Gaming With Purpose....Follow

I was just listening to some radio program that featured TED talkers. One of the guest speakers today was a women who studies gamers. Her premise is that gamers could be the worlds salvation. (HERE is the talk, I don't have a link to radio program).

She mentioned a couple real-life problem type solving games - folding protiens, dna sequencing etc. But another she talked about i thought sounded interesting was A World Without Oil. It didn't solve a problem only provided solutions to problems and illustrated failure. She did mention though that many of the folks that played the game adopted real world practices to use less oil.

I'd like to see a game created, a sim type game, where we have to best utilize the worlds space. You know taking into account all our necessary naturalness - forests rivers special ecosystems, high value stuffs, etc. It would also have to take into account our own human desire for space, privacy, recreation etc (gotta keep your peeps happy!). So your maximizing living spots for humans while minimizing impact from using up various spaces.

I'd like to see another on solid waste where the goal is to maximize consumption while minimizing solid-waste.

It's interesting. I'd think I'd like to play an MMO with real-world implications (as long as it has dwarfs).

I just want an option to summon Godzilla.

Is that the one where everyone dies from AIDS instead of Cholera?

I always thought the game had questionable mechanics.