Resist Jam

Anyone here going to participate? I just found out about it, but it seems to be exploding.

https://itch.io/jam/resistjam

 

Cool, thanks for the heads up!

Will be interesting to see what games they come up with

 

Check the history of authoritarianism but I think resistance tends to be what they want, as this opens the door for heavier handed and stronger responses.

If it was make fun of authoritarianism, to ridicule and satirically mock it then that really does undermine their power and authority.

For a great example of satire used to undermine political authority check out Spitting image a UK TV puppet show that really did a good job of making fun of politicians.

 

8 days seems like a good jam so at least you can make something halfway decent. I guess it will depend if i can use stock art or not.

 

This is very cool!

 

I've never participated in a game jam before, and I'd love to take a crack at this one. I feel pretty strongly about social justice and anti-authoritarianism, so that'd be some great motivation to get something done.

Unfortunately, it starts on the day the Nintendo Switch / Zelda releases... so...

 

Yeah, I really like the subject of the Jam. Great idea and a worthwhile cause. Can't wait to see what comes out of it.

 

At least you'll have less competition.

 

It is about "resisting oppressive autoritanism"? How ironic.

 

How so?

 

I mean, the side that is organising it can be equally bad in dealing with their opponents

 

"Both sides are equally bad" is a political argument I'm pretty sure will get this thread shut down by a mod like... super fast.

 

Hopefully not!

It is more a social issue than political and very nice to see the indie game industry stepping up.

 

I do hope we can stay civil in here

I'll agree that both sides kinda suck at communicating with each other. I also feel like a majority of people - left or right wing - have a problem with authoritarian leadership.

We all know it's a huge, complex can of worms to get into, but regardless of where you stand, hopefully you're cool with freedom and democracy, whatever that may mean to you personally. That's why this jam is so interesting to me. I feel like we will get to see a wide range of ideas expressed, and hopefully the games that are made can help to bridge the communication gap.

At least, that's my hope. It would be great if people on the right participate too and take the jam as seriously as the people on the left will. It would also be great if people on the left let them, without trying to shame them out of the room.

 

I think it is important to not get ethnocentric with this and remember that it is a world wide endeavor, not about any specific country.

 

We'll see how it'll turn out. Personally I'll be cool with jam idea if at least part of entries won't happen to be straight up propaganda. Otherwise, the timing of Steam Greenlight "closing its borders" will be even more fitting

 

these "protest" events always tend to exclude the side they are protesting against.
so basicly they are throwing more oil into these conflicts which is exactly the opposite of what should be done.

and if i read something like this :
"
Is this a jam about punching Nazis/violent anti-fascist resistance?
Not specifically."

and
"..the DIY Guide to Feminist Cybersecurity as a starter kit.."

i basicly know where its coming from.
don't get me wrong on this, i'am against discrimination on all fronts, but these things aren't really helping in eradicating these conflicts

 

You're absolutely right! I should really get out of my North America bubble while I think about this.

 

As SnowInChina alludes, the jam is declaring itself to be political (and biased). If talking about what the jam is discussing would get this thread shut down...discussing the jam itself is a slippery slope.

 

Oppression is happening all over the world and it is not about discrimination but about awareness. I remember someone posting about a game that focused on sex trafficking, a problem everywhere, even in my country. Those sorts of games are what I would call "serious games" that draw awareness to issues.

It is a form of free speech, which I am sure many here embrace. Thank goodness there are those out there that are willing to do this. I am sure these games won't get as much money as a first person shooter. So more power to them.

I have a sad feeling that someone will try to get this thread closed down and that the moderators will do so. But again, it is not about politics. It is about using games and other media to draw awareness to issues. Games can have social impact and it doesn't matter what your personal issues are, seriously.

I don't like first person shooters so I don't buy them. If you don't like a game jam that centers on a humanitarian/social/political issue, then don't participate. But don't close down the discussion, which so far, has not crossed over the line.

We are adults, most of us anyway. So let's act like adults. Let others have their fun without ruining it for them.

 

Well said.

Most of today's AAA games could plausibly be seen as military power trip fantasies, too. Showing things from other angles is nothing to be scared of, if not necessary these days.

And...

That imho is the way to go

It's very cool to see that people on the Unity Forums still respect each other, regardless of where they stand. You all rock!

 

Is "Nazis are bad" really a 'divisive' position though? That would be a pretty sad state of affairs if it was. I don't think we need a 'compromise' on whether fascism is desirable - it just isn't, end of story.

 

Not really. Not anymore. I've never been cool with freedom. And I'm getting less cool with democracy as time goes on.

Not all of us. Free speech has become a major vehicle for all sorts of nastiness. Quite frankly we could do just fine with less of it.

Anyway, that's enough political stirring from me.

It is interesting of late that a lot of games studios, media, and groups are starting to take political stands. Even Unity has made some political moves, outside of their traditional scope as a game engine provider.

