expl ored.
HyperC ard m enus al l ow t he vi ewer t o wat ch for as l ong as t hey wi s h, expl ori ng t he
m at eri al at t hei r own rat e. The part i ci pant i s pres ent ed wi t h a s eri es of opt i ons
t hrough vari ous l i nked m enus . They are abl e t o expl ore t he l i near m at eri al as one
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opt i on, a s el ect i on of l i ngui s t i c vari abl es from t he t em pl at e s t ruct ure as anot her
opt i on, vari ous s ent ences whi ch t hey bui l d t hrough t hei r s el ect i on proces s as a t hi rd
opt i on, as wel l as i m age/ s ound/ l anguage poet ry whi ch (i f s el ect ed) i s generat ed by t he
com put er. Thi s s em i -random poet ry i s generat ed by havi ng t he com put er random l y
s el ect one choi ce from each s t ack of s peci fi c s ent ence funct i on vari abl es , m aki ng s ure
t o m ai nt ai n t he proper order, t o deri ve new s ent ences . Thes e word/ i m age/ s ound
m odul es are cal l ed-up from a vi deodi s c for t he poem generat or us i ng s et s of random
num bers t i ed t o s peci fi c l ocat i ons (s egm ent s ) on t he di s c (one s et for each s egm ent ' s
funct i on i n t he s ent ence). The com put er faci l i t at es t he i ns t ant aneous s earch and pl ay
of t he appropri at e t ext / i m age/ s ound fragm ent s on t he vi deodi s c, m ai nt ai ni ng t he
correct s ent ence s ynt ax.
A non-i nt eract i ve i ns t al l at i on has al s o been cons t ruct ed us i ng t he l i near vers i on of t he
i m age/ s ound m odul es . Vi deo wal l t echnol ogy i s us ed t o pos i t i on t he words i n s ent ence
form at , acros s 10 m oni t ors pres ent ed s i de by s i de. The vi deo wal l di s pl ays t he
s ent ence one m odul e at a t i m e whi l e t he l i near s oundt rack pl ays . Aft er each m ot i on
s egm ent pl ays on a part i cul ar m oni t or, t he s ys t em grabs t he l as t fram e and hol ds t he
gi ven word/ phras e, t hen t he next m oni t or i s act i vat ed pl ayi ng t he next word/ phras e,
and s o on t hrough t he pi ece. Aft er t en s egm ent s t he next s ent ence begi ns from t he
fi rs t m oni t or, unt i l al l 330 s egm ent s have been pl ayed at whi ch poi nt t he proces s
s t art s over.
P art 3
Not es on THE EXQUIS ITE M EC HANIS M OF S HIVER S
i s onl y i ncl uded i n pri nt ed form i n t hi s envel ope.
It begi ns
Thought bri dges .
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