Czech Game Shows Difficulties in Escaping Ghetto

May 27, 2007 -

It's not easy to break the cycle of poverty.

Building on the success of a board game designed to educate students about the challenges of living life in the poorer neighborhoods of West Bohemia in the Czech Republic, an organization known as Tady a Ted (Here & Now) has told Radio Prague it is planning to bring those lessons to the computer screen.

The board game, GhettOut!, illustrates the obstacles faced by the disadvantaged in escaping life in the ghetto. Tereza Zikova of Here & Now explains:

The aim is to show how difficult it is for someone to be able to change their life. Themes include problems of discrimination, dealing with authorities, children ending up at special schools, difficulties with housing, crime, and drugs. One should get a sense of what it's like to live in constant uncertainty, and a sense that these problems are intertwined and difficult to sort out.

The original board game, Cesta z Ghetta (Out of the Ghetto), reflected life in the ghetto, placing an emphasis on personal motivation and a "readiness" to leave. Players try to gain the most help in leaving the ghetto, but just as in real life, such opportunities don't come often.

The video game version will focus more on individuals rather than groups, and is currently scheduled for release via the web in December. An English translation is planned, and Here & Now says it has received interest both locally and internationally.

- Reporting from Canada, GP Correspondent Colin "Jabrwock" McInnes

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Comments

Submitted by wildweasel (not verified) on Sun, 05/27/2007 - 19:08.

@kurisu7885: It would be awfully ironic if they charged full retail price for a game like this =P

Submitted by Escape the ghetto … Czech style at Best-Computer-Deals (not verified) on Tue, 05/29/2007 - 08:30.

[...] [Via GamePolitics] [...]

Submitted by Cheeselikescereal (not verified) on Sun, 05/27/2007 - 09:28.

Seems interesting i would like to try.

Submitted by kurisu7885 (not verified) on Sun, 05/27/2007 - 07:25.

I hope this will be free to play. I'm rather interested in seeing how it turns out.

Submitted by Gretchen (not verified) on Sat, 08/18/2007 - 22:35.

hi nice post, i enjoyed it

Shout box

Matthew Wilson: https://soundcloud.com/totalbiscuit/weaponised-charity a interesting audio log.10/19/2014 - 12:04pm

prh99: Also there is no story in rational and respectful discussion (where you can find it).10/19/2014 - 10:44am

prh99: Well they are probably doing it on Twitter and probably the GG hashtag so any voice reason gets drowned out by idiocy. Also it's far easier to broad brush a group.10/19/2014 - 10:41am

Wonderkarp: dont fool yourself, Technogeek. Remember Mass Effect 3? How about the ferver against Phil Fish?10/19/2014 - 10:18am

MechaTama31: None of which is the fault or responsibility of the people who are not trolling, harassing, threatening, doxxing, etc. So why is their opinion hostage to the people who are?10/19/2014 - 10:06am

Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

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