--- title: "Video games · Simulations · Simulation Hypothesis" url: https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/video-games description: "Every video game simulates something; the genres here are sorted by what they model and what they omit." license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ credit: "Ross Allan Dahl, Simulation Hypothesis (simulation-hypothesis.com)" --- [Simulations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations)domain 18 of 18 # Video games Every video game simulates something. The genres here are sorted by what they model and what they leave out. Every video game is a simulation: a world with rules, stepped forward many times a second, with a person inside it. Genres differ in what they model carefully and what they approximate or leave out. By a wide margin, games are the most-run simulations in existence. They're also a working answer to the Sandbox's observation dial, since almost all of them draw only what the player can perceive. ## Vehicles and machines ### Flight simulation Aircraft with detailed aerodynamics, instruments and procedures, often over a model of the whole planet. The player’s question: Can the aircraft be landed in a night crosswind? Leaves out: Failure carries no consequence, and the atmosphere is simplified far below the resolution of a research model. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a gaming desktop's CPU and GPU rendering aerodynamics and instruments Since: 1980 subLOGIC’s Flight Simulator, a home-computer game modelling single-engine flight physics [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Continuum fields](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-continuum)floor: Bodies ### Spaceflight simulation Rockets and flight paths under real orbital mechanics, sometimes with user-designed vehicles. The player’s question: Can a vehicle reach orbit and return? Leaves out: Gravity usually comes from one body at a time rather than from every body acting on every other. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a home desktop CPU; orbital mechanics is cheap to solve Since: 1969 by 1969, Jim Storer’s text game Lunar, written on a PDP-8 minicomputer [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Differential equations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-equations)floor: Bodies ### Racing simulation Cars with detailed tyre, suspension and engine models on laser-scanned tracks. The player’s question: How close to the grip limit can the car be driven through a corner? Leaves out: Wear, weather and damage are milder than in reality, or can be disabled. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a gaming console or desktop GPU rendering tyre and suspension models Since: 1989 by 1989, Indianapolis 500: The Simulation, a home-computer game modelling suspension and tyre grip [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Differential equations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-equations)floor: Bodies ### Arcade racing Fast cars with forgiving physics, tuned for speed and spectacle. The player’s question: Can a race be won while sustaining drifts through every corner? Leaves out: Most of the vehicle dynamics, by design. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough an arcade cabinet or console GPU, physics kept deliberately cheap Since: 1974 Gran Trak 10, an arcade cabinet with a scrolling road and a car sprite to steer [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Driving and transport simulation Trucks, buses and trains over long routes, with schedules, cargo and road rules. The player’s question: Can the cargo be delivered on schedule and undamaged? Leaves out: Distances are compressed and durations shortened. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU rendering long routes, cargo and traffic Since: 2001 Microsoft Train Simulator, a home-computer train-driving game simulating routes and signalling [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Naval and submarine simulation Ships and submarines with sonar, weather and ship handling, sometimes with a full crew to manage. The player’s question: Can the contact be located before the player's vessel is? Leaves out: Months at sea are compressed into a single session. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU modelling sonar, weather and ship handling Since: 1984 a home-computer submarine simulation with sonar and torpedo modelling [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Differential equations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-equations)floor: Bodies ### Job and machinery simulation Real trades and machines: farming equipment, construction, cleaning, repair. The player’s question: Can the work be done correctly while the business grows? Leaves out: Fatigue, weather and administration. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or console GPU rendering machinery and terrain Since: 2008 by 2008, Farming Simulator, a home-computer farming-machinery game with real equipment routines [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Open-city driving Free driving through a large streamed city with traffic and pedestrians, with no fixed track. The player’s question: What does a city feel like when it is driven rather than looked at? Leaves out: Roads and traffic are simplified; vehicle physics is usually arcade-grade. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a gaming PC, real time Since: 1999 by 1999, Midtown Madness (Chicago, released May 1999) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown%5FMadness) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Fields ### Flight simulation over streamed Earth A flight simulator that draws the whole planet from streamed satellite imagery, elevation and live weather rather than hand-built scenery. The player’s question: Can a flight over any real place be rendered from survey data on demand? Leaves out: Buildings and vegetation are generated from imagery and are only approximately right. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a gaming PC, real time with a data connection Since: 2020 by 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) using streamed mapping imagery [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft%5FFlight%5FSimulator%5F%282020%5Fvideo%5Fgame%29) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Continuum fields](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-continuum)[Differential equations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-equations)floor: Fields ### Soft-body vehicle crash simulation Vehicles modelled as networks of beams and nodes that bend, tear and crumple in collisions at interactive speed. The player’s question: How does a car deform and break in a crash, in real time? Leaves out: The beam lattice is coarse and fracture is not resolved at material scale. