Red Dwarf

Work Title: Red Dwarf
Medium: TV Episode
Episode Title: Better than Life
Year: N/A
Writer(s): Bob Grant
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Doug Naylor
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

Red Dwarf is a sitcom set in space. This episode discussed here: http://www.sadgeezer.com/RedDwarf/epis2-02.htm

Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_future
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

Two protrayals of telepresence. One is that throughout the Red Dwarf universe (8 series so far), one of the main characters (Rimmer) is a simulation. He can socially interact with the three other main protagonists, but can't physically interact. His not being able to eat or touch objects is a constant theme throughout, and at least one episode deals with him getting a real body. He is a very sophistictaed simulation, and the relationship with the four main characters, Lister (last human), Cat (a cat evolved into a humanoid shape), Kryten (a robot), and Holly (screen-based AI) does evolve. Second portrayal for this episode is the "Better than Life" video game.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Better than Life, Total Immersion Video Game
  • Description of the technology: A fully immersive simulation that responds to the wants and desires of the users. Physical interface is a small helmet, but actions seem to be passive. Multiple people can enter together with different helmets. It is 1st person. To make something happen, you just wish it to happen. The quality is "perfect". The participants are fully aware its a simulation. The "joke" in the episode is that Lister and Cat dislike Rimmer, so their "positive" fantasies include negative fantasies about Rimmer. Rimmer can't cope with being happy so he has a very miserable time. There is also a reference to the "exit problem" where one of the participants thinks he has left the system, but he has been fooled and he hasn't. The episode ends still in the system where Rimmer is attacked in a high fidelity simulation of their space-craft.
  • Nature of task or activity: Recreation based on fantasy.
  • Performance of the Technology: N/A
  • Description of creator(s): No, but is came from Earth.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To entertain
  • Description of users of technology: Anyone.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: A fantasy world based on the users' desires. For one user it turns in to an anti-fantasy world.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Yes, though its implied that one of them (Rimmer, the one that has the negative experience) loses track that its not real because his mind assumes that its real because he is miserable (his natural state).
  • Valence of experience: Varies.
  • Specific responses: N/A
Long-term consequences:

Played for comedic value.

Other:

Coder name: Anthony Steed
Coder email: A.Steed@cs.ucl.ac.uk
Coder affiliation: Temple University