Design a game that could win the Nobel Peace Prize

[Ronkes]

GDC 2006 has a game design challenge (http://www.cmpevents.com/GD06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1625) with a theme that I think is just great: design a game that could win the Nobel Peace Prize.

I've been thinking about this one lately, but I can't come up with a game that meets the challenge. Any ideas anyone?

[Indiepath.T]

GDC 2006 has a game design challenge (http://www.cmpevents.com/GD06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1625) with a theme that I think is just great: design a game that could win the Nobel Peace Prize.

I've been thinking about this one lately, but I can't come up with a game that meets the challenge. Any ideas anyone?
Yeah loads of ideas thanks :D

[soniCron]

A couple of game theorists have already won a Nobel Prize (http://sonicron.solaristudios.com/2005/10/10/game-theorists-share-nobel-prize/). Of course, it wasn't for a game, nor did they win the Peace Prize, but I think we're certainly on the right track!

And perhaps I'm just on a pedantic streak, but no game could win the Nobel Peace prize: The award is given to people or organizations. In addition, since no artist has ever won a Peace Prize for their work (as far as I am aware), I highly doubt we'd ever see a developer presented with such an honor. There's a reason the Nobel Prize in Literature exists. (And notice there's no prize for any other art form...)

I hate to be so negative for such a topic, but I think this is a rather silly attempt at spurring creative thought in game design. I understand its purpose, but frankly I think it's way off the mark and is quite indicative of the general lack of qualified academia in game design.

I've never liked this portion of the GDC and I think the participants are largely ill-equipped to handle any real exploration of these matters. (Notable exception: Keita Takahashi (http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20050901/simons_01.shtml).) Also, the subjects chosen have typically been little more than novelty, and that's just a shame, because this is an area that is in the most need of thought from the industry.

Developers seem quite content to laugh about furthering the nerd-agenda, but the joke is on them.

Pardon if I offended anyone.

[DavidRM]

A game that is perhaps a stab in the right direction is "PeaceMaker", from the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technolog Center.

Read about PeaceMaker here. (http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/051027_peacemaker.html)

We interviewed the team for the serious games book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592006221/ref=nosim/davidrmichael).

-David

[Ronkes]

I see that I accidentally posted this discussion in the wrong thread. Of course I wanted to post it in the game design forum. My apologies.

[Ronkes]

A couple of game theorists have already won a Nobel Prize.

Game theory is something completely different than game design, though. Game theory is about economics and math, not about entertainment.

And perhaps I'm just on a pedantic streak, but no game could win the Nobel Peace prize: The award is given to people or organizations.

Fair enough, let me rephrase it then: design a game that could win you the Nobel Peace Prize. Happy? :)

Pardon if I offended anyone.
Well, you're not offending me. :) But no matter how the discussion at the GDC turns out, nothing stops us from having a valuable discussion about this topic over here. ;)

[Ronkes]

PeaceMaker looks interesting, but I doubt it will contribute significantly to peace itself. The game could give the player a better grasp of the political situation in the Middle East, but a good book or movie can do the same. I don't know if such a simulation game could really inspire people to work towards peace. Nevertheless, it's worth a shot, of course.

[lakibuk]

Considering that Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize, why not do a remake of some 8-bit classic like Raid Over Moscow or Green Beret?