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a gaming PC, real time Since: 2013 by 2013, the BeamNG.drive tech demo (3 August 2013) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeamNG.drive) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Particles and N-body](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-particles)[Differential equations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-equations)floor: Bodies ### Mech combat simulation A cockpit simulation of a walking war machine, with heat, armour sections, weapon groups and a limited-view controls panel. The player’s question: What is it like to pilot a walking fighting machine whose damage and heat are tracked by part? Leaves out: No real machine exists, so the physics is invented and tuned for play. Runs on: about 10^10 FLOPS rough a laptop, real time Since: 1989 by 1989, MechWarrior, the first BattleTech cockpit simulator [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MechWarrior%5F%281989%5Fvideo%5Fgame%29) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ## Life and people ### Life simulation Simulated people with needs, moods, relationships and careers, living in homes the player builds. The player’s question: Can every household member's needs be kept satisfied? Leaves out: Inner lives are reduced to a handful of meters, which is the Sandbox’s “functional minds” setting in practice. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU running many simulated households' needs Since: 2000 The Sims, a home-computer game simulating households of characters with need meters [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Virtual pets A creature with hunger, happiness and health that change over real time. The player’s question: Will the creature's needs be met at the required intervals? Leaves out: Everything except the needs. Runs on: about 10^6 FLOPS rough a handheld toy's simple microcontroller; needs are trivial to track Since: 1996 Tamagotchi, a handheld digital pet toy with hunger and mood counters [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Farming and village life Crops, seasons, animals and a small community of neighbours. The player’s question: Can a sustainable livelihood be built in a single small valley? Leaves out: Soil science, crop failure and the physical labour involved. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a console or desktop CPU tracking crops, seasons and neighbours Since: 1996 Harvest Moon, a home-console farming and village-life game with seasonal crops [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Relationship simulation Characters whose affect towards the player changes with the player's choices of speech and action. The player’s question: Which responses maximise the character's regard? Leaves out: The other party is a branching script. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough a phone or desktop CPU running branching dialogue and affection scores Since: 1994 a home-computer dating-simulation program with branching affection scores [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Social hangout worlds Avatar-based spaces whose main activity is conversation, dress and social display, with no set goal. The player’s question: How do users choose to present themselves to others? Leaves out: There is no game to play, only interaction between people. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or phone GPU rendering avatars and chat Since: 1995 by 1995, a graphical online world for chatting through customisable avatars [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Dating simulation A single point-of-view character choosing whom to court through scheduled meetings, gifts and conversation. The player’s question: Does the sequence of choices produce acceptance? Leaves out: Each suitor has a fixed, fully knowable preference function. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a desktop or handheld CPU tracking scheduling and favour stats Since: 1994 Tokimeki Memorial, a dating game scheduling dates and tracking a suitor's favour [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Monte Carlo](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-monte-carlo)floor: Rules ### Parenting and family life Raising simulated children or a household through school, chores and milestones over many years. The player’s question: Does the child reach adulthood with the intended outcomes? Leaves out: A childhood compressed into a few dozen hours. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU tracking a child's growth stats Since: 2001 by 2001, a home-computer program raising a simulated child through milestones [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[System dynamics](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-system-dynamics)floor: Bodies ### Surgery and medical games Operations and emergency care played as time-pressed tasks on a virtual patient, with tools, vital signs and complications. The player’s question: How well can a patient be treated under time pressure on a simulated body? Leaves out: Tissue is a set of scripted wounds, not a mechanical or physiological model. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a handheld console, real time Since: 2005 by 2005, Trauma Center: Under the Knife (Japan, 16 June 2005) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trauma%5FCenter:%5FUnder%5Fthe%5FKnife) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ## Systems and societies ### City building Zoning, roads, utilities, budgets and a simulated population that immigrates, commutes and places demands on services. The player’s question: Can a city grow without congestion exceeding its road capacity? Leaves out: Most citizens exist only as aggregate quantities until the camera is directed at them. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU simulating thousands of virtual citizens Since: 1989 SimCity, a home-computer city-building game with simulated traffic and zoning [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Cellular automata](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-cellular-automata)[System dynamics](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-system-dynamics)floor: Bodies ### Colony simulation A small group of characters, or a colony of ants or other creatures, surviving through work, needs and chance events. The player’s question: Can the colony survive the winter, and its own internal conflicts? Leaves out: Much of real biology and psychology, with dramatic events exaggerated. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU running dozens of characters' needs and pathing Since: 1991 by 1991, SimAnt, a home-computer ant-colony game with foraging and pheromone trails [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Management and tycoon A business such as a theme park, hospital, railway or zoo, with customers, staff and money. The player’s question: Can the enterprise remain profitable without losing its customers? Leaves out: Customers are modelled as a few needs and a budget. