Hello, I'd be intersted to see what you all think about making a PC game based on the book Lord of the Flies . There seems to be a plethora of different ways to make such a game incredible, and I was wondering others that people may have thought of. What if the NPCs in the game could comprehend the meanings and forms of government and society? Imagine having computer-controlled characters that organize themselves into primitave societies, and that then break away from them in favor of a more barbaric approach to survival; it would be a fantastic AI feat. Also, having a constantly morphing environment (the island) would be a cool feature. The game could just be an experiment on creating accurate weather physics, and I'm sure there would still be plenty to do. Just my $0.02 ~Mark~ P.S - Ah well, I guess i'll let the highjacking go. Changed subject line [edited by - KaMiKaZ on October 27, 2002 2:02:32 PM]

Honestly, that would pretty much be takeing the book on face value...which might work for a book written in the pulp vien...but Lord of the Flies is filled with symbolisam, takeing it at face value (as in the film versions) pretty much negates the reason the book was written in the first place...the power of the story lies not in what happens, but in what it meens.

the boys didn''t become "savages" because Jack(? been a while sense I read it) was the strongest and most feared leader...they became savages because they purposely cut off thier last ties to the civilised world (symbolized through the smashing of Piggies eye glasses)...then of course there is the ending, which is very frightning when you consider what it represents.

such a book can and should stand on it''s own...unique to it''s medium.

I have to read that book.

But I don''t see what a book can do that a computer game can''t.

Actually, I''ll side with MSW. Lord of the Flies , my favorite book, is absolutley fantastic, and doesn''t deserve for its plot and symbolism to be badly represented in a game. I do think, however, that it would be incredibly intersting and revolutionary to have an AI system that would be able to create government and society on its own. I think the book would be a good model for such a system


~Mark~

MSW, I agree with your point, but i think what he meant was that the setting and the literal aspects, not symbolic, would make interesting material for a game. Obviously a computer game would have a hard time getting as in-depth as the book itself, as it is a true work of art (and a very cool book), but i think those are some interesting ideas.

KaMiKaZ, I think it would be really cool to make a computer game based on Lord of the Flies. Your thread grabbed my attention because I recently read it in my High School English class, and considered making a demo or game. Unofrtunately I didnt have the time to do it, but if anyone does, I''d play it.

KaMiKaZ,
Actually that sounds really really boring. All you have suggested is some interesting technology/programming. LOF features a small(ish) band of boys on a small island. Watching them form then reform societies would be of interest for about 10 minutes (especially as there are so few options open to them).

Games are not about what the computer does they are about what the player does.

Dan Marchant
Obscure Productions

Have you read Heinleins 'Tunnel in the Sky' or the swedish writer Sven Wernstroms 'The children on the Island' (or some such, in danish its 'Børnene på øen' but it might never have been translated to english).
Both are sort of counterarguments against Goldings thesis about the fragility of civilization. Both have a bunch of adolescents stranded alone for close to a year, but after an initial period of savagery some sort of social cohesion emerges. Differently in each book, as anyone familiar with these two writers can probably guess

Anyway, the controversy of LotF and reactions such as these two books (in TitS towards the end theres a thinly disguised spokesperson/strawman for LotF's thesis that is shown as pompous and ridiculous) shows that theres an interest in the subject of tweeking the parameters or the outcome of a LotF-like scenario. It could be fun with maybe 10-20 The Sims like persons wandering around on an island with limited resources.

---------
"It's always useful when you face an enemy prepared to die for his country. That means both of you have exactly the same aim in mind." -Terry Pratchett

PS: The sad face in the header is a mistake. Does anyone know how to remove it.

[edited by - deformed rabbit on October 24, 2002 9:06:10 AM]

Perhaps if you really wanted to create such a game, you could take some inspiration from the upcoming Lionhead satellite game B.C.. You have to guide your tribe, teach them, and lead them through the dangers of the prehistoric world. Sounds very familiar in theme.

I think a game "based on..." wouldn''t work very well. I think it could work if you take inspiration though. It could make an interesting evolution on the RTS/SIM type game.
You could have the player as leader of a civilisation in a time of political and social unrest, and try to keep control of and expand that civilisation, while making sure your population doesn''t become disatisfied and revert to a tribal/pre-industrial way of living, breaking down your society further.

I dunno, just an idea, but I certainly think it could make a good step on from the likes of black and white/civilisation.

quote: Original post by Kugels
I have to read that book.

But I don''t see what a book can do that a computer game can''t.

No offence, mate, but that is a ridiculous comment. You might as well say plays and films are the same.