All Things Go 1 of 11 - Why Play the Game of Go/Baduk/Weiqi? A Conversation with Game Designer Frank Lantz on Games, AI & Go
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May 21, 2024 
In this discussion with Frank Lantz, a game designer and founding chair of NYU Game Center, the art and complexity of Go take center stage. They delve into the unique aesthetic qualities of the game and its intricate strategies, contrasting it with chess. Lantz shares insights on AI's role in Go, revealing both vulnerabilities and transformative potential. The conversation also touches on the philosophical aspects of mastery and the future of Go in American culture, expressing both challenges and a sense of optimism.
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Games As Aesthetic Cultural Forms
- Games have always functioned like an art form, offering shared aesthetic experiences rather than mere tasks to accomplish.
- Frank Lantz argues Go exemplifies cultural art because people debate, interpret, and find intrinsic meaning in playing it.
Simplicity Breeds Deep Complexity
- A handful of simple rules can produce enormous complexity and surprise, and Go is a prime example of that phenomenon.
- Lantz compares Go to cellular automata like Conway's Game of Life to illustrate emergence from simplicity.
Heuristics Versus Search
- Go highlights the tension between brute-force search and heuristics; players rely on proverbs as shortcuts through huge search spaces.
- Lantz shows heuristics guide play but are complemented by careful reading when necessary.
