FreeGameDev

I found a game worth saving on SourceForge, and I need someone to volunteer for it. It's called Energy Tycoon, and its not been updated since 2010. Anybody up for it?

You really should include more information.

Projcet: http://sourceforge.net/projects/energytycoon
Website: http://www.energietycoon.de/en/

we covered it on the FG blog a while ago. A pitty that it isn't actively maintained. Maybe it could be altered to include a mode of how to reach 100% renewable energy coverage and fighting against the big energy giants (oil, gas, coal) who try to maintain their monopolies

Julius {l Wrote}:Maybe it could be altered to include a mode of how to reach 100% renewable energy coverage and fighting against the big energy giants (oil, gas, coal) who try to maintain their monopolies

That sounds overly (and indeed overtly) political. Trying to put a political message into a game never goes well. Those who agree with the message aren't really any more likely to play the game, and those who disagree will be totally turned off it (and certainly won't be influenced by the message).
The only ways to make a game political without crippling it are (1) to raise an issue but not suggest any answers, or (2) to make it openly satirical of both sides (as in the now-opensource Liberal Crime Squad by Tarn Adams (better known as the creator of Dwarf Fortress)).

That sounds overly (and indeed overtly) political. Trying to put a political message into a game never goes well.

Yes, it was political. Then again, any statement that is a reflection of a an ethical value (be it from ideology or whatever) can easily be linked to politics, should you want to. So what? Not choosing or actively avoiding to portray companies in a certain light is equally political as it is also a stance: The stance to be politically correct, or to be anti-socialist, conservative or what happens to fit in the particular case.

While I agree with you that political messages are most effective when they're not too obvious, which also goes for all kinds of propaganda really, I would to the contrary love to see more "political" games out there as they have plenty to tell and are a great way to escape the, from my perspective, generally totally braindead game industry that lacks a meaningful narrative due to it's fear to upset this or that group and it's intention to sell plenty and be easily consumed (often translates to bland generic stories a la Hollywood).

Best part of his post was that it's all factually correct: "big energy giants (oil, gas, coal) who try to maintain their monopolies": The energy companies are huge, and yes, they really do try to maintain their influence on the market, and if they had the chance they would of course opt for monopoly.