**Note: Political & Social Games

Note: A number of these games have themes and portray ideas that are offensive to many people. Our intent in including them is not to offend, but to illustrate how games are becoming a language for discourse and social impact on a wide variety of subjects.

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2003-09-27 20:42:17 |

3rd World Farmer

3rd World Farmer

3rd World Farmer, a 2005 student project from the IT University of Copenhagen, challenges players to keep themselves and their families alive while managing a farm in poverty and conflict-stricken Africa. Make every dollar count as you plant your crops for the year and hope for a good harvest. If fortune smiles upon you, maybe you'll have earned enough money to buy a shovel but don't get too cocky, since the word "stability" isn't even in the dictionary where you live. Droughts can destroy your crops, disease can kill your livestock, civil wars can expose your farm to plundering from both sides, and falling market prices can render your goods worthless.

Monetary opportunities do occasionally present themselves. For instance, a Western chemical company may offer you a nice sum to lease a few of your acres to store a couple of their 'harmless" barrels. Take the offer and a family member might die from exposure to toxic materials. Refuse and they might die from starvation because you couldn't afford food that year.

URL: 3rd World Farmer

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2006-07-16 13:49:02 |

9-11 Survivor

"9-11 Survivor"

A mod of the Unreal Game Engine by three art students, who said that their goal was to reinterpret an historic moment by transplanting to the medium with which they were most familiar: computer games.

No longer online.

URL: Original URL

URL: NY Times Article

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2003-09-27 14:54:45 |

Anti-Bush Video Game

”The Anti-Bush Video Game”

From the website: “Combines humor, opinion, and fact to bring an entertaining and informative video game adventure to people everywhere.

"The use of this medium will hopefully reach many people who have not had the time or interest to read up on some of the appalling things that have taken place in our government and society over the past four years. For those of you who are paying attention, hopefully this game has helped to clarify some of the important things at stake in the upcoming elections. I realize that this game does not cover every issue, problem, and appalling action of the Bush administration. There are too many stories to report. Some issues ended up taking a back seat to others. Just know that this is just a silly game and please inform yourself for real and read books...and most importantly...please vote."

By Starvingeyes/J. Oda.

URL: Anti-Bush Video Game

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2004-06-10 14:45:08 |

Catechumen (Christian Game)

"Catechumen"

A Christian game. From a review at the site below: ""Catechumen" is a fantasy FPS (first person shooter) just like "Half-Life", only the player is a Christian armed by an angel with Swords of the spirit for weapons. What’s exciting in this for Christian gamers is the subject and context of the game. Catechumen"allowed me to play a Christian-in-training and battle during the persecution of ancient Rome.

"Catechumen" shows that Christian game developers can make a state-of-the-art product that is fun, interesting and geared to spreading The Word."

URL: Review

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2003-09-15 14:05:32 |

Cyberjudas

"Cyberjudas"

CyberJudas puts you in the role of a newly-elected Shadow President. You rule the United States through a high-security virtual reality chair and computer network aided only by your cabinet. One of your cabinet members is a traitor who wants to destroy you for an unknown reason. Well hidden within the Shadow Network, the CyberJudas has managed to take control over some presidential decisions such as assassinations.

from D.C. True and Merit Studios

URL: The Underdogs

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2004-05-31 17:12:37 |

Darfur is Dying

Darfur is Dying

In partnership with the Reebock Human Rights Foundation and the International Crisis Group, mtvU launched the Darfur Digital Activist Content, a competiton briging together student technology and activism to help end the genocide in Darfur. The game is a narrative-based simultaion where the user, from the perspective of a displaced Darfurian, negotiates forces that threated the surevival of his or her refugee camp. It offers a faint glimpse of ewhat it's like for 2.5 million who have been internally displaced by the crisis in Sudan.

URL: Darfur is Dying

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2006-07-16 14:01:58 |

Democs

Democs

Democs is a card game in an A4 box. It is played by 6-8 people at any one time. A game lasts for one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half hours. It can be self-facilitated, or an external facilitator can be involved to manage the process. A facilitator can oversee a number of games at the same time.

Kits are produced on different topics by experts. They represent in the broadest possible sense all the different viewpoints on that topic within the kit, so the kit is unbiased.

URL: Democs

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2006-07-16 12:00:50 |

Drug Wars

"Drug Wars"

" Drug Wars - Underworld is a sharware game from Geek Phase Corporation where you play the role of drug dealer. Your goal is to make as much money as possible in the time allowed through buying and selling. Along the way you face challenges from loan sharks, gangs, mafia enforcers and the cops.

"You take on the role of a street dealer, and try to make as much money as possible in the time allowed. Buy and sell a variety of products, fend off gangs, mafia enforcers and cops. Drug Wars is based on the classic 1980's dope wars game, but adds a variety of new twists and strategy. Character creation lets you tailor your character to fit your playing style.

"Banking options let you manage your money throughout the game. Gangs, mafia enforcers and cops try to derail you, but there are ways around that, including running, offering bribes, or fighting back (a non-violent combat style is enabled by default).

"Complete in-game statistics cover every detail of the game, and let you track your progress over time. This free edition includes the standard length game, and can be played forever."

URL: Drug Wars

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2003-12-27 13:36:21 |

Escape from Woomera

"Escape from Woomera"

A game about a refugee center in Australia.

"With a first person, 3D adventure game we invite gamers to assume the character of, and 'live' through the experiences of a modern day refugee. The effective media lock-out from immigration detention centres has meant that the whole truth about what goes on behind the razor-wire at Woomera, Baxter, Port Hedland, Maribyrnong and Villawood remains largely a mystery to the Australian public. We want to challenge this by offering the world a glimpse - more than that even: an interactive, immersive experience - of life within the most secretive and controversial places on the Australian political and geographical landscape. In this way, Escape From Woomera will be an engine for mobilising experiences and situations otherwise inaccessible to an nation of disempowered onlookers. It will provide both a portal and a toolkit for reworking and engaging with what is otherwise an entirely mediated current affair."

URL: Escape from Woomera

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2003-12-27 14:11:35 |