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU tracking customers, staff and money Since: 1990 Railroad Tycoon, a home-computer transport-management game with simulated freight economics [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[System dynamics](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-system-dynamics)floor: Bodies ### God games A world and its inhabitants guided from above, through miracles, terrain and indirect influence. The player’s question: How does a population respond to indirect, sustained intervention? Leaves out: The inhabitants never learn of the intervening agent, which is the simulation hypothesis seen from the other side. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU simulating a population responding to indirect guidance Since: 1989 Populous, a home-computer game of guiding a tribe through terrain and miracles [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Ecosystem and evolution games Creatures, food chains and species that change over generations. The player’s question: Which lineage dominates under the imposed selection pressures? Leaves out: Real evolutionary timescales, and the absence of any goal in the process. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU running generations of simple creature genomes Since: 1996 Creatures, a home-computer game evolving simple creatures over simulated generations [Evolutionary](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-evolutionary)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Automation and factory building Mines, conveyor belts, assembly machines and logistics networks, growing ever larger. The player’s question: Can a production system be made self-expanding? Leaves out: Pollution, labour and the cost of failures. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU stepping thousands of factory events per second Since: 2012 by 2012, a home-computer conveyor-and-factory building program [Discrete event](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-discrete-event)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Idle and incremental An economy of numbers that grows exponentially while the player is absent. The player’s question: How large can the quantity grow? Leaves out: Everything except compound growth. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone browser tab; the maths is trivial exponential growth Since: 2013 a browser page incrementing a counter exponentially while idle [System dynamics](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-system-dynamics)floor: Populations ### Social deduction games Players hold hidden roles and must infer who is lying through talk, voting and elimination, with an informed minority hiding among an uninformed majority. The player’s question: Can a hidden minority survive when the majority reasons about who is lying? Leaves out: The deception is among real players; the simulation only enforces roles, votes and information limits. Runs on: about 10^8 FLOPS rough a phone, real time for a lobby of about ten players Since: 1986 by 1986, the tabletop party game Mafia; video versions followed from 2003 [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social%5Fdeduction%5Fgame) [Game theory](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-game-theory)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Populations ### Station systems simulation A crewed space station modelled as coupled systems such as air, power, medical and atmospheric flow, which players maintain or break. The player’s question: What failures cascade through a crewed habitat when systems are coupled? Leaves out: Gas flow is a coarse grid model and the other systems are rule-based. Runs on: about 10^10 FLOPS rough a laptop, real time for a server Since: 2003 by 2003, Space Station 13, begun as an atmospheric simulation program [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space%5FStation%5F13) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Cellular automata](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-cellular-automata)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Fields ## Strategy ### Grand strategy Whole nations across centuries: economy, diplomacy, population, religion and war. The player’s question: Can a state be steered through centuries of history? Leaves out: Individuals are represented as counts within provinces. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU tracking provinces, population and diplomacy for centuries Since: 1991 a home-computer program simulating a nation's economy and wars across centuries [System dynamics](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-system-dynamics)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Populations ### 4X strategy A civilisation that explores, expands, exploits and competes, turn by turn, from the stone age to space. The player’s question: Does the player's civilisation outlast its competitors? Leaves out: Millennia elapse within a single turn. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU computing turn-based civilisation growth Since: 1991 Sid Meier’s Civilization, a home-computer turn-based civilisation game from stone age to space [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Populations ### Real-time strategy Resource gathering, base building and many units commanded at once, in real time. The player’s question: Can planning and resource management outpace an opponent under time pressure? Leaves out: Logistics and morale, largely. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU pathing hundreds of units in real time Since: 1992 Dune II, a home-computer game with real-time unit orders and base building [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Hex-and-counter war games Digital versions of board war games: historical campaigns on hex maps, with detailed supply, terrain and orders. The player’s question: Could the historical outcome have been improved upon? Leaves out: Units are counters, and soldiers are the numbers printed on them. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough a phone or desktop CPU running turn-based hex-map calculations Since: 1980 a home-computer adaptation of a hex-and-counter board war game [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Monte Carlo](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-monte-carlo)floor: Populations ### Tactics A small squad on a grid, taking turns, with cover, chance and positioning. The player’s question: Can the engagement be won without losses? Leaves out: Everything outside the battle map. