''Simulacron-3'' (also published as ''Counterfeit World'') is a 1964

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

novel by American author Daniel F. Galouye featuring an early literary description of a

simulated reality A simulated reality is an approximation of reality created in a simulation, usually in a set of circumstances in which something is engineered to appear real when it is not. Most concepts invoking a simulated reality relate to some form of compu ...

Plot summary

''Simulacron-3'' is the story of a virtual city (total environment simulator) for

marketing research Marketing research is the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of qualitative data, qualitative and quantitative data, quantitative data about issues relating to marketing products and services. The goal is to identify and assess how chan ...

, developed by a scientist to reduce the need for

opinion poll An opinion poll, often simply referred to as a survey or a poll, is a human research survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of qu ...

s. The computer-generated city

simulation A simulation is an imitative representation of a process or system that could exist in the real world. In this broad sense, simulation can often be used interchangeably with model. Sometimes a clear distinction between the two terms is made, in ...

is so well-programmed, that, although the inhabitants have their own

consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is awareness of a state or object, either internal to oneself or in one's external environment. However, its nature has led to millennia of analyses, explanations, and debate among philosophers, scientists, an ...

, they are almost entirely unaware that they are models in a computer simulation. The simulator's lead scientist, Hannon Fuller, dies mysteriously, and a co-worker, Morton Lynch, vanishes. The protagonist, Douglas Hall, is with Lynch when he vanishes, and Hall subsequently struggles to suppress his inchoate madness. As time and events unwind, he progressively grasps that his own world is probably not "real" and might be only a computer-generated simulation.

Similar works

In writing, the

Frederik Pohl Frederik George Pohl Jr. (; November 26, 1919 – September 2, 2013) was an American list of science fiction authors, science-fiction writer, editor, and science fiction fandom, fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first ...

short story " The Tunnel under the World" (1955) deals with similar philosophic themes and satirical criticism of marketing research, although in Pohl's story the described

is mechanical, an intricate scale-model whose inhabitants’ consciousnesses reside in a computer, rather than being solely electronic. The Philip K. Dick story ''

Time Out of Joint ''Time Out of Joint'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in novel form in the United States in 1959. An abridged version was also serialised in the British science fiction magazine '' New Worlds Scie ...

'' (1959) presents a man who is unaware that he is living his life in a physically simulated town until changes in his (apparent) reality begin to manifest themselves. ''

The Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction film, science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the The Matrix (franchise), ''Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ca ...

'' (1999) described a world whose population is unaware that the world containing their minds is a virtual reality simulacrum. "The Plagiarist" (2011) by

Hugh Howey Hugh C. Howey (born 1975) is an American writer, known best for the science fiction series ''Silo'', part of which he published independently through Amazon.com's Kindle Direct Publishing system. Although he has since signed distribution deals w ...

is a short novel which deals with similar themes and ideas. The Doctor Who episode "

Extremis "Extremis" is a six-issue story arc from the comic book series ''Iron Man (comic book), Iron Man'' (vol. 4), published in issues one through six in 2005 and 2006 by Marvel Comics. It was written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Adi Granov. ' ...

" has a similar plot.

Adaptations

The novel has been adapted several times into other media, including as the two-part German television film ''

World on a Wire ''World on a Wire'' () is a 1973 West Germany, West German science fiction Serial (radio and television), television serial, starring Klaus Löwitsch and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Shot in 16 mm film, 16 mm, it was made for West German ...

'' (''Welt am Draht'', 1973), by

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Rainer Werner Fassbinder (; 31 May 1945 – 10 June 1982), sometimes credited as R. W. Fassbinder, was a German filmmaker, dramatist and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema moveme ...

, "staying reasonably faithful to Galouye's book," as the film ''

The Thirteenth Floor ''The Thirteenth Floor'' is a 1999 science fiction film written and directed by Josef Rusnak and produced by Roland Emmerich’s Centropolis Entertainment. Loosely based on Daniel F. Galouye’s 1964 novel, '' Simulacron-3,'' it is a remake o ...

'' (1999) produced by

Roland Emmerich Roland Emmerich (; born 10 November 1955) is a German-American filmmaker. Emmerich is widely known for his science fiction and disaster films and has been called a "master of disaster" within the movie industry. His films, most of which are Eng ...

and directed by

Josef Rusnak Josef Rusnak (born 25 November 1958) is a German screenwriter and director. Early life Rusnak was born on 25 November 1958 in Wachtroj, Soviet Union, into a German family. His family belonged to the Russia Germans. They later moved to West Ge ...

, and as a play ''World of Wires'' (2012) directed by Jay Scheib.

References

External links

* {{Daniel F Galouye 1964 American novels 1964 science fiction novels American novels adapted into films American novels adapted into plays American science fiction novels Novels about virtual reality American novels adapted into television shows Science fiction novels adapted into films

Plot summary

Similar works

Adaptations

See also

References

External links