Comments on: Serious Games: Darfur is Dying http://www.digiactive.org/2009/08/01/serious-games-darfur-is-dying/ A World of Digital Activists Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:47:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Honors Common Read 2010 » Blog Archive » Considering the ethics/value of a computer game based on Darfur http://www.digiactive.org/2009/08/01/serious-games-darfur-is-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-61547 Honors Common Read 2010 » Blog Archive » Considering the ethics/value of a computer game based on Darfur Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:42:18 +0000 http://www.digiactive.org/?p=1999#comment-61547 [...] You can find a discussion of the game here. [...] [...] You can find a discussion of the game here. [...]

]]> By: Tiby Kantrowitz http://www.digiactive.org/2009/08/01/serious-games-darfur-is-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-36478 Tiby Kantrowitz Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:24:46 +0000 http://www.digiactive.org/?p=1999#comment-36478 Kallie: In an article in WSJ yesterday (7/9/09), the founder of Innovation Games Luke Hohmann talks about wanting to get involved in using games in democratic processes. He mentioned an experiment where users had to divvy up the stimulus package. I'm guessing they used the "Buy a Feature" game, but there wasn't much information about it. Thanks for the heads-up! Kallie: In an article in WSJ yesterday (7/9/09), the founder of Innovation Games Luke Hohmann talks about wanting to get involved in using games in democratic processes. He mentioned an experiment where users had to divvy up the stimulus package. I’m guessing they used the “Buy a Feature” game, but there wasn’t much information about it. Thanks for the heads-up!

]]> By: Kallie http://www.digiactive.org/2009/08/01/serious-games-darfur-is-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-36456 Kallie Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:31:51 +0000 http://www.digiactive.org/?p=1999#comment-36456 Tiby, interesting post. Have you heard of Innovation Games? They follow this same concept of using serious games for such things as uncovering problems and opportunities in the workplace, prioritizing projects, features, and markets, developing roadmaps and strategies, and uncovering consumer insights for new product development. I think "serious games" are brilliant and it will be interesting to see how they're used in the future. Tiby, interesting post. Have you heard of Innovation Games? They follow this same concept of using serious games for such things as uncovering problems and opportunities in the workplace, prioritizing projects, features, and markets, developing roadmaps and strategies, and uncovering consumer insights for new product development. I think “serious games” are brilliant and it will be interesting to see how they’re used in the future.

]]> By: Tiby Kantrowitz http://www.digiactive.org/2009/08/01/serious-games-darfur-is-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-35954 Tiby Kantrowitz Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:55:08 +0000 http://www.digiactive.org/?p=1999#comment-35954 Actually, for activists they can be even more effective than documentaries. Documentaries are passive by nature. If the viewer wants to do something, they have to wait until it's over. Sending a letter to the President is one of the options open to players. Taking actions like that while playing has three effects. 1. It affects the real world - that letter really went out. 2. The player's game outcome improves. 3. The player sees how his or her actions can have real positive consequences far away. Documentaries are powerful, but you don't get this kind of immediacy or interconnectedness except in a game. Perhaps another word would help? As a side note, there's work being done to create documentary games, but I didn't investigate that much. Actually, for activists they can be even more effective than documentaries. Documentaries are passive by nature. If the viewer wants to do something, they have to wait until it’s over. Sending a letter to the President is one of the options open to players. Taking actions like that while playing has three effects.
1. It affects the real world – that letter really went out.
2. The player’s game outcome improves.
3. The player sees how his or her actions can have real positive consequences far away.

Documentaries are powerful, but you don’t get this kind of immediacy or interconnectedness except in a game. Perhaps another word would help?

As a side note, there’s work being done to create documentary games, but I didn’t investigate that much.

]]> By: Mary Joyce http://www.digiactive.org/2009/08/01/serious-games-darfur-is-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-35933 Mary Joyce Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:41:35 +0000 http://www.digiactive.org/?p=1999#comment-35933 Tiby, thanks for the great post. I must admit, I was always a little skeptical about the value of "serious games," but your post has made me see the value - its like a documentary. Also interesting to know about the range of games that exist and the range of organizations that make them. Tiby, thanks for the great post. I must admit, I was always a little skeptical about the value of “serious games,” but your post has made me see the value – its like a documentary. Also interesting to know about the range of games that exist and the range of organizations that make them.

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