It's not that unusual for Art to be coopted into political service. Many of the great movements in literature, painting, music, movies ect have all been driven by the cultural and political context. Looks like we are seeing the same type of movement in games.

 

I was being a bit sarcastic, since we see so many scream free speech. However, making a game to say something is free speech and at least in this country that is protected.

However, that does not mean one could put sell the game at a retail store or on Steam. Those are private establishments that can say no.

Agree with everything you said. I think it is great to see games taking a stand and educating people, regardless of the political bend. It rather feels like games are growing up, becoming important as more than entertainment.

 

ok, since no one understands what iam trying to say, i will clarify.

if you exclude the opposing party, the only thing thats going to happen is, that they will stay beneath themself and radicalize even more.

also, if i read something like this on the official page
"Is this a jam about punching Nazis/violent anti-fascist resistance?
Not specifically"

i tend to put them in the same corner like some ultra left wing guys that are not really interested in any discussion.
i may be wrong, but thats how it looks to me

"Is "Nazis are bad" really a 'divisive' position though? That would be a pretty sad state of affairs if it was. I don't think we need a 'compromise' on whether fascism is desirable - it just isn't, end of story."

and the question is not wether nazis are bad or not, its more "is it ok to punch them in the face?"
and this is more of a philosophical question, since its highly unlikely that anyone will get hurt phycially in this context, but it underlines the mindset of the people posting this.
will punching them in the face change their ideological beliefs ? or will it only legitimate the use of force from their side ?

 

Please do not turn the discussion into politics or ethics. They will close it down. And I would hate to see that happen because most of us are behaving.

Not sure what any that has to do with this. If you don't like what they said, then tell them on their own blog or forum. lol

 

oh hai.

Just poking my head in with a gentle reminder that our Unity Developer Network guidelines prohibit discussion of political issues here. (It's great if you want to discuss it, but this is not the place for it.)

Thanks to everyone for keeping things civil in here so far. Like Teila has said a few times ^ let's try to keep the convo firmly on the jam itself, and less about whether you agree/disagree with the organizers' political beliefs.

 

Yeah, it's an exciting time for games. I personally feel that moving into being a legitimate medium for cultural and political commentary will legitimise games as an artform. We are moving away from games as toys to games as art.

Regardless of what you think of the actual political messages, this is an exciting time to be in games.

 

I hadn't really considered the idea that this jam was a sign that games are working their way towards the coveted position of being widely accepted as an art form, but I love it. Thank you @BoredMormon and @Teila for discussing it!

 

So true. Sometimes it seems to me as if lefties and righties are actually on the same page -- they just consume different information and blame different causes (often each other ) for their situation.

And why shouldn't both sides contribute to a jam like this? So long as the game stays respectful, I'd be totally cool trying on any point of view for the duration of a game

 

What are examples of fun games with satirical political messages?

I can only think of:

• Passports Please
• Democracy
• Nuclear War (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_War_(video_game))

Found this list: 10 political games you should play list -> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2006/oct/26/tenseriousgam

Or the Train -> http://www.blromero.com/train/

Are there other great examples?

And what is the best way to approach making a game highlight an issue.

 

The truth is that when it comes to games, which is what this is about, any game that makes us think or causes us to be aware of issues or what others believe or think is good.

It really isn't about sides. We are all human being and we all deserve respect and dignity. Games like Missing serve to bring awareness to an issue just as a game about oppression or poverty or gender issues or even a revolution (lots of games about fictional revolutions out there) can serve to bring awareness to different issues among different groups of people.

It is when we hide our eyes and ears that we have problems. Maybe games could help us to see and hear.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I prefer to separate the entertainment of my conscience and my ego. That said, I hope the jam is successful in its endeavours.

 

Must be just you.

 

It's quite possible, although as much as I'd like to believe I'm perfectly unique, my findings have unfortunately not always supported this hypothesis

Anyway, it's just my general point of view. I'd rather pay my dues to society directly, rather than my coffee and games subsidizing it.

To each their own, I guess.

 

I was teasing so don't take me too seriously. However....

Exactly. The thread is not about whether you want to make a game that focuses on social issues, it is about a Jam, inviting people to participate.

We all have different reasons for making games and different tastes. That, in my opinion, is very cool.

 

Charities supported through the proceeds may include: Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, Environmental Defense Fund

I would say these are valuable causes.

 

I know, it's kind of hard to take someone seriously who's sticking their tongue out

I just think something is missing when morally-driven acts have to be coopted into egoistic/hedonistic activities before people bother to do them.

 

I think making the issue as personal as possible to the player is what makes some of the more serious games successful. Putting you in the shoes of the person who has to make tough calls, or making you the friend of someone who is being oppressed... If you can create a convincing empathetic response than you're probably on the right track.

 

Have you heard of Romeros Train, the board game get's the player to load up train cars with pieces then get the train to a destination to win the game.

Only when they win do they find out...

