Citizens[]

[cameronedmond]

Edit:
All done! Here's a link to the repo: https://github.com/CameronEdmond/NaNoGenMo2017

Direct link to the output (Warning: big ol' PDF).

Direct link to the script (I am not good at coding)

Original:
Thinking of generating a text that builds up the necessary credentials to live in a fictional city over time, and judges its inhabitants as it goes.

Hoping to clear enough Uni work off my plate this month and next to allow myself to really give it a go. I'm currently writing a thesis on computer generated literature, and figured I should get in on the action.

[ikarth]

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! I'll be curious to see if it interfaces with your research (I know people have gone both ways in the past...)

[cameronedmond]

Thanks! Honestly, it's more about ensuring I'm talking less out of my arse ;).

[cameronedmond]

Got the script working. Needs some work to add some more drama, so next step is creating some short, boiler-plate testimonies from each applicant to give some weight to their acceptance/refusal. Will also be adding in a bunch more attributes and figuring out how to display the output.

[cameronedmond]

All done!

[greg-kennedy]

What I like most about this entry is the idea of each new citizen influencing the decision to approve/reject further citizens based on self-similar characteristics. In the beginning it is quite open, but by the end it has produced a "society" that is a rigorous monoculture and highly insular (and only admits 21 people in 50,000 words!). It reminds me a lot of some ideas I've read on how widespread segregation can arise from very local preferences, e.g. this simulation from Vi Hart and Nicky Case. http://ncase.me/polygons/

The little summary interviews are a nice touch, very humanizing.

[cameronedmond]

Hey Greg, thanks very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it :). Parable of The Polygons was a bit of an influence if I'm honest, it's a great little game that manages to be both cute and thought-provoking.