Help me find a short story? SciFi simulated universe, subjects escape
May 28, 2014 7:52 AM   Subscribe

I read a short story a few years ago about scientists simulating a whole world in a computer and watching history unfold. The scientists appear in the world like gods to shape it. But then the virtual test subjects figure out a way to interact with the world outside the computer and then ultimately escape by teleporting the whole computer facility through a wormhole. What story is this?

I looked through everything on this wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_reality_in_fiction but did not see one that looked like the story I'm thinking of. I think this appeared in a year's best science fiction collection somewhere between 1996 and 2003.
posted by Kolath to Writing & Language (8 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
The Next Logical Step by Ben Bova?
posted by jbickers at 7:55 AM on May 28, 2014


Best answer: Can't recall the title, but I'm pretty sure Greg Egan wrote it.

Edit: Crystal Nights
http://ttapress.com/553/crystal-nights-by-greg-egan/
posted by hjo3 at 8:01 AM on May 28, 2014 [4 favorites]


A very nice variation on this theme is, Vernor Vinge, "The Cookie Monster."
posted by grobstein at 8:05 AM on May 28, 2014 [1 favorite]


It seems that hjo3 has it, but FWIW there's an extremely similar plotline in Egan's Permutation City.
posted by metaBugs at 8:43 AM on May 28, 2014


You may be thinking of Microcosmic God.

It appears in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929–1964
posted by vacapinta at 9:25 AM on May 28, 2014


I recall something like this on Escape Pod a few years back. It involved shutting the system down slowly and "humanely" by turning off stuff like hunger. If that rings a bell and it's not one of these others, I'll see if I can find it later today.
posted by NoraReed at 9:29 AM on May 28, 2014 [1 favorite]


You may be thinking of Microcosmic God.

My thought as well, except for that "ultimate escape by teleporting ... through a wormhole" ending.
posted by Rash at 10:48 AM on May 28, 2014


Response by poster: Thanks, hjo3! That's exactly the one. Also some good ideas from the rest of you.
posted by Kolath at 11:20 AM on May 28, 2014


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