Spoiler: Spoiler

The trains destination was Auschwitz

So you could use a simple innocent looking game with abstract pieces and get the player to win the game then reveal what the player has actually done just when they think they have won the game.

Venturbeats Article on Romero's Train -> http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/11/brenda-romero-train-board-game-holocaust/

 

Throw your net a little wider.

• Assassin's Creed is themed around freedom versus order
• Mass Effect examines racism and what it means to be human
• Dues Ex examines our relationship and dependence on technology

I'm not saying any of these games do political especially well. But they do attempt it.

 

related, I found this an interesting read:
http://mgiep.unesco.org/working-pap...port-peace-education-and-conflict-resolution/

I seen it here:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/...in_UNESCOs_efforts_to_promote_world_peace.php

 

While I'm happy to see such a topic being fronted for game development,
I feel it might be presented a little too black and white

For an example, the nazi party (since it was specifically mentioned in the jam), and thus the 2nd world war is partially a result because of resisting oppressive authoritarianism. Hitler himself, was tried for treason and imprisoned for trying to rebel against the government and politicians.
Another example, and perhaps the most famous, The Roman Empire is a direct result of resisting oppressive authoritarianism. But I'm sure they didn't know what they would become themselves when they rebelled against the Etruscan elite.

But, developers are creative people, and I hope they can depict the shades of gray, the makes up the real world.

 

That... is so powerful. Even just reading it makes me feel uneasy.

 

What's the point of sending the player on this imaginary guilt trip? Morality lies in what you decide when you're given a choice. There is no constructive moral choice here for the player, they're just railroaded into an invisible wall of conscience. The only lesson I can see here is "well sometimes the universe/game reality does it's own thing without your knowledge or control, and you just have to be OK with that", which I doubt is the intended message.

And in terms of story design, it's on par with "and he/she woke up and realized it was all a dream".

 

I've heard the same about Spec Ops: The Line (though I understand it does a little more than having just one big twist like that).

I think it would be interesting if a game explored how easy it is to become a "villain" if someone tells you to/rewards you for it. Kind of like the Standford prison experiment.

...wait, that's like every RPG ever isn't it...

 

I can see what you're saying, but I disagree. I just think you have to go deeper to get deeper meaning

In Germany, groups like Jews and communists were widely accepted as the enemy and the source of their fears.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to condone the holocaust in any way here. All forms of genocide are despicable. - I'm just trying to slip into the role of the people that the player characters represent.

Imagine being convinced that a group of people was the source of your misery, and then imagine that you could help to put them on a train to somewhere else. anywhere else... The horrors of the destination might just be an afterthought to you. Hell, you may not think that what you're doing could possibly be as monstrous as what they did in concentration and death camps.

To me, the game begs the questions: Did you even care? Did it ever occur to you? Is your goal worth this?

And yes, it comes as an afterthought. That's how bad decisions work. No one goes into something that dark thinking that they are the bad guy. (which is messed up on its own level) You have to reflect on what the S*** happened and then live with yourself.

Anyways, your view is totally valid, I just personally got more out of the concept.

 

The funny thing is that posing such a topic as sending people to auschwitz as an actual moral choice (where the player can consciously choose to do so if they wish) would very probably be taken as somehow legitimizing it and get blasted, because if GTA is anything to go by, people are going to entertain themselves by making the 'wrong' choice. In fact it would expose the weakness of gamifying the whole thing to begin with. But to not pose it as a moral choice achieves nothing anyway.

The thing is, the way I see it, people don't necessarily want to govern their own morality. They want a society/government that gives them rules inside which they can safely enjoy themselves. Presenting morality openly in the form of entertainment is confusing and gives rise to either excessive and irrational guilt, or a secret enjoyment of immorality, neither of which is very constructive.

Well as soon as you bring in prior knowledge of some form, it becomes something of a moral question. For example you say "convinced that a group of people was the source of your misery", well that immediately brings up a more sophisticated theme where you can wonder "well maybe xyz group that my government is telling me are bad, are actually not what they seem".

However I think that overall, games and moral questions do not go well together because the player can simply decide to make the 'wrong' choice for their own entertainment, devaluing the objective. It could easily backfire into making an immoral choice appear easy.

 

I think absolutely moral choices and games go well together.
In fact, I think it's an area not explored enough.

And no doubt we are still in the pioneer era of making video games.
And are not exactly sure what we are doing or how to treat it.
Remember movies have been doing this for a pretty long time, theatre and books have a very long history of how to do things. And we are still getting better each decade at handling those mediums.

 

Well let me rephrase what I said: Games and moral questions do not go well together, if your objective is to teach people what is right and wrong.

Of course, moral themes are essential to any sophisticated form of entertainment. You just have to be aware that you don't really control in any effective way how your message comes across, unless you penalize the player by subtracting in-game currency or something, which I hope we can all agree is a horrible idea. Players can and will explore the different choices and have fun doing so.