10 by 10 room

Terra Nova looks again at the issue of cultural borrowing in World of Warcraft. (via Jon Walton)

Also, America’s Army is an FPS game developed in association with the US Army to encourage recruitment; TN reports a virtual protest.

From CNN: Students fight for Mideast peace in video game.

In “PeaceMaker,” players choose between the role of an Israeli prime minister or a Palestinian Authority president. They make policy decisions, communicate with the international community and monitor opinion polls while coping with “black events” — bursts of violence that threaten to throw the game off course.

“PeaceMaker” incorporates news footage of actual events designed to make players feel connected to the real world. The game’s objective is peace through a two-state solution, but players can also wage attacks.

Serious games.

From Seth Ben-Ezra, I present to you the utmost in horrors: Aztecs with Nukes.

It is, in fact, a chilling article. The author plays through the evolution of a warlike race in the popular Civilization strategy game series, seeking the domination of the globe. But faced with the actual possibility of defeat, the game presents him with a terrible and tempting choice.