Homework # 1

So after playing some of the games from the websites that you gave us, there are a few that I found to be interesting, to say the least.

Game 1: Border Patrol Game
URL: http://www.aztlan.net/racist_anti-mexican_game.htm

The motive of this game is actually quiet simple, its to spread hatred towards Mexican undocumented immigrants. They do this by classifying the people that are crossing the border in three different types: Mexican Nationalist, Drug Smuggler, and a Breeder. As if those were the only types of people that were crossing over to the USA.

The whole point of the game is that you get to shoot the people that are running across your screen to keep them from getting to the USA. Then at the end, you get rated on how well you did. While this game is really messed up, I have to say that it does a good job at convening it's message.

First, they try to make you belief that every person that is crossing over is a bad person. So it's a "good" thing to shoot them to avoid from getting criminals into the USA. Then, they encourage to keep playing the game to try to beat your own score.

I really hate this game, but it does a great job at doing what its suppose to do.

Game 2: McDonald's Video Game
URL: http://www.mcvideogame.com/game-eng.html

This game is similar to the game above in the sense that they are also trying to spread a message, but in this case is of trying to raise awareness about the business practices of McDonald's. While a lot of the stuff on the game is bias and/or objectionable, they are trying to portray McDonald's as an evil corporation interested in only profits. While I'm not saying that either side is correct, I think that they do a good job at trying to convey that message.

The setting of the game is that basically McDonald's has hired you to run the operations of the company. This involves growing the soy to feed the cows, slaughtering the cows, running a McDonald's restaurant, and keeping the people at the corporate headquarters happy by keeping profits up and using different marketing campaigns to boost profits as well as corrupting certain officials in the community.

This game is actually very fast paced, and it took me a few times to actually last more than just a few minutes. I think the last time that I played it, I lasted around 10-15 minutes before I lost and the game was over. But like I said, it does a very good job as casting McDonald's as an evil corporation.

Game 3: Airport Security
URL: http://www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/airportsecurity.jsp#NONE

This game actually made me laugh a little. I don't know when this game was made, but it seems perfect with all the stuff that's been on the new about the TSA. This game basically puts you in a setting that is like your first day on the job. They tell you that your going to be in charged of making sure that no one sneaks anything in that they aren't suppose to.

The funny part is that they switch what is allowed and isn't all the time while your playing. For example, one second you'll be in charge of making sure that the passengers can't take water with them, and the next you'll have to make them take of their pants or shirts. Most of the time, is a combination of things that they can't take with them, like they can't have hats and shirts, or something like that.

But you also have to be quick in this game. You have to make sure that you don't violate anyones rights and that your doing everything correctly while at the same time making sure that the line doesn't get too long. You get points depending on how well you do your job, but if you violate too many of the rights of the passengers or you let to many things go by that shouldn't, you lost and the game is over.

I don't really know what the point of the game was, besides highlighting how stupid some of the real rules of the TSA are.