Ecogaming – By Daniella Odubayo

Week 1-2: Eco Ego & Early Childhood Education

The initial angle I considered with video games and their intersection with eco consciousness was early childhood exposure to both. Using my own experience growing up between the 00s and 10s, the elementary school eco curriculum placed a heavy focus on “reduce, reuse, recycle”, energy conservation, introducing the concept of composting, and anti-littering campaigns. While basic, these principles stuck in young minds such as my own because of their simplicity and relatively low effort principles to follow. In some ways it was “gamified” such as what classes could recycle the most, tracking the progress of playground compost bins, getting stars for picking up trash, etc. Both solo and group effort tracking made eco-consciousness into a competitive game, through which we could gain a rush of satisfaction upon completing tasks. In how this system was set up, my entry into eco education had more in common with game theory than I knew at the time.

My early experience with video games mostly involved easily accessible flash games, always available on school computers at the time. Computers were still a novelty in elementary school back then and so their usage was coveted, and free playtime especially. Flash games were always free and ready to play and they had their own microcosm in the “kid culture” at my school. This meant that it had a lot of staying power in our minds and, importantly, was something separate from mandatory education.

A synthesis of both the ideas found in our eco-curriculum and the prominence of video games at our school was found in the games played that addressed topics we were learning. In science class we accessed educational games that the school paid to have access for. This game was called “Les Débrouillards”. The game was meant to be a fun way to encourage an understanding of class topics, including environmental science, but they were not very engaging or effective in part because the older teachers were not entirely acquainted with the ins and outs of technology or gaming. This is reflective of my own experience and remained the case for the other educational games we were introduced to, but while the in-class “eco game” did not leave a good impression, the first “eco game” that did manage to was a flash game called “Eco Ego”.

Eco ego was my first meaningful exposure to the concept of eco games. The effectiveness of it has to do with both the difference in content from curriculum-based games and accessibility. Where “Les Débrouillards” was concerned more with showing info cards providing ecological facts, Eco Ego attempted to show the direct effect of certain decisions on the environment, and imbue a sense of personal responsibility in the player. The ‘fun’ factor of Eco Ego was more in line with what children responded to in their free time online and, importantly, engagement with the game came from a place of independent choice unlike the curriculum assigned games that were assigned to us.
Further analysis to be done that goes into the appeal of Eco Ego for a young audience

Week 3-4: Eco-literacy and Eco-Ego Analysis

The ability for some educational games to stick in the minds of children has a variety of factors involved. To examine what some of these factors are I draw from my own experience with Eco Ego.

Eco Ego is a UI based game that takes place in one screen, where the player is in charge of balancing the wants and needs of a small futuristic looking ‘cute’ little character. With every choice there are weighted scales that contribute to environmental decay and overall happiness of the character. The game is timed, with the possibility of selecting longer times for it to be more challenging, since keeping nature balanced for longer requires more focus in dealing with the changing environment. A typical game is about 5 to 10 minutes with a replayability aspect in how the player can attempt to have a higher ‘eco’ or ‘happiness’ score depending on gameplay choices. There are little animations to go with each
chore that represents decay or renewal, such as trees becoming less lush, water being more or less tainted by waste, and electricity coming from a gas engine or wind turbines.

The win condition is enabled by being able to balance clean environmental choices with character satisfaction, but at the end of each game the same message always flashes on screen. It reads: “If you had chosen differently, we could now be living in a healthier environment”. This is a type of call-to-action that encourages the player to reflect on their own real-life choices, if being a bit preachy and guilt-tripping. This final screen adds a layer of emotional depth in its own way, as getting through the game is a bit frustrating at first. Upon losing, being told to simply “make better choices” is enough to warrant a rage quit after a while, but at the same time, it might also push the player to try to do better. The game uses this type of emotionally manipulative language to facilitate the forced state of ecoconsciousness, and in a young mind such as my own, this left an impression.

The use of such tactics and this overall message in the game is a mixed bag. In one regard it makes the player aware of everyday contributors to wasteful energy practices, as well as reflective of what actions of leisure they take for granted (clean drinking water, television, AC). It also uses simple graphics and gameplay mechanics to ensure the game itself is easy to understand and accessible. These are good as a baseline understanding and introduction to clean energy and nonpolluting practices for young audiences who might stumble upon the game and gain a spark of inspiration to act out the practices they see. On a more complicated level, the appeal to individualistic responsibility forgoes
criticizing the larger institutions that enable these environment killing practices (Big Oil, corrosive waste disposal], placing larger amounts of blame on the solo acts of the player (representative of the individual polluter/consumer) which would not amount to even a fraction of what larger institutions commit

Eco Ego remains a quality introduction to eco-consciousness in children, even by acknowledging that it could cause some confusing messaging down the line. It puts forward simple eco-preserving acts that if learned young could be internalized and put into practice later in the adult independent life. It creates a context through which additional knowledge can be amended, where the base material and moral ideas that the game shows are not entirely invalidated by later updated knowledge.

Week 5-6: Hyper-individualism and Responsibility in ‘eco games’

The failing of modern educational initiatives regarding climate consciousness, as seen through eco games like Eco Ego, involves a well-intentioned but misplaced attribution of ecological responsibility on the individual rather than acknowledging larger contributing factors.

While imbuing an awareness of ecological decay and encouraging minor eco-preserving practices are positive initiatives that may encourage action, an abusive attribution makes these minor actions null when considering the big picture.

Beyond elementary school, understandings of concepts of individual responsibility manifest themselves in ideas of things like carbon footprints or carbon tax later in life. All the possible little changes that could have been made in day-to-day life are replaced by capitalistic initiatives that offer the chance to pay your way out of environmental responsibility damages. The simple days of “reduce, reuse, recycle” being the key to saving the world lose steam and credibility, and the average person would become lost and unenthused about climate consciousness.

