BY KARL MILLER
"Quake" is a phenomenally popular shoot 'em up computer game. The designers included the capability for users to create "mods" or modified versions of the game. "Political Arena" is a satirical mod written specifically for the US elections.
According to the Political Arena web site (<http://welcome.to/politicalarena>): "Video games have just become politically conscious — and they're fighting back! Not with guns or bombs, but with art, ideas and the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression. Political Arena is based ... on the idea that political participation and protest can be fun."
The game's designers describe Political Arena as "a reaction to the scapegoating of kids, movies, TV and games as influences behind youth violence".
Democrat and Republican politicians have blamed young players of "violent" games like Quake for terrible incidents like the 1999 Colombine High School killings. Political Arena's designers say to the opportunist politicians: "If you're going to place blame for negative influences on society, be ready to examine your own behaviour ... or to have it examined for you".
In Political Arena, the game players' opponents are the two US mainstream parties' presidential and vice-presidential candidates. They are:
- "Al Gore Jr (Democrats) — Al Gore invented the internet, so he has an edge in the domination of the Arena. He serves an administration which has waged undeclared war on four different countries, giving him first-hand experience with deadly virtual combat;
- "George W. Bush (Republicans) — the 'Texecutioner' has executed 140+ people by proxy, and was anxious to get his hands dirty in the Arena. Despite missing a full year of National Guard duty, he is a vicious and efficient killer ...;
- "Joe Lieberman (Democrats) — Lieberman is intent upon the destruction of not just the combatants, but of the Arena itself. His war on virtual entertainment is intended to distract us from the real-life horrors and acts of extreme and real violence perpetuated by his murderous associates, and their profoundly negative influence on American society and the world, children and adults alike;" and
- "Dick Cheney (Republicans) — this staunch defender of weapons rights and supporter of apartheid South Africa was Secretary of Defense in the war against Iraq, the world's first virtual war. Dick makes it clear that nuclear first strike is always an option, so watch for him to camp by the BFG [Big Fucking Gun]."