- This topic has 18 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 19 years, 3 months ago by
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hi all,
at a summer school at the moment in the US listening to Ian Bogost talk about persuasive games. Take a look if you don’t know about this stuff..
Imagine FF or FG funding the development of a political game.
Imagine a strategy game to solve the health care crisis..the mind boggles..http://www.persuasivegames.com/Games.html
Aphra.
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SMOKE.
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SMOKE.
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ARE YOU SMOKING YET?
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Ian actually did a few political games around the last election so maybe he did the one you are thinking about….and he has done one on social issues…where the players tries to balance out paying for education, environment, the military etc…
at least as short downloadable web games they are interesting..
Aphra.
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*sigh*
I guess no one watches Family Guy…
Anyway…
From a mainstream point of view theres no sign of political based mainly because there target audiences of games these days have very little interest in politics. Even Republic: The Revolution, while not an entirely complex politicial simulation was isolated because many people looked at what it was about and decided it wasn’t for them (of course there were many other gameplay related reasons however in the context of this discussion this reason which I heard seems most relevant).
On the other hand theres been some basic management like this available in other popular games such as Sim City, unfortunately this leaned more towards the entertainment side a little too much with players merely trying to find the correct balance in order to have a prosporous city while not actually thinking about the effects the changes were having…Maybe when a game is created that can a balance the realism of politics with entertainment we may see more becoming available.
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When I was in Abertay, one of the modules was supposed to be we would be given specs of games from outside sources and we’d go make them. The only one that turned up in the end was one for making a game about pollution by building power stations and trying to tend towards green energy. We all read it and knew it would be no fun and so it wasn’t done.
Trying to get the fun into these non-fun areas is the very tricky bit. -
I played http://www.nationstates.net/ for a bit. There’s definately interest out there for that kind of game.
Dave
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The UN were involved in a game called ‘Food Force’ which is about managing food rationing and resources…going to play it later to see what it is like but if you want to check it out go here..
http://www.food-force.com/Aphra.
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I think the initial post about a game where you assume the role of Fianna Fail or Fine Gael would be absolutely hilarious! I can just image D4 shite-hawks everywhere downloading it onto their Platinum-Plated, 7-Series-BMW-Themed Nokia 9990 Phones.
Oh I can hear them now! Having a few [overpriced] drinks in the Berkley Court Lounge, shouting over to each other, feverishly tapping buttons…
“Hey, I just bribed Bertie! Looks like I’ll be getting planning permission for the new shopping centre out on Wicklow Mountains!”
Or
“Enda Kenny just sold me all of Roscommon for banana sandwich! The man truly is an idiot!”
Of course the bad-boys of politics would have to be the Green Party! And by green, I’m referring to the Green Party (the lads who pick up the rubbish) as opposed to the GREEN Party (Gerry & Martin).
“Them tree-huggin hippy shites just took down all my election posters and turned them into environmentally-friendly mulch! FECKERS!”
Lads, I know it’s late, and I’ve a brew or two in me, but I think it’s time to break out the USE Case Diagrams and give ol Rational Rose a shout. I think this is the start of a games revolution!
What say ye to that! Any advance orders???
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Funny Stuff [/quote:652b39fdcf]
Nice post :)
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There’s a distinct difference between games about politics, and the kind of propaganda/marketting driven games I think Aphra was referring to.
Anybody remember the name of that American white supremacist mod for an fps that was in the online news a year or two back? Games undoubtedly provide an enticing vehicle for organisations to plant messages and values in players’ heads while rewarding them with the gameplay buzz. How many stopped to consider the socio-political outlook of the splinter cell games, for example? How long before the current trend towards ancillary advertising in games *spit* crosses over into the plotlines and gameplay? Will we see oil corporations subtly rubbishing global warming; processed food manufacturers quietly marketing convenience food and tv-dinner diets; online gambling franchises trying to ensnare people in virtual worlds? It’s only a matter of time before more main-stream political entities jump on the band-wagon, though the funding required to complete a game which doesn’t look amateur in todays market will hopefully keep them at bay for the time being.
I see a bad moon rising…
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The infiltration of the games we play by advertising has begun to happen already. If any of you have played Need For Speed: Underground you may have noticed large neon signs scatted around the city advertising the nearest Burger King or KFC, now do you think EA did this for free? While I don’t see it becoming any kind of a problem since in some types of games it may lend a certain authenticity, I also don’t however seeing it getting involved in the actual gameplay. Politics on the other hand, in my opinion anyway, will never feature heavily in games. Isnt that why we play games? For our enjoyment and to a certain extent escape reality for awhile? What good would they be if playing a game was the same as living a different, maybe boring, life?
Also remember if politics DID enter games what party would want themselves portrayed in a negative light? It would be the same as the car companies a few years back not wanting their cars names used in games if they were going to get destroyed or even badly damaged. I assume Fianna Gael couldnt just commission a game to be developed where Enda Kenny gets to unload various types of ammunition into an uncapacitated Bertie Ahern? :lol:
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there were 3 or 4 games made around the last election – including the best known one – Dean for America – on http://www.persuasivegames.com
Ronny, the game that got the full release was ‘The Political Machine’ on http://www.stardock.com/products.asp (they also did ‘The Corporate Machine’)
Persuasive games sounds like a sub-branch of Serious Games (games for non-entertainment purposes)…and Omen’s quite right – it can be very difficult to get the fun into a non-entertainment game
One of the finlaists at this year’s Indie Games Jam at the Game Developers Choice Awards was a fun (and funny) game advocating vegetarianism
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