The concept of carbon footprint itself is not inherently bad but the graduation from theory to practice places such a concept into problematic territory.

Acknowledging the luxuries of everyday life and their cost for the environment is the first step of awareness, but the most crucial next step of action to combat it is not feasible for many individuals.
Perhaps gaming can be a bridge towards certain ideas.

Week 7-8: History of Eco Sensibility in Games

Just as other forms of media include ecological themes within their narrative and different ways, video games as the new frontier in pop culture do the same

Gradual inclusion of themes over time, what are some differences in old eco games versus new? New line simple themes? More complex?

To understand and make sense of this shift, if it exists, an understanding the pop culture view of climate change should also be understood.

Eco games can reinforce already known ideas about the climate and ecology.

Eco games can present radically different ways of living that promote a more eco-conscious world.

Solar punk utopia versus diesel punk dystopia?

Week 9-10: Examining “Eco” and Material Concerns

Studying and reading up on eco games, there are various factors that contribute to whether a video game can be considered under that category.

In a group discussion, the game “Eco” was brought up. There had been discussion of survival type games and we lamented that they were often PvP focused, which lead to more tentative social alliances based on personal wants and needs, rather than true collaborative effort.

“Eco” was brought up as being exactly the solution to that problem and it fell to me to discover what Eco had to offer in the sphere of eco gaming.

An article essay went into depth on the value of eco as an eco-game with many solid points.

I undertook my own examination of the game wanting to get a feel for it.

It is at this point that an important factor in the concept of the course must be addressed.

Given that we study eco games attempting to find meaning and prove the worth of the study, theoretical analysis can only bring us so far.

As Darren Wershler mentioned one meeting “none of it matters if there are no material factors” regarding our collective study of video games within the space of academia

Indeed, if climate consciousness is in our purview just playing and discussing how great one game promotes ecological values does less impact than having something material to measure an ecological impact on

I had a unique perspective coming into this as most of the group were doing the sunblock work playing and testing the energy ups and downs of a solar powered Minecraft server. My computer and laptop were both much too weak to participate. This is itself something materially relevant, and it provides a few important points to note about our work.

If, in the attempt to create a greener alternative to hosting a server, better material parts are required anyways on the player side, carbon/climate/energy impact becomes negligible.

Applying this observation to Eco, I was able to boot up the game on my laptop but it was very laggy and not running well. I observed a few aspects for analysis, but it was similar situation as with the Minecraft server. Unable to properly play, the game was materially inaccessible but for the idea of playing for change this presents a large oversight. Should a game that seeks to promote ecological values necessarily be playable on the lowest common denominator computer? Yes and no, because if eco values are to be promoted, which eco clearly seeks to do, an ultra 4k 30:60 setup should not be the default requirement. Should games for change only be accessible to those with expensive and materially costly setups? Certainly not, and so there must be some reconciliation between symbolic and purposeful play and material constraints.

Week 11-12: Eco as a Symbol and the Power of Institutions

My foray into Eco was eye opening.

Initially you are greeted by a standard character creator with satisfactory customization in a very cartoony style. You’re able to sync up your own face movements to the character via webcam tracking, the purpose of this being fuller immersion when in game.

This is one of many design elements that communicate to the player that Eco is a game you are meant to spend a lot of time in immerse yourself as your own player and communicate actively with those around you.

The front page shows a myriad of servers available for new players to join, as well as filters for those choosing different gameplay options. There are also options to host your own server.

As a new player, the text on various servers reading “new player friendly!” was certainly encouraging especially considering the sheer amount of complexity that is in the game itself.

Eco players play under the same time restraints as all those who are present in their active server, and while people might have their own sub-goals, the looming weight of the end of the world is impossible to ignore.

The default setting for a server is 30 days of real-life time before an asteroid is set to hit the planet. During those 30 days, players must collaborate in an attempt to either reach industrial heights that are able to expel the asteroid with technology or accept their fate and let the server they’ve been playing on for how many real life days perish.

The issue that arises in Eco is that climate change may affect the earth to the point where it is completely uninhabitable by the time the asteroid comes. In the attempt to reach industrial heights that can dispel the meteor, the earth may face trials that condemn itself before the end even comes.

Eco is a microcosm of being a representation of the impending threat of climate change, and this is written about in detail in chapter 8 “Climate–Game–Worlds: A Media Aesthetic Look at the Depiction and Function of Climate in Computer Games “in Ecogames: Playful Perspectives on the Climate Crisis. What I take from Eco is that the power of collective is alive and well when able to be simulated in a fun and engaging way. Beyond gaming, this power of “institutions”, meaning the groups we construct meaning through, are the key for better climate awareness and futures.

Looking to the simpler forms of Eco gaming such as Eco Ego, vs the more complex of “Eco”, the intentions of both are visible, and they share similar values in wanting to promote climate awareness and action in their own ways.

Something to note is that it all comes down to time in the end, whether it be balancing the scales in Eco Ego or Eco, that is all it is, balancing scales. It is simplistic, but that is how the mainstream tens to view ecological change, a tip of scales towards “good” ways of living that save the planet verses “bad” ways that kill nature.

Within the sphere of Eco gaming, a similar balance should exist. Perhaps a game needs to balance its ambition in depicting a certain ecological theme, with the fact that video games are materially costly, whether through energy, building materials, or the time of the player itself. If a game expresses through its existence that people need to care about “CLIMATE. ACTION. NOW” then perhaps it should be necessary that it remains accessible to a wide array of audiences who, through denialism of material, or simply through inability to upgrade, have lesser gaming systems, but who should still be able to access a gaming culture trying to promote change.