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sounds like something I should model in the next version of this:

http://www.democracygame.com/

It already represents ministers as nodes in a neural network.
Can't say it surprises me in the least tbh.

Agreed. I sell a game that is 90% game and 10% educational, and it's used in quite a few schools and colleges (and universities)
link: Here
The trick is to get a game developer who wants to make a fun game on a topic that has high educational value, rather than get someone who wants to educate kids and then try and force them to trick the kids into thinking its fun. Down that route you get crap like rap songs that supposedly teach, and other cringing ideas.

I always used to think it would be quite an easy job. Don't spend money giving weapons to religious maniacs in other countries who may then use them against you, don't give tax cuts to people who are already stupidly rich, invest in healthcare yada yada... But actually once I sat down and simulated the whole thing as accurately as I could , and play tested the thing, I realised that it's a total bastard of a job. The main dilemma is that you can't do fuck all unless you are elected. And staying elected means being popular with a wide range of people who have a wide range of views. You might think you know what you will do when you get elected, but the pressure to make compromises just to stay in power is very high, and before you know it, you are passing laws you don't vaguely agree with it, and cutting spending in areas you strongly support, just to keep key swing voters happy. You pick 'your people', keep em just happy enough, and then do any crazy shit you can to get the swing voters to tip you over 50% on a regular basis. In many way, I've come to think that the best form of government is a benign dictatorship. they can do what needs doing without any pandering. However, it's a bit lucky dip getting a benign one :D

I make games, and 95% of my focus with a game is to make it fun, and entertaining, and popular. that used to be 100% of the focus until I made this which started getting enquiries from university teachers and students who wanted to integrate it into lessons. That game now has a number of site licenses for schools, and apparently goes down very well. The reason I think it works, is that ultimately, it's just a fun game. The game may make you think about the subject matter (politics) but it doesn't ram it down your throat. It's also not vaguely preachy, and basically tries to be neutral on all issues, which avoid antagonizing or irritating any of the players.

Democracy is popular enough for me to do a sequel (nearly done!), and this time round it does contain a whole bunch of real world statistics and background data (in wiki-style form) which is presented as additional (and optional) to the game itself. This is just like those historical RTS games which have a built in encyclopaedia. You can play Age Of Empires just for fun, but it you really want to find out a bit more about trebuchets, the game is happy to help.
that is as it should be. Games on interesting and intelligent topics that encourage the curious player to learn more. You should never ram the educational bit down the players throats. People play games for fun. If they want to do hardcore learning, they break out a textbook.

Why are people suprised? higher prices means less car use. I even modelled this here.
But US prices are still relatively low. To fill up a 50 litre car with gas in the UK costs around £50, translating to about $90.
I think you need to hit £1.50 a litre ($145 to fill up) before you get mass behaviour changes though.

but they can both play games, and enjoy democracy! look->!
http://www.democracygame.com/

You cant expect me to resist a plugging opportunity this rich can you?

Games are very cheap to make. What you mean is 3D games with the latest graphics tech. Thats a totally different situation. A good game is a good game, even if its *shock* a 2D one. If you accept from the start that you are going to make a 2D game, youll be suprised at how cheaply and quickly you can make something fun and popular. At least thats my experience from making these two:
http://www.starshiptycoon.com/
http://www.democracygame.com/

I agree with the main point, that indie game developers waffle on about innovation, then churn out a bejewelled clone. Its good to see he acknowledges some of the more original games that gametunnel.com has given awards to (including my own contribution at http://www.democracygame.com/ (yeah im pluggin myself, its an essential habit when you work alone)

What you dont often hear about is the bitter infighting in the indie-gamer community about the whole 'casual puzzle game clones' and the effect they are having on the image of indie gaming. Not all of us are heading down the puzzle-clone route, and there have been some big arguments about it amongst developers.
Personally, I'm betting the house (literally) that doing fairly original and risky (from a design POV) games is the only way to strike it big as a small developer. To that end, my next game (http://www.kudosgame.com/ is a life-sim, a genre that nobody (not even the activisions etc) is attempting to expand upon. One day that may change, as I recently did some prototype work for maxis, so who knows whats coming next from them.

Please don't write us all of as bejewlled-makers. Theres a lot of variety if you know where to look.

I've had SOME success in getting my game:
http://www.democracygame.com/
used in some politics courses, but it's been very hard work, despite the fact that the teachers and students who sue it think its a great learning tool.
Theres no simple way to promote a product like a video game for use in schools accross the US, or if there is, I can't find it. I'm sure the likes of EA or Microsoft can get the attention of federal educators, but anyone know how the little guy gets his foot in the door?

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/tax_tot_tax_we d_sin_wor
number 22 in the world, just below the USA at number 21
try changing it: http://www.democracygame.com/

I'm sure there's still a couple of independent games around

I found darwinia to be a good idea but a bit 'meh' in actual execution.
The best game on the list has to be Democracy (http://www.democracygame.com./

10) New Star Soccer 3
System Requirements: Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP
http://www.newstargames.com/

9) DROD: Journey to Rooted Hold
System Requirements: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, Linux, Mac OS X
http://www.caravelgames.com/Articles/Games_2/JtRH. html

8) Professor Fizzwizzle
System Requirements: Windows or Linux, Mac OS X
http://grubbygames.com/

7) Darwinia
Windows 98/XP/2000, Linux, Mac
http://www.darwinia.co.uk/

6) Democracy
Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP
http://www.democracygame.com/

5) Mexican Motor Mafia
Windows 98/Me/2000/XP
http://www.scienceoftomorrow.com/mmm_main.htm

4) Tribal Trouble
MacOS X / Linux /Windows NT/2000/XP
http://tribaltrouble.com/

3) Zombie Smashers X2
DirectX 8+
http://www.totallyscrewed.net/newsite/home.htm

2) Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space
Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/digital_eel/weird_wor lds/1.htm

1) Oasis
Windows 98/Me/2000/XP
http://www.oasisgame.com/

depends on the game.if its EA trying to get kids hooked on their sports franchises earlier that sucks, but if its using games like this: Democracy That actually educate people as they entertain, thats good.

absolutely true. I work for one of those big (and growing companies but fortunately I have my own little game company as an outlet for games I know won't get made. My new game is a politics game (think single-player nationstates), and despite it outselling my older mroe established tycoon game (which has a retail deal) by a factor of 6:1, the same publishers won't stock it because 'its too complex and intellectual for our audience'.
Fair enough, direct sales to the customer mean more money for me anyway:)
heres the game:
http://www.democracygame.com/

I have to say in my own small one-man experience of the games market, that innovation IS rewarded, and clone games are not.
Ive made a generic puzzle game, an asteroids clone, a tycoon game and This complex Politics Sim And the 'pretty original' politics sim outsells all the others combined by a factor of 7.
That could be a co-incidence, but I certainly get the impression that gamers are crying out for new and different styles of gameplay, and reward makers of those games with good sales.