Games for Change - My First Time

Can games be used to change social behavior? Can games be used to create a shift in people's thinking? How does one go about producing a 'game for change.'

These were some of the questions kicking around in my brain when I walked in through the doors of the Parsons New School of Design in Greenwich village ready for G4C 101.

The G4C 101 workshop was designed to introduce newbies like myself to the entire process of creating a game for change from design and development to pitching and distribution.

I had a little (OK, more than a little) trepidation about entering into a space that was so new to me. I needn't have worried. I've never been in a room where so many people with similar interests in technology, education and design appeared so committed to "change".

I had chosen Youth Empowerment as my 'topic of the day' for the 'grow-a-game' session but something drew me towards the "Global Conflict" group. I had no experience designing a game that explored this topic. My only claim to fame (or shame if you choose to look at it that way) was that I AM a product of Global Conflict!

My story about Sri Lanka for some reason became the 'urge' for the group's game prototype. While if we had just one more hour we could have probably come up with a game that was slightly more defined, "Kandy - the Last Hat Kingdom" ended up winning 3rd place in the pitching session to the judges. Better than, I think, we all expected.

My key take-a-way from the day:

"Designing a game is hard - designing a good game is even harder."

I left the room with a book filled with notes and my head buzzing with ideas...