The Independent Games Festival 2012 (Federation Square)

Today my son (almost 14) and I are at The Best of the Independent Games Festival at ACMI Federation Square, Melbourne which showcases (supposedly) some of the best of indie electronic game design. My son likes some of the games, and I'm particularly interested in 3 (for obvious reasons): Fez, Botanicula, and Lume.   These three are particularly interesting for their eco-digitilization inspiration and content.

My son is playing on a game entitled Fez (2012) which has a little white critter sporting a red fez climbing up walls strewn with rambling vines and a digital snail pixillating across a vegetated roof (none other than an intensive roof garden). 
The game is gently introducing eco-screen dreaming to the digitalized context. There is also Botanicula which as it sounds comprises botanic features, and Lume, the game (2011). This one describes itself as 'an illuminating puzzle adventure. Power to your Granddad's has failed.... Immerse yourself in Lume's photoreal world, solve perplexing paper puzzles to help restore the power ...'  On one level you see a roof entirely covered with photovoltaic cells. Hmm, it isn't long and the place being full, we are being encouraged to let someone else have a turn, so I don't get to explore these games' horizons as much as I could. 

It is inspirational being here, to see that game designers are factoring the eco-movement in to their visuals so that within the game you are encouraged heart and soul to remember there is a natural world in a parallel 'universe' to the electronic one, which is worthy of attention (oops my Doctor Who interest is obvious). 

This is one example of what I call an eco-screen dream where creators of TV and film drama, and advertisers instil subliminal eco-signals whether it be a greener backdrop, a green product like a recycling bin, or someone taking part in a green activity like riding a scooter to the shops.  Readers can scroll down to see other relevant topics such as visual imagery for screening up and eco screen dream topics on this Blog. Happy reading!