Categories
Africa Development Gaming

A computer game about African democracy!

I can’t wait to try this out.

Categories
Development Gaming GeekDev Analogies

More ways in which games can help development (now from a Nobel-prize winner)

Angry Birds Economics from NYU Devt Research Institute on Vimeo.

Categories
Development Gaming GeekDev Analogies Social science

Can games teach us about development theory?

I have been thinking about games a lot recently. Games as in game-theoretical models and generally any sort of spelled-out analytical model; but also games as in real-world, fun-not-work games, whether tabletop or digital. And I am particularly intrigued by the potential of mixing the two together and seeing what comes up; asking if there is anything that we analysts can derive from games (other than fun!).

Categories
Gaming Pop culture

Gilrs can play Dungeons & Dragons too

Via BoingBoing.

Categories
Gaming Pop culture

Boardgames

More info: Shut Up & Sit Down.

Categories
Development Gaming GeekDev Analogies Pop culture Social science

Wizards and clerics, democracies and autocracies

This years marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). For those unfamiliar with it, D&D was the grandfather of tabletop roleplaying games (RPGs), which mix storytelling, improv, strategy and chance: each player assumes the role of one character with attributes and skills, vices and virtues, and together they face the challenges put forth by one of the players – the Dungeon Master or Game Master – who controls the narration and plays all other characters and creatures. It’s a simple notion, but over the last forty years D&D has had a considerable influence on a large swatch of modern pop culture.