Minecraft has already had its first encounter with sustainable growth. Only recently it gave the Guardian a guided tour of the ecological Climate Hope City. Meanwhile, a Strange Loop Games company also spotted a pro-ecological potential in the possibility of freely creating the world. The have decided to go beyond Minecraft, however, taking inspiration from some of the solutions.
Eco is a multiplayer type of a game, where the players are to able create their own civilization. They have to do it together, arranging some common laws, setting the direction for the future development. Be careful, though, the game is not all about the welfare and happiness of the civilization. Except for one’s own earnings, it is the condition of the planet that is at stake. Furthermore, it may turn out to be very sensitive.
They say:
The world of Eco is an incredibly reactive one, and whatever any player does in the world affects the underlying ecosystem, in potentially destructive ways.
The game is shaping up to be a simulation of everyday decisions, allowing for real time observation of their consequences on the world. Therefore, undertaking an action (or giving up on it) will be meaningful. No wonder, the US Department of Education is interested in the project. Eco could be a great tool for showing the students the dependability network in the ecosystem, and teaching them how to combine our responsibility for the environment with the economic growth.
The game’s designers emphasize that:
Every law in Eco needs to be backed up with scientific documentation, that’s based on the actual data that’s coming from the game.
