DeepSummary
Emily Kwong and Nate Rott discuss a new version of the board game Catan that incorporates elements of energy production and pollution. The game, called Catan: New Energies, aims to mirror the real-world consequences of using fossil fuels versus renewable energy sources. Players can build faster with fossil fuels but also create more pollution, leading to catastrophic events like flooding or smog that impact all players.
The game developers intentionally avoided using the term 'climate change' to focus on energy choices and consequences, letting players draw their own conclusions. Research suggests that board games can influence human behavior and spark dialogues on important topics like climate change by allowing players to experience scenarios in a low-stakes setting.
While some educational games can feel forced, Catan: New Energies integrates the lesson into the gameplay mechanics, enabling players to personally experience the trade-offs between development and pollution. The developers hope the game will encourage conversations and potentially change perspectives on energy use and the balance between growth and environmental impact.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Catan: New Energies is a new version of the popular board game Catan that incorporates energy production and pollution mechanics.
- The game aims to mirror real-world consequences of fossil fuel use versus renewable energy sources through gameplay, without explicitly mentioning climate change.
- Players can build faster with fossil fuels but also create more pollution, leading to catastrophic events that impact all players.
- The developers hope the game will encourage conversations and change perspectives on energy use and balancing growth with environmental impact.
- Research suggests board games can influence human behavior and spark important dialogues by allowing players to experience scenarios in a low-stakes setting.
- While some educational games feel forced, Catan: New Energies integrates the lesson into the gameplay mechanics for a more organic experience.
- Board games create a 'magic circle' where normal social rules are suspended, enabling difficult conversations and explorations of taboo scenarios.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “For me, what games are really powerful at is starting the dialogues.“ by Sam Illingworth
- “In the game Monopoly, it's perfectly good stroke advisable for me to want to bankrupt you, which is behavior that's morally repugnant away from the gaming table. But it means that those social hierarchies can break down and we can have conversations that we wouldn't normally be able to take place.“ by Sam Illingworth
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Episode Information
Short Wave
NPR
4/29/24
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