As we saw in 2008 with Breakthrough's immigration rights-themed I.C.E.D!, non-profits are increasingly turning to game tech to reach a wider - and younger - audience.
Along that line Ars Technica reports that Games for Change has released a toolkit designed to help non-profits tap learn how to tap into issue-oriented games of their own.
The Games for Change Toolkit is primarily a Flash-based presentation containing video, reference material, and links to demonstration games that cover various aspects of game design, from the initial concept to production and distribution. While an actual [software development kit] may not be involved, the toolkit introduces nonprofit organizations to both the broad potential and finer details of bringing an issue-conscious game into reality...
The Toolkit covers seven primary topics and introduces each with a video snippet of their relative presenter's speech: Urge, Concept, Design, Production, Distribution, Evaluation, and Case Study...
Comments
Re: Game Dev Toolkit Helps Non-profits Tackle Social Issues via
As soon as certain camps get ahold of this, we may see hilarous results.
Re: Game Dev Toolkit Helps Non-profits Tackle Social Issues via
I hope it's used to make games that aren't as completely one-sided as ICED was.
Re: Game Dev Toolkit Helps Non-profits Tackle Social Issues via
The purpose of persuasive works are to show the posities and benefits of your side while showing the cons of the oposing view point. If you were to make a work that gave equal weight and showed no bias you would be making an informative work.
While yes, persuasive works can be informative they are primarily persuasive. ICED was a persuasive work. It was meant to get the player to side with the ICED designer.
I would certainly hate to see political and persuasive games limited to only being informative works.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Re: Game Dev Toolkit Helps Non-profits Tackle Social Issues via
And I would hate to see them limited to only persuasive works. To me, showing only one side, while demonizing the other, is akin to lying and spreads ignorance. ICED was ridiculous. I half expected the authorities to sprout horns and start breathing fire.
Re: Game Dev Toolkit Helps Non-profits Tackle Social Issues via
Well, there is a place in gaming for pure informative works and there is a place for pure persuasive works. ICED just happened to be a persuasive work.
If you didn't like the one sidedness that in inheirent in all persuasive works and in ICED, perhaps you can make a non-biased game about immigration and deportation.
I don't think they ever tried to hide the fact that they had a bias. So why complain about the existance of that bias?
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Re: Game Dev Toolkit Helps Non-profits Tackle Social Issues via
Well ICED was only one-sided if you accept the ridiculous argument that says that people should only be allowed to live or look for work in certain areas of the world, and that those who cross an imaginary line into areas where whiter people live ought to be imprisoned.
If free market capitalism has any chance of succeeding, barriers to trade (and that includes restrictions on the free movement of labour) need to be removed.