anAfrican
02-07-2006, 12:19 PM
How Do You Teach People About Africa? Make A Video Game (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1523211/20060203/index.jhtml?headlines=true)
The grandson of a Ghana king and a 19-year-old programmer in Atlanta both agree on one thing: The Western world doesn't understand Africa. Their solution? Make a video game about the continent.
In December, "Africa" the video game (http://www.africammo.com/content.aspx?function=Games) will join the universe of massive multiplayer online realms like "World of Warcraft" and "City of Heroes." The game's backers hope players will be enticed to pay a monthly fee not to live among the usual fantasy heroes and elves but to delve into a land of 13th century African civilization and mythology, crossing the virtual Sahara on a camel, journeying to Timbuktu and fighting as a Zulu warrior against the lion equivalent of a werewolf.
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"Africa" will be a vessel for Ghetti and Spaight's ambition. They want a virtual world that functions dynamically: antelope that find new pastures when grassland is scorched, drum music fully customizable by players and used — as in real ancient Africa — as an alternate langue. They want players to be able to become famous and change the map. More flexible than the mostly developer-controlled "World of Warcraft" but more restrained than the free-living "Second Life," "Africa" would let a tribe of 100 players establish their own officially recognized empire, but only after the equivalent of 12 hours of play across 48 weeks. For the less hard-core, play can be done casually as a fighter, merchant, musician or even a human who can turn into a bird.
For more, visit "Africa" (http://Africa-MMO.com) (javascript required <yuck>)
The grandson of a Ghana king and a 19-year-old programmer in Atlanta both agree on one thing: The Western world doesn't understand Africa. Their solution? Make a video game about the continent.
In December, "Africa" the video game (http://www.africammo.com/content.aspx?function=Games) will join the universe of massive multiplayer online realms like "World of Warcraft" and "City of Heroes." The game's backers hope players will be enticed to pay a monthly fee not to live among the usual fantasy heroes and elves but to delve into a land of 13th century African civilization and mythology, crossing the virtual Sahara on a camel, journeying to Timbuktu and fighting as a Zulu warrior against the lion equivalent of a werewolf.
...
"Africa" will be a vessel for Ghetti and Spaight's ambition. They want a virtual world that functions dynamically: antelope that find new pastures when grassland is scorched, drum music fully customizable by players and used — as in real ancient Africa — as an alternate langue. They want players to be able to become famous and change the map. More flexible than the mostly developer-controlled "World of Warcraft" but more restrained than the free-living "Second Life," "Africa" would let a tribe of 100 players establish their own officially recognized empire, but only after the equivalent of 12 hours of play across 48 weeks. For the less hard-core, play can be done casually as a fighter, merchant, musician or even a human who can turn into a bird.
For more, visit "Africa" (http://Africa-MMO.com) (javascript required <yuck>)