World Without Oil

By: Derek Yu

On: May 24th, 2007

“Play it before you live it” is the mantra behind World Without Oil, an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) that simulates a world oil crisis. Users submit stories via text, audio, or video describing events unfolding during the pretend crisis, and the game’s admins rank users based on how well their content fits with the reality of the game.

An interesting idea that I’m sure is worth trying! It sounds like a lot of fun… crowd-sourcing a real-world problem through role-playing and creative writing.

(Source: GameSetWatch)

Posted in Browser Games, RPG, Sim, Social Impact, Unique / Bizarre

http://www.arsecast.com DrDerekDoctors

Define “fun”. ;)
Zaphos

It feels like its core idea is, “let’s combine the inaccessibility of an ARG with the content quality of fan fiction”?
Derek

haha, well it I guess it is essentially fan fiction… if you’re a fan of the world’s dependency on oil and the consequences thereof.

Granted, I don’t necessarily think that it will solve any problems, but it’s an interesting experiment. I like the idea of “playing pretend” with alternate futures.

Oil mutants would definitely make it more interesting, though, as far as post-apocalyptic scenarios go.
Underwhelmed

The last remnants of man are forced to hide in high rise apartments (stairs are our only defense!) to escape the ravages of oil starved zombie SUVs and Luxury cars that wish to run over and squash humans down into oil to make more fossil fuels.

I figure it could be an action RPG or maybe even a MMORPG.
Anthony Flack

All I see is a whole bunch of articles and blog entries and stuff like that. Is there something I’m missing here? Some sort of over-arching purpose to it, something all of this media is being collated for, or some sort of… um, game for me to play? Or is writing fake articles the game?
http://www.g4g.it FireSword

No more 180hp cars, no more cigarettes, an obvious boost of alternate energy research and deployement, the islamic fanatics money-power reduced to nothing.. well doesn t seem a so apocalitic future.. providing u have water, carbon and a brain the future seems bright..
And yes the site looks a bunch of articles and blog entries.. :D
http://web.mac.com/shinjisixteen Shinji16

Being a fan and follower of ARGs, I have to say this one does puzzle me a bit. It is a bit atypical from most in regards to that the vast majority of it is based on user generated content, as opposed to PM (Puppetmaster, people that make it) created content, such as characters and their pages, events and so on.

So to respond to Anthony, yes, part of the game is the fake articles, but more so your participation in contributing to the world this project is trying create and project.
buttgass

Don’t forget to note that this is by ARG auteur Jane McGonigal, of I LOVE BEES fame.
Alevice

Doesn’t sound much like arg from what I have gathered, but eh.
Shih Tzu

Sounds like Odyssey of the Mind. Anyone do that in grade school, or was that a Minnesota thing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_of_the_Mind
Smithy!

I was in Odyssey of the Mind in elementary school!
ssfsx17

Darn, the submissions have to be kid-appropriate. There goes all of my ideas.
Stwelin

“A car that runs completely on human seed! finally a place for all of those chronic masturbators.”
-ssfsx17
ssfsx17

Well, I was thinking something more along the lines of people going crazy and killing each other in order to feed their hungry SUVs, with sheltered suburbanite kids having to see their formerly loving parents suddenly feasting on the flesh of their own neighbors in order to obtain their car keys, but a car that runs on alternate fluids is a pretty neat idea.
fartron

THEY were a gang of POST-APOCALYPTIC ROAD WARRIORS who had converted their HOT-RODS to run on BLOOD!

THEY thought they RULED THE ROAD, until they met their match DEEP IN THE SUBURBAN WASTES! A rough gang of OUTLAW WOMEN who plan to BLEED THE COUNTRY DRY!

WATCH the showdown between the HONDA TYPE AB and the VAMPIRE SUV!

WATCH as they ACTION POURS FORTH at a SHOCKING *25 Miles Per Carcass*!
Pragma

@fartron: That’s Fantastic! I think you just invented the exploitation-flick-video-game crossover genre (resident evil be damned).

I expect to see a playable demo by the end of the week.
fartron

carmageddon remake? maybe if it were more over the top.

i was just amused by the image of the opening sequence, as the HONDA TYPE AB runs down a hippie wearing a NO BLOOD FOR OIL shirt.
Robbie

Why isn’t anyone worried about our dependence on food?
Zaphos

Because there’s always soylent green to fall back on?