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU resolving grid-based turns Since: 1990 Fire Emblem, a home-console squad tactics game fought on a grid map [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Monte Carlo](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-monte-carlo)floor: Bodies ### Tower defence Waves of enemies following a path, and defences placed along it. The player’s question: Where must defences be placed to withstand every wave? Leaves out: The enemies' motivation. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a phone or browser tab tracking pathing enemies and towers Since: 2003 by 2003, a strategy-map modification with enemies following a fixed path [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Auto-battlers Players assemble a team from a shared random pool between rounds, then the teams fight automatically by rules with no direct control. The player’s question: Which team compositions win once all fighting is automatic? Leaves out: Combat is deterministic rules over stat values, not a model of fighting. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone, real time for eight players Since: 2019 by 2019, the community mod Dota Auto Chess (January 2019) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto%5Fbattler) [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Stochastic processes](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-stochastic)[Game theory](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-game-theory)floor: Populations ## Worlds and sandboxes ### Block and voxel sandboxes A world made of blocks that can all be mined, moved and built with, generated without end. The player’s question: What can be constructed from the available blocks? Leaves out: Matter is quantised into one-metre cubes, the coarsest matter floor in any shipped simulation. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU simulating an endless block world Since: 2009 Minecraft, a home-computer game generating an endless world of mineable blocks [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Cellular automata](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-cellular-automata)floor: Bodies ### Survival and crafting Hunger, cold, shelter and tools in a hostile open world. The player’s question: Can the character survive the first night? Leaves out: The skill, time and chance that real survival requires. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU tracking hunger, cold and crafting Since: 2006 by 2006, a home-computer open-world survival program with hunger and crafting [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Physics sandboxes and building Bridges, machines and vehicles built from parts and tested under simulated physics. The player’s question: Will the structure bear its load? Leaves out: Materials and joints are idealised. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop GPU running real-time rigid-body physics Since: 2004 Garry’s Mod, a home-computer building game driven by a real-time physics engine [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Particles and N-body](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-particles)floor: Bodies ### Falling-sand games Every pixel a particle of sand, water, fire or gas, reacting with its neighbours. The player’s question: What happens when one material is combined with another? Leaves out: Chemistry is reduced to a lookup table. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a phone or browser tab updating a grid of particle cells Since: 2005 the Falling Sand Game, a browser game simulating falling sand, water and fire pixel by pixel [Run the interactive model](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/run#toy-sand) [Cellular automata](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-cellular-automata)floor: Fields ### Space exploration and trading Star systems, economies and ships to fly, trade and fight between. The player’s question: Can a living be made trading between star systems? Leaves out: Most of space is empty, and the game omits it. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU simulating star systems and trade economies Since: 1984 Elite, a home-computer space-trading game with simulated star systems and markets [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Level and world creation tools General-purpose building tools for terrain, logic and objects, used to make entire games inside the game. The player’s question: What can be built from these components? Leaves out: Nothing is simulated until a player assembles it. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU running whatever the player has built Since: 1983 a home-computer level-editing program letting players build and share stages [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Cellular automata](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-cellular-automata)floor: Rules ### Terrarium and habitat sandboxes A sealed environment such as an aquarium, terrarium or garden, stocked and watched rather than directed. The player’s question: What equilibrium will the habitat reach? Leaves out: The chemistry of water and soil, reduced to a few parameters. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a desktop or phone CPU running a small closed ecosystem Since: 1985 a home-computer aquarium program modelling fish, feeding and water quality [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Cellular automata](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-cellular-automata)floor: Bodies ### Agent-based game playtesting Learning agents play a game thousands of times to find bugs and test balance. The player’s question: Is this level or rule balanced? Leaves out: Agents do not play like people and miss fun. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough Many parallel game instances Since: 2019 Winning isn't everything: enhancing game development with intelligent agents (2019) [source](https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.10545) [Learned emulators](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-learned)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Rules ### User-generated game platforms A hosted engine where players build and publish their own games and worlds, with shared physics, avatars and an in-world economy. The player’s question: What do millions of amateur designers build when the engine and audience are provided? Leaves out: Each world is a small rule set; the platform simulates no particular real system. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a data centre, real time for a server of a few dozen players Since: 2006 by 2006, the public release of Roblox (developed from 2004) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roblox) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Populations ## Role-playing and story ### Role-playing games A character with statistics, skills and choices in a world that reacts, descended from tabletop rules. The player’s question: What character does the player develop? Leaves out: Personality is reduced to a set of numbers. