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> They're required to have some form of environmental enrichment, which means a little wooden rod in every cage that they can play with and chew. The descripti
by zenexer 6y ago
> They're required to have some form of environmental enrichment, which means a little wooden rod in every cage that they can play with and chew.
The description you've provided--especially that line--is eerily reminiscent of the "Enrichment Center" from Portal.[0] As that game (humorously) demonstrates, it's unreasonable to expect that the physiology of an animal wouldn't change under those conditions. How much research would've resulted in different outcomes had the animals involved been kept under different conditions?
[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_(video_game)
- _underfl0w_ 6y agoWhat a perfect analogy, though that's no doubt intentional in the game's design. Don't forget the "companion cube" that the game not-so-subtly implies the player ought to develop a relationship with haha
- DrStalker 6y agoThat was a really great piece of game design that grew out of a problem picked up in playtesting where some players didn't realize they were meant to keep the cube with them to solve multiple puzzles; they'd leave it behind and then get frustrated on the next puzzle. So they added a heart to the texture and a few voice lines, and not only was that problem solved but they created one of the most memorable moments in the game by making people care about a cube and then having them get rid of it. "While it has been a faithful companion, your Companion Cube cannot accompany you through the rest of the test. If it could talk - and the Enrichment Center takes this opportunity to remind you that it cannot - it would tell you to go on without it because it would rather die in a fire than become a burden to you."