Ian Bogost - Water Cooler Games - Persuasive Games releases The Arcade Wire: Oil God

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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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Persuasive Games releases The Arcade Wire: Oil God

by Ian Bogost October 18, 2006

categories: Newsgames

My studio Persuasive Games has released Oil God, the latest game in the ongoing Arcade Wire series of newsgames, published by Addicting Games and Shockwave.com.

You are an Oil God! Wreak havoc on the world's oil supplies by unleashing war and disaster. Bend governments and economies to your will to alter trade practices. Your goal? Double consumer gasoline prices in five years using whatever means necessary: start wars, overthrow leaders, spawn natural disasters — even beckon the assistance of extra-terrestrial overlords. The game explores the relationship between gas prices, geopolitics, and oil profits.

After you've played, mosey over to the game's Shockwave.com page and leave a (positive!) rating and review. And if you haven't played the first game in The Arcade Wire series, or if you haven't played recently, why not give Airport Security a go? The latter game is also currently featured on the Shockwave.com homepage, huzzah!

Comments (1)

Sort of boring, not very hard, seems glitched up on the harder difficulty levels (I win in 3 secconds after starting 3 wars, and my time is 100 days)

As far as how the economys and politics influence the game, I have no idea. I didnt notice it explained, and I seem to be able to just start a bunch of wars, a natural disaster or two, and you win.

Interesting idea, but i think it needs to be thought out more, fleshed out a bit, possibly revamped, like maybe you could play as a corrupt oil rich nation, you goal is to try and disrupt other nation's oil supplies, and get the cost of oil as high as you can, and gouge the people as much as you can.

start a civil war in a oil rich nation, their production halts, you raise your prices, but dont nuke people of certain political beileifs, or else you might get Embargoed, by certain nations.

Start alliances, (Like opec) and have the assosiated "Cost" of the actions you have in the game, tied to your islands profits. make money and you can buy and sell your enemy with a simple oil embargo.

Josh on October 20, 2006 1:29 AM