Game-O-Matic: Generating Videogames that Represent Ideas

Reviewer: Cecilia G. Manrique

I previously wrote a review [1] of GameSalad, a programming language for creating iPhone games. That was more than a year ago, so I thought I was going back in time when I read this paper. I also thought that the authors were reinventing the wheel by coming up with such an authoring tool. Game-O-Matic is a videogame authoring tool collaboratively produced by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, Santa Cruz, and funded by the Knight News Challenge. The tool allows ordinary users to create games using a simple concept map input system made up of a network of nouns connected by verbs. The users then assemble simple arcade-style video games that represent the ideas contained in the concept map. Game-O-Matic provides three types of simple recipes: win, lose, and structure. With the use of figures, and various examples, the authors describe their conceptualization of how the user builds concept maps. I do not agree with the authors' statement that "generating video games is a relatively new field." They seem to think this because they found few examples of combining basic rules to create playable games. Thus, they wrote this paper to show the work of various game developers, whose research serves as the basis for their design, especially games generated with "a combination of answer set rules that define the game's ruleset." The paper shows the kinds of verbs supported by Game-O-Matic, which, according to the authors, still lacks sensible structure, although they have applied a patch. Their specific example is an arcade-type game in which Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protesters arrive at New York's Zuccotti Park and face arrest. The authors believe that their approach "enables the nontechnical users to rapidly create editorial newsgames." Beyond that, it appears that the authors wish to make Game-O-Matic a resource that will help the world better understand how video games can be made to support user expression. Based on the example presented, this boils down to video games serving as better methods for furthering freedom of expression about political issues. Online Computing Reviews Service