Playing politics proves popular with gamers
29 views · Published 7 November 2018 · 6:26 · Indexed 26 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(2 Nov 2018) LEADIN Political games are all the rage at the Play 18 independent video games festival in Hamburg. One game depicts a dystopian post-Brexit UK and another sees online trolls whipping up online hatred in a fake news world. STORYLINE This game is called "Not tonight" and depicts an unknown city in the UK post Brexit. It's not a pretty picture, at least for the EU-nationals that the players are controlling. At the local pub, IDs are checked and EU nationals are sent back while British people are allowed to enter. The city is also divided in two, one part for Brits, and the other for EU nationals who are facing constant harassment from the police and authorities. It is one of many highly political games shown at the Play 18 independent video games festival in Hamburg. "The game "Not tonight" is about Brexit. It is a bit funny, a bit dystopian but very very politically critical," says Valentina Birke, curator of the Play 18 festival exhibition. The game was created by a UK-based games collective called Panic Barn. Theis new breed of political games allow players to experience politics in a new way, says Birke. "What's different about games is that many different art forms come together. A game has audio, it has narration and a story and it has visuals. And that means that you can have a different type of experience. Not better or worse compared to other art forms, but you can tell a different type of story," she says. Another topical title is "Get Bad News" which is made by Netherlands-based game makers DROG. The text based game simulates the spread of so-called 'fake news'. The player is asked to make a number of decisions to spread falsehoods as effectively as possible. But if you overdo it, you lose credibility and followers, the key to the game's success. However if you find a good balance - remaining somewhat believable while still spreading half-truths and falsehoods - you will eventually win. In the German game "Oddly Assorted" the player is a property developer. It is similar to Sim City, but the player is developing a high rise building. The idea came from new property developments in the German city of Frankfurt, says Daria Varfolomeeva, co-creator of "Oddly Assorted." "When you start you will think that you need money so you move in students, they are cheap and the flats are cheap. But they bring in a lot of cash. But, as you keep playing you will want to make even more money so you throw the students out and get families in that bring more money." In "Vandals" players are supposed to escape the police while spray painting grafitti on buildings. But one game is trying to promote humanism and cooperation. The game "Symbio," made by a group of students from the Swedish university of Uppsala, is a two-player cooperation game. The two players face each other, and are at times required to hold hands to complete tasks in the game. The game detects if the players are holding hands at the right time, and gives more points if they do. "We wanted to create a connection between the virtual world and the real world. And we thought this was a good way to do it," says Alexander Sinn, co-creator of "Symbio" "From the gaming perspective it also makes sense to hold hands because in the game you hang on cliffs or edges and have tasks where you need two people and then it is a good added experience when you also have to hold hands." At the Play 18 festival, young game makers and game enthusiasts will also be able to hear keynote speeches and participate in workshops made to support young hopeful game makers. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/d1aeac8325587f9e8288248813b35b23
