"Serious Games": Not meant to be fun

twifkak · 09-29-2003, 06:56 AM

I'm sure I've talked about this before, but today is home to two news items:

The opening of the Social Impact Games site, cataloguing a list of games that were created for a purpose alterior to fun. An example is SimHealth, which attempted to simulate the affects of enacting different healthcare systems/policies.
The opening of Gonzalo Frasca's Newsgaming project ("political cartoons" of games), and its first game, September 12th.

James · 09-29-2003, 07:57 AM

microsoft flight simulator - not meant to be fun!

Garyos · 09-29-2003, 10:07 AM

September 12th was brilliant. Had me laughing from the shock of it. Those people are GENIOUSES! (Even if they simplify things quite a bit)

Phil25 · 09-29-2003, 10:25 AM

Can't rightly call it a game if it ain't fun.

Royal Fool · 09-29-2003, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil25

Can't rightly call it a game if it ain't fun.

My thoughts exactly.

twifkak · 09-29-2003, 12:53 PM

I'm not a big fan of arguing over semantics. Have you played the September 12th "game" I linked to?

Phil25 · 09-29-2003, 01:44 PM

Yes, quite interesting.

remixor · 09-29-2003, 02:49 PM

I'm not sure if I'd call September 12th "genius." I don't think I'd go further than "sort of interesting for a minute or so." I understand it's not supposed to have an end and that it's not supposed to be fun (in fact, it describes itself as being "not a game", not a serious game), but I'm not sure it really even provided any significant insight or perspective.

Royal Fool · 09-29-2003, 03:41 PM

Well... I didn't quite understand what the point of the "game" was, really. You launch a missile, it destroys houses and kills people, which in turn cause other people to express their grief and turn into terrorists. The houses are also rebuilt over a period of time. But... what's the point, really? Don't we all know the reasons behind terrorism and it's effects?

remixor · 09-29-2003, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royal Fool

Don't we all know the reasons behind terrorism and it's effects?

Not really, but this simulation doesn't teach us anything new.

twifkak · 09-29-2003, 04:33 PM

I think it's just a typical "war is bad" thing. I wouldn't call it genius, myself, but I'm pretty sure since it's hosted on newsgaming.com, it at least bears some resemblance to games...

Wow. Usually the "but" clause has something to with the clause it conjuncted, but there it bore no relation. See, I got it right that time.

remixor · 09-29-2003, 04:44 PM

It sort of bears a resemblance to games, but the program itself says it isn't one.

09-29-2003, 06:56 AM	#1
twifkak :P ^^^ at tamz Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Football Town, USA Posts: 1,354	"Serious Games": Not meant to be fun I'm sure I've talked about this before, but today is home to two news items: The opening of the Social Impact Games site, cataloguing a list of games that were created for a purpose alterior to fun. An example is SimHealth, which attempted to simulate the affects of enacting different healthcare systems/policies. The opening of Gonzalo Frasca's Newsgaming project ("political cartoons" of games), and its first game, September 12th. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ In the next AG crash ___\| A temporary board ____\| I am born to spam In the "Get New" list __\| Scrolling up and down \| I am born to spam through a broadband ISP \| i am back to steal your bandwidth --Spammo-head, "Windbag"

09-29-2003, 07:57 AM	#2
James Prove it all night Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 730	microsoft flight simulator - not meant to be fun! Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." - Thomas Edward Lawrence

09-29-2003, 10:07 AM	#3
Garyos AKA Morte Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sigil Posts: 1,101	September 12th was brilliant. Had me laughing from the shock of it. Those people are GENIOUSES! (Even if they simplify things quite a bit) Share Share this post on Twitter

09-29-2003, 10:25 AM	#4
Phil25 Kosmonaut Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: On the moon in the 1500's Posts: 353	Can't rightly call it a game if it ain't fun. Share Share this post on Twitter

09-29-2003, 12:53 PM	#6
twifkak :P ^^^ at tamz Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Football Town, USA Posts: 1,354	I'm not a big fan of arguing over semantics. Have you played the September 12th "game" I linked to? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ In the next AG crash ___\| A temporary board ____\| I am born to spam In the "Get New" list __\| Scrolling up and down \| I am born to spam through a broadband ISP \| i am back to steal your bandwidth --Spammo-head, "Windbag"

09-29-2003, 01:44 PM	#7
Phil25 Kosmonaut Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: On the moon in the 1500's Posts: 353	Yes, quite interesting. Share Share this post on Twitter

09-29-2003, 02:49 PM	#8
remixor A search for a crazy man! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 3,987	I'm not sure if I'd call September 12th "genius." I don't think I'd go further than "sort of interesting for a minute or so." I understand it's not supposed to have an end and that it's not supposed to be fun (in fact, it describes itself as being "not a game", not a serious game), but I'm not sure it really even provided any significant insight or perspective. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Chris "News Editor" Remo Some sort of Writer or Editor or Something, Idle Thumbs "Some comparisons are a little less obvious. I always think of Grim Fandango as Casablanca on acid." - Will Wright

09-29-2003, 03:41 PM	#9
Royal Fool Statement: Not a meatbag. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Iceland Posts: 813	Well... I didn't quite understand what the point of the "game" was, really. You launch a missile, it destroys houses and kills people, which in turn cause other people to express their grief and turn into terrorists. The houses are also rebuilt over a period of time. But... what's the point, really? Don't we all know the reasons behind terrorism and it's effects? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ .::Royal Fool::.

09-29-2003, 04:33 PM	#11
twifkak :P ^^^ at tamz Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Football Town, USA Posts: 1,354	I think it's just a typical "war is bad" thing. I wouldn't call it genius, myself, but I'm pretty sure since it's hosted on newsgaming.com, it at least bears some resemblance to games... Wow. Usually the "but" clause has something to with the clause it conjuncted, but there it bore no relation. See, I got it right that time. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ In the next AG crash ___\| A temporary board ____\| I am born to spam In the "Get New" list __\| Scrolling up and down \| I am born to spam through a broadband ISP \| i am back to steal your bandwidth --Spammo-head, "Windbag"

09-29-2003, 04:44 PM	#12
remixor A search for a crazy man! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 3,987	It sort of bears a resemblance to games, but the program itself says it isn't one. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Chris "News Editor" Remo Some sort of Writer or Editor or Something, Idle Thumbs "Some comparisons are a little less obvious. I always think of Grim Fandango as Casablanca on acid." - Will Wright

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