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11/05/2002 Archived Entry: "A closer look at an old favorite: Soda"

A Closer Look at an old favorite: Soda

The famous Soda Constructor was created in the late 90's for the UK research/art/design group Soda (Soda Creative Technologies Ltd.). Its creator, Ed Burton, created it as a means of learning how to program Java. Although much has been said offhand in weblogs and website reviews about the addictive nature of the program, I'm taking a second look at the toy/art/experience for an interface design project-- and seeing some very interesting things I hadn't payed much attention to before. Specifically:

- Soda Constructor not only allows you to create your own design from component parts, it allows you to control the interaction of these parts (e.g. changing friction, kinetics), and even redefine the rules of the system (e.g. gravity off). Anyone who is interested in rule systems for games/toys may be interested in this aspect of the toy.

- Soda Constructor not only allows you to play with concepts of emergent patterns of movement (flow etc.), with the new Soda Race, the toy also allows you to experiment in AI.

- The interface is an excellent example of allowing for at least 10 minutes of direct play (by just diving in and dragging your creature around.)

- Soda Contructor creations hold the line between complete abstraction and life-like characteristics. We can recognize them as "creatures" through their remarkable organic movement, yet we are not distracted by overt organic characteristics (like this human skeleton-based example) that make their failure unnerving.

- Soda Constructor maintains a delicate relationship between basic elements and larger constructions. We can build larger creatings starting one component at a time, and see the relationship between this simple element and the system. More complex basic objects may separate users from feeling agency in a complex system.

Not bad for an experiment in Java programming that became popular as an addictive time-waster!

Posted by ONLINE CASINOS @ 01/30/2004 10:30 AM EST

Hello.It really looks like you`ve come a long way since.Good luck!

Posted by ONLINE CASINOS @ 01/30/2004 10:42 AM EST