IKEA as a video game.
David Byrne has written up his first trip to IKEA and his conclusion that it is largely like a big video game, what with the codes and the odd pockets of design, etc…
One soon realizes that one of the goals of this “game” is to decide which cabinets, in which wood or wood-like material, would, could or should be combined with which counter materials, and then to match them to a particular style sofa and upholstery, and finally, to select the color and texture of floor material that would coordinate best with all the above.
That is just level 1. It is relatively easy. Especially when you could give a rat’s ass about “design” and are all about “comfort” and “functional”.
The food level is really a bonus level; opt-in for energy points.
Level 2 — the stock room– is particularly vicious in how it plays off level 1: You must choose items that are actually in stock to win.
Christine and I have consistently failed on this level — walked out with no more credits… no more patience… no product in hand… game over…
To add to the complexity, certain products can only be ordered on the weird-ass maze-like walkthrough showroom. If you ask for said products down where all except these special bonus products are stocked, you’ll get mocked by the helpful staff. Mocked for at least 2 life points (2 of us shopping — game over after that).
Level 3 is comparatively easy: Assembly. To their credit, IKEA does deliver relatively high quality mass-produced furniture and the assembly instructions are better than any I have encountered while the end product is certainly quite solid.
I have yet to tackle purchasing and installing an entire IKEA based room. Sounds like a boss level of awesome magnitude. Given the utter failure (and occasional humiliation) involved in finding stuff that is actually in stock, I might never play that particular video game again.
Yeah, I have said that before. Sigh.
November 12th, 2007 at 12:50 am
[...] while the end product is certainly quite solid. I have yet to tackle purchasing and … http://www.friday.com/bbum/2007/11/12/ikea-as-a-video-game/ bbum’s weblog-o-mat [...]
November 12th, 2007 at 1:46 am
We have a new IKEA kitchen, and quite a lot of other IKEA stuff. The best bit about IKEA – being able to shop without annoying shop assistants trying to help.
Now if only we could do it from the comfort of our MacBooks, and have it delivered automatically…
November 12th, 2007 at 10:33 am
level 4: you must return home with unbroken material, otherwise, you must either: 1) exchange it, which is possible if and only if there are some unbroken ones and restart at level 1 to choose replacing material 2) drive like crazy to Ikea store no.2, hoping to find the unbroken item!
November 12th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
I have a little Acura Integra hatchback, and I would assert that Level 4, transport, also involves the geospacial puzzle of fitting the various long and short boxes (plus the baskets and other gewgaws you accidentally slipped into your cart because they were so cheap, and what the heck, they might be useful) into a confined space. A three-dimensional Tetris, if you will.
November 15th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
There’s a typo in “magnitude”.
As for Alderete’s comment, I got an office chair home (Xmas present) in my Miata. I had to open the top and it still barely got home.
November 29th, 2007 at 3:20 am
[...] IKEA as a video game. [...]
June 6th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I love the video game analogy. As mentioned, I think an appropriate “level 2.5″ would be trunk assemblage for your Ikea purchase. it never ceases to amaze me the creativity (and sometimes stupidity) that can be seen when people are loading their cars. Ever see someone drive off in a mini with a mattress strapped losely to the top of their ride? Briliant!