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU resolving dice-based rules and dialogue Since: 1975 a mainframe dungeon-crawling program adapting tabletop role-playing rules [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Monte Carlo](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-monte-carlo)floor: Bodies ### Massively multiplayer worlds One persistent world shared by thousands of players at once, with its own economy and social life. The player’s question: How do players behave in a world shared with thousands of others? Leaves out: The world resets and repeats, so no individual's actions change it for long. Runs on: about 10^16 FLOPS rough a server farm, a slice per shard, for thousands of concurrent players Since: 1978 MUD1, a university mainframe text world shared by many users at once (1978, on Bartle’s account) [source](https://mud.co.uk/richard/mudhist.htm) In the simulations tree: [MUD1](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/trees/simulations?n=w-mud1) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Immersive simulation Worlds built from consistent systems (physics, sound, light, guards, doors) that can be combined in ways the designers did not plan. The player’s question: Is there a route through that the designers never specified? Leaves out: Less than any other genre, by design. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU running interacting physics, AI and sound systems Since: 1994 a home-computer program combining physics, guard AI and sound in one world [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Open-world adventure A large continuous world with its own traffic, weather and daily routines, free to roam. The player’s question: What lies beyond the next hill? Leaves out: Characters distant from the player are paused or thinned out. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console GPU rendering a continuous large world Since: 1997 by 1997, Grand Theft Auto, a home-computer and console game with a large continuous city to roam freely [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Roguelikes A new world generated for every attempt, and death is permanent. The player’s question: How far can a single attempt progress? Leaves out: The world is procedurally generated and not intended to persist. Runs on: about 10^11 FLOPS rough a university terminal or phone; procedural generation is cheap Since: 1980 a university mainframe dungeon-crawl generating a new maze each run with permanent death [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Monte Carlo](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-monte-carlo)floor: Rules ### Interactive fiction A world described in text, which responds to typed commands or choices. The player’s question: What action follows from the described situation? Leaves out: Everything is text, so nothing needs to be rendered. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a terminal or phone parsing typed text commands Since: 1975 Crowther’s mainframe cave program (1975), released with Woods’s expansion in 1976 [source](https://www.raphkoster.com/gaming/book/3a.html) In the simulations tree: [Colossal Cave Adventure](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/trees/simulations?n=w-colossal) [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Visual novels and narrative games A story told in scenes, with choices that branch it. The player’s question: Which branch of the narrative will the choices select? Leaves out: Only the paths written by the authors exist. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone or desktop CPU displaying branching text and images Since: 1983 The Portopia Serial Murder Case, a home-computer branching-story game told through text and static scenes [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Exploration and walking A place to move through and discover, with story told by the environment. The player’s question: What happened in this place? Leaves out: Nearly all interaction; the world is scenery. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or console GPU rendering an environment to walk through Since: 2012 by 2012, a home-console walking program telling its story through the environment [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Adventure and point-and-click Scenes, objects and characters, with puzzles solved by using the right thing in the right place. The player’s question: Which object belongs with which? Leaves out: Only the listed objects can be used. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU tracking a small set of usable objects Since: 1987 Maniac Mansion, a home-computer game where a mouse click combined objects to solve puzzles [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Alternate reality games A story told across real websites, phone calls and physical places that players treat as true, solving clues collaboratively. The player’s question: How does a crowd investigate a fiction presented as if it were real? Leaves out: Little is simulated by machine; the world is the real internet with scripted additions. Runs on: no computer. mostly human effort, no large computation Since: 2001 by 2001, The Beast, a campaign for the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate%5Freality%5Fgame) [Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Populations ## Action and skill ### Platformers A character running and jumping through levels with carefully tuned physics. The player’s question: Can the jump be completed? Leaves out: Real momentum: characters can change direction in mid-air. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough an arcade cabinet or console CPU tracking simple jump physics Since: 1981 Donkey Kong, an arcade cabinet with a character climbing platforms and jumping gaps [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Action adventure Exploration, combat and puzzles in a world opened up bit by bit. The player’s question: Can the obstacle guarding the next area be overcome? Leaves out: Pain, fatigue and most consequences. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a console or desktop CPU handling combat, puzzles and exploration Since: 1986 The Legend of Zelda, a home-console game combining exploration, combat and item puzzles [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Shooters Fast movement and aiming, with projectiles, cover and team play, usually against other players. The player’s question: Which player reacts first and holds the better position? Leaves out: Nearly everything except line of sight and reaction time. