Would you play this game?

[Pixelia]

You are a young muslim woman who is attempting to escape the country. Both your family and husband want you dead because you have caused the unforgivable sin of falling in love with another man. If found, you will be stoned or beaten to death.

Your lover is a foreigner from the west, who is waiting to leave with you at the airport. You must find a way to find yourself there without being discovered.



What do you think?

[LimpingFish]

I think it's highly original, but it's a politically/morally/religiously delicate subject.

When undertaking something like this, a lot of factors would need to be taken into account. If you feel you have something to say about such a serious subject, or have an insight into a similar situation, then...why not?

On the other hand, if you simply wish to exploit such political/moral/religious views, then I would advise against it.

[Nikolas]

I just needed to say that I agree with limpfish really.

I understand completely where you're coming from, just don't know how some people may take it. Who knows, maybe palistians may shut down AGS forums, as they did with youtube

No, honestly, this IS a delicate matter and unless you can make your opinion clear and you have a reason for making the game, just making it because you have some puzzles, or you want to exploit the circumstances (as fish says), it seems a bad idea really.

[Pixelia]

I actually do have something to say on the matter and I can't seem to keep the subject off my mind these days. I'm aware that it's a very delicate subject...

I mean to tell a tale of a young woman who struggles against her religion and traditions, she has dreams of a better future. She finds this in a foreigner who is gentle, kind, patient and treats her as an equal.

This video somewhat inspired me...

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I think you should make the game if you believe enough in the subject matter and are familiar enough with it.  People will play the game if it is compelling, but if the story amounts to little more than propaganda you'll probably have a lot of people panning it.  If you are inspired by something, I say go with it!

[auriond]

I think it's a lovely idea if treated right. I think you can emphasise her character: that under the veil is a real person with hopes and dreams. And to avoid turning it into a stereotype of the rebellious teen, you can show that she actually believes in her religion and traditions, except that she takes a more moderate view. Similarly, the foreigner doesn't have to be a dashing blond American waiting to whisk her off to New York, but possibly a European (Turkish? ) with some understanding of her culture.

I'm saying this from the point of view of someone who lives among many Muslims who are quite different from the extremes showed in Western media. I'd like to see something that shows the range of what Islam is: the extreme conservatives as represented by her family, and the more "modern" moderates as possibly represented by herself.

Of course, then, in order to do this right you will have to do some in-depth research of Islam. You can include this in your game, and then it could serve an educational purpose as well as creating awareness.

[Pixelia]

You have some good points, Auriond.

I've been waiting to be inspired in order to begin my first game and I think I am now.

An in-depth research will be my next step. Many thanks.

[The Inquisitive Stranger]

I'd be very intrigued to see this game, if it's done well.

[Andail]

It doesn't sound a bit original, in fact it sounds very stereotypical.
Original would be something that we westerners totally didn't expect. Not just that we're great and they're crazy, over there.
You haven't even really settled for a country, you just mentioned she's muslim, but whatever, all muslim countries are the same, right?

[mouthuvmine]

Since she (the main character) is the one the crazies are after, but ALSO a "crazy" herself, you're assesment seems inaccurate. Not to be a jerk, but pixelia seems to be open to doing more research in order to flesh out a deeper story, invloving more factual points on the religion beyond "they're crazy", or so they posted just ahead of yourself. But I think this does a great job of illustrating why it's so important to handle this game delicately. Many will go into this waiting for a biggotted (even slightly) point of view, and miss whatever character story you tell.

I'd also like to point out that none of the statements actually made by andail were in the first post, they just weren't preemptively addressed. I AM curious about them though...what say you, Pixelia? Have you really gotten into which country? Is she in fact, a crazy?

I think I've stated this twice already, but just to emphisize...not being an ass.

And to answer the actual question here...Yes, IF the characters were believeable, and NOT action movie muslim fanatics.

[space boy]

I like the graphics.

[auriond]

It doesn't sound a bit original, in fact it sounds very stereotypical.
Original would be something that we westerners totally didn't expect. Not just that we're great and they're crazy, over there.
You haven't even really settled for a country, you just mentioned she's muslim, but whatever, all muslim countries are the same, right?

From the screenshots, I think it's pretty safe to say this isn't Indonesia or Malaysia. A Middle Eastern country, then, but she may not have decided which one yet. It would depend on her storyline and what her research turns up, or at least that's how I would do it if I were her.

