Lose/Lose Offers Invasive Interactivity
Lose/Lose Offers Invasive Interactivity
September 24, 2009
A new, freeware game, based loosely on Space Invaders, serves up quirky game play that can result in files being deleted off a player’s computer permanently.
Aptly entitled Lose/Lose, the game generates alien sprites based on random files from a user’s computer. If aliens are shot at and destroyed, or make contact with the player’s ship, the corresponding file is deleted off the PC.
Users who don't want to risk cherished files can watch a video of game play on the title's website.
Zach Gage, the game’s developer, poses the question:
As technology grows, our understanding of it diminishes, yet, at the same time, it becomes increasingly important in our lives. At what point does our virtual data become as important to us as physical possessions? If we have reached that point already, what real objects do we value less than our data?
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Posted 02/09/10 at 03:51pm
DarkSaber: I think he just goes round the internet copy+pasting the same bollocks to get attention.
DarkSaber: I think he just goes round the internet copy+pasting the same bollocks to get attention.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:41pm
Valdearg: @DS: I have to admit, I chuckled when I saw the 4 Feb 2010 on that post.. >.<
Valdearg: @DS: I have to admit, I chuckled when I saw the 4 Feb 2010 on that post.. >.<
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:31pm
DarkSaber: Hm, Bioshock. Not that Zippy likes to beat the dead horse by ranting about it for TWO $&%£ING YEARS!
DarkSaber: Hm, Bioshock. Not that Zippy likes to beat the dead horse by ranting about it for TWO $&%£ING YEARS!
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:30pm
DarkSaber: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.173063-Bioshock-yet-another-zippy-rant
DarkSaber: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.173063-Bioshock-yet-another-zippy-rant
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:20pm
DarkSaber: Although, unsurprisingly, he's just being called an idiot alot and criticised for being as illegible as always.
DarkSaber: Although, unsurprisingly, he's just being called an idiot alot and criticised for being as illegible as always.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:18pm
DarkSaber: Oh good lord, I just found Zippy on The Escapist.
DarkSaber: Oh good lord, I just found Zippy on The Escapist.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:14pm
Valdearg: IE: Male body/Female Mind or Female Body/Male Mind.
Valdearg: IE: Male body/Female Mind or Female Body/Male Mind.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:13pm
Valdearg: @Zip: TG == Transgendered/Transsexual.
Valdearg: @Zip: TG == Transgendered/Transsexual.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:09pm
DarkSaber: Forget it Zippy, it's an abbreviation of a big word and so would be wasted on you
DarkSaber: Forget it Zippy, it's an abbreviation of a big word and so would be wasted on you
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:07pm
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:....TG?
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:....TG?
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:02pm
Valdearg: @DS: Im sure that's what they'd do if it wasn't legal to just tell Gays/TG's to "Screw off," just because they're who they are.
Valdearg: @DS: Im sure that's what they'd do if it wasn't legal to just tell Gays/TG's to "Screw off," just because they're who they are.
Posted 02/09/10 at 02:50pm
DarkSaber: Whoever told him/her/it that is dumb. They should have done like most companies and made-up some bullshit, yet legal, reason for it not getting the job.
DarkSaber: Whoever told him/her/it that is dumb. They should have done like most companies and made-up some bullshit, yet legal, reason for it not getting the job.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:10pm
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:00pm
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:53pm
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
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Comments
What if you play this game in a Sandboxed or virtual enviroment? ;) Problem solved I think.
Wow, I can't wait for someone to play this game, then sue the developer for destroying that persons PC.
Ummmm, right yeah, I think I'll skip this one. I MIGHT see it work when I have to reinstall windows next and have everything backed up.
Does it only destroy like pictures/documents or videos or could it get into the .dll or system files too?
I think you missed all the more interesting copy from the author (err, I'm not sure how to offset this in a block-quote):
"Lose/Lose is a video-game with real life consequences. Each alien in the game is created based on a random file on the players computer. If the player kills the alien, the file it is based on is deleted. If the players ship is destroyed, the application itself is deleted.
Although touching aliens will cause the player to lose the game, and killing aliens awards points, the aliens will never actually fire at the player. This calls into question the player's mission, which is never explicitly stated, only hinted at through classic game mechanics. Is the player supposed to be an aggressor? Or merely an observer, traversing through a dangerous land?
Why do we assume that because we are given a weapon an awarded for using it, that doing so is right?
By way of exploring what it means to kill in a video-game, Lose/Lose broaches bigger questions."
This certainly makes it seem a lot more interesting for what it is saying rather than what it currently appears (which is just a terrible idea for anyone not in a Virtual Machine).
So it's avant-garde. A little like 4'33". I can get behind that, though I think I like Iji better.
Lord, grant me the strength to finish what I
Click the plain text link under the textarea and then type in the blockquote.
The concept is fairly interesting. The idea that using your weapon will "reward" you but carries potentially series negative consequences certainly makes an interesting concept for a game.
Perhaps that .doc you deleted is a 6 month old shopping list, or maybe it was your PhD. thesis that's due tomorrow.
Still though, a little too risky for my take especially if there's the potential to actually screw up my system itself. I back up all my documents and stuff so I could get that stuff back if I lost it, but if this thing could delete a system file or some .dll's its a little too risky for my blood.
Yes, as technology gets more important, the less we understand how it works.
Its the same with automobiles. When cars first became standard, almost every owner had a rough idea of how it worked. Mechanics were there for doing hardcore fixes, or just tune-ups while the owner was at work. Now, a lot of folks I know dont even know how to change a tire.
Its becoming the same way with computers. When the C64 started popping up in homes, you had to be a programmer just to get it to run. Now, Ive had to teach a lot of my friends how to plug in the mouse.
I totally agree... As much as I like my friends, when they keep asking me how this works, or what this does, or "Why is my computer so slow??" my only response is "Google it." I tell them, this is how I learn, so that's how you are going to learn, because I don't have the time to be screwing around with your computer and taking that responsibility when, more often than not, I know as much or less about what you are trying to do than even you do.. Just because I can program computers doesn't mean that I am some kind of Certified Computer Technician..
Hoping that someone with the IRS decides to play the game at work. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Nightwng2000
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Reminds me of this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA1HVaupDyw
Woulda went with 'virus' myself, but yeah spades. :(
300 Episodes and counting: http://www.orangeloungeradio.com/
This is malware. It was programmed for the express purpose of tricking someone into running the program in a way that harms their files. If the programmer honestly feels that people deserve to lose files for running this, he is an elitist. If not, he is a griefer and an asshole.
This is a signature virus. Please copy and paste into your signature to help it propagate.
purpose of tricking someone into running the program
When does the author attempt to trick anyone into running this application? The fact that the program deletes files is clearly stated on its site, in the read me and when the application is started.
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A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. Benjamin Franklin
hm, my hard drive could do with some cleaning off....
it would be interesting to see if someone takes this idea and turns it into a malicious program that doesn't offer the warnings about file loss that this game does
*edit* and by 'interesting' I mean that it would suck to receive such a program