Water Cooler Games
Water Cooler Games served as the web's primary forum for "videogames with an agenda" — coverage of the uses of video games in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment.
The site was maintained at watercoolergames.org from 2003-2009, where it was edited by myself and Gonzalo Frasca. It is now archived here in full.
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Become the Ultimate Poacher
by Ian Bogost February 21, 2004
categories:
Activism Games
, Political Games
Developer Exileworks announces Poacher, the wild game trader game. From the developer website:
You fight and struggle your way through the African Congo to the deep jungles of India as you hunt for the most famous of endangered species; all the while avoiding and battling the dreaded Game Wardens. Poacher is a free form game that allows the player to choose their hunting grounds, and to upgrade their character as time goes by. You control your destiny as you plot your way through some of the most dangerous places in the world. You must avoid capture and defeat the Game Wardens who constantly attempt to capture or kill you! Trade your goods on the black market to gain more money and power!
Last year's IGF Grand Prize winner was Wild Earth, in which the player is a photo journalist taking photos of big game in their natural habitats. Poacher appears to be a satire of this game and the popular big game hunter games like Deer Hunter. Poacher should note that both it and Wild Earth are independently developed and distributed. Conservation groups who might disapprove of the former or approve of the latter should take note, and consider stepping up...
(Thanks to Matteo)
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