Games and Governance – Top tips and Games reviews for your Xmas playlist
Brought to you during our Xmas Event at Newspeak House
On 6th Dec 2022
Xmas & Games in our new format – Triple Presence!
Our yearly tradition is to hold a big party and gathering for our authors, contributors, thought leaders, supporters and sponsors. In 2021 we hosted the legend Professor Raul Espejo, collaborator of Stafford Beer, talking about new take on Democracy and Cybernetic System Thinking.
This year, as we are approaching US elections, many commentators, like Yoav Harari said that 2024 “maybe the last of Democratic elections in US- due to rapid growth of tribalism and party wars”.
Are we seeing the end of Democracy? There are discussions on political system changes in UK (Proportional Representation, Evolution of House of Lords), so we were asked by our members to address the question if Games can help Governance?
Can our thousands of hours spend (wasted?) on playing games could serve us to improve our ability to govern and organise ourselves?
Is there a skill transfer from virtual gaming to real life power struggles of politics?
Five game experts /speakers were tasked with selecting appropriate games and reviewing it for the team, using the lens of Democracy skills and games’ impact on the future of our governance.
We also combined the evening with a launch of our new, hot VR hangout, Café Cyberia, world’s first Internet café co-founded in London by Eva Pascoe. The legendary 39 Whitefield Street venue has been beautifully re-created by PCM Creative (thank you Caron and Dan!)
We have also invited one of our dear friends, multi-talented digital artist Hallidonto, to show in VR his latest works Cyborgia Series. More about it later.
Cybersalon debut in the first Triple Presence event format – Physical (In Newspeak House, VR in newly launched Cyberia Café) and On Zoom, present across 3 attended spaces
- Newspeak House – the physical venue in sunny Shoreditch (London)
- 39 Whitfield Street (AltSpaceVR) –Cybersalon’s new VR meta-space [access code YRA962]
- Zoom – a digital VIP box for those who can’t join in person or don’t have headsets
INTRODUCTION
Eva Pascoe opened the evening, with a short summary of Cybersalon Year 2022, our involvement with Online Safety Bill, battles for better Digital Privacy online and analysint impact of Cashless Society (Radio 5 program with presenter Stephen Nolan, Eva Pascoe and Luke Robert Mason in Sept 2022).
She also reminded all to buy the new book from Cybersalon Press, titled 22 Ideas About The Future, available here – it is full of great concepts and ideas that should make the future a slightly better place.
Eva introduced the topic why Games may hold the key to improving our skills of practicing governance and democracy. She also introduced the launch of Virtual Cyberia Café 39 Whitfield Street, explained that working with Documentary Photographer Frankie Payne re-creating of original Cyberia Café with mid 90ties Mac and HP computers inspired her to set up a new venue in VR, with creative re-interpretation of the original Cyberia Internet Café founded in 1994.
She explained the legal challenges in ownership of 3D files that underpin the virtual worlds – on some of the VR platforms the ownership of the files is guaranteed, but on others, it is not exactly clear.
Many instances of VR Cyberia Café can be created, but we are still determining a process for unique ownership. It may be, VR spaces will exist in multiple instances, maybe there will be many Cyberia Cafes? There is also a challenge of reconciling a physical address – in this case 39 Whitefield Street in London and Digital VR ‘twin” created to host new digital/VR art works. In Spacial.io, the files building your virtual world may not be secure, while AltVerse strikes to ensure your digital efforts are protected.
Will the platform owners grab your files? Will the users have a say in how to protect your creations?
On the plus side, Eva noted that people popping in to VR Café Cyberia were behaving in a super friendly and considerate way – perhaps having a personal avatar that makes your recognisable somehow mitigates our innate human instinct to cause mischief?
There is also a potential for learning, as everything you learn in immersive, virtual space you are going to remember better than learning on Zoom or reading. Maybe Café Cyberia in VR will be hosting a future University? There is a lot to play for!
COUNTER-GAMIFICATION
Stefan Lutschinger (Senior Lecturer from Middlessex University www.mdx.ac.uk) introduced the games v gamification dilemma and how to subvert the additive designs and stay playful in the gamified world of games.
He referred to Home Ludens (by Johan Huizenga) and suggested reading of Dafne Dragona’s work on subverting the addictive games machines.
Mesmer for rebels or Soc-Futurism for all
For those who would like to practice how to overthrow governments for fun and pleasure, Mesmer Game is the best place to start. Described our reviewer Karo Janicka as “Animal Crossing without Animals”, Mesmer is a gentle introduction to how to take control of the country, with the game being suitable for all ages including children.