Also, the "we're great and they're crazy" bit - that's why I said not to make the foreigner an obvious Caucasian. It would be much more meaningful, in fact, if the lover himself was Muslim. Possibly from Malaysia or Indonesia, for that matter.

And Pixelia has already indicated that she is open to treating this sensitive issue in a nuanced matter, so I hope that will turn out well.

For what it's worth, I'm approaching this from what I think my Muslim friends would want. If you want, Pixelia, I can put you in touch with some of them to tell you more about their religion. But theirs would be the Southeast Asian perspective, and they practise Islam very differently from how they do it in the Middle East.

[Stupot]

Certainly keep going if you feel you have an important message to deliver.  So long as it is well-informed and insightful.  I'd be interested to see how it turns out.

[vertigoaddict]

It doesn't sound a bit original, in fact it sounds very stereotypical.
Original would be something that we westerners totally didn't expect. Not just that we're great and they're crazy, over there.
You haven't even really settled for a country, you just mentioned she's muslim, but whatever, all muslim countries are the same, right?

I actually agree with Andail, it does seem stereotypical, like, look at the background for instance, why desert? why stoned to death? (why iraqi laws?) sounds like that movie 'Osama' to me...

There ARE muslims in China, Austrailia, Canada, heck we're everywhere! I should know, my family is muslim (I'm athiest, but my parents either don't know that or won't admit).

Brunei is a muslim country and most (a lot) of people don't even know it exists. There isn't a game set in Brunei (I plan to make one, one of these days).

Why not make a game where it shows how the 'muslim woman' isn't so different from the 'westerner'. In fact make the westerner a Wiccan (and the ACTUAL nature respecing wiccan, not that harry potter stuff).

A muslim woman who works as a realtor falls in love with this wiccan construction worker and her family disapproves of his religion. (There are cases where two people marry each other regardless of religion you know). And the game would be how this woman tries to persuade the few members of her family to let her marry him. That sounds like a fun game.

[Layabout]

I wouldn't play it, cause it seems so unrealistic. Aren't all muslims suicide bombers and terrorists?

It mustn't be too hard for her to escape her country, as she seems to be wearing a full body whatsit. Are muslims able to tell the difference between each other when they wear that?

evil bad guy: Look it's her!!! Lets stone her to death!!!

Evil bad guy no 2.: are you sure? She looks kinda different.... I dunno, maybe it's the eyes...

evil bad guy no 1: Damn our stupid laws which dictate women must cover their bodys and faces fully!! Damn them to hell!!!

Kaboom. Their suicide bombs accidently go off and they die and the heroine escapes.

The end.

See, it writes itself!!!

[Emerald]

I don't care about the Muslim thing... it just sounds kinda boring in general.

You'd need something more involving happening at the same time. Like, maybe while she's trying to escape, marines are sieging the city and raping people and blowing up schools and stuff...

[Gord10]

I would play it and recommend you to go for it as long as there is something you want to express.

The ingringement of women rights in some Muslim countries is a serious problem (and unfortunately, my own country, Turkey, gradually turns into one of those theocratic nations.). 

I say go for it and be brave.

[m0ds]

Well, it looks pretty good, and the storyline isn't too bad. Providing there's some action I think it could work well. How about...

[Layabout]

Mark!!! You got it totally wrong!

This is what you need to make it more exciting and actiony..

[LimpingFish]

It doesn't sound a bit original, in fact it sounds very stereotypical.
Original would be something that we westerners totally didn't expect. Not just that we're great and they're crazy, over there.
You haven't even really settled for a country, you just mentioned she's muslim, but whatever, all muslim countries are the same, right?

Original in that the number of games based in Muslim countries, that don't involve nightvision and cries of "Private, take cover! Those eye-racky's are flanking your ass!", are relatively few. The fact that this may be another negative view of the Islamic faith, notwithstanding.

The fact that we in the west only hear about events in these countries when someone is stoned to death, or detonates a bomb on a school bus, doesn't mean that these subjects, negative or otherwise, can't be explored.

I mentioned in my first post about various factors being taken into account. Those include: Extensive knowledge of the subject, first-hand or otherwise, and a conscious will to explore the subject beyond "Muslims bad!"

If Pixelia is a teenage boy from Newark, whose knowledge of the subject doesn't go beyond Fox News, and who thinks this is a good way to get his game talked about, then this is a extremely bad idea.

EDIT: Perhaps a story about a Islamic man/woman, living in the west, and the possible close-mindedness they may experience in a culture that doesn't (is unwilling to?) understand their faith, might also be worth exploring.