The Arden Institute at Indiana University announces: Ludium II is tentatively planned for June 22-23, 2007. ("Ludium!? What's a Ludium!?") The theme "Videogames and Public Policy" will be explored through a game that puts participants in a 19th century US political convention, complete with smoke-filled rooms and bombastic delegates. OK, due to health concerns we will not allow cigars, but bombasticism will be encouraged regardless of the risks. Gameplay: The delegates will form caucuses and compete to get planks on the party platform. They'll also elect a party nominee for President. Results: A platform recommending 10 (or so) Principles for Sensible Video Game Policy, and a single person, the nominee, who will become our de facto spokesperson for the ideas in the platform. From the Ludium's end until November 2008, we will point to the nominee whenever we are asked about games by the media, legislatures, courts, lobbying groups, or voters. Prizes go to participants who get the most ideas on the platform, and for being a candidate or the eventual nominee. Participation will be open. We have room for 400 people.
Though at an early stage, Ludium II could use a little help.
1. CALL FOR DESIGNS
Design a game using the feature set described in the opening paragraph. You have one resource: a large, spacious, open room, with a stage at one end, nestled inside a big, old, rambling building. The building is placed in a parklike setting on a university campus.
Submit your design proposal to me here early this summer. I'll go through the submissions over the summer and initiate discussions with the authors of ones that seem to fit best.
The conference is in the planning stage, so I can't commit to any compensation. This is work-for-credit, until and unless significant sponsorship happens.
2. CALL FOR SPONSORSHIP
If you'd like to sponsor the event, let me know.
3. CALL FOR LEADERSHIP
Participants will be assigned to a specific delegation, and each delegation will have a leader. To the extent we are able to reimburse travel expenses, we will do so for delegation heads first. A delegation head's primary duties will be to help resolve disputes among delegates. If you're interested, please notify me here.
4. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Want to help? Email me.
I guess this means that those of us who are non-American and have no idea what 19th-century US political conventions were like will be at a small disadvantage.
I know what a ludium is, though - fun!
Richard
Posted by: Richard Bartle | May 26, 2006 at 11:15
This article sums it up nicely: equal parts conclave, cabal, and circus. Intrigue! Betrayal! Denunciation! Conspiracy! Manipulation! And who will be the Dark Horse, who will speak with passion and eloquence, proclaiming Sense About the Video Game to the Nation and the Free World? Who? Who? Maybe the crusty fellow from England??? The mild-mannered yet tenacious Californian? The blond bombshell? The raving Aussie? The soft-spoken, bearded design ingenue? The tyrant? The Texan? The Navy captain? The dark journalist? Anything can happen in the twisted warrens of the Memorial Union, our latter-day Tammany. It could even be you, dear lurker - an as-yet unknown hero.
Posted by: Edward Castronova | May 26, 2006 at 11:57
Similar questions to Richard’s
1/ Does this imply that we are focusing on US public policy, and within the current political scene? As we are noting in another thread some of the assumptions behind the public policy debate in the US that frame the discourse are very different from, say, in the EU.
2/ Will delegates that have little idea of how the US Political Convention system (of any time) be at a disadvantage?
If you do want an international crowd to feel a bit welcome could you urge US based people that submit ideas not to make it too US centric – which might require consulting with a few non-Americans as it’s always difficult to know what is obvious to everyone and what is culturally specific.
3/ Do you urge non-Americans to submit ideas too?
4/ Are there any non-Americans judging the entries?
If this is US centric (which is fine with me as it’s in a US Institution after all) could we understand this up front?
This is just for clarity, the event was fantasic last year and I'm sure will be next :)
Posted by: ren reynolds | May 26, 2006 at 14:35
Ren, the game will be its own set of rules. Know the rules to win the game. Knowledge of the US convention system won't matter.
My opinion is that something as general as 'principles for sound video game policy' should be relevant to the policy process in most countries. At the same time, I can't deny that most of the attendees at a small university town in the US heartland will probably be Americans. International participation is welcomed with open arms, and there won't be explicit judges - everything will happen according to votes. It's not designed to be US centric, but it would be sensible to predict that US concerns will predominate.
Posted by: Edward Castronova | May 27, 2006 at 15:33
Since I'll be in the neighborhood starting in a couple of months I'll be happy to lend a hand. But I expect you knew that. ;)
Lee
Posted by: Lee Sheldon | May 28, 2006 at 17:29