Struggling with agency in games?
The Trolley Problem provides more struggles than most : Benjamin Greenaway (Cybersalon) introduces the challenge of agency in games. What can I do, why do I have to decide on life-and-death problems, what can I change? This game is simple in format but complex in setting you up for an ethics disaster. No empathy just decisions, just utilitarian outcomes, bringing us into the shoes of dicators. How does it feel when none of the options are truly acceptable? Once you get through Trolley Problem, you will be less willing to accept simple answers. You have to save Polly, but may be she is not worth saving? Ben noted how the game explores FOMO – you constantly strive to find out what happens in you take other branches. It is a great example of critical gaming, as lack of empathy and agency forces the player to examine deeply his instinctive ethical preferences.
TABULA RASA with Disco Elysium
When your tie talks to you and impacts what happens in the game.
If you like your game rules revealed not given, Disco Elysium is for you– game where nothing is explained but everything is revealed, where rules and playfulness coexist in an uncomfortable setting.
Review by Simon Sarginson (Improbable Games)introduces us to ‘tabula rasa’ set up, where every rule and every trick has to be tried, learned and uncovered. Deadbeat detective is the anti-hero, where he has to solve a crime that he doesn’t even remember being assigned to solve.
It is all about Law and Lawlessness, Citizen Militia, in the bleak scene of a Failed Communist Revolution.
You partake in the action as a victor, a bystander, or participant. There is an element of chance, but not all chances are explicit. Skills are important, but not everything is visible. There is obscurity in every step. What you fail, there is a sense of sadness, but your experience shifting identity.
You battle your way through different Police Factions, with familiar but edgy characters involved. The Future is deeply problematic (what’s new), condescending, you have to fight for your hope.
Your experiments have consequences, the scenarios are dynamic, you end up feeling vulnerable but somehow empowered. It is a game that shapes you as your experience is shaped by your own decisions.
DISCUSSION
Luke Robert Mason introduced VR Cyberia Café, and noted that it reminded him about his first experience with Commodore 64, back in Oakland, while visiting Ben.
He also introduced new works by Hallidonto (author of Sanctum Cyborgia), VR and Digital Artist with decades of experience exploring art in virtual settings.
TRIPLE PRESENCE with VR Cyberia Cafe
We introduced an interconnected technology set up. Using Zoom the digital and physical attendees the VR meta-space. Using the web projector element in AltSpace the VR attendees joined the physical space at Newspeak on a big screen.
VR Café Cyberia – 39 Whitfield Street in AltSpace is a faithful reconstruction of Cybersalons first bricks and mortar Cyber Cafe “Cyberia” which opened at 39 Whitfield Street in Central London in 1994.
Artwork by Halidonto Digital Artist
Hallidonto is attending the physical venue and is bringing his Quest headset to Newspeak so if you are in AltSpace you would be meeting him often visiting his exhibited work in VR. He is obsessed with Byzantian General and unafraid to push the concept of human-cyborg beyond the established visual framework.
Hallidonto’s art is created through the use of different media, including VR, crypto,digital, painting, drawing and poetry. Via computers, television, cartoons and comics his childhood was immersed in images of cyborgs, superheroes and machines from the land of the hyper-real.
The essence of the cyborg became his inspiration identifying with the concept Cyborgia holistically explores the Hyper Real in an unreal, virtual world
Come and take a look around, explore this introduction to Hallidonto’s Cyborgia
Discussion also touches on the need to see through gamification and the duty to practice subversiveness to stay awake and propaganda-proof.
As game designers strive to get you addicted, the player must strive to enjoy the game but on their terms, with eyes wide open to gamification tricks.
Playfulness will save us!
We recommend you take those games for spin over the Xmas period and let us know what other games you would like us to review for the next Games for Good event in February 2023
Note: Ukrainian Refugees Auction results, big thanks to Mod Art (Mexico) , Romain (from Guadelupe) and others for submitting artworks to raise funds for Camden Group for Ukrainian Refugees integration – funds raised £500 !
For further reading:
Book from Cybersalon Press: “22 Ideas About The Future” – edited by Ben Greenaway and Stephen Oram, Introduction by Douglas Rushkoff, essays and stories by Wendy Grossman, Eva Pascoe, David Birch, Dr Christina Aicardi
More Videos/Podcasts from Cybersalon Games for Good Series 2018-current
Games for Good Podcasts :
Games on Surveillance (Jan 2018)
Games For Survival (March 2020)
Event Gallery
