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I think there's a potential niche for Facebook games, but there really has to be some reason for them to be on Facebook--- not just using Facebook as a generic delivery platform. The ones that attract interest usually do something with the social network; things like Parking Wars, among a number of examples. These are usually fairly lightweight games that try out some idea about how to turn social networks into game mechanics, not heavyweight games that just use the social network as an advertising tool.

Of course, I'd say the number of interesting ways to turn social networks into game mechanics that have appeared so far is fairly small, and most of them are good mainly for novelty value and get old after you've figured out the dynamics of how they work and spread. But you can make some money at it.

http://www.watercoolergames.org/archives/000748.sh tml It would seem as though all thought put toward indie developers were put on hold for some time. The above article indicates such at least, and does make perfect sense. It is an older write-up however, so some now debunked assumptions are made, though "At the rate we're going, independent games of any kind won't be a reality until 2008 at least" is ironic in light of recent news.

According to this, there might not have been a sponsor-threat:
http://www.watercoolergames.org/archives/000718.sh tml

Five finalists have pulled out in protest.

Well everyone's thrown in their two cents. Now while I can't tell you what degree to get. I can add another perspective to the issue.

Serious Games: Games That Educate, Train, and Inform and Learning by Doing: A Comprehensive Guide to Simulations, Computer Games, and Pedagogy in e-Learning and Other Educational Experiences

Most of the advice here about games (and anything related) is shaped by people's exposure to them. But games and the technology surrounding them has a serious side as well as serious applications. You can even tour Notre Dame.

I have plenty of PDF's related to the application of games outside peoples narrow view of them. e.g. Urban planning, virtual tours, architecture, etc.

"I need virtual activism like I need a real whole in the head. Spare me."

Look Here and here. Game are about being more than just entertained. Remember Doom Marine?

Hopefully we'll see more games like this, or this

Hopefully we'll see more games like this, or this

http://www.watercoolergames.org/archives/000568.sh tml

"The game is based on the research of Japanese neuroscientist Ryuta Kawashima. The premise of Kawashima's research in analog and videogame format is straightforward. Kawashima uses fast-paced mental activities like arithmetic and memory puzzles to measure the player's "Brain Age" on a scale from 20 to 80. 20 is the "optimal" age, and the game encourages players to "exercise" every day in order to perform better on the brain age test, which is comprised of a randomly selected series of those very exercises."

Since the article (which was little more than the summary) sucks at least as hard as the actual game, I went ahead and found an equally less revealing post by Ian Bogost who seems to be the programmer. Additionally I found an MTV review (no need to thank me; it was linked from the first article) which has the enlightening quote: "We're hoping this experience is a gateway drug to more sophisticated critique."

Although somehow I have difficulty imagining a serious discussion relating a video game to a gateway drug.

Oh, also you can download it for (amazingly enough) FREE, from here or here.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go bathe after being such a dirty karma whore.

...then what are these guys making...?

Eh, I'm more interested in "DS Training For Adults: Work Your Brain"... I hope it comes out in the US.

Here is where I first heard of it...

If they were carrying a 'Hello Kitty' torch they could blame it on Doom 3. Except the game wasn't out when the crime was committed.

Actually I believe "Independant" as far as the IGF is concerned, just means that the company hasn't had anything published by a game publisher.

Three years ago a game called Shattered Galaxy won four of the six awards from the IGF. It was a game created by Nexon, a huge game company in Korea (second to NCsoft). Shattered Galaxy had a budget of just under 1 million dollars. I know that because I worked on it. Last year Savage was entered into the IGF. Savage is a game developed with a multi-million dollar budget. I know that because I talked with some of the developers, but you can read about it, as well as some of the controversy here or here.

Whether you feel that these relatively high budget games should be considered "independant" is your decision. I'm happy that my game won the awards that it did, and I don't feel that the budget of a project should have an impact on its inclusion into the IGF. Small games with excellent gameplay, such as Insaniquarium or Bontago, have shown that they will get their deserved spotlight.

I wrote some thoughts on the Inc. article and Kuma\War over a couple weeks ago. Adding the link here for interested parties. http://www.watercoolergames.org/archives/000194.sh tml

There's a new chatterbot-game just released called "AI Bush", created by two Loebner prize winners. I recently briefly discussed it at
http://grandtextauto.gatech.edu/archives/000161.ht ml
Love to hear anyone's comments over there on our blog.

Also, on the topic of political games, check out
www.watercoolergames.org