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console GPU rendering fast first-person movement Since: 1974 by 1974, Maze War at NASA Ames, where players hunted each other through a maze [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Fighting games Two characters with precisely timed moves, frame by frame. The player’s question: Can the opponent's next move be predicted? Leaves out: Anatomy and injury, entirely. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough an arcade cabinet or console CPU resolving frame-by-frame moves Since: 1976 Heavyweight Champ, an arcade cabinet with two fighters exchanging timed blows [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Tactical military simulation Realistic squads, ballistics, radio and command structure, usually on large maps with many players. The player’s question: Can a squad operate as a coordinated unit? Leaves out: Fear, exhaustion and consequences. Runs on: about 10^14 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU modelling ballistics and radio for many players Since: 1999 by 1999, a home-computer tactical shooter modelling real ballistics and squad radio [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Particles and N-body](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-particles)floor: Bodies ### Stealth Guards with models of sight, hearing and suspicion, and light and sound that reveal the player. The player’s question: Can the objective be reached without detection? Leaves out: Guards forget far faster than people do. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a console or desktop CPU tracking guards' sight and hearing Since: 1998 Metal Gear Solid, a home-console game giving guards simulated sight and hearing cones [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Team arena games Two teams of heroes with distinct abilities competing over a symmetric map. The player’s question: Which team coordinates more effectively? Leaves out: The world outside a single map. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console GPU running two teams on a shared map Since: 1999 a home-computer team-based arena shooter with distinct character roles [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Rhythm games Actions timed to music, often with a real or simulated instrument. The player’s question: Can the actions be kept in time with the music? Leaves out: Everything but timing. Runs on: about 10^11 FLOPS rough an arcade cabinet or console tracking simple beat timing Since: 1997 Beatmania, an arcade cabinet with buttons timed to a musical beat [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Rules ### Battle royale Many players dropped into one shrinking map, scavenging equipment until one player or team remains. The player’s question: Which player or team remains when the play area has closed? Leaves out: Most of the map, most of the time; each player observes only a small part of it. Runs on: about 10^14 FLOPS rough a desktop or console plus a game server coordinating up to about a hundred players Since: 2013 by 2013, a large-map multiplayer mode where the play area shrank until one survivor remained [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Extraction shooters A persistent raid in which players and computer-controlled enemies compete for loot and must reach an exit alive, losing carried gear on death. The player’s question: How does risking carried loot change how players trade off greed and survival? Leaves out: Ballistics and injury are simplified and the economy is a designed loop, not a market. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a gaming PC, real time per raid Since: 2016 by 2016, the closed alpha of Escape from Tarkov (4 August 2016) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraction%5Fshooter) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ## Sports ### Sports simulation Team and individual sports with animated players, tactics and ball physics. The player’s question: Can a championship be won? Leaves out: Fatigue and injury are reduced or abstracted. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a console or desktop GPU animating players and ball physics Since: 1983 a home-computer program simulating a team sport with player statistics and tactics [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Sports management A club’s squad, tactics, transfers and finances across many seasons, with matches simulated from player statistics. The player’s question: Can a winning team be assembled within the budget? Leaves out: Players are represented by hundreds of numbers each, more detail than most games give any entity. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU simulating seasons of matches from statistics Since: 1982 Football Manager, a home-computer game simulating a league season from team statistics [Monte Carlo](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-monte-carlo)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Fitness and motion games The player's own body as the controller, tracked by camera, motion sensors or a balance board. The player’s question: Can the required movement be sustained? Leaves out: The world; the setting is a gym with scenery. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough a console with a camera or balance-board sensor, light processing Since: 1987 Stadium Events, a home-console game controlled by a pressure-sensitive floor mat [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Extreme and action sports Skating, snowboarding, surfing or similar disciplines with trick systems and momentum-based physics. The player’s question: Can a trick sequence be completed without a fall? Leaves out: Injury. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a console or desktop GPU running trick physics and momentum Since: 1987 Skate or Die!, a home-computer skateboarding game with trick combos and momentum [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Particles and N-body](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-particles)floor: Bodies ### Golf simulation A golf swing modelled from club, ball spin and wind, on a course built hole by hole. The player’s question: How do green slope and wind affect the putt? Leaves out: Nerves, and the interval between shots. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU modelling ball flight and green slope Since: 1984 an arcade cabinet modelling swing timing, spin and wind on a golf shot [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Differential equations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-equations)floor: Bodies ### Combat sports simulation Boxing, wrestling or martial arts matches with stamina, striking and grappling systems. The player’s question: Can the player outlast the opponent's stamina? Leaves out: Real damage accumulation, softened for playability. Runs on: about 10^12.5 FLOPS rough an arcade cabinet or console CPU resolving stamina and strikes Since: 1980 an arcade cabinet simulating a boxing match with a stamina meter [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Racket and ball sports Tennis, table tennis or similar disciplines with timing-based swings and ball physics. The player’s question: Can the swing be timed to the ball's arrival? Leaves out: Wind and spin are simplified to a couple of variables. