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lawboy's Defcon (PC)
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| [April 8, 2015 02:23:40 PM]
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The two ethical issues I see people having with the game is the taboo nature of the subject matter and the actions the player takes with the tools provided. Creating a game about genocide where the score is counted in megadeaths is something we have been taught is wrong. When given a simulation despite being relatively non representational the player still feels as though they are wiping out most of the human race. The question thats raised, are there subjects which are too taboo to create a game about? I am a firm believer that nothing is too taboo and that creating a game about something as taboo as nuclear holocausts allows players to explore and imagine the possibilities of such scenarios.
After playing a series of multiplayer games I also realize there's level of diplomacy and subterfuge that also happens between players. There's always some distrust between allies. Or the thought process in placing units in order to misdirect your opponent. Theres also something to be said for the slow pacing of the game which is both quite enjoyable but also allows a level of meditative play as you thoughtfully deploy units. Overall I think Defcon is a great game giving players the tools to feel like they are in control of giant nation-state.
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| [April 8, 2015 12:23:41 AM]
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Multiplayer in Defcon feels like your playing an interactive board game. I found this aesthetic to be refreshing from the usual action based games or games that dont take advantage of this beautiful simplicity. My first multiplayer game I wound up as South Asia. I attempted to make allies with Russians in the north. This proved useful for a time and seemed like a good idea as then I could focus my attention on the American dogs. I built massive fleet and began to send towards the Pacific coast. I ended up sneaking the fleet right past their fleet which they had sent to attack my mainland. The tension level was high and there's an ever-present level of anxiety as to whether the choices you're making are the right ones. Once it came time to launch nukes I launched everything in a giant volley carpet bombing the West and East Coasts of the US. I intentionally built no defenses from Russia assuming my ally would hold. It didn't and I found myself being attacked on two fronts. I ended up taking second place as I managed to kill most of the US in my opening volley from Silos, Bombers, and Subs.
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| [April 8, 2015 12:16:38 AM]
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Defcon is a game where you try and destroy the opposing player through nuking everything they hold dear. At first I was quite frustrated by the game as its an older title and refused to work on my computer. After two days of troubleshooting on and off I finally got it working. Apparently the game isnt designed for ultra high res displays. I also had a bug where my mouse was frozen in game but fine on the desktop. So my first impression of the game wasn't the best as I was already judging it based on the fact it didnt work on my state of the art super-gaming PC.
However after I got it working and completed the tutorial I was far more impressed by the game. I appreciate the intercontinental war between nations and the zoomed out view reminiscent of Dr Strangelove. It felt very cold-waresque. The fact you measure success in megadeaths was also both hilarious and added another level of drama. Next multiplayer.
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lawboy's Defcon (PC)
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Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Monday 6 April, 2015
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