Let the computer try to beat a 12 year-old at Magic, or any other evolving CCG.
Assuming you can get the PC to understand mechanics and the raw number of cards, the interactions are even more complex.
The problem is, a programmer can't keep up with the designer's ability to create (or abuse) new mechanics. It would be like adding 180 to 350 new types of chess pieces every 3 months. If you can't program in the new abilities, the PC can't interpret what the card does (it certainly can't read the card), much evaluate individual cards, or build a deck.
I didn't understand Ebert's disqualification based on 3) player control of the outcome.
There are several forms of modern art that change depending on the position of the viewer, or change depending on what time the viewer arrives at the art and sees its current incarnation. In this case, the designer intends that viewer has some control over the content of their experience. If they want to see a certain aspect of the art, they can view it from all angles or wait for the art to complete it cycle.
Taking this to an interactive game, if your outcome in one version of the story was different from some other, it was reflective of your choice - but the designer intentionally set the stage to viewed from those various angles.
If you were to make another comparison, if I were to compose a sonata, would its inherent value or impact be changed if a composer down the line chose to play it with different instruments, or changed some of the notes? If I built inherent choice of instrument or varied choral plans into the sonata, would that mean it's not art suddenly?
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Let the computer try to beat a 12 year-old at Magic, or any other evolving CCG. Assuming you can get the PC to understand mechanics and the raw number of cards, the interactions are even more complex. The problem is, a programmer can't keep up with the designer's ability to create (or abuse) new mechanics. It would be like adding 180 to 350 new types of chess pieces every 3 months. If you can't program in the new abilities, the PC can't interpret what the card does (it certainly can't read the card), much evaluate individual cards, or build a deck.
There are several forms of modern art that change depending on the position of the viewer, or change depending on what time the viewer arrives at the art and sees its current incarnation. In this case, the designer intends that viewer has some control over the content of their experience. If they want to see a certain aspect of the art, they can view it from all angles or wait for the art to complete it cycle.
Taking this to an interactive game, if your outcome in one version of the story was different from some other, it was reflective of your choice - but the designer intentionally set the stage to viewed from those various angles.
If you were to make another comparison, if I were to compose a sonata, would its inherent value or impact be changed if a composer down the line chose to play it with different instruments, or changed some of the notes? If I built inherent choice of instrument or varied choral plans into the sonata, would that mean it's not art suddenly?