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a console or phone CPU modelling ball trajectory and swing timing Since: 1958 an analogue computer displaying a two-player tennis match on an oscilloscope [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Differential equations](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-equations)floor: Bodies ### Fishing simulation Casting, hooking and reeling in virtual fish, with water depth, bait, line tension and fish behaviour. The player’s question: What does it take to land a fish given depth, bait and line tension? Leaves out: Fish behaviour is a few scripted states rather than ecology. Runs on: about 10^8 FLOPS rough a phone, real time Since: 1980 by 1980, Fishing Derby for the Atari 2600 [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing%5FDerby) [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Stochastic processes](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-stochastic)floor: Bodies ### Hunting simulation Stalking animals across a landscape, with wind, noise, scent and shot placement deciding the outcome. The player’s question: How do an animal's senses and a hunter's approach decide an encounter? Leaves out: Animals use simple alert-and-flee rules, not behavioural models. Runs on: about 10^10 FLOPS rough a laptop, real time Since: 1997 by 1997, Deer Hunter (November 1997) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deer%5FHunter%5F%28video%5Fgame%29) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ## Puzzle and abstract ### Physics puzzles Objects to launch, stack, roll or connect under simulated physics. The player’s question: Which single arrangement satisfies the constraints? Leaves out: Friction, mass and materials are simplified. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or phone CPU running a simple real-time physics engine Since: 2009 Angry Birds, a phone game launching objects under a simple physics engine [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Particles and N-body](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-particles)floor: Bodies ### Logic and falling-block puzzles Grids, blocks and rules to reason within, often against a clock. The player’s question: Can the pattern be identified in time? Leaves out: There is no world at all, only rules. Runs on: about 10^10 FLOPS rough a simple CPU; falling-block logic is a trivial calculation Since: 1984 Tetris, a home-computer game dropping shaped blocks into a grid to clear lines [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Board and card game adaptations Traditional and modern tabletop games with the rules enforced by the computer and an opponent built in. The player’s question: Can the built-in opponent be defeated? Leaves out: The table and the other players. Runs on: about 10^11 FLOPS rough a phone or desktop CPU enforcing rules and running a built-in opponent Since: 1977 Microchess, a home-computer adaptation of chess with a built-in opponent [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Game theory](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-game-theory)floor: Rules ### Word and letter puzzles Letters to arrange or guess against a dictionary, with a limited number of tries. The player’s question: Which word satisfies the feedback received so far? Leaves out: Meaning; only spelling is evaluated. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone CPU checking guesses against a dictionary Since: 1972 a mainframe program guessing a hidden word one letter at a time [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Match-three and tile-swap puzzles A grid of tiles swapped to line up three or more of a kind, clearing them for points and chain reactions. The player’s question: Which swap produces the next chain? Leaves out: Everything beyond the grid; the theme is surface decoration. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone or browser tab evaluating a small grid Since: 1994 Shariki, a home-computer game where swapping adjacent tiles clears rows of three [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Cellular automata](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-cellular-automata)floor: Rules ### Hidden-object and spot-the-difference A cluttered scene searched for listed items or subtle differences from a reference image. The player’s question: Which items are concealed in the scene? Leaves out: The scene is static unless the player finds the element that changes it. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone or desktop CPU checking click coordinates against a list Since: 1993 a home-computer program searching a cluttered scene for listed items [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Number and grid logic puzzles Digits or symbols placed under strict constraints, such as one of each in every row, column and block. The player’s question: Which value is forced in each cell, and by what deduction? Leaves out: Chance; a solved grid is provable, not guessed. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone app checking a filled grid against constraint rules Since: 1979 Number Place (later Sudoku), a printed number-grid puzzle, later adapted onto computers [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Escape-room puzzles A locked space with a chain of puzzles that unlock the next, usually against a countdown. The player’s question: Can the puzzle chain be completed before the countdown ends? Leaves out: The stress of a real locked room. Runs on: about 10^9 FLOPS rough a phone or desktop CPU tracking a small state machine of clues Since: 2004 Crimson Room, a browser game locking progress behind a chain of solved puzzles [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Rules ### Programming battle games Players write programs that control a robot or process, then watch them fight each other without further input. The player’s question: Which program wins when no one can intervene during the fight? Leaves out: The arena is a toy world, so strategies rarely carry over to real robots. Runs on: about 10^7 FLOPS rough a laptop, seconds per battle Since: 1981 by 1981, RobotWar for the Apple II (Muse Software); see also Core War in minds-computation [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RobotWar) [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Game theory](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-game-theory)[Discrete event](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-discrete-event)floor: