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Cyberninja
19-09-2008, 11:11 AM
These days our planet seems to be in a constant state of peril, together we ride the unicycle of fate atop the high-wire of self-destruction. Our busy little lives seem to be warming up the planet, and no one really knows where that will lead us. Worse, global warming isn't the only green problem: pollution, acid rain, over-crowding, starvation and drought, and extinction threats are all waiting in the wings.

We’re often told that the only solution to these collective problems is mass action - the message must be spread to as many as people as possible if our own environmental compromises are to count for anything. Computer games are a great way to reach people and get them interacting with these important debates. What we’re looking for in the next competition are games with a message, games which encourage the player to get involved.

Politics: Most of us at YYG believe there's something to this global warming idea, but we're not out to indoctrinate our gamers, or game makers. Whatever you believe, it cannot be denied that the debates themselves are important, decisions made here will affect all our lives. If you firmly disagree with the green message then feel free to make a game where the world must be saved from a bunch of crack-pot environmentalists.




http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/competition04

Kensei
19-09-2008, 12:34 PM
oooh wow :)

Reminds me of that game where you need to manage a McDonald's (and you cannot win)
Should be a very interesting competition.

GeometriX
19-09-2008, 02:24 PM
Boyoboy I'd love to make a Planet Mechanics-inspired point n click adventure. Could I borrow somebody's next three months? I'll return it in excellent condition, promise.

dINGLE
19-09-2008, 02:31 PM
I was actually thinking of doing something like this for Garden of Completion (http://forums.tidemedia.co.za/nag/showthread.php?t=6213)

This comp means I might actually get around to doing it :)

F1ak3r
19-09-2008, 04:16 PM
I have the vague beginnings of an idea, some sort of console-based hippie management game where you have to organize demonstrations, educate the public, research alternative energy and ways of doing things, and then scrounge up the money to pay for it all.

Thaumaturge
19-09-2008, 08:04 PM
A very interesting topic... Building on what you gave, F1ak3r, you could go one step up and create something similar (based on my impression of the game) to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. You could allow the player to rule the planet as they want, but include realistic (according to current science, at least) consequences to actions - if they wreck things too much, and don't take care to keep researching energy sources, they might find themselves with some unpleasant consequences.

dINGLE, your mention of building this into Garden of Completion intrigues me, especially as it could perhaps get across the idea of solving problems without expecting solutions within a single generation - what did you have in mind, if I may ask?

dINGLE
19-09-2008, 08:43 PM
Well my idea doesn't actually involve the player solving the problem at all,
but would be an attempt at creating some kind of awareness that there is a problem.

Which, in my opinion, is kinda important, since I don't think that many people care right now.
For example, anyone know where your garbage ends up? What kind of affect it has?

Oh, and it kinda has a bit of sarcasm already, because the player, who is a human, is creating nature, where in reality humans mostly do the opposite.

How do you use the spoiler tag anyone?

Thaumaturge
19-09-2008, 09:38 PM
Aah, I see - that sounds interesting. ^_^

As to the spoiler tags, I believe that they are [ spoiler ] and [ /spoiler ] (without the additional spaces inserted within the tags, of course).

dINGLE
19-09-2008, 09:58 PM
Finally, we’re still on the hunt for the perfect casual game. The most important thing is that the games are fun. Don’t get too carried away with the theme at the expense of gameplay.

This kinda worries me I suppose.

It basically means a deep, meaningful game can be beaten by a 'match the three pollution barrels' if it's more fun ... argh ... but I suppose any deep meaning will amount to next to nothing if it has bad gameplay anyway