Under simulated influence

Back in the day, I wrote a very theoretical article about simulation and video games, actually using Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as a case example. I mention this because the notion of simulation got my attention as I returned to Liberty City, I first took Niko to play pool with Roman (I lost). It seems that these casual 'activities' with friendly or romantic characters are there in order to support a more overarching sense of a seamless world, and they do seem to work to that direction. At least that is my tentative observation. We'll return to this.

After the activity with Roman I had Niko call Michelle for another date. Now there were many more options to choose from, so I decided we should go to a bar for a few drinks. I was quite disappointed that the bar did not figure in the game design at all: the couple entered the bar, and after a fade to black, I was awarded a drunken, babbling Niko to control. The simulation was simple but impressive enough, with wobbling controls and horizon. A funny thing happened once I decided to avoid drunk driving and tried to get a cab - true to the game series, Niko pulled the driver from the car and got seated behind the wheel of the taxi, with Michelle obediently running to take a seat next to Niko.

In the end, what followed was a blurry journey to take Michelle home. As a gentleman, I did not 'try my luck', as the game suggested, when reaching her place. What was interesting with that possibility was the social schema that the design of the simulation followed, i.e. that moment at the end of the date, where the couple either parts, or stays together for the night. In the article I mentioned at the beginning, I wrote that

analyzing the causalities of actions within the simulation produces observations about the politics and rhetorics of a particular simulation

The point of interest here is how GTA IV represents and simulates social and sexual relationships. We will see. However, whether it was due to the gentlemanly choice I made or not, Niko sobered up immediately after dropping Michelle off! One wonders how to interpret that kind of simulation logic.

Another observation: I just read that the Zit function, with which one can buy songs played on the radio stations, is only available to US players from the start. What a disappointment - I love the funky stuff at K109!