Playing with Data Bases

Among the specific forms of rationality that are to be analyzed with regards to games are the control circuit, the simulation and the data base. As different cultural forms of the computer’s conveyed mediality they represent intermediate elements between the calculating, programmable machine and the cultural grammar of its handling as well as its social implementation, between ‘hard’ technology and ‘soft’ utilization, between calculating and meaning. This paper gives an overview about the form of the data base. Ludic culture is closely linked to the data base. Thus the data stored in the data base can be made usable and playable by means of algorithms and rules. In some games, the data base is even in the center of events. The data base is apparent when presenting tables and statistics, but also in the according operations such as searching, filtering or linking. What then does it mean, to “play with data bases”?