AuditionSEA - City as Military Playground

This week's reading discusses about how cities can be made into military playground for different purposes - for the fun of it, for military trainings, for war, for activists to voice their views, etc etc. Since Audition is not really a military game, I shall first blog about a few interesting insights I got from the reading, followed by some links I managed to find between the reading and my game, AuditionSEA.

From the readings
'Militainment'
The word 'militainment' is defined to be "state violence translated into an object of pleasurable consumption,” and as a melding of “the mercurial and the martial" by Roger Stahl. This means that warfare strategies and realities is being modified into games, to be consumed by the public. 

In these games, the public are able to experience war and deploy warfare strategies in their games in order to win the war. This shows that events that happen in reality (like wars) can now be played in games, and similarly, things that we do in games can be translated into the reality. 

For instance, according to the reading, military games have been used for military training for the soldiers. I see this as a two-way thing whereby game developers develop the games based on what the reality can offer them and on the other hand, players learn from the games and use the strategies in reality. From such games, soldiers can learn to hide in places that are safer than others, learn to use weapons wisely in different situations, etc etc. Therefore, I believe that 'militainment' is not just a pleasurable consumption developed from state violence, but it can also result in actual learning about the reality for the players too. 

For different purposes
1. For activists to get their voices heard
Not only do games using city as a military playground have effects of teaching warfare skills, they also provide a space for activists to get their voices heard. For instance, the reading mentions that hackers hack some games to get their voices heard. An example stated was the anti-military digital graffiti intervening in the game 'Counter-Strike'. This was done by the activists to raise anti-military sentiments and gain support for their cause. 

I feel that hacking for a cause is reasonable and at the same time, effective, especially if the cause is relevant to the game. For instance, the anti-military graffiti were to discourage war while the game Counter-Strike encourages fighting and shooting. Therefore, if hactivists were able to "publicize" their cause through this means, it might generate a greater impact because of the vastly opposite nature of the message and the game.

Also, I feel that the link between reality and game becomes more meaningful now since game play or game intervention can help to do something for the reality. And the hacks happening online may be translated to the offline cities as well! Anti-military graffiti might be painted in actual streets and the logo/icon might become widely spread in the society to generate greater sentiments and support for the cause. Might be a good thing afterall when used to promote positive cause. 

However, we definitely need to consider the impacts when it this happens in a terrorism organization. Negative impacts will definitely be generated online and in the offline.

2. Therapeutic effects
It seems like game play has therapeutic effects as presented in the reading - treating Boyd's trauma after being a war veteran in the Middle East. 

I feel that the design of games settings as cities might be an explanation to the therapeutic effects.  To replicate the reality into the game as best as possible, it allows players to immerse themselves in the pseudo-reality, and allows them to feel that they are in reality even though it is actually a virtual world. For instance, it has always been said that some people immerse themselves in games because games help them escape the harsh reality. It makes them feel better! Some other people see themselves as failures in reality and hence, seek the virtual world for confidence and for meaning in life. All these are some of the typical explanations why some people choose to stay in their virtual world instead of living in the real. And these can be seen as therapeutic effects for players. 

Relevance to AuditionSEA
The city as a battleground
It has also been mentioned that the city as the game setting is increasingly welcomed by game developers and players. I agree with this because we can see games set in cities very often, some even with things like trains, shopping centres, vending machines, etc. 

However, I realize that for FPS games, the setting is usually, but not always, in barren lands or forests kind of setting. This might be because these places give a more "war-like" atmosphere, which coincides with FPS games because these games are usually war-oriented. Below are some images I found from Google regarding FPS games, which mostly showed images of forests or deserts. 

In relation to AuditionSEA, it takes the setting of a city as well! It is designed with buildings and lights and the dance floor is designed to be in a stadium-like place. 

In my opinion, there are several reasons to the city setting of AuditionSEA.

1. Since the game is targeted at youngsters, a city setting with colouful lights and graphics may be able to portray a youthful and energetic image of the game, hence, attracting more players to the game.

2. Since youngsters like hanging out in shopping malls with their friends (assumption), it might be another reason why game developers choose this setting for AuditionSEA - to create more relevance between the game and the youngsters' lives.

3. Dancing is a casual activity, especially in terms of street dance. Thus, AuditionSEA is designed in a city to bring out the idea that dance battles can take place anywhere as long as you meet like-minded people. 

These are some of the reasons I can think of that fulfills the idea of having a city as a "playground" and in the AuditionSEA context, as a close-to-reality battleground.

Flaws of AuditionSEA game design
According to the reading, it mentions that "the underlying “ludaform” of a multi-player game is a heart with looping, arterial tunnels that always return players to centralized open conflict zones". It also states that "Building dead end alleyways and streets is discouraged, for a player might hide in seclusion for the entire round. The architecture should encourage balanced confrontations against other players."

With reference to that definition of a good game design, I am doubtful about the success of AuditionSEA game design. Why do I say so? Because a player can actually create a private room for himself/herself, hiding away from battles with others. That was what I did actually.

Because I am a newbie, and because I always get forced out of people's room (due to my super low level), I have no choice but to "lock" myself in a room and play by myself, in the hope of gaining levels and experience so that I will be able to battle with others in future. However, this might be a flaw because it might encourage seclusion of newbies and domination of the game by the "pros". Also, interaction between strangers may not be well promoted because rooms can be created with a password - only friends who know the password can enter.

Linking back to the definition of a good game design, I feel that AuditionSEA does not fit into that definition but somehow I feel that such a design is for a reason. The seclusion might be for self-training purposes and passwords might serve as a way for friends (regardless online or offline) to play, battle and chat privately in the game. If so, then AuditionSEA's design is not flawed but instead, well thought out. 

My reflection
I feel that using city as a military playground may a good or a bad thing for different reasons, mainly because of the different effects it can have on players and on their realities. Like mentioned above, some effects like therapies, or getting activists' voices heard might be able to bring about actual social/political/environmental change, which might be beneficial for the society. However, if being manipulated by terrorists for example, such strategy can help train terrorists their military skills and warfare tactics which might result in serious impacts on the society.
In general, I feel that using city as military playground is actually effective in training military soldiers in their military skills and strategies. Especially when the world is increasingly 'technologicalized' and 'machinerized', having training in such city-like games is actually very close to reality, that puts soldiers in a almost real game world and hence, training them in pseudo reality. Such training might be effective eventually because it helps soldiers see and think from different perspectives which might enhance their military strategies. Also, with the increased use of machines in warfare, having trainings in games might be able to improve soldiers' use of technology and machines. Therefore, city as military playground has its effectiveness when put to correct and legitimate use.

My question
How do you think can a game like AuditionSEA can have effects I've mentioned above. For example, how can my game promote certain environmental change? Or result in any impacts on the society? Or even affects the dance scene in reality?