Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
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conversion or marriage: a Christian becomes Muslim if surrounded by 3 Muslims
and 1 Druse.
This was only and example. However, what we have in mind here is a true gaming-
simulation on territorial and spatial dynamics with situation more or less similar as
follows:
−
the players are given roles (in the line of principle associated with one or more
states), objectives, and possibilities of action related to the definition of transition
rules and neighbourhoods;
−
an initial scenario is defined (e.g. a homogeneous distribution of “populations” in
different areas);
−
a “game-master” has the possibility to define a fixed set of transition rules and a
set of possible “events”;
−
players can define simultaneously a set of
n
transition rules related to the behaviour
of the state associated to their role;
−
the model is ran for the first time for
k
1
number of turns;
−
one or more “events” get activated;
−
players are given the possibility to simultaneously re-write their
n
transition rules;
−
the model is executed for the second time for
k
2
number of turns;
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the fulfilment of given objectives is verified and a results evaluation is collectively
discussed.
Obviously, this is only an example of a possible game as far as “contents” are
concerned (other could be related to spatial functions, land-values, demographic
dynamics, etc.)
5. Conclusions
As it can easily be seen, our research sits in a zone of frontier, and that requires an
explorative use of cellular automata in order to permit moments of comprehension
and analysis of a plausible territorial system development and to verify the effects of
decisions taken through interaction of actors as social subjects.
The use of cellular automata as reference model for a gaming simulation serves to
make actors more conscious about retroactive and interactive effects normally present
in territorial dynamics, and it serves this purpose better that any other model: the
question here is not to interact with other players and to input results of such an
interaction into a “black-box” that simulates effects; rather, here we have a direct
control over the model, over its internal
rationale
, its mechanisms, rules, responses.
We insist underlining the usefulness of such an approach from conceptual and
practical standpoint: users - persons involved in the game - are not only in the
position to understand their respective points of view, but are also enabled to
understand internal functioning of the system and thus to understand better the
consequences of their actions - and that is an essential component of any process of
true participation [8].
It seems to us that we are looking at a true perspective of a new and promising
work.
