• Hey Guest! Ever feel like entering a Game Jam, but the time limit is always too much pressure? We get it... You lead a hectic life and dedicating 3 whole days to make a game just doesn't work for you! So, why not enter the GMC SLOW JAM? Take your time! Kick back and make your game over 4 months! Interested? Then just click here!

Is it 'PC' to make a game about Natural Disasters?

E

Emissary1138

Guest
We make so many games where the goal is to murder/kill other characters or creatures or NPCs and we have become desensitized to it. But do you think it is okay to make a game where the motive is to survive Earthquakes, Forest Fires, Tornadoes or Tsunamis ?

I don't know why I have to ask because my natural instinct is... "Its a Game, of course it is okay"

But there is also a part of me that isn't sure how others would respond to such a game.
 
G

Guest User

Guest
probably no more insensitive than all the movies, books, etc. about them...

i imagine it'd be quite distasteful to make a game based on a real event, recreating and depicting the deaths of real people whom died during that event, especially if it's not, how should we say, very polite about it...but a generic natural disaster with fictional people isn't likely to raise any eyebrows.

though with enough time, certain real-life disasters can be covered in the media (e.g. the sinking of the RMS Titanic) without anyone really caring at all....probably because all the people who were actually there aren't around to be horrified about it if you make something crass about it.
 
S

sitebender

Member
Surviving natural disasters is okay. It wouldn't be PC if the disaster only got one ethnicity of people.

My uncle's farm was next to a tornado maybe a decade ago. It was a rare one that happened at 1 or 2 pm so everyone was at school or work. The farm is fine, but the neighborhood 2 miles away was hit. I can imagine if my uncle died, I'd think oh look there's a tornado... my uncle died in one of those. Chances are the pets that were in these houses would feel totally different. Chances are people who have been in natural disasters would just steer clear of the game.

Its interesting that in the middle of farm country with endless farms, it hit 1 of the 2 actual neighborhoods. The neighborhood still has tornado damage, giant white tarps over gaps in houses. I don't know if those tarps are hiding missing house or parts where the siding was just pulled off. We take a drive through there every year just to say wow... they still haven't repaired the damage. The few homes that were obliterated were never replaced. Some of the rubble sat for years.
 
Z

zendraw

Guest
what do you mean PC? personal computer?
anyway i think there are games based on natural disasters, also i think horror games are kinda 'natural disasters' type of games in a way, since you are in bad circumstances that threaten your life.
 
Hyomoto

Hyomoto

Member
No matter the topic you choose someone will find it uncomfortable. I work in aviation so I don't particularly care to watch plane crashes. If you made a plane crashing simulator 2018, I'd probably skip on it and think it was pretty dumb. That doesn't mean someone else out there wouldn't like it and think it was great. Rather, you have two choices: one you can make a game and try to be respectful about it, that is to say not intentionally try to anger people, or you can make a highly controversial game and revel in it as publicity.

Of course, I suppose there is another option I've seen, which is you can make a game specifically to not offend anyone and try to find an audience that will appreciate how non-offensive it is. I think that's a losing battle though, there's just too many people and we're all insane. You are bound to find someone who thinks it's insensitive or doesn't portray something correctly. Good luck!
 
V

Viper

Guest
A lot of games are based on being a hunter.
What if you were a catch this time?
- -

Well, I guess it'd be a good initiative, but if the game is not so short, I wouldn't base the whole game on just 'surviving'. Take a concept, think of similar situations in reality and transfer the panic in the game. Take a look on a good but short example of a game about surviving: http://polclarissou.com/CrawlWormCrawl/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
M

Megax60

Member
Viper said:
A lot of games is based on being a hunter.
What if you were a catch this time?
- -

Well, I guess it'd be a good initiative, but if the game is not so short, I wouldn't base the whole game on just 'surviving'. Take a concept, think of similar situations in reality and transfer the panic in the game. Take a look on a good but short example of a game about surviving: http://polclarissou.com/CrawlWormCrawl/
Click to expand...
thank you c: now my hands hurt
 
RollyBug

RollyBug

Member
It's already been said that if it reaches enough people someone is going to be offended, that's just how things work. In this case I think it depends on how you approach the topic. Avoid real-world situations (or at least stay away from anything controversial) and remain respectful at all times and you should be fine. Heck, it could serve as important educational material depending on how you go about it, like for those who live inland and don't have to worry about tsunamis or hurricanes.
 
Dog Slobber

Dog Slobber

Member
It depends:
  • What was the disaster?
  • How badly did the disaster impact the victims?
  • How many people died or were injured?
  • How much time has passed?

This is not a simple question.
 
Bingdom

Bingdom

Googledom
I think the main problem is the scope and no market for it. Not so much about it being politically correct. That's why you don't see them often (I think).

Previously, games couldn't start out with destructive simulation because of the limited hardware. Shooting people for an fps was a viable option. From then, the market kinda just stuck with it, because it's what people are used to.

Nowadays, how can you make a game based on natural disasters enjoyable, without being too expensive for a studio? The studio will put themselves at risk, going for a market that may not even exist.

Plots based off real-life events in video games aren't new. They've been out for a while.
 
Last edited:
S

Sam (Deleted User)

Guest
Ever seen "I shouldn't be alive"? Let that be your inspiration. I find this to be more ok than a goal to kill someone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top