GBL MOOC – Week 1: Game Based Learning/Game principles: Serious Games (Darfur is dying)

This post documents my thoughts on Darfur is Dying as part of the Week 1 activities research into Serious Games for the Games Based Learning (GBL) MOOC.

The game 
Darfur is Dying – http://www.darfurisdying.com

What is it?
Darfur is Dying is mtvU’s Darfur refugee game for change that “provides a window into the experience of the 2.5 million refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan. Players must keep their refugee camp functioning in the face of possible attack by Janjaweed militias. Players can also learn more about the genocide in Darfur that has taken the lives of 400,000 people, and find ways to get involved to help stop this human rights and humanitarian crisis.”

Audience

General/Secondary/University students.

Why so Serious (Game)?
To successfully meet the challenge of maintaining the function of a refugee camp under the threat of possible attack by Janjaweed militias, the player needs to:

• obtain food
• build shelters
• collect water
• stay healthy.

Game mechanics

Darfur is Dying makes use of:

• outcomes/risk/consequence of actions/reward
• feedback/status updates/education points.

Learning outcomes
A game that deals with conflict and civil unrest clearly has no winner. Darfur is dying provides an insight into the life of people living in the Darfur region of Western Sudan during the civil war in Darfur. Throughout the game the player is prompted with education points and information on how they can help stop the crisis in Darfur. This game is successful in creating an awareness and reaction to a situation which would not normally receive much attention from mainstream media.