3rd World Farmer
What was the game/simulation about?
As the name implies, 3rd World Farmer simulates the interlocking systems which perpetuate poverty among farmers in third-world countries. Prices fluctuate, health declines, and events well outside of your control occur every turn. Unlike the farming games which skyrocketed in popularity recently, intentional management of resources does not always lead to success.
Describe the game’s/simulation’s structure
Fittingly for a farming-focused game, the most present dynamic is build/construct. Players begin with a set amount of money, which they can spend on crops, livestock, tools, and a number of other things which develop in further turns. As far as I can tell, there is no set end point, simply a vague goal of surviving as long as possible.
Note: The game manual indicates that there is indeed a win condition: completing all of the projects to develop the surrounding area. As detailed below, I was unable to view any associated text while playing the game.
What did you enjoy/not enjoy while playing the game/simulation?
Frankly, I did not enjoy 3rd World Farmer. To a point, the game is not designed to be enjoyed—the developers’ stated goal is to get people thinking and raise awareness of the cycles of poverty, which doesn’t lend itself to entertainment value. That said, my experience was marred by a couple of factors outside of the designed systems. For whatever reason, the text spacing of the browser version was entirely off; as the included screenshot demonstrates, this made it difficult to glean anything from in-game text. I also, perhaps foolishly, declined to read the manual until after my session, As a result, I operated primarily from the money I had at the start of each turn.
Would you classify this as a game, simulation game, or simulation? Why?
The developers of 3rd World Farmer identify it as a serious game. Based on the description in our reading (Narayanasamy et al, 2006), I am inclined to agree with this identity. The systems are more abstract than something I would call a simulation, but the non-entertainment purpose, call to action for users, and (crucially) the presence of a clear end state shift it away from any other type of game.
Red Planet Farming
What was the game/simulation about?
Red Planet Farming is about establishing colonies on Mars through sustainable agriculture. The game’s website includes reference material on weather, agriculture, and required technology for potential Martian living (More on Mars, 2020). While a majority of the resources are not scholarly, the team also credits the NASA Ames Office of the Chief Scientist as consultants during development.
Describe the game’s/simulation’s structure
The core dynamic here is, once again, build/construct. Players take a top-down view of hospitable areas of Mars as represented by hexagonal grids. Each turn represents a year in which players construct buildings and infrastructure, develop new tiles, and plant seeds for the year’s food supply. If players grow an excess of food for the settlers in a year, the population grows rapidly, but if they fail to grow enough food, the population may decrease. The game ends if the population trends negative or reaches a high enough threshold to grant access to the next map.
What did you enjoy/not enjoy while playing the game/simulation?
Red Planet Farming piqued my curiosity almost instantly. The writing takes a comedic tone, fitting for the stylized art direction and overall optimistic aim. I particularly appreciate that actions are not locked in until the end of a turn, which provides room for experimentation. The first map introduces new mechanics and strategic wrinkles almost every other turn, which keeps the early gameplay from growing stale. The only complaint I could register is that there isn’t an indication that buildings and upgrades are permanent fixtures. After my research, this may be because they are not, in fact, permanent; I simply missed the option to remove them.
Would you classify this as a game, simulation game, or simulation? Why?
This leans more towards a simulation game, if not an outright game. The visual and narrative tone are light and welcoming, which makes for an entertaining experience. While the concepts driving the gameplay are all backed by scientific research, reviewing the developers’ blog indicates that a dual intent for education and entertainment (Demirjian, 2019). Placing the game solidly in one camp or the other hinges on an end state; if the game simply extends infinitely after all maps unlock, it’s more of a simulation game. Otherwise, it remains solidly in the “game” camp.
Side note, it’s interesting how RPF’s development timeline matches my undergrad capstone!
Cornucopia
What was the game/simulation about?
Cornucopia is a fairly simple farming sim. It was designed to accompany a series of environmental science videos aimed at a middle school audience. The associated website includes the videos in question along with an educator’s guide and learning objectives for the game.
Describe the game’s/simulation’s structure
The core dynamic in Cornucopia lies somewhere between build/construct and race to the finish. Each level plays out over 20 turns, during which players attempt to achieve a high score by fulfilling orders. The resource management aspect is unorthodox; rather than spending money to acquire things, each thing consumes a set amount of water per turn. Crops and buildings are only limited by physical space, but using too much water ends the game in a loss.
What did you enjoy/not enjoy while playing the game/simulation?
I liked the animations and the unorthodox resource consumption. It could be the fact that high scores don’t strongly motivate me, but I found the core gameplay rather dull. Most orders require significant amounts of generic protein and veggie resources, which left minimal reason to experiment beyond optimal ratios of water consumed to resources generated.
Would you classify this as a game, simulation game, or simulation? Why?
The intent of Cornucopia is clearly education. That said, it is an educational program aimed at middle schoolers. Environmental impacts from agricultural development are distilled to purely how much water each thing consumes. This attribute combined with the lack of a true end goal—turn limits notwithstanding—places Cornucopia firmly in the simulation game bin.