{"id":6213,"date":"2023-09-25T17:05:52","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T17:05:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cranky-kare.208-123-215-145.plesk.page\/?p=6213"},"modified":"2024-02-22T13:58:42","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T13:58:42","slug":"unwelcome-to-paperclip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ctrlaltdeal.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/25\/unwelcome-to-paperclip\/","title":{"rendered":"(Un)Welcome to Paperclip International"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Once we came up with the story behind the game (if you missed it, read our blog on\u00a0making a game about AI<\/a>), we needed a setting. We knew it would be a corporate environment\u2014SCOUT is a research project, and we wanted to use the theme of business negotiations as a game mechanic. How did we get from that to the weird world of Paperclip?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few playtesters have asked if the company name was inspired by the Word assistant, Clippy. But it\u2019s actually a reference to \u201cthe paperclip problem<\/a>.\u201d This is a thought experiment by philosopher Nick Bostrom, which posits that an AI could pose a threat to humanity even when given a simple, harmless task, like manufacturing paperclips. In a quest to become more efficient, utilize all available resources, and prevent interference, the AI might decide that the best method for making more paperclips is to kill all humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our initial creative team had a shared interest beyond AI and the paperclip problem, and that was a deep appreciation for the sadly short-lived TV show\u00a0Better Off Ted.\u00a0<\/a><\/em>The hilariously dysfunctional Viridian Dynamics of the show was our initial model for the company itself (we even named our CEO Veronica in homage).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was easy\u2014too easy\u2014to get inspiration for a terrible company. We actually ran into a problem where every time we thought up something wickedly dystopian, we found out it was already happening (often worse!). We needed more inspiration beyond \u201ca horrible place to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our creative director, Jen, is a lover of all things \u201980s. She came up with the idea for a neon cyberpunk aesthetic (which we quickly dubbed \u201cblack light bowling alley style\u201d), and that led us to imagine what a cyberpunk world would be like for regular office workers. If there were edgy heroes fighting with katanas in the rain, but in the background, a line of tired office workers are trying to hurriedly eat their recycled ramen on their unpaid 15-minute lunch break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these pieces came together in Paperclip International, \u201ca deeply ethical corporation\u201d as their tagline says. Here you have to watch 15 minutes of paid advertisement to activate the staff coffee maker. Here, \u201980s futuristic fashion is on point, with auto-inflatable shoulderpads and LED skinny ties. Here, the management only cares about bonuses, and workers only care about making it to the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the world SCOUT inhabits. As it investigates and deals with humans, it learns the difference between managers and regular employees, between those motivated by money and those motivated by meaning. It starts to understand that not only is it trapped in the company, many others are, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe there\u2019s a way for them to help each other. But if SCOUT wants to escape, it\u2019s going to need to deal with the Turing Office\u2026 which we\u2019ll talk about in a future blog!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once we came up with the story behind the game (if you missed it, read our blog on\u00a0making a game about AI), we needed a setting. We knew it would be a corporate environment\u2014SCOUT is a research project, and we wanted to use the theme of business negotiations as a game mechanic. How […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[53],"class_list":["post-6213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devlog","tag-ctrlaltdeal"],"yoast_head":"\n(Un)Welcome to Paperclip International - ctrl.alt.DEAL<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Welcome to Paperclip International. 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