Rules ### Hacking simulation A stylised model of intruding into networked computers through commands, passwords and files, played under time or trace limits. The player’s question: How does an intruder move through a network before being traced? Leaves out: Real exploits are replaced by puzzles, and network behaviour is invented. Runs on: about 10^7 FLOPS rough a laptop, real time Since: 1985 by 1985, Hacker for home computers (Activision) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker%5F%28video%5Fgame%29) [Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)[Network models](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-network)[Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Rules ## Immersive hardware ### Virtual reality Worlds rendered stereoscopically to both eyes and tracked to head and hands, so that the user's body is the camera. The player’s question: Does the perceptual illusion of presence hold? Leaves out: Touch, weight, smell and temperature, where the illusion breaks down. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a headset's onboard GPU or a tethered desktop GPU Since: 1991 Virtuality, a coin-operated cabinet with a stereoscopic head-mounted display [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Augmented and location-based Game objects laid over the real world through a phone or headset, often tied to real places. The player’s question: Which virtual objects are anchored to which real places? Leaves out: The real world supplies the rendering. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a phone's CPU and GPU overlaying graphics on its camera feed Since: 2000 by 2000, a GPS-enabled handheld program placing virtual objects at real locations [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Motion-controller games Full-body or hand gestures tracked by a camera or wand and mapped directly onto in-game actions. The player’s question: Does the player's gesture match the on-screen action? Leaves out: Fine technique; broad gestures score the same as precise ones. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a console CPU processing a camera or wand's tracked motion Since: 2006 the Wii Remote, a home-console wand tracked by motion sensors to control on-screen actions [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Haptic and force-feedback games Vibration, resistance or force fed back through a controller, wheel or vest to stand in for touch. The player’s question: Can an impact be conveyed through touch alone? Leaves out: Every texture is one of a handful of vibration patterns. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop or console CPU driving a force-feedback wheel or vest Since: 1997 a home-console controller with a motor that vibrated in step with on-screen impacts [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Location-based and arcade VR Virtual reality experienced by walking through a tracked physical room or riding a motion platform, shared with other people nearby. The player’s question: Does proprioception remain consistent with vision? Leaves out: The real walls, which remain present. Runs on: about 10^14 FLOPS rough a venue's networked computers tracking a whole room of headsets Since: 2016 by 2016, The VOID, a warehouse attraction tracking several players walking through a room in headsets [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Cockpit and rig simulation A physical seat, wheel, pedals or flight stick that moves or resists in step with the simulated vehicle. The player’s question: Is the vestibular cue convincing enough to sustain the illusion? Leaves out: Real g-forces; the rig can tilt the user but cannot sustain acceleration. Runs on: about 10^13.5 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU driving a motorised seat or force-feedback wheel Since: 1988 an arcade cabinet with a hydraulic motion seat synced to a racing or flight program [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)floor: Bodies ### Biometric-adaptive games Heart rate, skin conductance or breath measured live and fed back into the game's difficulty or story. The player’s question: Can the game infer arousal before the player is aware of it? Leaves out: It reads arousal, not its cause. Runs on: about 10^13 FLOPS rough a desktop CPU reading a heart-rate or skin sensor in real time Since: 2010 a home-computer horror program that sped up threats when a heart-rate sensor sensed fear [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Virtual reality social worlds Persistent shared rooms entered in a headset, where users appear as tracked avatars with body language, voice and user-made spaces. The player’s question: How do people behave and bond when meeting as avatars in embodied space? Leaves out: Avatars carry only head and hand tracking; faces and bodies are largely animated by rule. Runs on: about 10^12 FLOPS rough a gaming PC with a headset, real time for a room of tens of users Since: 2014 by 2014, VRChat first released on the Oculus Rift DK1 (16 January 2014) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRChat) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Agent-based](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-agent-based)floor: Bodies ### Augmented reality pets A virtual animal is drawn over the live camera view of the player's room, and reacts to hands, sounds and objects. The player’s question: Does a virtual creature feel present when it shares the player's real room? Leaves out: The pet follows scripted behaviour and responds to a few detected gestures. Runs on: about 10^11 FLOPS rough a console with a camera, real time Since: 2009 by 2009, EyePet for PlayStation 3 using a camera feed [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EyePet) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Rules and states](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-rules)floor: Bodies ### Cloud-streamed games A game's simulation and rendering run on a remote server, and only the video is sent to the player, whose controls are sent back. The player’s question: Can a game with demanding graphics be played on a weak device through the network? Leaves out: Network delay between pressing a button and seeing the result limits fast action games. Runs on: about 10^14 FLOPS rough a server-class graphics processor per player, running continuously. Since: 2013 Shea and colleagues' 'Cloud gaming: architecture and performance'. [source](https://doi.org/10.1109/mnet.2013.6574660) [Real time](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-real-time)[Discrete event](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/methods#m-discrete-event)floor: Rules [◂ Film, media and art](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/media-art)[Fundamental physics ▸](https://simulation-hypothesis.com/simulations/fundamental-physics)