Addiction By Design: Machine Gambling, Coming To Boston Soon, Book Review

Posted September 26, 2013 2:46 AM ET; Last updated October 12, 2013 7:25 PM ET



Addiction By Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas
Natasha Dow Schull
Princetion University Press 2012

Natasha Dow Schüll is a cultural anthropologist and associate professor at MIT's Program in Science, Technology, and Society. Her new book, ADDICTION BY DESIGN: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas (Princeton University Press 2012), draws on extended research among compulsive gamblers and the designers of the slot machines they play to explore the relationship between technology design and the experience of addiction. Her current, ongoing research concerns the rise of digital self-tracking technologies and the new modes of introspection and self-governance they engender. Her documentary film, BUFFET: All You Can Eat Las Vegas, has screened multiple times on PBS and appeared in numerous film festivals.
This is a very well researched book on video gambling. Schull spent ten years attending corporate gaming conferences, and interviewing addicted gamblers. She found the compelling factor is not winning, but "getting into the zone." She tells of gamblers who ignore others who get ill and they just keep gambling. The machines are able to gather information about every time the player touches the machine. When they get near their losing limit the house sends out "ambassadors of luck," who have hand held computers, with vouchers for free dinners to keep the players at the machines.


The casinos can estimate how much a person will lose in a lifetime. Some stories show that the players are highly intelligent and intentionally play to lose as a way of helping bring on death. Their inability to cope with human interaction is a reason why the video machines are attractive. The machines eliminate uncertainty. The players know they will win or they will lose. No uncertainty. The only decisions they have to make are which cards to keep and which ones to throw. The objective is to keep playing as long as possible. Winning is an interruption. Some innovations came to the US from Australia. What struck me as problematic is that the way that the gambling industry gathers information about their players, is a pattern used by the military, and by corporations to try to control a person's actions and spending behavior.

That is the addiction which casinos bring to an area. Boston, Massachusetts voters will decide where they want their casino to be. It is an issue in the Boston Mayor's race to be decided on November 5, 2013.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304626104579123383535635644.html?mod=WSJ_hp_EditorsPicks

October 11, 2013, 1:56 p.m. ET
How Often Do Gamblers Really Win?
New data provide some answers on the real odds on gambling

By MARK MAREMONT and ALEXANDRA BERZON
* * *
Uploaded on Jan 14, 2011
Las Vegas casinos increasingly pay attention to their customers - their likes, dislikes, moods and patterns - in order to create an engaging experience. As Natasha Schull explains, the stated goal of these new designs is "customer extinction" - the moment at which the customer is out of money. This talk, essential viewing for anyone interested in the design or user experience of electronic gambling machines.

SwissNex Boston Video Game Art

Swissnex Boston the Consulate of Switzerland in Cambridge MA held a panel discussion on video games and art on Wednesday October 10, 2012. The guest speakers were Chris Solarski and Terrence Masson. Solarski was on a book tour for his tome, Video Game Art. Terrence Masson teaches at Northeastern University in Boston and brought along copies of his book, CG 101, Version 2. They were introduced by The Deputy Consul, Andreas Rufer.


Adreas Rufer, Deputy Consul
http://www.swissnexboston.org/

Chris Solarski is an author and Artist Game Designer. His studio is in Zurich Switzerland. Solarski explained that he was focused on classical art applied to video games. He explained that old masters created art on a hidden system of lines. The lines and angles in the pantings suggested eye movement along the lines or circles. He called them "emotion generating slopes." Reubens suggested circular movement of the eyes. Others used triangles to represent sharp movements as opposed to smooth transitions. He said "everything can be reduced to very primitive shapes." When designing video games there is the background, the middle ground, the foreground, the barriers and the goal.


Chris Solarski, Author, Artist Game Designer
solarskistudio.com

He showed the Mario figure which is round. He is a circular figure in a circular environment. His job was to eliminate the angular shapes. The objective was to create harmony. If both shapes are present there is dissonance. He said his favorite game is The Agenda of Zelda.


Mario and Wario

He explained the role of controller as the means through which the observer, the player, interacts with the video environment. The player can change the environment and the message being expressed in the video game. Reality is complex. The player can be seen as the conductor as in a symphony orchestra. The conductor influences and changes the music.


Example of Triangles in Classical Painting

Solarski did not mention the role of light in creating an environment. He may have assumed that it was understood. He discussed the difference between an observer of a painting which remains static, and the video game environment which changes and is changed by the observer.


Terrence Masson, Executive Professor of Creative Industries 

College of Arts, Media and Design, Northeastern University.
www.northeastern.edu/ci

Terrence Masson mentioned his travels and his participation in producing 20 films, including Titanic, and Batman. He also contributed to the creation of the Bruce Lee video game. He reported that he is originally from Boston and returned to his current position Executive Professor of Creative Industries, at Northeastern University in their College of Arts, Media and Design.


Terrence Masson (l.) and Chris Solarski

He said he has a BFA in art history and graphic arts; and worked in animation for film production. His passion was very apparent. He was especially excited about his students who come from many backgrounds and disciplines to immerse themselves in the various means of visual expression. He said they are history, English literature, Health Sciences and Engineering majors.

Example of Sharp Angles, Triangles in Classical Art

Japanese Rape Video Games

Japanese rape video games enrage women's groups. Japanese government is silent.